Mark 4:13-20 (NKJV)And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word.And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
The highlight of this parable was on the last soil. The seed, which refers to the Word of God was well received and accepted, thus bringing forth a harvest. We will reap a harvest once we have allowed the seed to germinate and grow in our hearts. Therefore, we ourselves are the determining factor in how much influence the Word of God has on our lives because we have been given the freedom to choose to listen to the Word intently, accept it, and act it out diligently.
The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Therefore, there is tremendous power in the seed to produce faith in our lives. If the soil is fertile, which means our hearts are willing to receive the Word, it will have a multiplication effect of up to a hundredfold.
Stealing the seed is effortless for the devil when it is lying on hardened or stony ground and among the thorns because it is above the soil’s surface. We can listen to the preaching, teaching or sharing of the Word, yet be uninterested or sceptical about the simplicity of the Word of God. Because we are so used to “seeing is believing” and are easily affected by our senses, we are prone to giving up quickly rather than putting up a fight between what we experience and believe by faith.
Strong faith is developed by hearing, accepting and practising the Word of God. The seed allowed to germinate and grow into a tree will produce fruit for us to harvest. The Word of God will create faith in our lives, especially when developing conviction to help us overcome the tribulation, persecution, and adversity that the enemies throw at us in this world.
Jesus said we can move mountains even if we have faith like a mustard seed. Therefore, we must not underestimate the power of God’s word in our lives. Once the Word we hear becomes a conviction in our hearts, faith will grow from a measure of little to one of greatness.
Sermon Series：Growing Our Faith In God (Part 1)
让种子在你的心中生长
马可福音 4:13-20 又对他们说：“你们不明白这比喻吗？这样怎能明白一切的比喻呢？撒种之人所撒的，就是道。那撒在路旁的，就是人听了道，撒但立刻来，把撒在他心里的道夺了去；那撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受，但他心里没有根，不过是暂时的，及至为道遭了患难，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了；还有那撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道，后来有世上的思虑、钱财的迷惑和别样的私欲，进来把道挤住了，就不能结实；那撒在好地上的，就是人听道，又领受，并且结实，有三十倍的，有六十倍的，有一百倍的。”
这个比喻的重点在于最后那块土壤。种子，指的是神的话语，被良好接纳并接受，从而结出了丰硕的果实。一旦我们允许种子在我们心中发芽成长，我们就会收获果实。因此，我们自己是决定神的话语在我们生活中产生多少影响的关键因素，因为神赐给我们自由选择，专心听从祂的话语，接受它，并勤奋地付诸实践。
圣经说，信心是通过听神的话而来的。因此，种子中蕴藏着巨大的力量，能够在我们的生命中产生信心。如果土壤是肥沃的，也就是我们的心愿意接纳神的话语，那么它将产生多倍的效果，最高可达到百倍的收成。
当种子落在硬化的土壤或岩石中，或者被荆棘围绕时，魔鬼偷走种子几乎是轻而易举的，因为种子仍然暴露在土壤表面上。我们可能听到讲道、教导或分享神的话语，但却对神话语的简单性不感兴趣或持怀疑态度。由于我们习惯于“眼见为实”，且容易受到感官的影响，我们往往容易放弃，而不是在所经历的与信心所信的之间进行争战。
坚强的信心是通过聆听、接受和实践神的话语来培养的。当种子发芽并长成树，结出果实，我们就可以收获。上帝的话语会在我们的生活中创造信心，尤其是当仇敌在这个世界上向我们抛出苦难、迫害和逆境时，上帝的话语帮助我们克服这些景况并培养我们的信念。
耶稣说，即使我们的信心像一粒芥菜种，也能够移山。因此，我们绝不能低估神话语在我们生命中的力量。一旦我们所听到的话语在我们心中成为坚固的信念，信心就会从微小的程度增长为伟大的信心。
讲章系列：在神里面让信心生发成长（第一部）
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