"When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a tremendous privilege to have you here with us today this Lord's Day, reminding me of both the blessing and importance of community and the shared faith that unites us all.
I would also like to invite you to join us in lifting up our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing high levels of persecution, often risk their lives for their faith in prayer, that their faith would remain unshaken and steadfast, as they continue to bear witness to their persecutors, serving as a powerful testament to the strength and courage that comes from their deep-rooted faith in Christ, evidenced through their attitudes and actions. Additionally, we humbly ask that you would pray that God's Word and this ministry would reach those who in dire need of spiritual guidance, and the encouragement of God's Word, offering them hope amidst the severe trials and difficult challenges they face, wherever they may be.
Throughout my many years in ministry, I have observed that one of Satan's most cunning strategies is to shift our focus away from our primary mission of spreading the Truth, by enticing us into endless debates over trivial disagreements with those we might consider fellow believers. Having had faced these relentless attacks of fruitless debates, time and again, I have learned to anticipate and be prepared for these distractions, realizing that they are not merely innocuous; but deliberate, calculated attempts that have the potential to consume our time and energy, derailing us from our divine calling. This awareness has fortified my resolve to faithfully preach on, remaining steadfast in my commitment, with unwavering dedication, constantly reminding myself that the message which I've been called to proclaim, the Gospel of Salvation, is of the utmost importance, transcending all other trivial concerns. Therefore, my commitment to this sacred duty remains unshaken, and at the very forefront of my ministry.
As Christians, we have a mandate to present the Good News of the gospel, and to boldly proclaim the gospel to every living creature we encounter to the ends of the earth, unapologetically telling people of this generation about this great salvation after it was first initially spoken through the Lord, and faithfully handed down to us through the powerful testimonies of those who were privileged to hear it firsthand, witnessing His teachings and miracles. Our calling, challenges us to ensure the gospel reaches people from all walks of life, underscoring the universal nature of the Great Commission. By incorporating modern technology and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube into our outreach strategies, we can tailor our approach of evangelism, giving us an unparalleled opportunity to share the gospel, significantly enhancing our ability to connect with billions of people globally through the use of the internet, in ways that were previously unimaginable to past generations. According to recent statistics, social media usage has skyrocketed, with over 4.5 billion active users worldwide.
I have been informed that by employing data analytics and artificial intelligence, it is possible to fine-tune messages to ensure they are culturally relevant and have a significant impact, and that utilizing live streaming platforms and interactive online events can further broaden your reach and allowing for immediate feedback, thus creating a deeper connection with the audience through real-time engagement. However, this approach seems to deliberately contradict the purpose of God authoring this magnificent, awe-inspiring book, which was to reveal Himself to mankind, in a way that transcends technological advancements, that seeks to touch individuals on a deeply personal level through a profound spiritual relationship that is just as relevant today as it was centuries ago, without relying on the digital tools and modern technologies that seem to dominate the present age.
The wonderful story of salvation, was intended to be disseminated through the richness of personal encounters and individual testimonies that resonates deeply within the human spirit, which have been passed down through countless generations, illustrating the timeless nature of the message of redemption and hope, that continues to transform lives, whether through a chance one-on-one encounter, small study groups or large congregations. Recognizing and understanding the many intricate nuances that are involved in the various spiritual heart conditions require different approaches becomes essential in grasping the broader scope of evangelism, something that mere technology alone cannot achieve without the essential input of human insight and empathy, since each individual's journey is unique. Where one person may require a compassionate listener, another person might be looking for personalized engagement to address their doubts or concerns, providing the warmth, understanding, which I believe makes the human element indispensable.
I've recently learned that Ron Carpenter Jr., the "pastor" of the 21,000-member Megachurch, Redemption Church, recently unveiled his own Artificial Intelligence app for a modest monthly subscription fee of just $49 a month, providing "unlimited" array of services, including access to calls and messages and the ability to even use the app to request the virtual "Pastor Ron" to pray for recovery from an illness. I believe this approach clearly represents the increasing reliance some pastors have on modern technology as they begin integrating digital tools into their spiritual practices and everyday lives.
Nothing exemplifies the profound and boundless love of God more strikingly than the continual act of warning the reprobate sinner of their impending fate, and the relentless appeals made, pleading with to them to abandon their immoral paths in order to escape spiritual ruin and devastation, as well as the unavoidable consequences of their current behavior in order to partake in the grace and forgiveness that is abundantly offered through Jesus Christ to those willing to repent and turn away from their sin.
