WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.959 May turn your Bibles this morning to Matthew's Gospel chapter 13. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:07.919 Be reading the first 23 verses. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:14.320 This morning we're starting a new series for a month on the kingdom parables that Jesus taught. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:17.199 We find it in Matthew 13. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:21.839 Hear the word of God. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:34.399 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea, and great crowds gathered about him, so they got into a boat and sat down. 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:38.079 And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:44.000 And he told them many things in parables, saying, A sower went out to sow. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:49.840 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.560 Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:58.880 And immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:05.920 But when the sun rose they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:11.680 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:20.079 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.200 He who has ears let him hear. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:28.640 Then the disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables? 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:36.319 And he answered them, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:47.439 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:55.920 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:26.080 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says, You will indeed hear, but never understand, and you will indeed see, but never perceive, for this people's hearts have grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:32.960 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:44.719 For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.199 Hear then the parable of the sower. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:56.560 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was and sown in their heart. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:59.840 This is what was sown along the path. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:06.400 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:18.159 Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:30.800 As for what was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:37.360 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:41.120 He indeed bears fruit and yields. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:47.280 In one case, a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:50.800 This is the reading of God's Holy Word. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:52.800 Please join me in prayer. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:58.400 Father, our prayer this morning is simple. 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:01.680 Would you bless our eyes? 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:11.599 Would you bless our ears that we will see and we will hear by the work of your spirit. 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:12.960 In Jesus' name. 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:13.919 Amen. 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:19.279 Kingdom Parables. 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:25.199 Those opening words are most interesting, aren't they? 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:29.839 A great crowd gathered around Jesus one more time. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:32.240 Not the first, not the last. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:36.160 Jesus had a way of drawing crowds. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:38.959 But then he got into a boat. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:40.399 Isn't that interesting? 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:42.800 A boat becomes his pulpit. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:44.959 And there's the crowds. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:46.639 Who knows? 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:50.639 Could well have been more than us here in the sanctuary. 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:54.480 There's the crowds, and did you notice that they're all standing? 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:02.319 I suspect they're standing because they want a better view, and maybe even hear better. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:11.040 And they're just attuned to this man who taught like no one had ever taught. 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.759 And he told them many things, it says. 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:19.439 I wonder if it's more than what's recorded. 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:26.240 You know, that the gospel writers certainly did not record everything Jesus said or did. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:29.920 He told them many things and parables. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:39.040 So this morning we're going to look at why parables, secondly, what kingdom, and thirdly, the different responses to this kingdom message. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:40.560 Why parables? 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:45.439 There are seven parables in the 13th chapter of Matthew's gospel. 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.160 Seven kingdom parables. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:53.120 Jesus started using parables at a particular stage in his ministry. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:59.519 He didn't start with parables, he didn't really end so much with parables. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:04.560 He started using parables after he started getting rejected. 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:07.759 I find that interesting. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:10.000 What is a parable? 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:14.240 Some of you have heard it's an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:15.600 Okay, it is. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:27.040 It's like an illustration, it's making a comparison between something that is unknown, an unknown truth of God, and something that is known and understood in life. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:35.600 So we're not surprised in this chapter, he's using terms and word pictures that were very familiar to his listeners. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:38.639 A farmer goes out to sow seed. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:46.160 He talks about agriculture, he talks about the things of this world that wouldn't be hard to understand. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:53.199 But this chap in this chapter we read that these are the secrets of the kingdom. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:54.959 The mystery. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.519 Okay, it's not that conundrum, it's not that mystery. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:17.199 Well, I wish I could understand that, but this is way beyond me, I'll never get it. 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:18.800 That's not what it means. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:27.439 Something that was hidden, but now through Jesus, has been revealed for us. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:42.319 One scholar put it like this: Parables put the truth in portable form so that they can be remembered, and it's easier to carry them away with you once you understand them. 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:47.360 It's designed to avoid offense to those who are not receptive. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:51.279 So the person, and this has been going on through centuries, right? 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:58.720 For the person who hears the word of God and comes away and says, I just don't get it. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:05.199 But then never really has the spiritual appetite or hunger to follow up. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.319 They just kind of walk away from it. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.439 God only knows how many people have done that. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:14.480 I mean, through history and today. