Mark 4:18-20 18And others are the ones sown among thorns. These are the ones who hear the word, 19and the anxiousness of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the cravings for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20And those that were sown on the good soil are those who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Jesus continues explaining the parable by describing another challenge to fruit bearing. The third type of soil appears to be good, but the problem is that thorn weeds also grow well in it. Those who have grown gardens know that weeds like good soil and require constant attention to get rid of them. The challenge is especially serious in the spring when the garden comes to life. It can be difficult at first to tell the difference between good seedlings and weeds. It takes time until the plants have matured enough to tell, and then the weeds and good plants may become intertwined, making it detrimental to pull the weeds. The result is that the good plants do not grow as well. Weeds always seem to thrive to the harm of the good plants.
This type of soil represents those who hear the word and are growing but become distracted by the things of the world. They believe the gospel but do not produce fruit. This particular soil speaks especially to those Christians who attend church, have a good lifestyle, and look righteous on the outside. Everything in their lives seems in order, except they do not bear fruit. The fruit in this parable represents new believers. The goal of any plant is to produce another plant. The goal of every Christian ought to be to produce another Christian. What keeps them from being fruitful are outside enticements that infiltrate one’s thinking and shift one’s priorities. Jesus lists three challenges to growth.
First are the anxieties and worries of the world. Every person has worries, which develop because we care about a situation and want it to go well for ourselves (sometimes driven by selfishness) or for others (which could even be motivated by love). Stagnation results if we take the concerns upon ourselves and try to resolve situations by human effort. Fruitfulness can develop when we turn to God for help and direction.
Second, Jesus warns about how wealth can be deceptive. Materialism is the god of this age. We can become easily deceived by the false promise that having “more” will make life more pleasant. Oftentimes life does become more pleasant with better food, clothes, cars, and houses. God has given each of us an innate drive to improve our lives. The problem becomes when this drive is distorted by taking our eyes off of the One who blesses and putting them on the blessing. The pursuit of riches takes our eyes off God and puts our focus on obtaining more comforts in this life.
The third enticement is broadly stated as literally “the rest of things.” There are many other things in this world, both good and bad, that distract our attention and create desires and cravings in us. The result of allowing the things of the world to distract us is stagnation and unfruitfulness. We will live and act like whatever we allow to be at the center. Anything other than God will choke our spiritual growth.
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