The Parables series Part 1

The Parables Series Part 1

"GROUNDING THE GOSPEL!"

Matt 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Matt 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Matt 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

Matt 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Matt 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Matt 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Matt 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

INTRODUCTION

Good Morning Southpointe! We starting a new series on the Parables. I wonder often about the parables Jesus would tell and they have some much meaning in them. So let’s get started!

How well grounded is the Gospel in your life?

Your walk with God is determined by what kind of receiver you are and how prepared you are to let the Gospel establish itself in your life.

The Gospel itself is never the issue; it is the quality of the reception and what happens after it is received that is always the determining factor of what quality or what life springs from that Gospel.

ILLUS: My garden has taught me to think ahead. For it to be fruitful, I must plan. I must build soil, plant, and nurture what I have planted. It has also taught me to hold the harvest lightly.

Over the course of a season I can lose a crop to spring rains that rot the seed, slugs that eat new shoots, rabbits that eat everything, hail that breaks the strong, and drought that withers the weak.

I can lose a crop because of my ignorance or my carelessness. Until I have the fruit in storage, where it can also spoil, I live with uncertainty. I do my best, work faithfully, and hope. -- John Leax in In Season and Out. Christianity Today, Vol. 35, no. 1.

The farmer who plants a field of corn is responsible for what condition the ground is in to receive the seed of corn, as well as the continued care that field of corn gets.

The corn will sprout, but the crop will be determined by the ground and how it is readied for the seed.

This parable of Jesus teaches us that we are responsible for the way we receive the Gospel, and that how we receive it will determine how well grounded we become in God's Kingdom and how productive our faith is!

Matt 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Matt 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

The “way-side” (KJV) (“path” NIV) (“Footpath” NLT) was part of the landscape too.

The way-side was the “hard” ground. This was material so hard that nothing would grow on it.

This is part of the landscape of human culture too. There are those that are un-receptive to the Gospel of Christ even when they receive the truth about God; no matter how much they receive or hear, they will not experience any life from it. They are hardened to eternal things.

Not interested in receiving the Gospel or God.

This does not necessarily mean this person is out right evil in their actions, they may even desire the benefits of the Christian lifestyle.

Social Christianity! Convenience!  

To be thought of as a moral person. Thought of as a good citizen maybe even thought of as a religious person.

Thought of as an unselfish person. Good social standing in community.

But for some reason their hearts and minds have shut down to accepting God’s Gospel completely.

Matt 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Matt 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

No life can sprout ... it never gets the chance! The fowls in Jesus’ story represent the devil and this world.

Attention is drawn away from the truth of the Gospel so this person never thinks about the sermons he/she hears, God's Word, etc.

They don't feel a need of God or church except as a social status issue.

The Devil tricks these people into thinking they are good enough without the Gospel, so they never feel their need of God.

Let’s look at the next group:

Matt 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

Matt 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away

This is the STONY CHRISTIAN! Contented ! 

Content with the Gospel as long as things don't have to change or life doesn’t become too big of a challenge!

Sees church as existing for own benefit, instead of existing for the church's benefit.

The Stony Christianity rises and falls on temporal things, not eternal things.

As long as temporal things are well this person’s faith is ok; but if earthly matters become difficult they don’t see value to spiritual truths or living in a spiritual way, and they will abandon their faith … there is no depth to their faith.

D.L. Moody said: I prayed for Faith, and thought that some day Faith would come down and strike me like lightening.

But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, "Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since.

Many people are faithful while things are going smooth, but when problems come their commitment is gone!

Ironically there are 2 extremes to those whose focus is this way; one group gives us easily their faith. (Lack of Faith movement)

The other group denies earthly problems and simply confesses positive faith and wealth in order to deny all problems and difficulties and they will do this as long as possible until it can’t possibly work any longer! (Hyper-faith movement)

Jesus clearly identifies that this kind of “grounded” Christian won’t survive the “hot” times that come.