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.160 They hear the word of God and they, that's interesting. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:18.879 I'm not sure. 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:23.839 They maybe get curious about it, but they don't know what to do with it. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.839 And again, this is really the crucial step. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:29.439 I don't get it. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.240 And they don't follow up. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:39.759 They don't seem to have any real heart interest to dig in to the words of Jesus. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:42.720 I hope that's not you. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:44.799 I hope that's never me. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:47.039 But it happens a lot. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.240 Why parable? 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:50.240 Secondly, what kingdom? 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:57.600 The word kingdom we know means somebody who rules and reigns, the dominion of a king. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.559 There's no kingdom without a king, is there? 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:06.879 Matthew chapter 13 is all about King Jesus. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:12.080 The kingdom of God was Jesus' central message. 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:14.320 The mysteries of the kingdom. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:20.879 Obviously, no one receives Jesus as Savior without lordship. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:23.679 We know that in the PCA, don't we? 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.879 I mean, we we've we got that one right. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:34.559 Nobody comes to Jesus as Savior without also coming to Jesus as Lord. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:37.360 The Bible's very clear. 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:48.639 If you come to Jesus simply to have your sins forgiven, but you don't understand his lordship, and you're not ready to bow down before his lordship, you're not a Christian. 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:51.120 The Bible's very clear about that. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:57.919 Although that message has been really diluted in many of our churches in this country. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:07.039 The stages of the kingdom correspond with the stages of the ministry and the activity of Jesus Christ. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:14.799 For those of you who have been here for a while and know Steve Stonehouse, who once was an elder in this church and now has been a missionary for many years. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:25.120 Steve's grandfather was a real scholar at Westminster Theological Seminary, Ned Stonehouse, put it like this, and I think this is helpful. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:30.879 The stages, again, of the kingdom correspond with the stages of the ministry and the activity of Christ. 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:32.240 There's three stages, all right? 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:33.840 This is just a quick look. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:38.879 The first stage is the coming of the kingdom in the public ministry of Christ. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:43.919 We looked at this over a year ago when we went through the theme for the year, the kingdom of God. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:46.240 But just a little bit of a review. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:51.519 Jesus came when he preached, he said, Today the kingdom has arrived. 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.799 It's fulfilled. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:54.639 The kingdom has come. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:00.080 The Greek word means the actual presence, not mere proximity. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:03.120 So Jesus could say that with a straight face. 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:15.679 That kingdom of God that had been prophesied and promised for hundreds of years, centuries, when Jesus came to this earth, he said, it's here now, because the king is here. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:19.440 The kingdom, he said, is within you. 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:27.759 As you hear the kingdom message, as you believe it, as you receive it, the kingdom is within us. 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:34.960 Secondly, the coming of the kingdom is in the exaltation of Christ. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:37.440 This age in which we live now. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:52.080 Jesus Christ is exercising his authority directly over this world through his church, through the word of God, and through the Spirit of God, his Holy Spirit, directly, did you caught that right? 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:53.360 Directly. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:55.360 But listen to this. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:58.159 Indirectly through us. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:22.080 So to the extent that your heart opens up to the king and to the king's message, and my heart opens up to him, and the Holy Spirit is at work within us, the kingdom is growing in us and through us as King Jesus in heaven right now, at the right hand of the Father, is exercising his kingly rule. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.080 And that's how he does it. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:31.279 Thirdly, the coming fulfillment of the kingdom at the return of Christ. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:34.480 We're waiting for that, aren't we? 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:37.360 King Jesus is going to return. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:43.200 And when he comes back, there's not one person in the world who will miss it. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:49.360 Paul says in Philippians that when he comes back, every single tongue will confess. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:53.919 I don't care the most hardened atheist you know. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.679 I don't know the, it doesn't matter, the biggest rebel. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:04.799 That person is going to bow and say, Jesus, you are King. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:07.360 But at that point it's going to be too late. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:20.159 You either bow to King Jesus now out of faith for blessing, or you will bow before King Jesus one day in punishment. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:23.120 Receive him now. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:25.679 Bow before him today. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:29.919 Everyone will bow their knee. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.960 Think about that. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:37.279 Think about the person that you know that says, I don't care about any of this. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:40.480 They're gonna bow. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.279 And they're gonna confess with their tongue. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:45.360 He is Lord. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:46.799 I never knew that. 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:48.080 I never believed that. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:50.000 This is the kingdom. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:55.360 But thirdly, the different responses to the kingdom message. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:00.960 Commentators use different words to describe these four different responses. 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:04.000 I'm gonna give you just a couple of them that I like the best. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:13.840 The hard heart, the shallow heart, the strangled heart, and then fourthly, the open heart. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.600 Or here's some other terms. