WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.800 You have a Bible. 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:04.000 Let's open up to Mark chapter 4. 00:00:04.959 --> 00:00:06.639 Mark chapter 4. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:09.679 Let me pray for us one more time. 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:11.199 Father, speak. 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:13.279 Your servants are listening. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:16.960 Fill me full of the Holy Spirit to teach well. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.359 Lord, to say everything you want me to say, nothing more, nothing less. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.399 Lord, to say everything in the way, in the manner. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:26.160 Lord, that you want me to say it. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:27.839 And Lord, I pray for everybody listening. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:34.640 Lord, fill us full of the Holy Spirit to listen well, to receive well, to remember well, to apply well. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:36.240 Pray all this in Christ's name. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:37.119 Amen. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:44.240 Mark chapter 4, and I want you to think about the last time that maybe you had a misunderstanding in communication while you turn there. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:53.359 One that's happened a couple of times in our household is uh maybe I'll come home and I'm hungry. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:58.719 It's about dinner time, and I may say to my wife, hey babe, uh, what time is dinner and what are you cooking? 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:05.680 And as I say that, I go to the pantry or the refrigerator and I open the door and I start rummaging and looking for something. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.400 And I hear my wife talking, I hear noise. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:20.079 And then I kind of don't find what I want, and I turn and I say, Hey babe, uh, when is dinner and what and she's I literally just told you. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:21.840 And it's my fault. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:22.959 I wasn't paying attention. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:25.599 And I feel like you're right, I'm sorry. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:30.000 And unfortunately, I've done that more than once, and I'm sure I'm not the only man. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:36.480 But there have been times where because I realize that I've done that before, I'm I'm aware, and so I'm proactive. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:41.439 And I come home and I say, hey, Lena, uh, what's for dinner and what time we plan on eating? 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:43.599 And I'm like, I'm not, I'm gonna get it right this time. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:44.560 I'm not gonna be distracted. 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:46.239 So I just stare at her face. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:55.280 And my wife, again, a thousand and one great qualities, but every once in a while she can get a little distracted, and she'll be on her phone doing something. 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:57.359 And so I'll just sit there and wait. 00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:00.799 What to me feels like an eternity is probably 80 seconds. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.319 And I'll say, Lena, oh, and she's like, I told you. 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:06.239 She says it much nicer than that. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.800 Um, and I'll say, babe, no, you didn't. 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:11.680 I'm sitting here looking at your mouth, it didn't move. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.000 She's like, Oh, well, I thought it. 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:18.879 Now, why am I starting out with that? 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:23.680 Um there are times where we feel like we're having miscommunication with God. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:31.919 Like we're trying to talk to Him, we're trying to pray, we're trying to listen, we're trying to understand, but for some reason, communication is not going as well as we'd like it. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:35.919 And we're gonna look at a parable of Jesus that speaks into that. 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:38.719 Now let me set the context for us. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:44.400 Okay, Mark chapter 4, right after Mark chapter 3, that we spent the last three weeks looking at. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:51.439 And really there were four different groups of people that interacted with Jesus in Mark chapter 3. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:55.360 Okay, they were the disciples, they were all in, they're committed, they're following. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:03:01.360 There's the crowd that really seems to like Jesus, they're following, they're listening, they seem very pro-Jesus. 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:08.800 Then you've got the Pharisees and the scribes that are plotting his murder and saying that he's possessed by Satan. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:14.240 And then you also have his own family, his physical family, and they think he's gone nuts. 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:21.039 So you could say four different types of responses to Jesus in Mark chapter three. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:27.919 And remember, part of what happened in Mark chapter three is he appointed the 12 apostles that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:28.960 Remember that? 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:37.039 So I think part of what's got to be going through the disciples' minds is, hey, Jesus, I mean, you're the best teacher we've ever heard. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.800 And even you are getting a mixed bag of results from these people. 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:48.400 So when you talk about sending us out, we gotta be honest, that's a little bit intimidating because how are people gonna respond to us? 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:54.879 And so, in response to that line of thinking, that concern, Jesus is gonna give this parable. 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:58.960 So let's look at Mark chapter 1, uh 4, and I'll start in verse 1. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:10.560 Again he began to teach beside the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and he sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:13.360 And he was teaching them many things in parables. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:22.319 And his teaching he said to them, Listen, a sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:34.639 Other seed fell on the rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil, and when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.240 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:47.920 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:51.759 And he said, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:05:02.560 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables, and he said to them, To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:15.759 But for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear, but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:19.600 And he said to them, Do you not understand this parable? 