After teaching through the passage in Mark over the Parable of the Sower, I am further astounded at the weight of Christ’s teaching over the true believer’s directive to yield fruit.  I believe that a majority of our students found it incredibly different to be told that their greatest mission was to make disciples, while being a disciple.  It was not such a shock that we should be making disciples ourselves, instead it was the revelation that there was not a mark or place in life that we could achieve wherein we would be no longer required to be a disciple, and could then turn our entire attention to the making of disciples.  

Most of our students thought of themselves as children who had every excuse in the world to be childlike and flippant about their responsibilities as a Christian.  

The most important issue that is brought to light throughout the passages developing the “good soil” is that the heart of the true believer must be cultivated to rid itself of rocks, thorns, and other debris in order that it be able to produce soil.  The seed that is scattered is all the same, and all of it is capable of producing fruit.  However, the receptivity and productivity of the soil is what determines the final product.  Cultivate your own heart and make it ready to hear the word, in order that you be able to produce fruit in and out of every season.