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:28.240 The unresponsive heart, the impulsive heart, the preoccupied heart, or the responsive heart. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:32.639 Here's the main point. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:39.279 To show that the effect of the kingdom message depends on the state of the person's heart. 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:40.960 Now, please hear this, okay? 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.159 Don't miss this. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:47.519 The difference in the results is the soil, not the seed. 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:51.200 This is very important you get this. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:56.080 The seed is the word of God. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:00.159 The word of God is powerful whether you believe it or not. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:04.799 The word of God, the seed doesn't change in its power. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:09.600 The word of God is all powerful. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:15.120 The difference is in the soil of our hearts. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:17.200 So let's break that down. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:24.000 The kingdom is a presence which transforms the world, beginning with me or you. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:31.279 Alexandria Presbyterian Church, I used to say this a lot in the early years. 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:35.679 I guess it was just gripping my heart then in a new way. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:47.679 APC exists to extend the transforming presence of the kingdom of Jesus Christ in Alexandria, in Washington, D.C., in D.C. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:50.879 Metro, around the world. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:58.720 His transforming presence means that we will challenge those places where the king's rule is denied. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:04.399 We've already done that this morning, haven't we? 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:07.200 In our confession of sin? 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:09.600 Didn't we do that? 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:29.200 Lord, wherever, wherever I am denying your kingly rule, your reign, show me, forgive me, help me to bow and not to blow off your message. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:34.960 A sower went out to sow. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:37.440 That's Jesus. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:42.879 Or any preacher this morning, that's Tom Holliday. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:45.759 That's what Tom Holiday is doing right now. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:54.799 Sowing his seed by the power of his spirit, hopefully. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:59.759 Not only for the sower, but for what are you this morning? 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:01.279 Whatever we all in one sense. 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:02.399 The soil. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:04.480 What kind of soil are we? 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.319 Let's look at the first one. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:10.720 The hard heart, the unresponsive heart. 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:18.400 Jesus said this in verse 4, and as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:23.279 We see the explanation in verse 20, verse 21 also. 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:29.279 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:36.480 Excuse me, when anyone, verse 19, when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, this is scary. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:37.759 All right? 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:38.720 Don't miss this. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.839 This is scary. 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:50.079 There are many, many people in the history of the world who hear the word of God, but don't understand it. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.279 And then the evil one, well, you know who that is, right? 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:54.480 That's Satan. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:59.039 Comes and snatches, snatch, that's a strong word. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:00.079 Right? 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.440 Snatch. 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:04.480 He doesn't just kind of come up, you know. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:11.519 I mean, just that's scary. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:21.839 You can sit in this sanctuary and hear the word of God, and the evil one is here also. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:26.720 And he's here to snatch whatever he can snatch. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.920 You know, we had a dog growing up. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:35.839 We had a dog that could snatch. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:44.799 And if you put that food too close to the corner of the table, there was many times. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:52.960 Sharon could tell you the time in early marriage where she had a whole chicken that was thawing. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:58.000 And Oscar snatched the whole chicken. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:01.839 We came home to find it. 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.359 Well, I won't tell you where we found it. 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:12.400 Hey, dogs are not the only ones you can snatch. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.000 Don't let this happen to you. 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:21.839 Don't let this happen to you. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:25.359 You've got something to do with this. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:26.880 So do I. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:36.319 Because the ground is hard, the path, there have been many feet on this path that have trampled it. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:47.039 And because the soil is hard, the seed that falls there doesn't take root, it doesn't sink in, and there's unbelief and there's sin. 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:52.960 It's like the word of God goes in one ear and right out the other ear. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:20:02.640 And it's not that you couldn't go home today and tell somebody, yeah, I think the sermon today was about, it's not that you couldn't do that. 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:09.680 That person is, they hear it, it just doesn't really go anywhere. 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:13.039 It doesn't change them in any way. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:21.039 That's um that's very sad, isn't it? 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:23.279 This is what one commentator said. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:26.240 There are many Christians today who are not Christians. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:28.720 Tongue in cheek. 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:33.519 People who keep on hearing, but whose hearts Satan removes the word. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:48.480 When John Calvin looked at this paragraph, he too was struck by the fact that of all four soils describe professing Christians so that the parable becomes a warning to Christians. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:50.000 Well, not really Christians. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.680 Let me get ahead of myself. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:54.480 There's only one soil that really are Christians. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.400 That's the fourth soil. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:08.400 Calvin and many other church fathers in history said this was a dire warning from God to those who sit in the pews, week after week, year after year, who hear the word of God. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.759 But there's just no real evidence of any fruit. