Responces to the Word

Claim - Responses to the ‘word’ (teaching about the kingdom) may be rejected or even look hopeful, but true understanding is fruitfulness (repentant faith, godly character, obedience to God)

Focus - Considering what each response to the word looks like today and how we can be ‘good soil’

Function - to so deeply trust Jesus and his word, that we are fruitful: denying the devil, ready for persecution, freed from the worlds trappings and therefore doing the will of the Father.

So last week, if you were with us, we we discovered that the parables Jesus is about to tell us in chapter 13 - all reveal things about the kingdom of God.

Things that were formally not known, but were being revealled by these pararbels.

The overriding message was that this Kingdom of God - where Jesus is the promised king - was to be realised in 2 stages.

Firtsly Jesus has come as the suffering servant - to live the perfect life we could not, so that those who come to Jesus in repentance and faith can receive his love and forgiveness.

And he then died on the cross to take the judgement of God the Father upon himself in our place.

And so we now live in the kingdom of God, (if, as we’ll discover today, we accept this word, repent and follow Him)

but The Kingdom has also ‘not yet’ fully come - we live in a period awaiting Jesus return - next time as a triumphant and glorious king.

Next time he comes - every knee will bow to him - either willingly in joy and gratefulness for his love to us,

or,

by force - for the king will come in judgement.

So - what this parable reveals about the kingdom ‘now’ is that not everyone will bow to Jesus just yet - now!

In fact - as people hear teaching from the word of God about the Kingdom, - there will be 4 broad responses.

3 of them will prove that while all people have eyes and ears, many will not actually see or hear,

- becasue they refuse to accept who Jesus truly is, and how he is bringing about His kingdom.

The parable itself is a very simple story.

Everyone in that time would be more familiar with farming that many of us are today.

so it was a very relatable.

It would also be obvious to them that sowing seed was only done for one specific purpose - and that was to harvest the results.

Any crop that doesn’t produce fruit is - well of no value or use at all - even if for a time it looks like a healthy plant.

So, the scene - The farmer - without the invention of modern equipment,

takes his seed by handfuls from his bag as he walks across his field to sow and scatter.

His field is criss crossed by 2 or 3 regular walking routes from one settlement to another, or to the market and so forth - so as he scatters - some seed inevitables will fall on the hard compacted path with no hope of bedding in. Easy pickings for the birds.

Other parts of his fields have rock beds almost breaking the surface of the ground, meaning the soil is too shallow to form more than a surface root and so can’t gather enough water to survive the hot middle eastern sun as the growing season begins. For a time the plant looks ok and grows - but soon it withers and dies.

Around the edges of the field, weeds and thorns grow and inevitably some seed falls into those areas. The plant grows but it gets entangled with weeds and thorns, the sunlight and water is restricted by the thorns and the pant never amounts to producing any fruit at all.

And then finally, some seed of course falls on the good soil, and it’s produces a healthy harvest, from each seed, a crop of 30, 60 or 100! It’s a triumph for the farmer! Even a 30 fold harvest is wonderful. This is an abundant harvest - and this is the only successful result for the seed.

Now this is a parable - not just a random story - but You’d be forgiven for not knowing exactly what all this meant spiritually - but remember parables are not designed to be obvious - they are designed to hide secrets from those who refuse to hear, and reveal them to those how really want to hear,

And it is the faithful disciples who clearly want to really hear as they draw closer to Jesus to learn what this all means:

SO what does it all mean?

The farmer is clearly the person who brings the seed.

And We learn from Jesus’ explanation that the seed is v19, a message about the kingdom’

Or more simply he says the seed is the ‘word’, 3 times in v 22-23.

So basically anytime God’s kingdom is explained from God’s word - seed is being sown, by a farmer - a messeger.

In it’s immediate context then Jesus is the farmer and the seed is his ‘word’ and teaching about his kingdom.

But Jesus doesn’t identify himself as the farmer, so while it is clearly true of his ministry,

this is going to be the model not just of Jesus’ ministry,

but the model for all kingdom proclaiming ministry.

The challenge of the parabel then is the same today as it was then - to see what sort of responce we have to the taught word of God.

How do we listen and respond to sermons, youth talks, evangelistic talks And even discussions in our home groups.

What sort of soil are we?

