SEVEN QUALITIES FOR TRUE DISCIPLES
Mark 4:10-29 New International Version (NIV)
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a]”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables (vv1-2). Without the disciples quest, the story of the sower would have ended as a parable, with unknown spiritual implications. This passage hence highlights qualifications for for true disciples namely:
Disciples are entrusted with the true mystries or secret counsels of God (v11). To those outside this circle, everything comes as stories and parables.
They make extra sacrifices to seek Jesus personally; when the crowds have left (v10)
They are thirsty to understand the secrets of the kingdom and the implications on their lives.In verse 10, the disciples asked questions about the parable but the crowd went away with the wonderful story about the sower.
Their hearts are prepared as the good soil to receive the word and bear different levels of fruit (v20).
They are lights, not hidden but occupying their rightful spiritual positions wherever they are (v21)
They are careful about what they hear; and give time to hear more of what will enrich their spiritual lives (v24-25).
They sow the Word into different areas of their lives to generate a harvest (v27-29).
Are you a disciple or a member of the crowd? God wants us to be true disciples with these outlined seven qualities.
Prayer: Lord help me to be a true disciple indeed Amen.