Before we delve into our text today, I suppose that we could say the parable we're going to study serves as sort of an advance notice about the various kinds of responses we can anticipate when we proclaim the gospel to others, whether it's in a personal setting, sharing the gospel in a one-on-one conversation, in a public forum, such as my preaching of a gospel message to a wider audience, the range of responses that we can expect are essentially going to be the same. Which, I believe is particularly really helpful so that we don't tend to become discouraged, feeling disheartened when the kind of reactions we receive fall short of the outcomes the we envision we should receive. Believe it or not, not everyone is going receive the message of the gospel with the same enthusiasm that you and I did, embracing it wholeheartedly, there are some who are going to be indifferent or even hostile to the message presented.
This is very crucial to recognize, so that these outcomes are not viewed as personal shortcoming as if we somehow possessed greater eloquence, or set of communication skills for a more compelling deliver, we would have potentially had a more substantial impact, or even blame the gospel, perceiving it to be inadequate, leading us to doubt sufficiency of the message itself to penetrate the listener's heart. Because in truth, this really isn't so much about the gospel or the person delivering it's message, it's really about the condition of the hearer's heart, which can significantly influence how people respond. Understanding that the real problem lies within the hearts of the listener in advance can dramatically aid us in approaching our mission with greater patience and empathy, rather than focusing solely on immediate results, taking comfort in knowing that our efforts are part of a much larger process of planting seeds, some of which may take time to grow and bear fruit.
Ezekiel 36:25-27, reminds us our hearts must be renewed for His Name Sake. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
This is very important message for anybody who is entrusted with the responsibility of proclaiming the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ, central to the Christian doctrine, that a transformative effect that has impacted billions of people worldwide, when people don't respond the way we think they should.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so grateful for Your Word, we stand in awe of the precious gift that continues to instruct us in Your truth, so that we may unravel the mysteries of the kingdom of God, we can't thank You enough for this marvelous privilege, it is beyond our expression, far more than we could ever articulate in mere words.
Lord, thank You for reminding us why were here, to evangelize the world. I pray that You would invigorate our spirits, breathing new energy into our lives, allowing us to fully embrace this remarkable opportunity that is ours. May we be faithful in paying it forward, teaching valuable lessons You've imparted to us, passing on the treasure of Your Word to others, so the they too may continue to sow the seeds of the gospel in future generations. Thank You for teaching us that we are responsible to sow the seed, just as a farmer sows seeds expecting a bountiful harvest, Lord, we trust that You, the Master gardener would tends to and prepare the soil in the hard-hearted sinner and make it soft to be receptive to embrace the Truth for Your glory and for Christ's sake. It is in His precious Name we ask and pray.
Amen.
Today's Message: The Power of Cultivating Our Hearts for God’s Word
Open your Bibles with me, if you would and turn them to the Gospel of Luke chapter 8,
Luke 8:4-8. If you would follow along with me as I read, we can set the text in our minds, as we delve into the text, allowing it to settle deeply within our hearts, so let's take this opportunity to listen for what the Spirit of God has to personally say to each of us today through the Word and allow it to transform our lives.
"When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand."
Let's look at verse 4, then we'll set the background, "When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable."
If you will recall, at the end of
chapter 12 in the Gospel according to Matthew, it was that day when Jesus was previously inside of a house, engaged in teaching His followers, and His mother and brothers who had been looking for Him, showed up and were standing outside that house where He was teaching seeking to speak to Him prompting someone to say to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You," to which He responded "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?," setting the stage for a profound and thought-provoking dialogue that ensued, challenging the conventional concepts of family relationships and who truly qualifies as His mother and brothers in a spiritual sense, opening the doors to a broader community of faith, emphasizing that those who do the will of His Father in heaven are His true family. So, it was that same day when He went down to sit by the Sea of Galilee, probably hoping for a moment of peace and quiet, when a great multitude of people began gathering around Him from the various cities, and the crowd was so large it kept pushing Him further and further away from the shore, moving Him toward the edge of the water, until He had literally nowhere else to go, forcing Him to get into a small boat, where He immediately began to instruct the people by way of a parable, to make this valuable truth almost unforgettable. In fact, it is the most familiar parable that our Lord ever told.
Verse 5, "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up." Jesus begins with a very simple analogy that would obviously be very familiar to His hearers, it was part of their every day life. A farmer would venture out to the plowed field, with a bag full of seed over his shoulder and he would go up and down the rows casting the seed, throwing it everywhere as he sowed to ensure a bountiful harvest. Unfortunately, as he scattered the seed some fell beside the road which was nothing more than an unplowed, well-trodden path that separated the fields and having been baked by the sun, the path was virtually like concrete, leaving no possibility for that seed to penetrate that hard ground. Consequently, the seeds that found themselves scattered by the wayside would face a harsh fate, they were trampled underfoot by passersby, these vulnerable exposed seeds would became an easy target for the birds that were always alert and eager for a meal, ready to swoop down, ultimately diminishing any hope that these seeds would ever have the chance to germinate, take root, losing their potential to grow and flourish.
