SEE (head)
Jesus addresses the crowd gathered at the shore, using a story (or "parable") to teach them about God's kingdom. He likens the kingdom to a farmer planting seed. While only a portion of what is sown actually takes root and grows to maturity, nonetheless the end result is a spectacular crop. 

Teaching (v. 1). As one modern paraphrase renders it, Jesus got "into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to the water's edge" (Mark 4:1 The Message). [ref] There at the edge of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus preached to the throng of eager listeners. As usual, he used parables to teach about God's kingdom. Worth noting is the fact that Jesus proclaimed God's truth in many and various settings: indoors, outdoors, along the road, in the synagogue, in houses, in boats, by the shore, on a mountain, and even in a cemetery - in other words, whenever and wherever people would listen. [ref] In his teaching Jesus "commanded, commissioned, admonished, exhorted, explained, questioned, consoled, refuted, and predicted." [ref] Jesus used parables for several reasons: (1) It caught people's attention and made them listen. (2) It was a teaching technique very familiar to Jesus' Jewish audience. (3) It transformed abstract ideas into concrete realities. (4) It encouraged personal reflection. [ref] 

Farmer ... seed (v. 3). The parable of the sower/farmer can actually be thought of as the "parable of the soils," since that is where the emphasis lies. [ref] [ref] It is intended "to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God." [ref] This parable - or allegory (see "Parable" in the Key Terms for Mark 4) - accurately represents farming as it was practiced in Jesus' day. [ref] "Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest." [ref] Seed was normally sown broadcast style from a bag slung over the farmer's shoulder. The soil was hard and rocky, making it necessary for the farmer to come back and plow the seed underneath the surface. Because of these less than ideal planting conditions, much seed was lost to the elements. [ref] In the case of the seed that did take root and grow, a tenfold crop was considered good. [ref] [ref] 

Seed fell (vv. 4, 5, 7). The seed that falls "on the footpath" ("beside the road" NASB) never has a chance to be plowed under; it is completely exposed, and the birds swoop down and gobble it up. The rocky soil is actually very receptive at the beginning of the growing season, as it "is moist from winter rain and the sun and air have not become too warm." [ref] But then time passes, the ground begins to dry under the hot sun, and the plants that looked promising to begin with quickly wither due to their shallow root system. The thorns Jesus mentioned were a persistent nuisance that would return if plowed under rather than dug up. [ref] Thorny weeds could grow to a height of six feet and would attack the good plant from both above and below: from above, the thorns would literally smother the plant by prohibiting its exposure to sunlight and air; from below, the thorns' major root system would draw away the crucial "moisture and richness of the soil." [ref] [ref] 

Seeds fell ... and produced a crop (v. 8). Jesus is most certainly not teaching the discouraging prospect that we can expect three-fourths of our efforts to be wasted. Notice the shift from the singular "seed" that is unproductive to the plural "seeds" that produce a crop, perhaps intended to emphasize the variety of approaches to sharing the Gospel. [ref] [ref] The main point of Jesus' parable is twofold: (1) the seed's growth potential is determined by the soil's condition [ref] and (2) in spite of losses, the word Jesus sows "will spring up among the faithful and produce a bountiful harvest." [ref]

HEAR (heart)
A farmer doesn't sow his field and then walk up and down the rows shouting, "Grow! Grow!" Nor does he monitor every seed he plants in order to determine its final outcome. Rather, the farmer does the work and leaves the results to God. In a similar manner, we as Christians are called to spread the Gospel seed without fretting over the end result of every seed we plant. In the end, we must be faithful and content: faithful to spread the seed, and content to leave the results with God.

DO (hands)
??? What can this passage teach us about God's kingdom? About our obligation to spread the Gospel?

SEE (head)
The crowd has dispersed and Jesus is alone with only a few of his more committed followers. He explains the relationship between a person's heart and how he or she responds to the message of God's kingdom. For those willing to accept Jesus' teaching, the kingdom is an open secret, and their faith will grow and will cause God's kingdom to be multiplied. For those who reject Jesus' teaching, however, the door to God's kingdom remains closed because they do not have the faith that unlocks it.  

