Mark 4:16-17 (NKJV)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.
Have you ever seen the early warning aircraft that’s equipped with a huge radar mounted on its top? The radar has a wide coverage in the air which enables the aircraft to pinpoint enemies’ locations so the friendly fighter jets can have early warning. Similarly, through this parable, Jesus also gives us early warning regarding how the different heart conditions of men will affect the outcome of the Word of God in our lives. He also pre-empts the devil’s schemes by telling us about his strategies in advance.
A farmer will be on a constant lookout for locusts, birds, insects, foxes, as well as typhoon, torrential rain, drought, and heat waves that may destroy the crops. Likewise, the devil uses all kinds of tribulation, persecution, cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires of the world to uproot, steal or cause the Word to be unfruitful in our lives, and we need to be wise, keep a lookout and pre-empt the devil’s schemes.
For instance, if we realise that our heart condition belongs to the stony ground category, we need to deal with it, because otherwise, we won’t be able to withstand the challenges aimed at sifting our faith regarding what we have just heard. Stony ground is where there is a layer of limestone embedded in the ground, or a field with rocks that only has a thin layer of earth. Because the earth is shallow, the seed sown cannot take root because there is no depth. Therefore, we mustn’t be shallow earth. Instead, we want to protect the Word in our hearts by letting it grow deep roots so that we can withstand the tribulation and persecution aimed at stealing the Word from us and causing us to stumble.
The Bible says that those with stony ground receive the Word with gladness. However, faith in God is not a formula, but rather it is developed through a deep trust in God and His Word through a personal relationship with Him, and we need to know God by reading His Word, praying and depending on Him by living a consecrated life.
This passage acts as a warning that we should be watchful against the work of the devil, and it also encourages to be open to the Word in our lives. We ourselves determine the condition of our hearts and the size of the harvest, or lack thereof, of the Word of God in our lives, Meanwhile, we also have to be vigilant to ensure that the devil does not succeed in stealing the Word of God from our lives with his schemes.
Sermon Series: The Seed San be Stolen but It Is Difficult to Uproot the Tree! (Part 2)
石头地需要治理
马可福音4:16-17同样，这些人也被撒种撒在在石头地上，当他们听到这些话语时，会立刻欢喜领受；但他们心里没有根，所以只是暂时的。后来，因为道的缘故遭遇了患难或逼迫时，他们立刻跌倒。
你见过顶部安装了大型雷达的预警机吗？雷达从空中的覆盖范围很广，就像鸟瞰图一样，这架预警机可以使飞机能够精准确定敌人的位置，从而使友军战斗机能够获得预警。同样，通过这个比喻，耶稣也给了我们预警，告诉我们人心的各种状况将如何影响上帝的话语在我们的生命中结出果子。耶稣还提前告诉我们祂的对策，从而得以先发制魔。
农民时刻都关注着蝗虫、鸟类、昆虫、狐狸，以及可能摧毁农作物的台风、暴雨、干旱和热浪。同样地，魔鬼利用各种磨难、迫害、世上的思虑，钱财的迷惑，和别样的私欲来铲除、窃取或使话语在我们的生活中结不出果子，我们要有智慧，小心提防并且先发制人挫败魔鬼的阴谋。
例如，如果我们意识到我们的内心状况属于石头地的范畴，我们就需要治理这块地，因为否则我们无法承受信心的挑战，就是我们对刚刚听得的圣言的信心的筛滤。石头地是嵌有石灰岩层的地方，或者是薄薄土层覆盖之下的石头地。因为土层很浅，土壤太少，撒的种子无法生根，因为没有深度。所以，我们不能作浅土。相反，我们想要保护我们心中的话语，让它生根发芽，这样我们就可以抵御那些想从我们心中窃取话语并使我们跌倒的磨难和迫害。
《圣经》说，那些地面坚硬的人会快乐地接受《圣经》。然而，对上帝的信仰不是一个公式，而是通过与上帝的个人关系，对上帝和祂的话语的深深信任而发展起来的，我们需要通过阅读祂的话语、祈祷和依靠祂过圣洁的生活来认识上帝。
这一章节是作为一个警告，提醒我们要警惕魔鬼的工作，并且鼓励我们在生活中对上帝敞开心扉。我们自己决定我们内心状况，决定了我们生命中上帝话语的收获是多是少。同时，我们也必须保持警惕，确保魔鬼不会成功地以牠的诡计将上帝的话语从我们的生命中偷走。
讲章系列：种子会被偷走，但很难把树连根拔起！