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:17.279 They really didn't receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:19.839 That's the description of these four. 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:24.480 What did we say at the beginning? 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:28.880 Blessed are those ears that hear and those eyes that see. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:33.759 Secondly, the shallow, impulsive heart. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:37.839 These people received the word of God immediately with joy. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:40.079 Why didn't anybody ever tell me this? 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:42.000 This is great news. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:48.240 And they start following Jesus for a while. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.440 And that's the key. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:53.039 For a while. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:22:06.319 Verse 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground which did not have much soil, and immediately They sprang up, but because there was no depth of soil, the seed never really took root. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:09.519 And it never really bore fruit. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:18.400 Literally, the language says, because they do not, they did not have deep earth. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:21.359 What is deep earth? 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:33.920 That's the Holy Spirit coming and planting the seed and watering the seed so that the seed germinates, it takes root, something grows. 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:41.359 The seed fell there and it sank in, yet it was very shallow. 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:48.799 These are people that quickly respond, often with joy, but they don't ever really grow in their Christian faith. 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:51.519 Was it an emotional response? 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:56.160 I've told this story before back when we were in Chicago. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:03.279 I was sharing the gospel with a man, and I'll never forget, he told me, Tom. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:06.880 All of a sudden the sky is bluer. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:09.039 He said, the grass is greener. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.640 We were in a park. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:13.440 He said, everything is different. 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:16.400 I was thinking, great. 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:25.920 It appeared to me as I tried to follow up with him, it was pretty much an emotional response as far as I could tell. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:29.279 I saw no evidence of his heart being changed. 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:33.279 Now it might have, it might have later, I hope. 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:38.640 But some people just immediately respond with their emotions. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:43.039 But did the seed go down? 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:45.599 Is the seed bearing fruit? 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:47.519 Is really the question. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:52.240 It says, it's not a matter of profession of faith. 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:59.039 Nobody is saved by a profession of faith. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.039 Did you catch that? 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.680 We are saved by actually believing. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:08.880 It's not a profession of faith that saves anyone. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:15.839 It's actually believing Christ, taking him at his word, trusting in Jesus Christ alone, that person will be saved. 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.160 But take no confidence. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:22.480 Take no confidence because you're a member of this church that you're saved. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.799 It's not joining a church that saves anybody. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:30.799 Jesus saves. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:33.200 Okay? 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:45.039 Until the pressure in life comes in, he says, on account of the world, excuse me, not the world, the word, on account of the word of God, he falls away. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:55.039 This is the person that seems to get off to a good start, but never never gets to the finish line. 00:24:55.519 --> 00:25:06.000 This is the person that when pressure sets in, pressure can come in all kinds of forms and shapes. 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:16.079 When pressure sets in, either pressure from somebody else, don't you ever let somebody pressure you out of following Jesus? 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:21.039 As a pastor, I've seen that over the years many times. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:26.480 Don't you dare let anybody pressure you out of following Jesus. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.000 Jesus talks about that very clearly in this gospel, doesn't he? 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:35.039 Blessed is the man who leaves father and mother, brother and sister, wife or husband. 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:42.240 Blessed is the person that puts everyone and everything in their life behind their loyalty to Jesus Christ. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:47.440 Thirdly, the strangled or preoccupied heart. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:49.839 Verse 7, we see that. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:55.519 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 00:25:57.359 --> 00:25:58.240 Choked them. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:25:59.359 That's sad. 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:08.400 The strangled heart, the preoccupied heart, strangled by, and this is so sad, isn't it? 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:09.839 What's that next word? 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:13.039 Strangled by things. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:25.119 To think that things in this world could choke out a real relationship with the real God. 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:28.240 How sad is that? 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:36.480 How devastating is that going to be on the day of judgment for the person who looks back on their life in judgment, not in heaven. 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:46.000 And says, I missed it for things. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:51.839 I missed him for things. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:27:00.400 Jim Boyce said, Riches do not choke a person all at once. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:02.720 It's usually a gradual process. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:07.519 Riches do not usually choke a person all at once. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:15.759 Over time, riches have a way of taking our heart and taking over our heart. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:20.400 Fourthly, the open, responsive heart. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.920 This is the good one, right? 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:23.200 Verse 8. 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:26.640 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain. 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.599 Some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:32.240 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:41.200 Church, let's not get overconfident and expect that everybody we witness to is going to come to Christ. 00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:43.519 Probably not going to happen. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:51.440 My own personal belief from my study of the Word of God is we are going to be the minority. 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:56.160 Broad is the gate to destruction. 