So, here are the 4 ways we might respond:

1 - Indifferent or outright rejection

Matthew 13:18–19 NIV 2011

‘Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: when anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

Firstly, some might listen to a sermon, or read a part of the bible, or listen to the gospel explained by a friend and do so with no care or interest in the message. Totally unmoved or engaged with descriptions of the suffering saviour Jesus, who loves enough to die in our place - so we might inherit a place in this Kingdom.

Disbelieving in the nails driven through Jesus’ hands for them,

Rejecting that judgement is coming

or rejecting that they have sin in their own lives that needs God’s mercy and grace.

And as quickly as the message is heard, the evil one, satan, takes is away. What a joy to Satan when someone is so hard set against the Word of God. We play right into his hand if this is us.

It it to trust you own word over the word of God.

To not deeply consider the potential truth in God’s word shows how prideful we are. That our own individualised thoughts and knowledge carry more weight that 1000’s of years of God’s word that has be treasured and considered by countless millions.

Even our most followed modern day thinkers, people like Jordan Peterson - who is not a Christian, cannot deny or just dismiss the word of God like those who are represented by the ‘path’.

In fact Jordan Peterson, is so taken by the bible he now says he lives as if it were true - becasue it makes sence of eerything - even though he doesn’t Really believe it.

Don’t be someone who wont even entertain the idea of the gospel of Jesus! Or you give free reign to satan and evil in your life, now and eternally in the life to come.

These are the Pharisees of JEsus’ day - and undoubtedly many of the crowds who just refuse Jesus outright.

2 - Worse for the Word

Matthew 13:20–21 NIV 2011

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

I wonder if this is actually where Jordan Peterson is, and perhaps many in our schools and offices today.

someone who hears a sermon and can actually receive it with joy.

This is fascinating! This really fits my search for joy. This is what I need for now.

Perhaps the freedom from feeling guilt at past actions.

perhaps the idea that now I have a purpose to live by.

A cause to make sense of my life.

A reason, a purpose.

But notice how all those motivations for hearing the Word of God are all about what ‘i’ want out of it.

There is very much a blessings for me ‘now’ attitude.

You might have great joy at the Word preached -

but this person hasn’t actually understood the real meaning of the message,

It’s very possible some of us here are like this.

Like the next soil - we are looking for what it does for us, now - in this life.

And so while times are good - great,

but when opposition comes your way - specifically becasue of the Word - we fall away from Jesus.

Perhaps it’s peer pressure at school - other kids who laugh, or think you’re nieve for believing these things.

Perhaps it’s even family members - your own spouse who doesn’t believe - and you end up giving up Jesus so you don’t alientaet them.

Perhaps more likely today, it is the social pressure to agree with our culture about important things like gender, relationships, sexuality.

And while you love the idea of Jesus - the troubles that comes becasue we don’t want to be ‘different at school or work’ we quietly become disillusioned with the Word of God.

We drift away from church attendance, stop going to HG, don’t go to YOuth

Some of us might be this soil and we don’t yet know it - becasue we havn’t yet found this sort of trouble!

So the challenge is -

Have we understood the message of the kingdom rightly.

Are we in effect looking for blessing now, acceptability, being like everyone else - rather than trusting Jesus into eternity! Remembering entry into the kingdom does not promise an easy life now - but judgement is coming and the loving Lord Jesus has saved us from that and promises a perfect eternity when he returns.

If you’re considering abandoning the joy in Jesus you once had - consider this soil - and pray for a deep rooted understanding of Jesus eternal love for you as revealed in His word.

3 - Worries and Worldliness

Matthew 13:22 NIV 2011

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Just like the rocky soil - these plants grow - they look like they have received and understood.

Again, Some of us might be here today.

But again - this soil also has their hope set on blessings now - they have misunderstood the Kingdom!

And so when worries come - we give up on Jesus - because he’s not what we wanted.

Why is work so stressful, why doens’t Jesus make it easier.

Why is disease ruining my family,

I just don’t have time for church and Jesus becasue I’m so overwhelmed by life - this is not the sort of God I thought I worshipped.

I need a God who make my life good now!

I’ve done stuff for God, why doesn’t he look after me Now?

Many of us know people who when trials come - they give up on Jesus - they have no fruit of faith and obedience. They disappear from our church family, slowly, but persistentlt.

Sadly they where expecting Jesus to make life now good for them - and in their listening to God’s word they did not see that the kingdom of God is not fully here yet.

