"Parable of the Sower"
Good morning. Welcome to Summit Bible Church on this Sunday morning at the great day to be here. Thank you all for taking the time to join us this morning and it sounds like it sounds like we're all. Really awake and that's a good thing special special Sunday morning always special Sunday morning when we have a hundred number joining us. So welcome brother Henry. You'll be up here a little later share some some words. And also we have a guest speaker this morning brother Eddie Vargas. You have the privilege of speaking of his speaking this morning. He had a service to Spanish 9:30 service rate message, and I'm looking forward to hearing the hearing him again, so
Go ahead and lift our voices up there as long as you as long as you all are feeling really. Awaken stuff. We got a couple of really awake lipo. Sorry. We're going to start off the service me.
You made me the song.
Charo from
And you be careful he only speak Spanish. So I'll translate it as far as it goes.
Taco Burrito, those are my glasses.
Oh, yeah, I have learned.
Oh, okay. Well, I officially before you today as you all know the summit bible church right now is going
hearing committee as a leader.
Asked and answered.
Play God is still in control. Praise the Lord Summit Bible Church is still his church. He has chosen to keep this ministry continuing to proclaim the word of God and to shine forth.
Thankful for all of you and for you. Part of the change obviously that we are faced with in our church.
Pastor Micah and his family will be leaving us in the middle. And that means that we're asking Lord's Direction in regard.
Eddie Vargas, we are not presenting him as a formal candidate as yet.
This is not as someone who's coming to us as a complete stranger. Thankfully however today he is going to be God's voice to us. He is the poor person is going to bring us the word of God today and then in 2 weeks swimming.
following the English
in an impending that day being a candidate Day on May 16th, which is a kind of a huge day on our calendar here at the
after the morning
call specific.
Eddie Tucson So make sure that you are aware of adoption day.
And then on May 16th will be saying goodbye to Pastor Michael, but will also be voting on.
So this is kind of the plan you keep that in mind as well. Pray for us pray for the steering committee as we work through our processes. We are very thankful for how God is moving them on our behalf of the church right now. We're very pleased about that. But there are a lot of questions that still need to be addressed an answer. You probably have questions that you'd like to have answered as well. And please approaches the steering committee to make sure that you know that you're very attentive to answering
But those are the announcements in mind today. As I said this man here Daddy Vargas and his are just God's appointed voice to us to bring for the word of God. I can say to you that I observed. Spanish service because I knew nothing but I was watching his technicals. I was watching his platform and I was watching how he was using his cross reference. Being a teacher of homiletics, which is which I have done that before so I was watching the science of his message is it was going on during the Spanish service and no free sheet of the good feedback as people Worley. and now I can
thank you, brother.
I had to dedicate a lot of my time to practicing Spanish because I don't practice Spanish. It was my primary language is a kid. Cuz I was born here in Chicago, but then my parents moved me to to to Mexico for five years. So so Spanish my first primary language But like everyone else like the kids here you go to school and United States and then you slowly kind of the Spanish drift away. You know, you forget you don't practice it and there goes so I know how to order a burrito to but the but that's what happens. So because I had a lot of my time to to practice in Spanish, I'm going to read my manuscript Luke chapter 8 the parable of the sower. I love The Parables of Jesus the gospels Matthew Mark Luke John are my favorite books in the whole entire Bible because it it it it explains the life of Jesus and that's the person I love the most he keep he comes to life in the Gospels. So if you have your Bibles, please turn with me Luke chapter 8 starting in verse verse for Luke. And what a great multitude had gathered and they had come to him from every city. He spoke by a parable. A sower went out to sow his seed and is he still owed some fell by the wayside and it ain't got trampled down and the birds of the air devoured it some fell on rock and as soon as it's spraying it withered away because it lacked moisture.