Secret (v. 11). Jesus referred to a "secret" (or "mystery") associated with God's kingdom. As one source explains: "'The mystery of the kingdom of God' is the sum of the blessed realities of the divine rule of grace and of glory" - the knowledge and experience of which cannot be achieved naturally but, rather, must be imparted supernaturally by God. [ref] As another source notes: "The basic 'secret,' common to all the kingdom parables, is that in Jesus, God's rule (kingdom) has come into human experience in a new spiritual form." [ref] The prevailing belief at that time was that God's kingdom would be an earthly, political rule centered in Israel. Jesus challenged this view by showing that the kingdom is not about power politics or military might. God's kingdom begins in and centers on the human heart; its growth and advancement is unseen but constant. (To be sure, one day Jesus will return to set up God's literal rule over the entire earth. For now, however, we experience God's kingdom in a spiritual sense that nonetheless dramatically impacts the world around us.)  

Learn nothing ... Not understand (v. 12). Jesus prefaced his explanation of the parable of the soils with a few words regarding his use of parables in general, from which we learn that "what may be a clarifying illustration to one (i.e., an insider) may be a confusing riddle to another (i.e., an outsider)." [ref] In general, a "parable" can be thought of as "a short discourse that conveys spiritual truth by making a vivid comparison. The truth to be taught is compared to something in nature or a common-life experience. A parable usually expresses a single important truth, though occasionally a subordinate feature expands its total meaning. A parable draws its hearers to take part in a situation, evaluate it, and apply its truth to themselves." [ref] 

For those who refused to believe and receive the Gospel, the kingdom remained a mystery and Jesus spoke to them only in parables. [ref] Jesus appears to be saying that his intention is "to befuddle and prevent people from being forgiven." [ref] There is a two-fold sense in which this is indeed the case. First, the Gospel is a stumbling block for most people. Why? Because as stubborn creatures in rebellion against our Creator we operate under the delusion that we are in charge of our own (eternal) destiny. In which case the Gospel designed for our salvation guarantees our destruction. Second, the person who stubbornly refuses to accept Jesus' message eventually reaches a point of no return in which God's saving grace is no longer offered to him/her. In which case all that remains is God's wrath - a terrifying prospect. [ref] 

That said, we should be quick to remind ourselves that Jesus' mission was/is to save, not destroy. Hence many people see in Jesus' words "an attempt to explain why it is that some people hear[d] Jesus' teaching and chose either to ignore it or to misinterpret it." [ref] This view finds support in Matthew's more detailed parallel account (Matthew 13:10-17) and, most importantly, in Jesus' total mission and ministry, including his clear and repeated calls to repentance and faith in God. Like all of the Bible's revelations regarding our natural sinful state, Jesus' parable of the soils "aims at the conscience and repentance, thus opening the soul for the gospel." [ref] Thus it is fair to say that "Jesus intended that his teaching and miracles would bring people to a point of decision. Those who chose to reject him passed judgment on themselves." [ref, 1:309] 

Of course, not to be overlooked in all this is God's role as the initiator of salvation: God must grant a person spiritual eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand. Until that happens, God's "spiritual truth will remain a riddle (cf. Deuteronomy 29:2-4)." [ref] Along these lines, parables  actually helped to maintain the balance between human freedom and God's sovereignty: "Jesus' audiences were not denied the opportunity to believe in Him. But after they persistently closed their minds to His message, they were excluded from further understanding of it by His use of parables. Yet even the parables, which veiled the truth, were meant to provoke thought, enlighten, and ultimately reveal it. They uniquely preserved people's freedom to believe, while demonstrating that such a decision is effected by God's enabling." [ref] In like manner, John Calvin noted:  "[T]he doctrine is not, strictly speaking, or by itself, or in its own nature, but by accident, the cause of blindness. When persons of a weak sight come out into sunshine, their eyes become dimmer than before, and that defect is in no way attributed to the sun, but to their eyes. In like manner, when the word of God blinds and hardens the reprobate, as this takes place through their own depravity, it belongs truly and naturally to themselves, but is accidental, as respects the word." [ref] Think of it like this: the sun, which is absolutely essential to plant growth, causes the plant in the rocky soil to wither and die. Is this the sun's fault? Not in the least. 

