Planted

Welcome to CCC. It is such a blessing to see each and everyone of you here this morning. The enemy sure is trying to distract us. The enemy sure is trying to defeat us. The enemy sure is trying to defeat us but he is failing. Over Christmas we couldn’t meet due to the church’s water pipes being frozen and Melody and I being exposed to Covid.

Last week was awesome! It was so great to be back together. Wednesday night was awesome we had a wonderful meeting about how to best serve our youth.

We have decided that starting on Sunday February 5th we will get kids and youth Sunday School back up and running.

Melody and Stephanie will teach K-2

Sheryl will teach grades 3-5

I am going to teach grades 6-12

We also have an ultimate goal of starting youth group up on Wednesday nights, BEFORE school is out this year! Join us in prayer for that.

Children’s church will also change a little bit in we are defining the ages that should attend children’s church…Kindergarten through 5th grade. We feel middle school and high school students should be in here hearing God’s Word being proclaimed.

We still need help. We have a few who are willing to help anywhere needed but we need more helpers and it would be wonderful to have some additional teachers. Eventually we would love to split middle school and high school up so it would be awesome to have a middle school teacher or two volunteer.

Please continue or join us in prayer as we flesh out what God wants for us in the way of ministering to the youth that He is and will bring here.

Lets Pray

START OBS

Last week we looked at the 4 soils Jesus describes in Matthew 13. I want to quickly review those because one must understand the seed is the Gospel......the Word of God, therefore the seed is always good.

If the seed is sown....the Gospel is heard....the Word proclaimed and there is no fruit the soil is bad.

Farmers spend lots of time and money preparing the soil long before they plant. Before they can prepare the soil they must know the type of soil so they can do the right things to prepare it.

Let’s quickly look at the 4 soil types.....heart conditions that Jesus gives us in the parable

1. A hardened or oblivious heart is a barren wasteland

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Matthew 13:19

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“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.”

There are people in this evil world who directly oppose God and His Word. They will and do attack Jesus at every turn. The sad thing is they have gained acceptance.....No prayer in schools....remove the 10 commandments from public view....Abortion was legal for decades....it is still protected in several states by law....it is celebrated and encouraged. Same sex marriage is legal in many places and even accepted in churches. Marijuana is legal many places, including Missouri.

Those who reject Jesus are trying desperately to impose their will on everyone and do all they can to oppress and suppress the Word of God.

There are also those who are just blind to the Word. They go through life from moment to moment with on idea a bigger picture even exists.

Whatever the reason the seed sown here cannot grow and in fact the enemy snatches it up to ensure it has no chance of growing.

2. A troubled heart produces shallow roots

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Matthew 13:20-21

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“As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 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.”

When I think of this I think of Peter walking on water

Matthew 14:22-33

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English Standard Version Chapter 14

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Peter was fine when he focused on Jesus but as soon as he noticed the wind and waves he sank.

A troubled heart is focused on the trials and temptations and tribulations of this world. It is focused on the obstacles and adversity in their lives and have no room for Jesus so therefore the seed that was planted can’t grow roots and it dies

Not because the seed is bad but because the heart is bad.

Signs of a troubled heart are evident....zeal, passion, joy in the Lord fades because the road is long and hard

I have heard people say Turn the other cheek is nice but it doesn’t work in the real world.

What they are saying is God you sound good in theory but in reality you are not enough for me.

When life beats on them they fall away.

3. A distracted heart bears no fruit

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Matthew 13:22

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“As for what was sown among 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.”

A distracted heart is a heart in love with the world. A person with a distracted heart puts their wants and desires for worldly things above and before the Kingdom. I know I sound like a broken record....repeating a few things over and over

A distracted heart doesn’t make time for church. A distracted heart doesn’t make church a priority.

Now you must make church a priority for the right reason.....JESUS.

There will be people in hell who were live long members of a church....who never missed a Sunday morning

There will be people in heaven who were not only not a member of a church but never stepped foot inside of a church.

It is not about church membership but about a heart relationship with Jesus

However if you have a true heart relationship with Jesus then you love what Jesus loves and want to do all He commanded and spoke about.

Matthew 16:18

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“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Jesus established and built the church here on earth. His followers....His bride coming together to fellowship....to worship....to edify…to rebuke....to sow the seed of the Gospel

If jesus is for it and you and I are against it we are wrong.

If Jesus established it I am all in!

It goes beyond church attendance....a distracted heart will not serve God

As I mentioned we have an awesome opportunity to serve God and serve kids.

A distracted heart makes excuses as to why they cannot help.

A sold out heart, a fertile heart makes excuses as to why they must help

4. A fertile heart sustains life

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Matthew 13:23

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“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.””