Our King will rid us all of sin and evil and tears and disease and the toil of worry and work - but first we must ‘take up our cross’., suffer as our saviour suffered, live in this evil and fallen world for a bit longer.

And so The thorns of worry drag us away from Jesus.

But it’s not just thorns of worry there are also thorn bushes which grow faster than anything else, they are successful and strong and you can’t stop them. Jesus calls them the ‘deceitfulness of wealth’ - and they too choke the word.

This is to look around at the worldly promises of comfort and wealth - and consider their promise of a happy life to be better than Jesus’ promise of life!

And you know what - right here and now - life might be ‘more fun’, and in a worldly sense even happier with loads of money and fame!

But wealth is a liar!

And it chokes God’s word.

‘Jesus promises you real life! Really, says wealth? doesn’t look like it from here,

stop giving to the church, stop sacrificing your time to serve Him,

stop keeping your ethics above board and make yourself some money!

Think of all the holidays, gadgets, cars, family time, health insurance, perfecet teeth and perfect body, money you can buy!

Start dreaming of a big house in the best part of town, dream of the best job you can get..

And so we work so many hours - we neglect - and at worst forget - the truth of God’s word - we forget we are to be fruitful for our King, rather than fruitful for ourselves!

And we work away every spare hour we have - and when a spare hour arrives we’re straight into our hobbies and leisure.

This soil is a very real danger for us -

Wealth is a liar, and it is destroying the faith of some, if not many, close to or in our church.

As a church we need parents who priorities time with their children to teach them and nurture them in God’s word - other wise we model to them that money is more important than them and Jesus.

Perhaps some of us need to reconsider our career dreams.

We need spouces who put Jesus first not leisure and hobbies and goals first.

There is a huge shortage in our country of men trainging for or planning to go into ministry - to be farmers to spread the seed - becasue wealth is a liar and we are believing we need great careers and money!

We need each other, to serve on Sunday, at youth and kids groups, to mentor, to teach, to be elders with time to give.

We ourselves need time enough to get to share life, and join home groups to keep us on track and undrstadn rightly God’s word.

We need fruitful servants who seek Jesus’ kingdom, not our own.

Perhaps some of us need to work less, perhaps those of us with young chidlren should be at home more, we can risk our jobs, change our jobs, earn less money, live more simply, so we can grow God’s kingdom now, before Jesus returns and it’s too late for us, for our children and for those we could have helped in our church family.

Wealth is a liar!

God’s word is not.

If you’re worried this soil might be you,

open your hearts to the truth of God’s word and hear Jesus call you in his mercy:

Romans 12:1–2 NIV 2011

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

4 - Good Fruit

Matthew 13:23 NIV 2011

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’

Here is the only right repsonce to God’s word.

This is the person who not only hears it,

not only hears it and responds in some way - as the last 2 soils did.

But hears it and actually understands it rightly - becasue their responce is fruitful.

When the scorching sun comes - and our friends disagree with us becasue of the Word of God, we are ready!

We do not abandon the Word - or Jesus - becasue we have understood it rightly.

We stand firm - and trust not in blessing now - but Christ’s return and his eternal blessing,

We are not tempted away by wealth or worldliness - we are not completely choked by trials and worries, even though they still come, we still hold strong to the Word of God.

And so we are fruitful.

Praise God this is most of us - even though we must constantly correct ourselves against the other ways we might respond to God’s word - In Christ this is and can be us,

We live NOW - in a way that is Trusting in the ETERNITY TO COME!

We stay humble and repentant before Jesus - trusting his call to come to Him.

We strive to ‘do the will of the Father in Heaven’ as the disciples were credited to be doing in Chapter 12.

Why - becasue we have listened and by God’s grace have understood His word.

We live knowing our reward awaits those who believe this, and this reward far outweighs any trouble we face now.

We can trust Jesus when terrible illness comes to our family,

- for we have a wonderful saviour whose full kingdom is soon coming and coming for ever more.

We can ignore the pull of worldliness and wealth - becasue we know they are lying to us - becasue the only one we actually trust is Jesus.

We have a friend and brother in Jesus - when our peers don’t understand us, so persecution doesn’t harm us.

We trust and obey in all humitly and repenace - and this is an abundant crop that Jesus delights in..

Matthew 5:11–12 (NIV 2011)

11 ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.

What a joy to be given the seed and a heart by God that is good soil and fruitful

Pray