Notice the connection between the sun, the hardships and difficulties that are part and parcel of the Christian life, and spiritual maturity: 

After grain is sown, the sun presently becomes hot, which, however, only helps the seed that has proper roots. This pictures the thlipsis  ["trouble involving direct suffering" [ref]] or diogmos ["a systematically organized program of oppression and harassment" [ref]] that always comes in this wicked world "on account of the Word." ... Then the trouble begins for all who lack good, healthy roots in the soil of their hearts. The remarkable thing is that the shining sun is here used to picture tribulation and persecution. The seed in the good soil must have the sun to grow as it should. That is what makes it bear fruit. Just as little as grain grows properly without sunshine, so little the Word thrives in us without our suffering "on account of the Word." [ref] (quoted verbatim)

 There may well be something to the fact that Jesus used two different words for "understand" in v. 13 (according to the Greek manuscripts used for modern English Bibles). The first means "intuitively comprehend," while the second means "comprehend by experience." [ref] It is the difference between academic knowledge and applied knowledge (some would say "book sense" versus "common sense"). The parable of the soils depicts a foundational truth that lays the groundwork for applying all of Jesus' teachings.  

Seed ... God's word (v. 14). In Jesus' explanation, we learn that "[w]hat the farmer is spreading is really the message about the kingdom" (CEV). "The association of seed and sowing with words and teaching" is found throughout the Bible and was, in fact, proverbial among both the Jews and the Greeks. [ref] And fruit and fruit bearing were often used proverbially to describe a person's character and/or spiritual condition. For example:  

• Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalms 1:1-3)

• "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." (Matthew 7:15-20)

• "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. ... " (John 15:1-2)

• So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. (Romans 7:4 22)

• But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23)

• For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening - it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:10-11)

• And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:18) (all NLT) [ref]

Who hear (vv. 15, 16, 18, 20). Jesus explained that the different types of soil represent the different ways in which people respond to his message. Which, in turn, corresponds to different heart conditions: unresponsive, impulsive, preoccupied, and well-prepared. [ref] And thus "[t]he character of the hearer determines the effect of the word upon him." [ref] 

In explaining what it is that prevents someone from entering into God's kingdom, Jesus shows us the three greatest enemies of our soul:

• The shallow heart is tempted by the flesh/self.
• The crowded heart is tempted by the world/society.
• The hard heart is tempted by the Devil/Satan (note: Matthew = "the evil one"; Mark = "Satan"; Luke = "the devil" [ref]) [ref] [ref]

A lamp (v. 21). Jesus' parable of the lamp may be intended to reinforce the idea of faithful discipleship: as believers allow God to produce fruit through them, their lives will broadcast the Gospel light into a spiritually darkened world. "[M]an himself ought to be, not the bushel, but the candlestick." [ref] Which, sadly, is the exact opposite of what the religious leaders were doing as they hid God's word "under an elaborate load of human traditions and hypocritical actions." [ref] Of course, faithful discipleship begins with proper priorities: the word must be sown; the light must be placed where it can shine; the mystery of God's kingdom must be revealed, not concealed. [ref] Only thus can the Gospel both show evil for what it is and reveal the extent of God's goodness. [ref] What's more, at Jesus' second coming, both the light of God and each person's response to it will be finally and fully revealed. [ref] 

Pay close attention (v. 24). Jesus issues a call to "pay close attention" to his teaching - to let his words soak in, as it were. Several points are worth noting:

