Seeds and Colors

Sunday morning our Youth Minister covered the parable of the sower (Mark 4:3-8) and Christ’s explanation to his disciples (Mark 4:14-20).  It is his habit to have visual representations, and the colors above were used.  He selected people from the congregation that were wearing a shirt that matched one of the colors, then tied the colors to our Christian life, and the verses.

The colors were part of a series of lessons he presented to our Youth during Wednesday night services over the past weeks, the ground on which the seed fell tied to each of the colors.  I regret I do not have the name of the book, nor the author, that was used.

Way Side – the cold blue of indifference – the word is rejected by the hearer, there is no growth at all.  Jesus told us:

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. (Mark 4:15 KJV)

Stony Ground – the new growth of green – the word is taken in, love of God begins, the person may actually accept Christ as being God’s son, but the feeling is short lived.  Jesus explained:

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. (Mark 4:16-17 KJV)

Thorns – the white is about nothing.  There may have been the new green growth, but something has taken over that growth and removed the love of God from it.  Jesus tells us:

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19 KJV)

Good Ground – this gets two different colors, yellow and red.  These are fruitful Christians, the difference being the amount of fruit, as Jesus said:

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. (Mark 4:20 KJV)

Some of that fruitful difference we can influence within ourselves through prayer, Bible study and service.  The first two are fairly simple, but many of us stumble at service.  Oh, we’ll attend them at the church, but we don’t look for the opportunity to be of service in a church. 

The first question for ourselves is:  What is your color?  As was given to us yesterday, not where do we want to be, nor what are we working toward, but what is our color right now?  An honest answer is necessary.

Then the question becomes:  How do we increase our fruitfulness?

Immerse ourselves in prayer, Bible study and service.