This Sermon Will Make You Feel Like Dirt

God wants us to sow the Word.

God wants to use us to spread the Gospel without discrimination.

Telemarketers call every stinking number they can find!

The Word goes out to everyone, without paying a lot of attention to where it lands.

Seems a little wasteful right? Now we think of planting seed with big machines, or I used to think of Mickey’s tractor with the hand, but back in the day this is how they had to plant seed...

so why did Jesus tell this parable? Two reasons I think...

Reflect on yourself, how have you received the Word?

Are you modeling after God in the way you share the Gospel? He offered it to everyone.

Acts 1:8 HCSB

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

We should be sharing the Gospel with people without being worried about how they will receive it.

We also need to think about how we have received the Word. The disciples knew Jesus wanted them thinking about something, but they weren’t sure, so they asked.

Don’t reject God’s Word and harden yourself to it.

Do not reject the Gospel!

Who knows who Dabo Swinney is? ...

Well ol Dabo has a shtick he uses to get his team to play hard. He makes them feel disrespected...

I’ve got to tell y’all, I’m over it! I’m done listening to it! The more he talks about it the less I believe it or want to listen to it. Doesn’t even matter if it’s true anymore!

This is similar to what we’re talking about here.

Those who reject God’s Word are bringing judgment on themselves and making it more difficult for themselves to believe.

Jesus’ explanation here explains parables in general and this specific parable as well.

Parable means “that which is placed beside”, so this is a story placed beside reality to explain it.

Christ isn’t saying that parables are designed to keep people from believing in the Gospel. People that don’t believe the Gospel will not grasp and believe truths about the Gospel.

vs 12; a lot of scholars say “so that” is better translated as “that is”.

If you don’t understand football, you won’t understand when I talk football. If you talk to me about soccer, I won’t understand. If you talk to me about The Bachelor like Kristen tries to do sometimes, or she’ll talk to me about clothes, I have no idea!

Paul talk about it in , comparing it to when Moses came down from the mountain with a veil over his face.

2 Corinthians 3:14 HCSB

but their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.

If you have not believed in and surrendered to the Gospel, please do so tonight! This stuff, this parable may not make sense now, but it will! The more you reject it the more difficult it is for you to turn and believe! And if you have, receive the words of Scripture with gladness!

That what the last type of soil does.

Be good soil.

Receive the Word of God gladly and produce fruit!

Which soil type are you? You’re one of the four, which one? We all fit somewhere in here.

Those who hear the Word and immediately reject it...

Or who receive it, but once it’s inconvenient let it go.

It’s getting more inconvenient to be a Christian, so you must be ready to stand strong on the Word of God.

Or someone who hears it and receives it, but as life has come at you, you’ve gotten distracted by worldly pursuits, money, power, otys, peoples’ opinions of you, letting all these things come before God.

Or have you received it and truly followed Jesus and laid your life down before him?

Romans 12:1–2 HCSB

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Receive the Word of God and believe it! Believe in this Gospel!

What kind of soil have you shown yourself to be?

How do you sow God’s Word?