And some fell among thorns in the thorn spring up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground spring up in yielded a crop a hundredfold when he has said these things he cried you cried he who has ears to hear Let Him hear. Let's pray you would pray with me. Our Father soft in our hearts to your to your word help us to grow in your spirit give me your words and bless this message my father give us eyes that we can see and ears we can understand help us to work a person. Do you work for the Harvest is great, but the laborers are few we pray that you increase and build this church bring your disciples and help us to Bear much fruit for you. Help us to repent and live according to your word. We ask all these things. Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen Okay, I'm going to read on because if you're like the disciples you're like, what does that mean? What it would do the same. So in verse 9 Jesus explains that his disciples asked him saying what does Parable mean and he said to them? To you. It has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in Parables that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand now the parable is this the seed is the word of God. Those are those by the wayside are the ones who here then the Devil comes and takes away the word out of their heart less. They should believe and be saved but the ones that was found the rock are those who when they hear receive the word with joy, and these have no root. Who believed for a while and in time of Temptation Fall Away? Now the ones that fell among Thorns are those who when they have heard go out and are choked by the cares in the riches and the pleasures of life and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground out of those who having heard the word with a noble and good heart keep it and bear much fruit with patience. Therefore take heed now. Take P now you here for whoever has in him more will be given and whoever does not have even that which he has will be taken away from him. That is the word of God.
What is he saying? If you're not familiar with the Parables parables are very symbolic kind of like the book of Book of Revelation. There's a lot of symbolism in their meaning and you often use precise words to show was his spiritual emphasis the seed of symbolic for his word and the gospel saving message. The dirt is the symbolic for the hardness and softness of the human heart. The birds of the air are symbolic for the principalities of the air the demons the spirits and the store. Is it symbolic for God Jesus because he explains this Parable to his disciples the power wisely teaches us how to understand all of his other parables. To understand all of his other Parables. We must translate them in a way Jesus pots up to him to his disciples in Mark 4:13. Jesus says to a disciple don't you understand this Parable how then will you understand all of my parables? So how does Jesus translate the seeds that fell by the wayside seed type 1? All of this one of the most important things that we can do as followers of Jesus Christ has to Bear fruits after all. We are called his disciples the way what is a disciple of the site was a learner of Christ. One of the most important things we can do in this world is to tell people about God in Evangeline's in like manner if your parents we need to teach our children the word of God if we belong to him we need to evangelize to our lost family or friends are neighbors or co-workers and any Evangelistic opportunity got me open the door for But we have to wonder how does the human heart get to be so hard when it becomes unable to respond to the gospel. If you ever been if you ever get angry, you know, how how quickly the human heart can get. How hard it can get if you never got an angry is obvious that you've never driven in the streets of Chicago. But when life gets too comfortable and there are no trials and tribulations and prosperity as a fund in like in the one at the Nike and one of the richest countries in the world right here in nice States. We have no need for savior when we think of ourselves as good people people who don't consider ourselves to be Sinners. We don't need God we don't need to be rescued. Anything we often wonder is but how does the devil take away the word of God when we evangelize? When we hear the word of God in the gospel message, the Demons of this world come and distract us with all of the worldly things in our lives. The number one waist and takes away the word of God is to our with our time saying loves to use the pop culture entertainment movies music Sports television video games are smartphone. Materialism are lost friends going out and living for the weekend the pleasures of life and all the superficial social media distractions the robbers that robbed the word of God from our heart. And our time if you're not careful, we can we can turn any of these things into idolatry. The gospel message can't penetrate us because we're just too busy for the things of God. We're living in the information and entertainment age. Well, we are just too busy for the things of God. That's why Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is there. Your heart will be also we tend to say what I don't need a religion. I'm good. I like my life and frankly deep down in my heart. I'm a good person. I don't know why but I did.
I don't know why but it happens and the word of God in the gospel message falls on deaf ears. This is why the Lord says and Luke 5:32. I have not come to call the righteous the self righteous but Sinners to repentance.
