Are Thorns Choking Us?

We‘ve all heard Jesus‘ parable about the sower and the seed. I don‘t know about you specifically, but I think most of us who follow Christ accepted the Word a while back, and out of the four types of ground that the seed was sown in, we assumed that we are fertile ground. We glaze over the first three and conclude that they’re poor responses to the gospel; the fourth option is the only one that seems like a good response, so we conclude that since we follow Christ, we are by default, that one.

Let’s take a moment and look at those who are the seed that fell among thorns. Scary isn’t it? It says that they’re choked. We’re not being choked, are we? It also says that they yield no grain. Later Jesus explains they're choked by three things: the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things. Our purpose is to bear fruit, and if we are choked, well, then we don’t bear fruit. To not bear fruit is definitely a problem. So let’s look at the three things that can choke us.

The cares of this world. There are so many cares in this world we carry that burden us. We’re worried about what our friends, family, and co-workers think of us. We worry about our health, our living situation, our job, being comfortable, and being successful. We’re also worried about putting ourselves at risk.

The deceitfulness of riches. We don’t realize we’re rich, but we really are. We have a house, car(s), flat screen TVs, smart phones, and all sorts of other luxuries. We eat out multiples times a month, grab coffee on the way to work, and go see the latest movies in the box office. Then after spending money on the excess that we don’t really need, we take whatever’s left and hide it away for a rainy day, or so one day we can have “nice” things, or so we can survive the zombie apocalypse.

The desire for other things. In life, we’ve placed our desires are on a priority list, even if we don’t realize it. When we place one thing before another, it becomes our priority. When Jesus says “other things” it’s clear that He means anything that keeps us from bearing fruit. What things do we desire more?  

So are we being choked by thorns? It’s easy for them to creep up and choke people. We need to be good soil and produce much fruit. Jesus talked about yielding a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold! We must push away the thorns and work hard to produce fruit.

Imagine what it would be like if we pushed aside the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things. We’d reach out more to our community, family, and friends with the love of Jesus. We’d also be willing to devote our riches to reaching everyone for Jesus. I also don’t think missionaries would struggle raising financial support if people let go of the three things Jesus referred to as choking thorns, for we’d be eager to reach the ends of the earth!

““Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, 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. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along 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: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.””

(Mark 4:3-20 ESV)