HUNDREDFOLD

Mark 4:20
“But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

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When Jesus interprets the parable of the soils in Mark 4:14-20, he only refers to Satan once. He says in verse 14 that the sower is sowing the Word, and then in verse 15 he says, “These are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them.”

But there are two other kinds of soil where the Word bears no fruit. There is the rocky ground in verse 16 and the thorny ground in verse 18. Jesus doesn't mention Satan in connection with these. But we know from other teachings in the New Testament that Satan is very much at work in these soils to nullify the Word of God and make the hearers fruitless.

If we do listen to Jesus’ message, both in Scripture and in the many indirect ways he manifests his will to us in our lives, and if we appreciate what a gift this is, we must show our gratitude with the way we live. We have to be the good soil that bears fruit a hundredfold. That means not only growing in our own faith and living in consonance with it, but also multiplying the gift by sharing it with others. We can’t be satisfied with being good and not sinning; in order to be good Christians, we have to spread the message in whatever ways are available to us in our state of life. Every day we should ask ourselves: What have I done today to spread the seeds of the Gospel?

Let us pray +

Almighty Father, may I be a seed that falls on a rich soil so I may produce fruit. May I find the importance of hearing Your words and participating in activities that would glorify Your name, thereby helping me grow spiritually, opening my heart to accept You and opening my eyes to see You clearly and accept Your will. My heart burns with the desire to share the truth the best I possibly can. Bless us, Oh Lord with that wisdom that we may bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

Amen +

Their sins and their evildoing, I will remember no more.