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.480 How then will you understand all the parables? 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:27.839 The sower sows the word, and these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:43.360 When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them, and these are the ones sown on the rocky ground, the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy, and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:48.959 Then when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.240 And others are the ones sown among thorns. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:06:04.079 They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:14.639 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:22.959 So Jesus once again, the crowd is so large, crushing in on him, he gets into a boat, the floating pulpit, and he's gonna teach them this parable. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:28.720 And notice he starts out by saying, pay attention! Listen, this is really important what I'm about to say. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:33.279 And it starts with it's a gray and example that they would have been very familiar with. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:34.480 A sower goes out. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:42.800 And the sower could represent God, it could represent a human representative of God, a Bible study leader, a preacher, a teacher, an evangelist. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.800 And he's just throwing the seed seemingly indiscriminately. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.480 Some of it falls on the path that he's walking on. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.720 So the ground is packed down. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:55.839 So the seed is not really able to get into the soil. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:57.040 It's hard. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:02.160 And so a bird comes representing Satan and it snatches the word away. 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:04.959 That can happen to us. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:09.120 But some of the soil that falls on what we would call shallow soil. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:12.079 There's a little bit of topsoil, but right underneath it, there's rocks. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:17.279 So there's a tiny root, can't go very deep, springs up fast, looks great, looks happy, looks excited. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:21.279 But when the sun comes, when hardship comes, it withers away. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.959 Other goes into soil, looks a little bit better. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.160 Looks like it's growing, but the problem is there's thorns. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:33.600 In a sense, they choke out the little plant before it can really start to bear fruit. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:35.600 And then lastly, there is good soil. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:36.959 There is hope here. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:42.000 Different levels of fruitfulness, some 30, some 60, some 100fold, but some bear fruit. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:45.839 And so then later, Jesus is with the committed followers. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:50.399 The 12, plus it sounds like a few more, and they're asking him questions. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.160 And he's explaining it to them. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.399 And he says, Listen, you guys are all in. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:55.680 You guys are committed. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:57.680 So you're getting to know the secrets. 00:07:57.839 --> 00:07:59.600 I'm explaining them to you. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:04.879 But the people outside, the people that aren't committed, they don't get to know these secrets. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:13.920 One commentator said it this way: God's plan is that to the man who has faith, understanding is also given. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:18.480 But for him who has no faith, understanding must be withheld. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:21.360 So then Jesus really starts to break it down. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:25.040 The seed, it's the word of God. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.800 It's the word that I'm speaking to you. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:36.080 And the four different kinds of soil represent different kinds of hearts, different kinds of receptivity, different kinds of responses. 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:39.840 The first is very hard, it's like the word never goes in. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:43.840 And Satan takes it away before anybody can even think, can even process. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:45.519 The second starts out good. 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:47.039 In fact, it looks like somebody. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:56.240 My guess is, especially if you've been in the church for a while, unfortunately, you probably can put names beside some of these soils. 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:04.639 People that had at some point some very passionate, joyous, exciting experience with Christ, they seemed on fire, all in. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:10.320 And it was just a matter of time before a little bit of hardship came up, a little bit of persecution. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.360 They responded, great, I got Jesus, man, he makes my life better. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.720 But then when you realize Jesus also brings some problems into your life. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:19.440 Partially that not everybody in the world likes Jesus. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:20.480 You can lose friends. 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:22.559 There can be persecution, there can be hardship. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:23.919 People say, forget it. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:24.879 It's not worth that. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:27.200 I'm bailing out if it's going to cost me something. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.039 I didn't realize there was a cost to this. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.039 I thought it was all benefit. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:35.919 Then third, there's others that really see like they're doing good. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:38.080 Seems like they've got the roots, seems like they're growing. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:46.799 But the problem is in that exact same soil, there's thorns, and it chokes the life out of any fruit that could ever have come. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:51.440 But then lastly, there is real soil. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.039 It's right, responds right, and there's fruit. 00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:55.519 Okay? 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:57.120 And obviously that's what we want to be. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:01.120 Now, if you're saying, what exactly in this parable does fruit represent? 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.600 The idea of fruit is just it's a Christ-like life. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:09.360 I mean, you can go to Galatians 5, 22, 23, fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, all that stuff. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:19.120 It's my life by God's grace, changing, becoming more like Christ, and then God using me as a vessel to minister to others and to see their lives change as well. 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:20.320 That's the goal we're after. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:22.639 Now, a lot of application here. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:26.399 The first main point of application is this, okay? 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:27.759 Listen well. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:29.600 Listen well. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:34.879 This is about paying attention to God's word, taking it seriously. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:42.559 Doing everything I can that when God's word is read, it's heard, it's taught, that I am all in. 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:44.960 I'm locked in, I'm focused. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:45.840 Okay. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:51.840 Don't let God's word just stay on the surface of your mind, the surface of your heart. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:59.440 Um, there's a lot of people that, in kind of their personal time alone with the Lord, what they like to do is read through the Bible in a year. 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:02.320 I've done that before, and a lot of people that I love and respect do that. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:04.639 In one sense, I think it's a great thing. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:07.759 But here's the danger of a read through the Bible in a year plan. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.679 Some of you may know this if you tried it. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.399 Especially if you're a type A type personality. 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:16.799 You basically have to read about three or four chapters a day to get the whole Bible in a year. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.120 If you miss one day, guess what that means for tomorrow? 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:20.639 Eight chapters. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:23.360 Next thing you know, you're speed reading. 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:26.080 Just be careful. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:27.279 Just be careful. 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:30.000 We we don't need to speed read God's word. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:39.519 Another really practical thing that you can do to make sure you hear the word of God well, this is one of the best things, guys, about Bible studies, about small groups, while we do things like community groups. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:50.080 Notice the disciples, they're with Jesus, they're hearing the master teacher, and yet they really didn't understand what it meant until they got alone with him in a small group and they could dialogue, they could ask questions. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:51.039 Did you see that? 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.279 If they needed that with Jesus, so do we. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:56.159 We need some sort of small group in our life. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.080 Corporate worship Sunday morning is wonderful. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:04.240 In the end, for most of us, it's not enough. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:09.600 We need some more small group where we can talk, we can discuss, the word can go deeper. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:16.879 And then, guys, so much of this, it's not just about our actions of hearing, of listening, of discussing, it's about our attitude. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:22.159 It's about an attitude of welcoming and receiving the word, accepting it. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:22.639 Okay? 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:27.919 Now, why does Jesus say, hey, if you don't understand this parable, you're not going to understand the rest of the parables? 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:32.480 Because the whole point of this parable is listening, hearing. 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:40.559 If you don't know how to hear well, if you don't have to listen well, if you don't have to receive well, it doesn't matter what other great things he teaches if you miss it. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:42.399 We have to get this right. 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:44.080 It's a little bit of one-on-one. 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:44.720 Okay? 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:51.440 One commentator said, this parable is meant to impress a sense of responsibility upon the hearers. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:57.600 Another one said, it's a solemn warning of the possibility of a wrong hearing. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.360 Sometimes we miss here. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:00.240 Okay? 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:09.200 John Calvin, the word of God in its own nature is always bright, but its light is choked by the darkness of men. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:16.000 The word of God is not obscure, except so far as the world darkens it by its own blindness. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:20.480 So that was all point one, okay, which kind of brings me to point two is this. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:27.039 Anytime there's miscommunication, listen, when there's miscommunication between me and my wife, it's probably my fault. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:30.639 But I, you know, like 1% chance maybe it was her fault, right? 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.399 I hold on to that hope. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:39.120 But anytime there's miscommunication between me and God, it's always 100% my fault. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:42.480 Miscommunication between you and God, it's always your fault. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:44.960 Now, listen, this begs the question. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:48.879 It's like, well, today we don't have Jesus walking around here. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:51.919 We have bozos like you, Olin, teaching the word. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.360 That's right, and that is a problem because I'm a very fallible instrument. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:59.120 And so it's very understandable. 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:07.840 If you're reading a book about the Bible, or you're listening to somebody like me teach, or you're going to a Bible study, you may say, This human teacher is not very helpful. 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:09.759 And that could be a very valid criticism. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.600 But let me just let me caution you. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:27.759 The danger is God still says, the burden is on you to listen to me, to work past the human teachers, the human preachers, the human leaders that may make things obscure at times. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:33.039 The burden is still on you to make sure you're listening well, to study well. 