Heart Check
Heart Check
Aaron Rios | Garden City Church | June 8th, 2025
Mark 4:1–20 (NIV)
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” 9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 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!’” 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.”
Have you ever asked yourself, “Where’s my heart really at with God?” Not the surface-level, “I go to church” answer. But deep down—beneath the Sunday routine, the Christian T-shirt, the worship playlist—where is your heart?
This past Sunday, we sat with Jesus by the lake as He taught a crowd so big He had to preach from a boat. And what He gave them was more than a parable—it was a mirror. A heart check.
The Story That Reads You
Jesus told a simple story about a farmer, some seed, and different types of soil. But this wasn’t just about agriculture—it was about anatomy. The soil? That’s your heart. The seed? That’s the living, breathing, Spirit-filled Word of God—rhema.
He ends the parable with this mic-drop moment:
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9)
Translation? Don’t just listen—understand. Because if you miss this parable, you’ll miss everything.
Four Kinds of Soil—Four Kinds of Hearts
1. The Passive Heart – Seed on the Path
This is the “I grew up in church” crowd. Faith passed down like hand-me-down clothes, never worn properly, never made personal. It’s a word heard but not understood, and because it never took root, Satan steals it before it can even sprout.
But here’s the good news: God knows how to use rain and wind—His Spirit—to move even the misplaced seed into good ground. Your story isn’t over just because it didn’t start right.
2. The Surface-Level Heart – Seed on Rocky Ground
This heart receives the word with joy. The shout, the tears, the “Amen!” But when storms hit, when the pressure shows up, it folds. Because it had no roots.
This is shallow faith. Excitement without endurance.
Jesus isn’t looking for emotional hype—He’s looking for spiritual depth. And let’s be honest: if your roots don’t go deep, you're one storm away from walking away. But our God is a rock-breaker. He will dig. He will burn. He will till your heart—if you let Him.
3. The Divided Heart – Seed Among Thorns
This one’s tough. It’s the believer trying to grow in toxic soil—crowded with anxiety, addiction to success, and a lust for other options. Jesus becomes one of many tabs open in the browser of your soul.
Maybe you were taught a version of faith where Jesus was your genie—solving your problems, blessing your plans. And when that didn’t happen, you turned elsewhere.
“Worry is the evidence of a divided mind.” – Bill Johnson
Sometimes we lose faith not because of the attack—but because we never burned the bridge back to Egypt. Too many options. Too many backup plans. But the strongest faith says, “I’ve got no other hand to play.” Our minds become divided when we have to many options apart from Christ. Make Jesus you plan-A and do away with every other option.
4. The Surrendered Heart – Seed on Good Soil
This heart hears. This heart understands. This heart obeys.
And the result? Fruit. Real, multiplying, undeniable fruit—thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.
Not overnight. Not without work. But it's real.
Even good soil needs care. The seed has power—but it’s the soil that determines growth.
The Heart of the Matter
Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us:
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?”
You may not be able to fully trust your own heart—but you can submit it. And that’s the point.
So ask yourself:
Final Word: What Kind of Soil Are You?
You might not be able to change your environment. But you can choose your response.
Jesus isn’t just scattering seed—He’s searching for hearts. Not perfect ones, but surrendered ones.
So here’s the question: Will you be the kind of soil that grows something eternal?
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” 9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 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!’” 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.”
Have you ever asked yourself, “Where’s my heart really at with God?” Not the surface-level, “I go to church” answer. But deep down—beneath the Sunday routine, the Christian T-shirt, the worship playlist—where is your heart?
This past Sunday, we sat with Jesus by the lake as He taught a crowd so big He had to preach from a boat. And what He gave them was more than a parable—it was a mirror. A heart check.
The Story That Reads You
Jesus told a simple story about a farmer, some seed, and different types of soil. But this wasn’t just about agriculture—it was about anatomy. The soil? That’s your heart. The seed? That’s the living, breathing, Spirit-filled Word of God—rhema.
He ends the parable with this mic-drop moment:
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9)
Translation? Don’t just listen—understand. Because if you miss this parable, you’ll miss everything.
Four Kinds of Soil—Four Kinds of Hearts
1. The Passive Heart – Seed on the Path
This is the “I grew up in church” crowd. Faith passed down like hand-me-down clothes, never worn properly, never made personal. It’s a word heard but not understood, and because it never took root, Satan steals it before it can even sprout.
But here’s the good news: God knows how to use rain and wind—His Spirit—to move even the misplaced seed into good ground. Your story isn’t over just because it didn’t start right.
2. The Surface-Level Heart – Seed on Rocky Ground
This heart receives the word with joy. The shout, the tears, the “Amen!” But when storms hit, when the pressure shows up, it folds. Because it had no roots.
This is shallow faith. Excitement without endurance.
Jesus isn’t looking for emotional hype—He’s looking for spiritual depth. And let’s be honest: if your roots don’t go deep, you're one storm away from walking away. But our God is a rock-breaker. He will dig. He will burn. He will till your heart—if you let Him.
3. The Divided Heart – Seed Among Thorns
This one’s tough. It’s the believer trying to grow in toxic soil—crowded with anxiety, addiction to success, and a lust for other options. Jesus becomes one of many tabs open in the browser of your soul.
Maybe you were taught a version of faith where Jesus was your genie—solving your problems, blessing your plans. And when that didn’t happen, you turned elsewhere.
“Worry is the evidence of a divided mind.” – Bill Johnson
Sometimes we lose faith not because of the attack—but because we never burned the bridge back to Egypt. Too many options. Too many backup plans. But the strongest faith says, “I’ve got no other hand to play.” Our minds become divided when we have to many options apart from Christ. Make Jesus you plan-A and do away with every other option.
4. The Surrendered Heart – Seed on Good Soil
This heart hears. This heart understands. This heart obeys.
And the result? Fruit. Real, multiplying, undeniable fruit—thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.
Not overnight. Not without work. But it's real.
Even good soil needs care. The seed has power—but it’s the soil that determines growth.
The Heart of the Matter
Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us:
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?”
You may not be able to fully trust your own heart—but you can submit it. And that’s the point.
So ask yourself:
- Am I living on someone else’s faith?
- Is my faith shallow—rooted in feelings instead of truth?
- Am I trying to grow surrounded by thorns I refuse to remove?
- Or am I fully surrendered, saying, “God, till this soil—whatever it takes”?
Final Word: What Kind of Soil Are You?
You might not be able to change your environment. But you can choose your response.
Jesus isn’t just scattering seed—He’s searching for hearts. Not perfect ones, but surrendered ones.
So here’s the question: Will you be the kind of soil that grows something eternal?
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