今天我們要分享的故事是關於撒種的故事，這個故事記載在馬可福音的第四章。在西方國家，這個比喻也是相當常被引用的，讓我們一同來聽聽。
耶穌在曠野中展開了他的事工，他用通俗易懂的比喻和故事向平民講道。因為當時傳統的會堂解經方式已經不再能夠讓人們全神貫注地聽講了。耶穌大膽地採用了新的方式來傳揚福音。
耶穌是比喻和故事的大師，他深知重要的真理不能僅僅用大量的知識和言語來傳遞。在歷史的長河中，人類傳遞知識的方式往往是透過歌謠、比喻、故事等。就像我們在童年聽過的《三隻小豬》、《蚱蜢和螞蟻》等故事一樣，這些故事教導了我們許多道理，而且至今我們仍然記得它們，並且將它們傳承給下一代。
這裡耶穌使用了一個非常常見的故事，就是撒種的比喻。一個農夫出去撒種，他的種子撒在各個地方：有一些落在了好土上，有一些落在了路邊，有一些落在了石頭地理，還有一些落在了荊棘叢裡。相信大家都聽過「思想的種子」這個觀念。我們任何一個想法的開始，都源自於一個萌芽的思想，就像一顆種子。我們從這個種子開始發芽，漸漸地會長成我們所想要的事情，或者是整個思想體系，這就是所謂的「思想的種子」。耶穌在這裡用種子來比喻是非常貼切的。
首先，讓我們看看土淺石頭地上的種子。這裡有土，可以生長，但是因為土壤很淺，雖然容易發芽，但一旦受到陽光暴曬，缺乏水分，就會迅速枯萎而死。
我們看到有些種子落在路旁，被鳥兒吃掉了。這情景讓人聯想到什麼呢？周圍的朋友圈是非常關鍵的。我們都會受到周圍人的影響，如果你的朋友都支持你，你的目標會更容易實現。所以為什麼要提到朋友圈呢？因為你會與與你相似的人在一起。
再來，第三種情況是種子落在荊棘叢中。對於這一點，我們每個人都能夠有所體會。在紐西蘭的夏天，草叢長得特別快。剛剛割完草，過了一個禮拜，馬上又長出來了。當我們在花園裡種花草時，開始時，一些花草的生長速度很慢，但過了幾天，你會發現旁邊冒出了許多雜草。雜草的生命力又強又快，它們不僅長得快，而且把它們拔掉後還會再長。你想要完全除掉它們是不可能的。更讓人驚奇的是，即使你把土地完全翻過來，換上新的土壤，雜草仍然會不知從哪冒出來，並纏住你努力栽種的好花好草，搶走養分。這就是雜草和荊棘的可怕之處。
最後，我們看到了好土地。當你用心栽種後，你會看到你的花、水果或喜愛的植物生長茂密，結出豐硕的果實。無論是種花還是種水果，收穫的時刻對每位喜歡園藝的人來說都是非常令人開心的。然而，真正做過園藝的人都知道這樣的成果並不容易，因為你必須付出許多努力，例如翻土、除草、施肥、澆水，還要保護它們免受陽光的曝曬。能夠結出果實來的，都是付出了不簡單努力的結果。
耶穌在這裡所比喻的正是人心。土壤其實代表著每個人的心靈。當我們立志去做某事時，我們雖然知道可能是好的，但是會遇到鳥兒來搶食，土地太薄，或者被荊棘纏繞，這些都會阻礙我們的思緒。因此，很多時候，我們在勵志時表現得不錯，但實際行動時卻難以堅持下去。你可以從這個園丁的故事中體會到這個道理。
當我們聽完這個比喻時，我們可以將它套用到自己身上，思考自己是屬於哪一類型的土壤？今天，我們有能力改變自己的心靈土壤，無論處於何種情況，都可以努力讓自己成為肥沃的土壤，從而結出豐富的果實。
感謝各位聆聽今天的聖經故事，明天我們將分享關於燈與燈台的故事。
Today we are going to share the story of the sower, which is recorded in Mark chapter 4 of the Bible. This parable is also quite commonly referenced in Western countries, so let's listen together.
Jesus began his ministry in the wilderness, teaching the common people using simple and understandable parables and stories. This was because the traditional synagogue teaching methods were no longer effective in capturing people's attention. Jesus boldly adopted a new approach to spreading the Gospel.
Jesus was a master of parables and stories, understanding that important truths cannot always be conveyed through extensive knowledge and words alone. Throughout history, humanity has often transmitted knowledge through songs, parables, and stories. Just like the stories we heard in our childhood, such as "The Three Little Pigs" and "The Ant and the Grasshopper," these stories taught us many lessons, which we still remember today and pass on to the next generation.
Here, Jesus used a very common story, the parable of the sower. A farmer went out to sow seeds, which fell on various types of soil: some on good soil, some on the roadside, some on rocky ground, and some among thorns. I believe everyone has heard of the concept of "seeds of thought." The beginning of any idea starts with a seed of thought, just like a seed. From this seed, we sprout and gradually grow into what we want or into a whole system of thought, which is what we call "seeds of thought." Jesus' use of seeds in this parable is very apt.
First, let's look at the seeds that fell on shallow, rocky ground. There was soil here for growth, but because the soil was shallow, although the seeds sprouted easily, they quickly withered and died due to lack of water and exposure to the scorching sun.
We see some seeds fell on the roadside and were eaten by birds. This scene reminds us of the importance of our circle of friends. We are all influenced by the people around us, and if your friends support you, your goals will be easier to achieve. So why mention the circle of friends? Because you will be with people who are similar to you.
Next, the third scenario is seeds falling among thorns. Each of us can relate to this. In the summer in New Zealand, grass grows especially fast. Just when you finish mowing the lawn, a week later, it grows back again. When we plant flowers and grass in the garden, at the beginning, some flowers and grass grow slowly, but after a few days, you will find many weeds growing nearby. Weeds have strong and fast vitality; they not only grow quickly but also grow back even if you pull them out. It's impossible to completely remove them. What's even more surprising is that even if you turn over the soil completely and replace it with new soil, weeds will still emerge from somewhere, entangling and robbing nutrients from the good flowers and grass you've worked so hard to plant. This is the terrifying aspect of weeds and thorns.
Finally, we see the seeds falling on good soil. When you diligently plant and care for them, you will see your flowers, fruits, or favorite plants grow luxuriantly and bear abundant fruit. The moment of harvest is always a joyous occasion for every garden enthusiast. However, those who have truly gardened know that such results are not easy to achieve because you have to put in a lot of effort, such as turning the soil, weeding, fertilizing, watering, and protecting them from the sun. Being able to bear fruit is the result of considerable effort.
Jesus' analogy here is about the human heart. The soil represents each person's heart. When we set out to do something, although we know it may be good, we may encounter birds coming to eat, the soil may be too shallow, or we may be entangled by thorns, all of which hinder our thoughts. Therefore, many times, we may be enthusiastic about our goals, but when it comes to actual action, it is difficult to persevere. You can understand this principle from the story of the gardener.
When we finish listening to this parable, we can apply it to ourselves and think about which type of soil we belong to. Today, we have the ability to change our spiritual soil, and no matter what situation we are in, we can strive to make ourselves into fertile soil, thereby bearing abundant fruit.
Thank you all for listening to today's Bible story. Tomorrow, we will share the story of the lamp and the lampstand.
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