In 1st Corinthians. 1:18. Paul says But the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved. It is the power of God because in the end they got up self little G got right here me We just don't have room in our hearts for the one true God. And Stanley to stay that is our fallen nature. Okay, what about the seeds that fell on the on the Stony ground? Are they saved in Luke 8 6 Jesus tells us. That's some felt some of the Seas found on Rock Spring up and withered away because it lacked moisture is keyword there and look at 13th. But the ones that fell on the rocks are those who windy here receive the word with joy, but these have no root another cute word who believe for a while and in time of Temptation follow way now, I purposely chose to look for this specific verse. This is a teaching moment because in the parable of the sower that was so it's not only found in Loop, but also in Mark and Matthew it is part is part of what they called the synoptic gospels NSYNC Matthew Mark and Luke are share similar accounts of the life of Jesus. However, it is very important to understand the Bible never contradicts itself. Never contradict itself. Why because it has one author? Something's depending on a Bible translation certain passages just need a little bit of clarity because they are there not written in Greek or Hebrew. I use a Spanish and English Bible. It's not Matthew 13:21, it says
it says but he will receive the seed on Stony places. This is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy that he has no roots in himself, but indoors only for a while and tribulation or persecution arises because of the word immediately it stumbles and it marked for 16. I'm a day late and a dollar short, I guess in a March 4th 1667 and says these likewise are the ones sewn on Stony ground who when they hear the word immediately receive it with gladness. Ariel and they have no root in themselves and so endure for a Time afterwards when tribulation of persecution arises for the word sick immediately. They stumble In both of these accounts the emphasis is on the trials and tribulations and persecutions. However, if you've been paying attention in Luke's account Lucas just using the word temptation to express tribulation and persecution. the gospel
Hoops going to faster I don't have my word for some reason then come up. I had a keyword diagram and persecution. The Greek word is actually called Pure osmose and it signifies a trial or test of examination. There we go. Thank you brother. I appreciate that. The same word is used in Hebrews 3:8. S3 nuances
Hebrews 3:8 where it says do not Harden your hearts in the as in the rebellion in the day of trial process mos in the in the wilderness speaking of The Exodus in the 40 Years of wilderness or in James 1:2. Where says my brother and count it all joy, when you fall into various trials, if you don't smoke this week work has three nuances but the one that corresponds to this versus a test the same Luke 8:13, is it word that signifies a testing of one's face toward God all good love deserves to be tested. and not Temptations as we as as we know Temptations to be very good. So what about the what about the sea though this this this type of seed falls on an emotional heart. They have a shallow emotional response to the gospel. They received the gospel with joy, but was something bad happens in their life cancer strikes they get the coronavirus or they get us some some sort of accident. What do they do? The first thing to do is go ahead and blame God you did this to me. This is all your fault. And they become bitter and angry because they were promised a life full of prosperity and happiness. This is one of the major dangers of preaching a false gospel message one in particular is the Prosperity Gospel. It is so attractive, you know, it's not most of the mega churches in this country. Perhaps you've heard of them. Joel Osteen is a famous preacher of this false gospel.
