The Developed Heart

Text: Matthew 13:1-8 & 23

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (06/16/02)

Introduction:   

Where have we walked so far in this series??

EMPHASIZE Sights & Senses!

With the Sower..

By the Wayside…

Over the Stony Ground…..

Through the Thorn infested soil.

Today we’ll talk about the developed or cultivated heart – The Good Soil

GOOD – kalos – beautiful, valueable, virtuous (Both for appearance and use)  Well suited or adapted to it’s means and end.

ILLUS & EXPLAIN Good Soul – See it, Smell it, Feel it!!

Re-emphasize the purpose of this series of messages.

1). That we might examine our own heart.

2). That we might be encouraged in sowing the seed.

I. Preparation of Good Ground

Good soil is not natural!!

Now the stony ground, and the thorny soil and to some degree the wayside soil are quite natural and normal in occurrence.  You don’t have to search far to find that kind of soil.

That’s true of men’s hearts also.

But, a good and honest heart is not natural.

Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Romans 3:12  …….. there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

1 Corinthians 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So the soil must be developed, cultivated, brought to a quality or condition of being a fruitful soil.

ILLUS: The ploughing / weeding / clearing / cultivating / fertilizing (The Honey Wagon).

What are some applications of this truth?

A. A Childs Heart

This is a natural application – today being Fathers Day

Ephesians 6:4  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

NURTURE – Chastening / Discipline

ADMONITION – Nouthesia (“putting in mind”)

We need to be about this business early and often!!

1). The Gospel Message (First & foremost)

2 Timothy 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2).Particular Truths

The precepts and principles of God’s Word.

The best ones are those that have gripped your own heart.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

B. Our Own Heart

Proverbs 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Jeremiah 4:3  For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow (untilled) ground, and sow not among thorns.

Verse 4 deals with the Circumcised Heart.

Joel 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

II. The Spiritual Condition of Good Ground

Vs.23 – Receiveth it, Heareth the Word, and understandeth it.

The word is received thoughtfully, honestly and faithfully in this heart, and it is given full opportunity to grow.

Acts 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

1 Thessalonians 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

This is the heart that submits itself to the complete influence of truth. 

What is truth?  – Gods Truth!!!

Here only the seed can show forth, or manifest its true nature, can increase dynamically and reach its full potential.

The Three Synoptic writers describe the reception of the seed in the good soil with different terms.

A. Understand - Matthew

Lit. – “To put together”

The idea conveyed is that of comprehending, considering, to understand and be wise.

B. Receive – Mark 4:20

DEF. To accept, to give admittance to the truth, to delight in.

LOOK UP & READ Psalm 1:1-3

LOOK UP & READ Proverbs 2:2-6

C. Keep – Luke 8:15

John 13:17  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Hebrews 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

III. The Reward of Good Ground

(Fruitfulness)

A. The Process

Luke says it “Sprang up” then later “bore fruit”

Mark tells how the seed sprang up, then increased and yielded fruit.

First there must be a sprout, then leaves, then growing to maturity, then fruit!!

Seed – Plant – Fruit ….. Seed – Plant – Fruit etc.

This is a cycle (season by Season and year after year)

2 Timothy 2:2  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

B. The Patience

SEE Luke 8:15 …”Bring forth fruit with Patience”

James 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Galatians 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Fully realized potential takes time.

ILLUS: Compounding Interest

The Three Keys:

1). Continuation – Keep on, Keeping on!!

2). Consistency – Keep doing the same thing, the right thing!!

3). Consummation – Keep on until the finish line!!

John 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Psalms 92:13-14  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

C. The Product 30 – 60 -100

1). Not the same quantity in all, but the same quality.

2). The same potential in all.

The same promises for all…

Luke 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

3). Time is the key element.

Same as earlier point on patience)

QUOTE:  “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.”

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Conclusion:     (Review)