A fertile heart readily accepts the Gospel seed and does the hard work of nurturing it to grow.

Fertile hearts transform lives. The person and heart do not transform the life but readily accepting the Gospel transforms you

Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you transforms you that is the hard work of nurturing the seed

Prayer

Bible study

Working with and through the Holy Spirit to apply God’s Word to your life

Making the choice to repent....180 degree turn and sprint away from sin

How receptive to the Holy Spirit’s transformation will impact your fruitfulness

So what does all this mean? Why did I feel lead to preach in the 4 soils last week and review them so far this morning?

Here is why

Transformation must take place to be a Christian

I don’t mean transformation like....you get saved and life is now roses and sunshine....nope the opposite is usually true

No It doesn’t matter your circumstances

The transformation is internal....who you turn to…who you put your trust in

Fertile hearts mean dying to self.....dying to the world and living only in and from Jesus

Galatians 2:20

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“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Crucified with Christ.

Transformational

Dead

There is no coming back from dead

Death is final

I would argue a Christian can’t be the same as they were before Christ because to be saved you must be crucified with Christ!

Paul goes further

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.”

You still live in the flesh but now you live by faith in Jesus

You no longer live for you

You live for and from Christ

Why

because of the last part of Galatians 2:20

“Who loved me and gave Himself for me”

Jesus died for you

Jesus died for your sin

Jesus endured the beatings

Mockings

Rejections

Injustice

all for you and for me

He willingly gave Himself to die in your place and my place

I had a section of scripture really jump out at me this week. If you are in our Sunday School class and read your devotions this week hopefully it jumped out at you too

Ezekiel 37:1-10

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English Standard Version Chapter 37

37 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Dry

Dead bones

Useless

Rotting away

Returning to dust

That is us before Christ

That is also a Christian who lives for themselves…for the flesh.....from the flesh…friends with the world

Dry Dead Bones

Fertile hearts readily receive the Gospel and begin to transform

Just like these bones in Ezekiel God brings them to life

Notice it is a process just as maturing in Christ is a process

The more you lean in

The more you give to Jesus

The more you grow and transform away from dry bones

Matthew 16:24-26

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“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

This is a fertile heart…one who through the Holy Spirit realizes they no longer matter…deny yourself

Your physical life is to be given up but you are happy to do it because of what you gain…heaven…eternal life with Jesus…a personal relationship with Jesus right now here on earth.

As the girls come

This morning I want to close by asking you this question.....What does your life reveal about your heart....your soil?

Are you hardened?

Are you troubled?

Are you distracted?

Are you fertile?

Look at your fruits.

When trouble comes who or what is the very first thing you turn to?

Is it worry and anxiety?

Is it a human?

Is it the bottle or pipe?

Is it to run?

Is it to turn to physical desires?

Or is it to prayer

Is it to God’s Word

Is it to seek Godly counsel from your pastor or elders?

Are you committed to God’s Kingdom?

Look again no further than your fruit. What are you doing to grow God’s Kingdom?

What are you doing to serve God’s Kingdom?

Coming and sitting in a pew on a Sunday morning is neither of those things.

Being on a committee or having a title deacon, deaconess, elder, pastor is not either of those things.

Praying for and with the sick

Ministering to those in jail

Caring enough about the homeless to give time and money....open your home…feed them…clothe them…those are those two things

Making sure the kids who God brings to this body are loved on and taught about Jesus are those two things.

Mowing someone’s yard who can’t get out or can’t mow it anymore....not mowing it for money or fame or recognition but mowing it because Jesus loves you and them and you love them and want to meet a real life need and when they ask you tell them because Jesus loves them…you have a mower and you love them

Serving God and serving people.

Having that tough conversation with your lost co-worker.

Speaking the truth in grace and love to your lost family member.

Loving the person but hating the sin and refusing to accept the sin as anything but sin

Church it is time that we ask God to search our hearts and if they are anything but fertile to show us how to allow the Holy Spirit to make our hearts fertile.

It begins with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That is the seed being sown and planted

It then goes into transformation. Changing yourself to match God’s Word not trying to change God’s Word to match you or to just ignore the parts you don’t like

Changing from the inside out.

Responding to conviction

Responding to God’s Word

Putting others first.

Dying to self

Living only in and from Christ

Being completely committed to God and serving Him and His Kingdom

Everything you do must bring God glory

Everything you do must be an attempt to grow God’s Kingdom

Everything you do must be for, by,and from Jesus!

Are you there? Are you a fertile heart?

If not come. Give it to Jesus at this altar. Leave here fertile soil with the seed of God planted inside of you!

Come.