00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:00.720 Narrow is the door to Christ in heaven. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:05.440 So let's let that help us get some perspective. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:11.200 And yet the good news is we know that people are going to respond when we share the gospel. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:16.319 I actually believe that people get saved when I preach. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:20.000 Not because of my power, not because of my gifts. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:25.920 Because the Holy Spirit has called people, is calling people to Christ. 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:28.319 It's his power. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:33.920 If it's his word and the Spirit is filling me, the Spirit will work. 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:34.720 Won't He? 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:37.920 Expect that. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:44.000 I think too many preachers just don't expect it and they just kind of hope that God does something. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:46.240 That's no way to preach. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:55.279 The only sure evidence of a genuine reception of the Word of God in our lives is spiritual fruit. 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:58.319 Yes, it's true that we're not saved by our good works. 00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:01.200 Nobody here is saved by their good works. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:07.759 But if you are saved, genuinely saved, there will be good works in your life. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:10.240 There will be spiritual fruit. 00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:16.880 There has to be, if it's God's word and it's God's power, there will be God's results. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:22.799 And some people, a hundredfold return, which is a phenomenal return. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:25.920 Sixty-fold return, thirty-fold return. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:30.240 It's all part of that, isn't it? 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:36.480 It's all part of that that we are looking at this morning. 00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:47.359 Oh, friends, this is so, this is so important that we're looking at this responsive heart. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:50.960 Let me read from John Calvin. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:30:02.079 He was struck by the fact that all four soils describing professing Christians, so a warning to those who think they're Christians. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:11.839 This warning will help us all the more when we realize that there is no mention here in this text of people that openly despise God's word or refuse God's word. 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:17.759 This message was preached to people that seem to want to hear God's word. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:27.920 The first soil hearer lets the devil steal the word from his heart because he doesn't want to know what God really has to say. 00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:32.160 This is what Matthew Henry, the Bible scholar, said. 00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:55.440 True. 00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:05.279 The devil who is a sworn enemy to our ever profiting from the Word of God. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:10.880 Hey, look, I don't know who your enemy is. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:15.599 Some of us have enemies in this world. 00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:20.079 Whoever might be your enemy is not your biggest enemy. 00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:28.000 Your biggest enemy and my biggest enemy is the accuser of the brethren, the evil one. 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:35.680 And he will stop at nothing to snatch away the word of God so that you will never come to Jesus Christ for salvation. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:42.640 He will do anything he can to snatch away the word of God so that once you're a Christian, you just don't ever really get renewed by the gospel. 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:44.480 You lost your gospel joy. 00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:49.279 You've lost your joy, you've lost your peace, you've lost, you haven't been renewed. 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:56.000 The Holy Spirit wants to renew you. 00:31:58.799 --> 00:32:03.359 And he says, watch out for the devil who comes and snatches that word from you. 00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:06.400 What did Henry say? 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:10.079 Prepare your heart before you, I'm going to paraphrase. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:14.319 Prepare your heart before you come into the sanctuary to worship. 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:19.680 And you ask God to prepare your heart. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:26.400 God, please, would you open my mind, my emotions, my heart? 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:32.400 I want to receive whatever you want to give me. 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:35.200 You pray like that. 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:39.599 And you come and you watch what he'll do. 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:45.359 But he said, after you hear the word, pray and meditate. 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:48.400 Okay, say, God, set time aside. 00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:52.400 Say, God, what was it that you wanted me to come away with this morning? 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:53.440 What was it? 00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:54.480 Would you bless that? 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.839 Would you grow that? 00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:01.680 The prayer supplications that we received, what, two Sundays ago? 00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:05.440 I'm going to tell you one last year that got my heart. 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:08.240 I mean, a lot of them did, right? 00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:22.559 But this nine-year-old boy who wrote on his prayer supplication form last year, who was having significant hearing problems, who needed surgery. 00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:30.240 He said, God, would you please heal my hearing so I can hear the word of God? 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:37.519 And God healed his hearing. 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:41.599 The surgery was effective. 00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:46.000 May that be our prayer. 00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:48.559 Do you need surgery? 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:55.359 Does your heart, maybe not your ears literally, does your heart need surgery? 00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:57.359 Get on the table. 00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.240 Alright? 00:33:58.319 --> 00:33:59.200 I mean it. 00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:01.200 Get on the table. 00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:02.720 Get into the OR. 00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:12.159 Ask the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to do whatever He has to do, to open your ears and to open your eyes so that you see and you hear. 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:15.440 You will never ever regret that. 00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:17.199 I promise you. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:24.960 When you meet Jesus, you will thank him that things didn't get in your way. 00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:28.000 Blessed are your eyes. 00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:29.920 Blessed are your ears. 00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:33.599 You're not the gardener. 00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:34.960 The Holy Spirit is the gardener. 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:36.800