• The committed disciple is like the fourth type of soil: "If he accepts Jesus' word, meditates on it and does not permit it to be choked out because of the cares of the world, his understanding of it will grow." [ref] (Notice the NLT's more versus less "understanding" [vv. 24-25].) As one source puts it: "The light of Jesus' truth is revealed to us, not hidden. But we may not be able to see or to use all of that truth right now. Only as we put God's teachings into practice will we understand and see more of the truth. The truth is clear, but our ability to understand is imperfect. As we obey, we will sharpen our vision and increase our understanding." [ref] 

• On the other hand, "for the one who rejects Jesus' words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever." [ref]

• While it is true that in the present age "the kingdom is largely veiled in the face of satanic opposition and human unbelief," nonetheless "God's rule takes hold in those who accept Jesus' message and His rule manifests itself in spiritual fruitfulness." [ref] We might also note that this is infinitely more than a one-time event: literally, Jesus said that the good soil represents those who "go on hearing," "go on receiving/accepting," and "go on bearing fruit." [ref] [ref] 

• Jesus' teaching that "blessing begets blessing" stems from, and testifies to, God's generous nature: God not only blesses, he blesses abundantly. Why? So that we can share his blessings with others. On the other hand, the person who hordes what little he has will find his possessions - not to mention his attitude - growing ever smaller. Somewhat like the novice pianist who stops practicing - and soon finds what little talent he/she had has vanished entirely. [ref]

• One's heart condition determines what effect the Gospel has in a person's life. If you or someone you know has a hard, shallow, or crowded heart, the proper place to start is with earnest and fervent prayer that God will change that heart into one that is "honest and good," "clinge[s]" to the Gospel, and "bear[s] fruit with steadfast endurance" (see Luke 8:15, NET).

• God gets the glory, as it is his Gospel seed that grows and produces a bountiful harvest. As one source puts it: "[O]ne seed of the Word produces 30, one 60, one 100 others. It is not the man but the Word that multiplies. The Word is a fixed entity and as such neither to be increased or decreased. Its multiplication consists in its spread in one heart and from one heart to other hearts. It is thus that the hearers bear fruit. When the Word remains and flourishes in a heart, repentance, faith, Christian virtues and works result, whereby the Word spreads." [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Bearing Fruit: A Sign of Maturity

The founder of The Navigators, Jerry White, once observed that "fruit-bearing" is the hallmark of maturity.  

Human beings, plants, and animals all evidence maturity as they bear fruit. That is, as they reproduce after their kind. 

The same holds true, said White, in the spiritual realm, as well. The mature believer bears two types of fruit. First of all there is Christian character and a holy life. Secondly, there is the privilege of aiding and abetting spiritual growth in others through sharing the Gospel and discipling new believers. [ref] (paraphrased)

Those whose hearts are like "fertile/good soil" (vv. 8, 20) "accept or welcome" the Word. Literally, they hold it close to their side. [ref] Bearing fruit is outward proof that we have truly welcomed and accepted the Gospel into our hearts.

DO (hands)
??? Jesus spread the seed of the Gospel liberally, knowing that much of it would never take root and grow. How can that fact encourage us in our own efforts at sharing the Gospel?

This parable can also be viewed from the perspective of the need to grow and mature in our Christian walk and witness. For example, we "may be open to God about [our] future but closed concerning how [we] spend [our] money. [We] may respond like good soil to God's demand for worship but respond like rocky soil to his demand to give to people in need." Along those lines, what can this parable teach us about our need "to be like good soil in every area of [our] life at all times"? [ref]

SEE (head)
In the parable of the growing seed, Jesus compares the way in which God's kingdom grows with the way in which a farmer plants his field. The farmer needs only to be faithful in planting the seed, since God has already foreordained the circumstances necessary for its growth and development.  