When the pressures of life come crashing in, when the heat is on, these “shallow rooted” Christians will not endure … they have no depth to their faith and relationship with God.

They are weak hearted ... no depth to the commitment to Christ.

These believers are committed as long as they are doing well and conditions are favorable. Any pressures and they can’t handle them.

Because they have a root problem! Though on the surface things appear good there is no strong foundation to support them in a time of crisis.

These Christians have never set down deep enough roots to establish themselves for the storms of life.

They don't want to go deep, they prefer life to be easy!

And since life isn’t easy these are often frequent casualties in our churches.

Matt 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Matt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

They are the “up and down” Christians in America.

These are the Christians who run from church to church, and ministry to ministry or doctrine to doctrine desperately trying to find something to make their lives and faith something easy to follow … with guaranteed results with the least amount of commitment and work necessary.

Jesus goes on telling about another group:

Matt 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

This is the thorny Christians: the choked ones.

These Christians are interesting … The Thorny Christians are deeply rooted, have developed well, but have never thought about the concept of “intrusion”

Every gardener knows that you can plant good seed, have great plants, but if you allow weeds to grow alongside your plants they will intrude on them and choke the life out of them.

The idea here is the same, these are well grounded Christians who let life’s good stuff as well as bad stuff intrude so much into their way of life that they become “Worry warts.”

This kind of intrusion will stunt their growth and fruitfulness.

This plant does NOT die; it fails to become fruitful! This is the sad reality of many Christians!

There is enough solid rooting to stay alive, and the ground is good … but the plant is choked by too many other things to produce the fruit it is suppose to produce.

It is a tragic thing to grow wonderful plants in good soil to have them simply exist and fail to produce any satisfying fruit in the end.

They fail to live up to their intended purpose when this happens. God must feel this way about unfruitful Christians too.

Many people Can't express joy always worry about worrying!

Ruth Bell Graham said “Worship and worry cannot live in the same heart; they are mutually exclusive.

Plus many can’t get involved because they have too many problems in life that they can’t see or get beyond them.

Matt 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But there are so many facets in this choke out position. Another is they are consumed.   

They see life only in the material realm ... all energy diverted by getting more and more of this life, or worrying more and more about this life.

The Stony Christians have little time for God, or God's people; too many demands, the result is a life choked or consumed, very little life left for God and spiritual development!

Spiritual growth becomes retarded; we can't be what our new nature in Christ has intended us to be!

There will be a noticeable lack of fruit by living this way!

The last one: A GROUNDED CHRISTIAN     

Matt 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

This is a constant Christian.

Growth happens with normal and natural effort! Fruitfulness naturally occurs with good ground!

A strong plant results from good soil conditions, and good care. It is important to note that two things are happening here:

(1. Good soil conditions are necessary.

(2. Good care of conditions around soil on an ongoing basis is necessary also.

The seed will naturally grow when the conditions are right.

The Ground Christian will listen to God's Word and obey is always on good ground with God!

A strong rooted plant can resist many kinds of natural disasters. It is strong not just because of what is on the surface, but because of the strong roots that have been established!

It is also strong because the area around the plant has been kept clean and uncluttered so the plant is not choked.

This is true spiritually!

Matt 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The plant multiplies itself when it is healthy, in God's Kingdom there is no such thing as simple addition ... just multiplication!

One seed doesn't produce just another one ... but 30, 60, or a hundred fold!

In nature as well as in spiritual things life gives way to multiply many times over itself, not just producing one more of its own kind.

It is easy for this kind of seed to grow and give life to another generation of plants, it produces fruit!

The crops are the result of evangelism of strong healthy plants (the result of the church as a whole.)

There is investment by many to keep the “ground” clean of weeds.

There is good soil to work with, the responsibility of the individual.

It is the combined forces of good SOIL and good TOIL that brings forth good fruit.

The Gospel can only flourish in the person who has prepared their ground properly ... and continue to have a clean environment, uncluttered.

What kind of Christian are you? Is the Gospel grounded in you, and are you producing fruit?