Mark 4:1-20 (NRSV)
The parable of the sower
Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." And he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!"
When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that
'they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.'"
And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."
MEDITATION—Today is Saturday Psalmody! Today, the meditation is offered as a psalm from my heart. If you would like a more traditional devotion, please search the archives for a title that appeals to you! (smile)
GOOD NEWS RISES...
My Lord and My God
How I need GOOD NEWS.
Please ,
speak to me afresh
I need to hear from you.
For this bad news world
With all its trials and tribulations
Heartaches and failures
Hatred and division
Striving, scraping, and scrapping
Has worn me thin
Torn me down
Bowed my head
Beaten upon me until
I
Just
Can’t
Get
Up…
How I long to run away
To just give up
To hide my face
To weep until I am dry
And no more tears will come…
My Lord and My God
How I need GOOD NEWS
For I know and believe
By faith---
That there is GOOD NEWS
For me…
I sit in silence
Pondering my life
Realizing
that for today GOOD NEWS
May simply mean
That you love me
And that Your extravagant Spirit
Extends to me unconditional love
Unmerited mercy
And life everlasting…
GOOD NEWS
Means that Jesus did go to the cross
He did bleed, suffer, and die
He did make reparation for my sin—
But not for my sin only,
But for the sin of the whole wide world!
GOOD NEWS
Means that Jesus did not stay dead
But, He was resurrected; just as He said!
GOOD NEWS
Means that the angels
Did herald your great victory
Over sin, death and the grave
And they bid the women GO
And TELL the story…
Jesus is risen!
He is risen indeed!
GOOD NEWS Rises
In my heart
Even at the most distressing of times
When my sin,
Or the sin of others
Tries to choke GOOD NEWS out of my life…
GOOD NEWS rises
When the cares of this world—
The lust for fame,
fortune, success,
and popularity,
threaten to destroy my joy.
GOOD NEWS rises
In every time
And every place
In every circumstance of life
Reminding me
Calling me
Beckoning to me…
JESUS LIVES!
And because He lives*
I can face tomorrow
And because he lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds my future
My life is worth the living just
Because He lives!
GOOD NEWS rises…
Lord, please let me be swift in sharing it with others. Amen.
Acknowledgements
*“Because He Lives” was written by William J. Gaither
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Congratulations to the people who have recently put all of their hope in Jesus! We celebrate your re-birth-day and promise to hold you in our prayers!
If you would like to put all of your hope in Jesus today, please visit my blog entitled, “Putting All Your Hope In Jesus” located at
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/putting-all-your-hope-in-jesus.html
If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html
Pastor Yolanda is now publishing another blog entitled, “A Spoken WORD” in celebration of Holy Hip Hop, Gospel/Christian Rap and Spoken Word. Please check it out @ http://aspokenword.blogspot.com/
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From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com
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