Seed sprouts and grows (v. 27). How God's kingdom grows and develops is, to a large extent, beyond our human understanding and even contrary to our human reasoning. [ref] Jesus said "[t]he soil produced crops by itself"- that is, spontaneously or automatically. [ref] [ref] [ref] As one source explains: 

The secret of growth is in the seed, not in the soil nor in the weather nor in the cultivating. These all help, but the seed spontaneously works according to its own nature. ...  So we sow the seed, God's kingdom truth, and the soil (the soul) is ready for the seed. The Holy Spirit works on the heart and uses the seed sown and makes it germinate and grow, "first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear." This is the law and order of nature and also of grace in the kingdom of God. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

While Jesus' reference to the sickle may be nothing more than a figure of speech meaning to "send in/forth the harvesters," [ref] [ref] it is quite possible that he was hinting at the "judgment that arrives with the kingdom." [ref] To be sure, the harvest at the end of the age will be a time of great joy for believers - but also great sorrow for those who have rejected Jesus' offer of the kingdom.  

A mustard seed (v. 31). In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus teaches that, like a tiny seed that grows into a large plant, God's kingdom begins small but grows to be strong and healthy. (This is also true of Jesus' teaching in general which, although seemingly insignificant at the time, has grown and spread throughout the world and one day will completely dominate it. From that perspective, the "birds" most likely represent Gentiles. [ref] [ref]) The mustard seed was used proverbially for small things (app. 750 seeds = one gram). [ref] An annual plant, the mustard shrub grows to an average height of four feet, but may grow as high as ten or even fifteen feet in only a few weeks. [ref] [ref] [ref] Thus it was said to be a "tree" in comparison to other garden herbs. It is also worth noting that in Jesus' day the mustard seed was considered pungent and beneficial, and was not easily removed once it had taken root - all qualities associated with God's kingdom. [ref] The closest OT parallel to Jesus' parable of the mustard seed is Ezekiel 17:3: "On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches" (NASB). Note, however, that whereas in the OT God's kingdom is spoken of as a tree, Jesus likens the kingdom to a garden shrub, quite possibly reflecting its unexpected spiritual nature and Jesus' role as a Messiah who must first suffer and die before assuming his reign. [ref] 

When seen from the perspective of the Christian Church, there are some very interesting points to be made, beginning with the mustard seed's representing Jesus:

 We think of the little Babe in Bethlehem, of the small following of Jesus when his work seemed to end with his death, and then of the phenomenal development during all the years since that time. In a despised corner of the world, from a carpenter's home, came a teacher who gathered a handful of ordinary disciples and then fell into the hands of his enemies and died a wretched malefactor's death. This was no tower of Babel, nothing big in the eyes of the world. Yet this was the kingdom that was to encircle the world and that is to shine in glory forever ... The great branches are not the great Christian denominations but the Christian believers in all the lands of the earth.

The result of this growth is ... "so that under its shadow the birds of the heaven (meaning the wild birds) are able to go tenting" ... Only their stay is mentioned and not their eating of the seeds of the great mustard plant. Since the mustard tree itself is the kingdom, all who are in this kingdom are part of the tree. The wild birds who tent in the branches are not members of the kingdom; their stay in the branches is only temporary. These wild birds are men in general who are living in all lands and find the church beneficial and enjoy its wholesome influence in the world. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

HEAR (heart)
Nurturing Faith

[G]race or religion in the heart is of gradual growth. It is at first tender, feeble, perhaps almost imperceptible, like the first shootings of the grain in the earth. Perhaps also, like grain, it often lies long in the earth before there are signs of life. Like the tender grain, also, it needs care, kindness, and culture. A frost, a cold storm, or a burning sun alike injure it. So tender piety in the heart needs care, kindness, culture. It needs shelter from the frosts and storms of a cold, unfeeling world. It needs the genial dews and mild suns of heaven; in other words, it needs instruction, prayer, and friendly counsel from parents, teachers, ministers, and experienced Christians, that it may grow, and bring forth the full fruits of holiness. Like the grain, also, in due time it will grow strong; it will produce its appropriate fruit - a full and rich harvest - to the praise of God. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

While we are incapable of - and hence not responsible for - producing spiritual growth and maturity in either ourselves or others, we certainly are capable of - and hence responsible for - nurturing it.