Verse 6, "Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture." Contrary to what many believe, rocky soil doesn't mean that the soil is full of rocks, it means that the soil is shallow and lacks the depth needed for roots to establish themselves firmly, due to the limestone rock bed below the soil. When the farmers prepared their fields, they plowed the fields, and made it a point to remove any visible rocks, carrying them away to prevent them from obstructing the seeds from taking root and cannot retain enough water, which is crucial for the survival and healthy development of plants, causing them to eventually wither and die.
Verse 7, "Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out." The Greek word for thorns is "akanthōn," from the root word "ake" meaning "a point" or "spike." It is often used metaphorically in the New Testament to describe obstacles, difficulties, the consequences of sin or things that cause pain and suffering. Anyone who has ever tried to pull weeds out of their garden is well aware that if you fail to get the root system, those pesky invaders will return with a vengeance; they'll come back faster, stronger and in larger numbers than before, even if only a small piece of the root is left behind. Studies have shown that some weed species can grow up to 10% faster after being cut, absorbing the nutrients from the soil, which makes it impossible for the good plant to grow. That's why Jesus says it choked it out.
Verse 8, "Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Any farmer knows a crop yielding a harvest that was a hundredfold greater than what was sown is beyond extraordinary. Any experienced farmer understands that such an outcome is not just rare; it is unimaginable. Such an outcome fundamentally defies human logic. Therefore, this parable is quite profound, conveying a deep and significant spiritual message, especially when considered from an agricultural perspective.
In every aspect this scenario illustrates the immense importance of ensuring that we are ready and prepared to witness, willing to participate in the miraculous growth that the gospel promises, by sowing the good seed of the gospel of salvation, in a carefully well-prepared and receptive heart, that has the potential to produce the outcomes our Lord desires, an exceptional and bountiful harvest. Such an unimaginable harvest symbolizes the miraculous transformative power of the gospel's profound impact on individuals life, that not only results in personal growth but creates a ripple effect that extends to others, contributing to the spiritual growth and development of the larger community of true believers with genuine faith. By focusing on this perspective of multiplying, it invites us to consider the myriad ways in which divine intervention could manifest, producing a seemingly unimaginable harvest for the kingdom of God.
Then, notice He says, "As He said these things, He would call out, He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Throughout His ministry, Jesus frequently used this metaphorical phrase as a method of differentiating between those who hear and understand, and those who don't won't. Jesus' statement was obviously not talking about those with the physical ears to hear, but those who possessed the "spiritual ears to hear" they were the ones who showed a readiness and willingness to understand and embrace His teachings, while those without such ears were spiritually blind, whose hearts hardened by their sin, closed off to the deeper meanings of His messages. Such a distinction is crucial, as it emphasizes the difference between passive hearing and active, insightful listening, making it very clear what the issue of the parable is, it was not really the sower or the seed, it is about the spiritual condition of one's heart.
Verse 9, "His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant." Folks, here you have the clear indication of who had the ears to hear and those who didn't. Those who had the ears to hear were the ones who followed Jesus, who believed that He was the Son of God, Who was sent to teach us His truth, they were the ones who could understand the transformative power of His teachings, as opposed to those who were lacking such spiritual discernment, their ears were unable to understand anything beyond mere auditory perception, they were the ones whose hearts were closed off to the profound spiritual implications of His teachings.
That brings us to verse 10, "And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand." The mysteries of the kingdom of God is referring to an spiritual truth hidden in the Old Testament which has been revealed in the New Testament. When you really stop and contemplate the deep and far-reaching meaning of what Jesus is saying, it begins to become apparent just what a truly overwhelming, extraordinary statement this is, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God." What a tremendous privilege that has been bestowed upon us, we have been given a privilege transcends mere intellectual understanding, granted to us by God to know and understand the spiritual things within Christian theology, the divine knowledge and revelation of God's complex Truths, like the nature of salvation, the role of the Messiah, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan for humanity, this privilege is not merely an academic understanding but speaks to the deeper comprehension granted to us by Almighty God Himself, that have been hidden from all generations past. I pray that you cherish these profound insights and the privilege of the divine wisdom we have been blessed with, understanding that Christ is urging us to live in a way that reflects our gratitude and appreciation of this profound truth, that we have been personally and individually chosen by God.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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