Luke 8_4-15 The Sower 2

Secular:

•  Baseball…
•  No effort…
• No trying
• Blaming…

Biblical: Luke 8: 4 When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: 5 "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 "Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 "Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. 8 "Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 9 His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. 10 And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. 11 "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 13 "Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. … 18 "So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."

Personal:

•  Grumblers at a movie
• Attacking the trailer
• The Popcorn
• The Service
• The ticket price
• Regardless of what actually takes place
• Pessimistic approach
• Apathetic approach
• I am here… entertain me
• I am here… engage me

Bridge:

• World of victims
• World of choice
• World of me
• The parable is not about the sower
• It is about the soil
• Are we good soil…

Body:

This text is both disturbing and comforting… as I serve here… what is my primary job?

To Preach… share God’s Word… declare His attributes… proclaim His Promises… share his Gospel… exhort regarding His commands… speak His Word and Truth…

What is your primary call in your life…?

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

So we are called to live in Christ reconciled to Him… Transformed…

And we are called to be ministers of reconciliation… proclaimers of Christ… His message… His gospel…

Luke 8: 4 When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable…

Why proclaim… why a parable… why…

Jesus shares the parable… the story…

9 His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. 10 And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. 11 "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.

To those transformed it makes sense…

• To hear the Word and understand the Word takes God…
• To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God
• To those set apart… you understand the mysteries of God.
• The truth, the hope, the majesty, the holiness, the awesomeness, the faithfulness, our sinfulness, our helplessness, our salvation, our hope….

• …but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.
• Preaching truth and condemnation
• To those who are called the Word pours into their soul…
• To those opposed to God it hardens their heart…
• The parables shows only 1 out of four soils is receptive to the seed…
• Discouraging… and comforting the same…
• Discouraging because we want one kind of rich soil…
• All souls saved… every word sprouting… every life transformed…
• Comforting… that the seeds do what they are supposed to… despite us… in the soil prepared by the Spirit of God.
• I have never commanded a seed to grow…
• And I have never changed a soul…
• I tend the garden… God makes it grow…

It is about constant nurture

• The Word of God is not jut transformational when we first hear and accept the truth about Christ…
• It is an ongoing tool used by the Holy Spirit to grow, strengthen, make wise, comfort, challenge us
• 25%... lands on good soil

The parable

5 "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up.

12 "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.

•  Not Soil… but hard
• No protection
• No shelter
• No growth
• No hope

6 "Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 13 "Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.

• Spring up wit promise
• Blow away at the slightest breeze
• No anchor in Christ

7 "Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. 14 "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

• Take root… but get lost
• The world competes and wins
• Worries, riches, hedonism

8 "Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear15 "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

• Take root
• Nourished
• Grown
• Weeded… strong

The Point

"He who has ears to hear, let him hear

• We have ears… quick check
•  All of us Physical ears
•  Good soil…   requires spiritual ears

Receptive heart

The Purpose

• Preach hope
• Preach hardening
• Preach truth
• The name of God… the name of Jesus… isn’t neutral

Isaiah 6:9 He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.' 10 "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed."

• Condemnation….
• The Word achieves it purposes…

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

• Some hear life… some hear death
• Goats / lambs
• Citizens of Heaven… citizens of the World
• Followers of God… Followers of Satan

The Product

18 "So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."

•  Good soil… Good plant… good crop… good seeds… good future
•  Continues…. Is steadfast
• Growing strengthening
• Baseball…. Sower this morning…

Pray for the good and honest heart of v. 15

•  Repent… be open…
• Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
•   Nothing phoney… good heart…

Meditate on God’s Word

• Know it… to know God
• It is His Story…
• Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
•  Know it to Know truth…
• Study what we are studying…
• Be in the Word
• Read daily…
• Water, feed, daily

Purify your mind

• What are you burying in your garden..
• Neighbour batteries… PCB Ballasts… chemicals
• What’s in the soil…
•  James 1:21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
•   Be ready for God’s word…

Trust in the truth you already have…

• If you are new to the faith… the simple… the basic is sufficient…
• But stand firm on what you do know… what has been revealed…  growth is about conitnuing
•  Jeremiah 17:7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. 8 "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.
•  Christ is your unshakeable foundation… the vine into which you are grafted
• Learn… grow

Get a Goodnight’s Rest

• When you are here…
• Prepare to be here…
• Eat breakfast if mealtime is an issue
• Chew gum… have a coffee… but be engaged
•  At home…
• Give your “A” time…. No nodding off… bible in bed?

Set aside grumbling and criticism

•  When we grumble… we don’t hear God
• When we criticize we don’t hear God
• Psalm 106:25 But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.
•  Spirit of unity and love
• Spirit of compassion and mercy

Come in a meek and teachable spirit

• Have ears to hear… an open heart
• I remember when uncomfortable topics were breached…
•  James 1:21 … in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
• Be ready to catch… and be willing to catch…

Focus on God

• Not about Anne… or Mario… or Doug… or Stu or Wayne…
• About God

  Psalm 46:10 "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

• Focus… settle the mind…
• Family… fights… job…
• Stop the World… Start God!

Engage the Worship Music and the Word

•  This is not a play or a show…
• Sit back… popcorn in hand…
• 1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
•  Engage, think, take notes… understand ramifications… work through it…
• Speak up… amen… oh no…
•   2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
•  You can actually on digest what you bite of and chew..

Desire the Truth of God Word… Desire His Message… His Worship…

• Hunger for God
•  Psalm 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
• Always… in always

Conclusion:

• Good Soil…
• This week…
• Next Sunday