DO (hands)
??? What are some ways we can nurture spiritual life in ourselves and others?

SEE (head)
In obedience to Jesus, the disciples set out across the lake and soon encounter a fierce storm which threatens to capsize their boat. At their wit's end, they finally awaken Jesus, who rebukes them because of their lack of faith. Jesus commands the storm to cease, and the disciples are utterly amazed. 

A fierce storm (v. 37). Mark's description of the storm ("a fierce gale of wind" NASB) literally refers to "a hurricane of wind," [ref] [ref] [ref] as confirmed by Matthew's term which means "a violent upheaval like an earthquake." [ref] This was no light rain shower! As one source notes, "the storm fell suddenly from Mount Hermon down into the Jordan Valley and smote the Sea of Galilee violently at its depth of 682 feet below the Mediterranean Sea. The hot air at this depth draws the storm down with sudden power. These sudden storms continue to this day on the Sea of Galilee." [ref] 

Jesus commanded the wind to be still - literally, "be silent!, be muzzled!" [ref] Here the sea is personified "as a raging monster" which, following Jesus' rebuke, "sank to rest as if exhausted by its own beating," producing an immediate calm. [ref] To the utter amazement of his disciples, both the wind and the waves obeyed Jesus. 

Sleeping ... rebuked the wind (v. 38, 39). How could any human being sleep in such a storm? "The peaceful sleep of Jesus is due to the perfect absence of fear in his heart and to his absolute trust in his Father's care." [ref] Here we have the perfect picture of Jesus' humanity placed alongside his deity. Humanity: because he was fully human, Jesus was exhausted from the day's events and needed rest. Deity: because he was fully God, Jesus was able to calm the fiercest storm with only a word - a storm which, by the way, disturbed not his peace but the peace of those who failed to place their complete trust in him. Jesus trusted in God and had peace; the disciples failed to trust in Jesus and had no peace. It would not have been difficult for Mark's first readers to have seen themselves in this story: hunted literally to death because of their Christian faith, they needed to know that Jesus was with them, that he really cared, and that he would keep them safe. [ref] 

They ... started out (v. 36). This account is filled with convicting irony. Trusting in their skill, the experienced sailors (= the disciples who had been commercial fishermen), take charge of the situation and take the lead as other boats follow (a detail recorded only by Mark). Of course, they are kind enough to do Jesus a favor by taking him along for the ride. [ref] A storm comes up, their self-confidence melts,  they go into panic mode, and they cry out for Jesus. Convicting Part: How often do we do the very same thing? How often do we take charge, rushing in to lead ourselves and others because we happen to have some experience in a given area? Of course we are kind enough to take God along for the ride ("God is my co-pilot")  via a quick, "Please bless my efforts, Lord" - rather than earnestly seeking his will to begin with. And then a crisis hits, we reach our wit's end, and we cry out to God for help.

HEAR (heart)
The Paralysis of Fear

The magnificent Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, at a cost of $77 million.  

At first it was slow going, as the loss of 23 workmen instilled a sense of dread in the other workers and brought the project to a screeching halt.  

Finally someone thought that there should be a net. And so for only $100,000 the largest net ever built was hung beneath the workers.  

The net saved the lives of 10 men, and the work proceeded at a much faster pace than before. [ref] (paraphrased)

The lesson those disciples learned that day on the water was that their greatest enemy was not the storm without but the fear within. [ref] They could not see that life's storms are intended not to weaken us but to strengthen us, not to make us afraid but to make us faithful. God can and will use our difficulties as a bridge to bring us closer to him. And, miracle of miracles, God is so good that underneath every bridge he places a safety net: we may fall, but we will not fail.

DO (hands)
??? Are you in the midst of a fear-producing situation? If so, what can this passage teach you about placing your trust in Jesus?