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:40.480 There's a verse in Acts chapter 17, I think it's Acts 17, 11, where Paul is going around teaching and he goes to a city. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:43.679 He's been in Thessalonica, he goes to another city named Berea. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.080 And this is the Apostle Paul. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.200 If there ever was a super Christian, he's the one, right? 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.679 Wrote most of the books of the New Testament. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:54.639 And here's what Acts chapter 17, verse 11 says. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:15:03.919 The Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonicans because they eagerly searched their scriptures to see if the things Paul said were true. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:05.679 You see what it's saying? 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:10.080 It's praising them for saying, hey, we like this guy, Paul, but we don't totally trust Paul. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:11.200 What do we trust? 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.720 We trust the Bible. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:14.480 That's a good way to live. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:19.600 Okay, is that the burden is on us to read, to study, to understand. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:20.480 Okay? 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:21.919 Third point. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:26.559 We must guard against Satan stealing the word from our mind. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:34.159 Because for a lot of us, we probably read the Bible on a regular basis. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.080 We come to church on a regular basis. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:40.480 My guess is most of you are in some kind of small group or Bible study or community group. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:45.200 But what I want you to see is there is a spiritual battle raging. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:48.639 And it doesn't feel like that. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:57.279 I mean, we're gonna walk out, the weather's nice, probably most of us are gonna go to a nice restaurant and eat a nice meal, and we got nice clothes on. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:00.720 Everything looks nice in our life right now. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:07.759 And the reality is there is a devil who's not nice, and he wants to ruin your soul. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:15.039 He doesn't play fair, he doesn't play nice, he doesn't take vacation, he doesn't have holidays, he doesn't care. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.480 It's Mother's Day. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:23.919 There's a great uh, you're like, man, I don't know about all this demon talk. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.759 Again, this is just the Bible. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:27.360 C.S. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:30.240 Lewis has a great book called Screw Tape Letters. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:35.279 It's made up, but it's a good idea of kind of how demons work. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:44.080 And there's a, I think it's in the one of the very early chapters, there's a story about a man, not a Christian at this point, but he starts to think about God. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:54.559 And what the demon does is the demon basically whispers a thought in his mind that says, This is too important of a topic to think about on an empty stomach. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.639 You need to get some lunch. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.840 And so the man says, Yeah, I'll think about that later. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:01.200 I gotta go get lunch. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:07.119 And he walks outside and he sees a bus and he hears the little newsboy, and the next thing you know, the thought's gone. 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.960 It doesn't take much. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:22.480 That's what I'm trying to help us see is even in just mundane normal life, maybe, maybe you hear one thing this morning, and there's a little prick of conscience. 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:26.799 There's a little sensitivity of soul to something in the word of God. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:32.240 But you get in the car, I got somewhere to be, I got a reservation, don't want to be late. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:35.440 Turn on the radio, next thing you know, it's gone. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.319 Like that's not fair. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:40.160 That's just reality, that's life. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:46.720 We have to be proactive in pushing back against a satanic attack, stealing the word from our minds. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.759 Don't let the word of God lie shallow in our minds. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:53.039 Process it, meditate, journal. 00:17:53.200 --> 00:18:00.559 I I remember one time having a conversation with an elder at Briarwood, friend of mine, a little bit older, really good guy. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:07.680 And I and I I think the Sunday school lesson that morning had kind of been all about application, the importance of application. 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:11.039 And I was talking to the man afterwards, and he said, you know what? 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:14.640 He said, I probably, he said, he said, I'm not exaggerating. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:22.400 He said, I probably have had a hundred different times where I hear a good sermon from the pulpit or a good Sunday school lesson. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:30.559 Or maybe I'm just driving down the road listening to a John Piper sermon on the radio or my podcast, and I think, man, that's a great point. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:37.440 I need to spend some time later today going back, looking at that verse, kind of meditating journaling, and apply it to my life. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:39.279 You ever had an experience like that? 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:43.200 And when he told me, he said, I've he said, I literally think I've had that thought a hundred times. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:43.839 He said, You know what? 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:45.039 I never do it. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:47.200 Never do it. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:50.000 I get home, I'm too busy, I got other stuff to do. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:52.640 Not bad stuff, just normal stuff. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:56.160 How seriously are we taking the word of God? 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:01.519 A quick, immediate, joyful response is not enough. 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:06.319 Point four, if you're trying to keep up, there has to be a lifelong perseverance. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:12.720 Listen, as best I can tell, I've been in the faith for over four decades now. 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:16.000 Certainly that should be enough, right, Father? 