Discipline – Keep walking and producing fruit
Mark 4:13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 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. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” NIV
The Word
Mark 4: 13 Then Jesus said to his followers, “Don’t you understand this story? If you don’t, how will you understand any story? 14 The farmer is like a person who plants God’s message in people. 15 Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like the people who hear the teaching of God, but Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them. 16 Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy. 17 But since they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives, they keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they quickly give up. 18 Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, 19 but the worries of this life, the temptation of wealth, and many other evil desires keep the teaching from growing and producing fruit in their lives. 20 Others are like the seed planted in the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce fruit—sometimes thirty times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes a hundred times more.” NCV
· Hear the word (They all heard)
Mark 4:23 If anyone has ears to hear let him hear.” 24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. NIV
o If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear
§ Hear like a consumer, a farmer, a wholesaler.
o Consider carefully what you hear
o With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more
- Accept it (as true and continue in it)
John 8: 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to obey my teaching, you are truly my followers (Disciples). 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” NCV
· who believed in him (This was not spoken to non-believers)
o If you continue to obey my teaching – you are truly my followers
§ Not continue – not really my followers
o THEN…you will know the truth and the truth will make you free (what a promise)
· The TRUTH will make you free (His word is truth)
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. NIV
§ No more “Jesus, please make me free” but...
· Your boss tells you to go do something and you are always calling him to come do it for you…
Romans 10:6 But this is what the Scripture says about being made right through faith: “Don’t say to yourself, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ ” (That means, “Who will go up to heaven and bring Christ down to earth?”) 7 “And do not say, ‘Who will go down into the world below?’ ” (That means, “Who will go down and bring Christ up from the dead?”) 8 This is what the Scripture says: “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.” That is the teaching of faith that we are telling. NCV
Living as if the word is true is being made right by faith.
- produce a crop
James 2:18 Someone might say, “You have faith, but I have deeds.” Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe there is one God. Good! But the demons believe that, too, and they tremble with fear. 20 You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing? 21 Abraham, our ancestor, was made right with God by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 So you see that Abraham’s faith and the things he did worked together. His faith was made perfect by what he did. NCV
Continue till there is a harvest. No farmer quits after he plants the seed, he continues to weed, water, and prepare for the harvest.
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear (Produce) much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. NIV
A choice
1. Don’t remain in him and he in us (obedience)= thrown away, dried up, picked up, thrown in fire, burned or…
2. Remain in him and his words remain in us(obedience) = ask whatever and it will be given.
Hmmm what should I chose?