Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro...

“I have made many millions but they have not brought me happiness.”

John D Rockeffeler; founder of Standard Oil; 340 billion (inflation adjusted)

“The care of 200 million is enough to kill anyone.

There’s no pleasure in it.”

W.H. Vanderbilt; railroad tycoon; 350 billion (inflation adjusted)

“I am the most miserable man on earth.”

John Jacob Astor; real estate developer; 300 billion (inflation adjusted)

“I was happier when i was doing a mechanics job.”

“I was happier when i was doing a mechanics job.”

Henry Ford; Founder of Ford Motor Company; 200 billion (inflation adjusted)

“Millionaires seldom smile”

Andrew Carnegie; industrialist; 372 billion (inflation adjusted)

I want to look at a teaching of Jesus… a couple teachings of Jesus this morning…

we will “revisit” those quotes.

(NIV)

The Parable of the Sower

4:1–12pp—;

4:13–20pp—;

4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake.

The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen!

A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.

It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.

8 Still other seed fell on good soil.

It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.

11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.

But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,

“ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

and ever hearing but never understanding;

otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

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—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

SEED… WORD…

VERSE 15 - 18

Focus here with me on VERSE 19…

DECEITFULNESS.. of what??

How is wealth deceitful?

Look with me at another teaching from Jesus…

(NIV)

Treasures in Heaven

6:22,23pp—

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body.

If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.

If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters.

Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and money.

Verse 24… can’t serve two masters.

cannot serve both God AND money...

BUT....

Money.... here in this verse.. originally… Greek...

was the word.. MAMMON

Cannot serve both God and MAMMON.

What is Mammon???

Mammon… aramaic word Mamonas

means wealth, material blessings.

But goes further than that… Mammon was ALSO the name of a Chaldean God.

Their “God of riches”.

Jesus used this word on purpose… look what he says again.. can’t SERVE both God and Mammon.

There’s an evil spirit of Mammon, wants to set up as God/Idol in YOUR life.

How???

By promising you only what God can Give you.

“More money would make you happy…”

Peace, joy, power, significance, security, better life.

God of Mammon will get you to serve him by seeking wealth, materialistic, worldly wealth over everything else.

So now look back with me at what Jesus said in .

(NIV)

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.

What chokes out the Word?

DECEITFULNESS of wealth....

deceitfulness defined as - PURPOSELY misleading.

Mammon, Idol, God… PURPOSELY lies, misleads, you to believe that all thats standing between you and the life you want/deserve is MORE MONEY!

Remember.. Jesus said can’t serve both God and Mammon.

Why? Mammon is wanting to be an idol.

why??? Jesus told us in that also.

(NIV)

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.

Fruit… (show whatever you brought from the house)

is something good… beneficial… pleasing…tasty… healthy… that comes from something else.

Fruit that we eat… always comes from something else… from a plant.... seed.

choke ou

Word of God… meant to bring fruit to your life… fruit of joy, peace, courage, patience, love, self control… good things that should mark and bless our lives.