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:18.240 Can't I just coast the rest of the way out? 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.759 I'm tired. 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:22.480 Doesn't work that way. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:28.000 You got to stay engaged, you have to keep responding. 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.759 Lifelong perseverance. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:31.279 It's not enough to start well. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:34.559 You have to finish well by God's grace. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:36.240 Perseverance. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:41.279 Fifth, this may be the most important for a lot of us. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:47.599 There are thorns in all of our life that want to choke out the word of God, and we got to push back against them. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:48.720 We got to fight. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.039 Fight against the thorns in your life. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:52.720 What are the thorns in your life? 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:58.720 And listen, most of the time, they're not bad things, they're good things, they're normal things that you just love too much. 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:01.039 Here's France. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:06.480 What is at issue here is not so much the possession of wealth in itself. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.480 Nothing wrong with having money. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:20.079 But rather the mental attitude which it engenders, the sense of deception, even enticement, which threatens to seduce disciples from their true allegiance. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.920 He said it's the constant desire for more. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:31.680 Guys, what is it in your life, what is it in my life that's trying to seduce me away from Christ? 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:37.759 And listen, it's usually good things, not bad things. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:40.720 And it's different for different people. 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:45.200 And for this person, it might just be, I just want more shoes. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:49.039 And this person, it might be, I just want more sex. 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:53.039 And for you, it may be something totally different in between. 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:58.480 Bottom line is in the right and proper context, nothing wrong with shoes, nothing wrong with sex. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:07.920 But there's something wrong with anything other than Christ when you have this heart attitude that says, I must have blank to be happy. 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:09.759 That's where you're in trouble. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:11.839 We have to be open-handed. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:12.400 Okay. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:14.880 Listen to John Calvin. 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.359 Sometimes John Calvin gets a bad rap, frozen chosen. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:18.480 Let's listen to this quote. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:20.799 This is very unfrozen, okay? 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:28.079 Each of us ought to endeavor to tear the throne thorns out of his heart. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:34.559 For there is not one of us whose heart is not filled with a vast quantity, a thick forest of thorns. 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:46.400 We perceive how few there are that reach maturity, for there is scarcely one individual of ten that labors, not to root out, but even to cut down thorns. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:54.880 The very number of thorns which ought to shake off our sloth is the reason why most people give themselves no trouble about them. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:56.559 You what he's saying there? 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:57.920 He's basically saying this. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.799 Thorns in our heart that most of us just look at them and say, I got a lot of thorns, he's got a lot of thorns, she's got a lot of thorns, what's the big deal? 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.119 Everybody's dealing with it. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:10.559 What's the big deal? 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:21.119 That we should we should be proactive when I see something, a desire in my heart, trying to choke out discipleship to Jesus, allegiance, I cut it out. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:24.400 Even better, dig down deep, find the root, root it out. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:31.920 And if you're sitting here this morning and you're saying, I wish I was more spiritually mature, here's the step. 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:35.759 Find the thorns in your life, dig out the roots. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:36.319 Okay. 00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:38.720 The sixth thing. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:47.119 The clearest proof that we are hearing and receiving God's word, it's life change, it's fruit. 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:49.359 It's growth, it's maturity. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:57.920 That's how you really know that I'm seeing God's word change my life 30, 60, 100fold. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:00.319 Now, this is so important. 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:12.799 To whatever degree you may be sitting here this morning saying, I'm not perfect, but by God's grace, I think I really do listen. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:14.240 I think I really do receive. 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:16.240 I think I really do welcome. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:18.799 I think I really do go after the thorns. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:20.319 Praise the Lord. 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.000 But you know this. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:25.680 You have to give all the credit and praise to God, right? 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:32.480 There's not one of us that can stand here and boast, look how solid I am. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.279 Look how mature I am. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:37.759 Just you want to be better? 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:40.319 Just be like me and everything will be fine in your life. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:43.279 Hopefully, none of us is fool enough to say that. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:51.599 To whatever degree there is maturity, the more maturity there is, the more overwhelming sense of almost shock and awe. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:54.160 I can't believe I'm doing as good as I'm doing. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:55.440 It's not me. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:57.839 It's the grace of God in me. 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:00.880 God's grace to me is not proving vain. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:06.480 There ought to be this deep sense of humility, reverence, thankfulness, gratitude. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:08.000 God, thank you. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:09.279 Thank you. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:23.279 The Bible, and this passage specifically, does such an excellent job of holding in perfect balance and tandem singing. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:34.720 God's sovereign grace, the sovereignty of God's grace, and human responsibility to respond. 00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:37.039 Listen to William Henderson. 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:41.839 He's a great reformed commentator, used to teach at RTS seminary. 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:55.440 Even though the parable emphasizes the result of the hearing of the gospel, it depends on the conditions of the hearts of those to whom it is addressed, so that human responsibility is stressed in the final analysis. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:03.119 Every good thought, disposition, word, deed, character has its source in God and his sovereign grace. 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:09.279 And guys, we're not gonna figure this one out on planet Earth. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:14.720 You want to be mature in Christ, you learn just to live in the tension. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:22.799 It's all God, it's all his grace, it's all his mercy, and yet I'm not gonna let his grace towards me prove vain. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:30.079 I mean, Paul, who's the apostle of grace in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 10, says, His grace didn't prove vain towards me. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:32.799 He said, I work harder than everybody. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:36.880 So here's my eighth point, okay? 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:40.799 Whatever grace you've received, improve upon it. 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:43.839 Build upon it, treat it like a foundation. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:50.720 To the degree you understand, accept more, repent more, grow more, and more understanding will come. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:54.640 But guys, and this is why this passage is so sobering. 00:25:56.559 --> 00:26:09.839 To the degree that we're hard or we're shallow or we're weak or we're worried, or we let our hearts remain thorn filled, slowly but surely that will lead to ruin. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:14.799 Here's William Hendrickson again. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:23.039 And treating the word of God so lightly, they are cooperating with the Prince of Evil. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:28.079 Listen, he said this as well. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:35.119 The lack of receptivity, if persisted in, leads directly to the unpardonable sin. 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:40.400 Again, this is what I tried to illustrate last week if you were here. 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:53.839 There's this tiny little baby seed sin over here of just being distracted, being in a hurry, being worried, coveting a little too much. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:57.200 That makes me treat the Word of God too lightly. 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.559 We've all done it. 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:04.240 My guess is probably most of us have done it in some form or fashion this past week. 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:06.799 This is not to beat up on you. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:16.319 But it is to sober us to say, we have to take this seriously and fight the battle here, because if we don't, slowly but surely our hearts get calloused. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:18.720 They get insensitive. 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:24.000 Where even if a sense God was there yelling at us with a bullhorn, we won't hear it. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:31.680 Now, I don't know about you, but I know for me as I was studying this passage this week. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:37.279 I mean, last week we talked about the unpardonable sin, which you're like, that's pretty heavy. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:41.519 I felt heavier this week studying this passage. 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:52.160 Partially because there's so much that the Lord Jesus Christ is saying to us, hey, you better take listening serious. 00:27:53.200 --> 00:28:00.160 You better be radically devoted to hearing and hearkening unto my word. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.920 Heed what I say. 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:04.880 It can feel a little heavy. 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:08.880 But guys, here's what's really beautiful. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:12.079 And I almost didn't see it until near the end of the week when I was studying. 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:23.920 And if you've got your bullet in there, if you're looking at the passage there, literally, if you look almost at the direct middle of the 20 verses that we looked at, what's right at the heart of what we're talking about in Jesus' explanation? 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:25.759 Go back to verse 11. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:31.359 And he said to them, To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.000 What is this secret? 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:42.000 What is this secret that Jesus was disclosing to his disciples, and he's disclosing to us this morning from his word? 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:54.720 But for those outside, everything is in parables, verse 12, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:55.759 That's the negative version. 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:59.519 Then what's the positive version for people that are getting the secret? 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:01.759 We see, we understand. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:03.759 And what is this message that Jesus is saying? 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:09.599 It's almost like he's taking us by the lapels of our shirt and shaking us and saying, please listen, this is so important. 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:12.079 And let's just say this morning, you're like, okay, okay. 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:14.079 I mean, you've you've scared me. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:14.640 I'm listening. 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.680 What do you want to say to me? 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:17.440 He says, I love you. 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:20.640 I'm God in the flesh. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:23.200 I've come to die for you. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:38.720 All your sins of hardness, all your sins of arrogance, all your sins of shallowness, all your sins of distraction, all your sins of forgetfulness, all your sins of dismissiveness to me and my word. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:40.400 I'll forgive you. 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:42.559 I want to forgive you for all your sins. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:44.319 It's a message of forgiveness. 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:45.680 It's a forgiveness. 00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:47.599