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.
Mark 4:5-6 (NKJV) Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
This stony ground is a place where there is a layer of limestone embedded in the ground or a field with rocks that has a thin layer of earth. It was sown on the ground where the earth is shallow because there is a layer of limestone underneath. Since it is shallow ground, there is not much earth so it cannot take root.
There might be underlying issues in our lives that need to be dealt with so that the word can really take root and bear fruit in our lives. There are Christians who do not like to read the word for themselves, spend quiet time with the Lord, neither do they like to attend teaching seminar. They are excited to hear testimonies of successful people and breakthrough that they had in their lives. They might forget that these people actually walked with God and were totally dependent on God. All they want is a quick fix, grab hold of a few promises and use it as a formula for faith in God to try God out and be successful in life.
The people who belong to this category stumble, fall away and leave the Lord. They are offended or stop attending church because of various reasons. They tried God like a formula and tested Him without a proper relationship.
The type of soil that has little earth and has a stony base represents people who are touched by a sermon on Sunday, but forgot it by Monday! They will fall away or get stumbled when tribulation and persecution come to them. They stumble in their faith because their Christian experience was based more on emotion than on truth, they have no deep roots into the Word.
God has given dominion over our own lives and nobody is able to prepare our heart to receive the word better than we do. We should guard this truth in our hearts. If God has given us the power or dominion over our lives, He will not override our decision.
The devil will attempt to steal the word from our lives immediately after it has been sown. As free moral agents, we are the ones who have been given the authority to guard the word sown into our hearts and ensure that our heart is open and receptive to His word. Nobody is able to guard the word from being stolen except us. The devil will use all kinds of ways to steal the word from you and it might not even be relevant to what you have just heard from the preaching or teaching. His chief objective is to get you to let go of the word that you have just been taught or are excited about.
The Bible reveals to us very clearly that tribulation and persecution will arise for the word’s sake in order to steal the word or the possible conviction that we can develop and have our faith grounded on it.
The Word of God works like a mirror where it reveals to us the condition of our lives or heart. It is never meant to judge or condemn but for us to make the necessary adjustment of our lives. All too often we have seen brothers and sisters including ourselves seem passionate and enthusiastic about God and His word. We are on a spiritual high especially after Sunday, a seminar, conference and a Bible Study. All of a sudden the people either lost the zeal, the passion, the drive, the enthusiasm or slowly stop attending church or return to the world. There is no depth and proper foundation on what we should be appreciative of the work that Christ has done for us!
If we were to be honest with ourselves, this happens to us when we are disappointed with God, under stress or challenges come our way and we crumble under it.
The Christian life is not a bed of roses every day. It does not promise us that we will be free from tribulation but it does promise us to be able to overcome the tribulation when it happens in our lives!
Sermon series: There is power in the seed
呼召成为得胜者
马可福音 4:16-17 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。
马可福音 4:5-6 有落在土浅石头地上的，土既不深，发苗最快，日头出来一晒，因为没有根，就枯干了。
土浅石头地指的是有石灰石镶嵌在地质里，或者是岩石上有一层薄薄的泥土的地方。由于下面有一层石灰石，种子被播在地面浅浅的那层土上时，地土表浅而且土壤不厚，所以不能生根。
我们的生活中可能有一些潜在的问题需要处理，以便真理可以实实在在地在我们生活中生根结果。有些基督徒不喜欢自己去研读神的话语，不爱灵修，也不喜欢参加查经学习。但他们很爱听成功人士的经历及成功人士是如何突破自己生活的见证。他们可能会忘了这些人其实与神同行、完全依赖上帝。他们只想要快速的解答、抓住一些应许、当作信仰上帝的公式来试试上帝，期待在生活中取得成功。
这一类的人会跌倒、会疏远以及离开主。他们会由于种种原因被冒犯或停止去教会。他们试将公式套用在上帝身上进行试验，而没有想去和祂建立适宜的关系。
土浅石头地的土质是指周日被主日布道感动了的人，星期一就忘记了！他们一遭受苦难或是受逼迫，就疏离神或是跌倒。因为他们的基督生命的经历较多的是基于感受而非基于真理，也没有扎根于神的话语中，所以他们在信仰上就跌倒了。
上帝赋予我们对自己生命的自由意志权，没人比我们自己更能预备好自己的心来接受祂的话语。我们应该在心里保守这个真理，那就是，上帝赐予我们自由意志来支配生命的能力，祂不会推翻我们的决定。
魔鬼会试图即刻夺去那在我们生命中才刚洒种的道理。我们拥有自由意志，我们被赋予了权柄来保守这撒在我们心中的道，并确保我们有敞开的心来接受祂的话语。除了我们自己，没有人能保守这个道不被夺去的。魔鬼会用各种各样的方式将这道从你这儿夺走，甚至可能与你刚刚从传道或教导中听到的没有任何相关性。它的主要目标是将你刚听到的真理或是对真理的热情夺去。
圣经非常清楚地向我们启示说，苦难和逼迫可能因此而生，为的是要夺去这个道，以及夺去我们在真道上可发展出的信心和可扎下的根基。
神的话语就像一面镜子，祂向我们启示了我们生命或心灵的状况，但决不是来论断或定我们的罪，而是提醒我们对生活进行必要的调整。我们常常看到包括我们自己在内的兄弟姐妹，对上帝和祂的话语充满激情和热心。特别是主日之后、布道会之后、查经学习后，我们灵里变得火热。但是突然之间，人们要么失去了热心、激情、动力；要么慢慢停止了去教会或回到世界。因为我们在所应感谢基督为我们所作的一切上，并没有深度和根基！
我们可否诚实回答这个问题：当我们对上帝感到失望的时候，就会发生这样的情况吗？在面临压力或挑战之时，我们就会崩溃吗？
基督徒的生活并不总是天色常蓝的，我们的信仰并没向我们保证我们将免受苦难，但祂确实应许我们能够胜过这些苦难！
讲章系列：种子大有能力
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