But God gives us a symbolic terms which it shows us that these types of people are not save. Jesus says they have no root in themselves Jesus. You said the lack of moisture what is moisture water? If you're not careful we can miss some of these subtleties. Who is the symbolic root found throughout all the Bible Jesus Jesus refers to himself in Revelation 22:16. He's the root of Jesse and he says I am the root of The Offspring of David the bright and Morning Star and and in John 7:38. Jesus says he who believes in me as the scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of Living Water. So not only those who receive the word and have an established route are given to Living Waters, which is the Holy Spirit. Russ these types of people are not saying okay. Well, what about the seeds that fell among the Thorns are they save C type 3 Jesus says in Luke 8:14. Now the ones that fell among the Thorns are those who when they have heard go out and are choked by the cares the riches and the pleasures of life and bring no fruit to maturity. Jesus gives us no indication that they are not safe, but they are under huge spiritual warfare. Where did you get that? We're going to see right now, they become powerless vessels for Christ. They become vessels in which the Lord cannot use and ultimately they become vessels of Dishonor. There are many Christians within the church who are not spiritually growing. Sometimes there are just pure warmers and they are perfectly content to just show up once a week and not lift a finger for the works of God. They say I didn't come here to work. I just came I just came to sit down and do it preaching. There's a voice again. And even worse than that, they came to they come to church and they refuse to give up their sinful lifestyle. And they say well I can still be a Christian and have adult relationships with my girlfriend or boyfriend. I mean after all that's the culture that we live in right everyone's doing it. And they bring no fruit to maturity. Are the times? They are spayed believers who don't go to church. You're not going to find them in church. They're not a hypocrite because they accepted Christ as an early age of Life maybe during their teenage or young adult years, but they would never disciple. They were given the gospel message. But like most evangelist they simply give them the message and let them go on their merry way go with. They were never taught to read the Bible. They were not never taught the importance of prayer. They were never taught the importance of going to church.
And he spent many years living prodigal lives lost. And this is why discipleship is so important for us to understand. If I had to take a guess, I would guess that some of you might have been at one point prodigals in your alliance.
Until God a loving father finally stepped in and got your attention. And usually I had to get your attention but the hard way. As the Lord says in Revelation 3:19 as many as I love I rebuke and I Chason therefore be zealous and repent.
Many times what tends to happen with this type of seed that if is is that they received the Holy Spirit, but the tempter comes in.
after all hotels of Ephesians 6:12 We do not wrestle over flesh and blood but against principalities against Powers against the rulers of Darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in Heavenly places. And the principalities of the year come in lured the believer back into the world of sin. And the cares in the riches in the pleasures of life become way more important than the things of God.
In the Bible Thorns are symbolic for a life filled with afflictions. But what is an affliction? Something that causes great pain and suffering. Paul demonstrates is in 1st Corinthians, 12:10 speaking of the amount of Revelation that had got had given him and lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations a thorn in the flesh was given to me a messenger of Satan to Buffett me. Less I should be exalted above measure. Thorns are painful spiritually painful because it is a spiritual battle that we are dealing with. The numbers 3355 and 56 God speaking of his very own people. But if you did not drive out the inhabitants of the land before before you finish. I'll be there in those days those who remain irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides.
And they still harass you in the land where you dwell moreover it shall be that I would do to you is all I thought to do to them.
bug is this a little bit of clarity with his Apprentice Pastor Timothy and he tells Timothy and 2nd Timothy 2:19 21 + 2019 + 21 Ptosis Apprentice Pastor the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who names the name of Christ of Park iniquity. But in a great house what great house? the Lord's House but in a great house, there are vessels that won't they're not only vessels of gold and silver but also love wood and Clay some for honor and some for dishonor there for If anyone cleanses himself from the ladder, what did Utah become himself For What from sin in your life? You want to renounce these demons? Stop spinning? And they go away.
Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the ladder, he will be a vessel of Honor Sanctified and useful for the master prepared for every good work. We need to ask ourselves. What kind of s so am I for the Lord? Can my Lord use me? After all, why do I call him Lord Lord means master? Or have I become a vessel of Dishonor.
So we are not living according to God's grace God's goodness. God's love and his Wonderful Mercy on our lives. We always end up hurting ourselves. We let the Demons of this world manipulate our minds. And again, we bring no fruit to maturity. The prodigal child in Luke chapter 15 is the perfect example of this type of seed. And if the Lord Wills we will explore the prodigal son in my next message because of this message is only part one of a three-part message.
It will be an Evangelistic message. So if you have lost friends family neighbors your own children invite them to church and they will hear the gospel. Leslie
but what about the demons that what about the Seas that landed on the good ground Steve type for Jesus says in Luke 8:15. The ones that fell on the good ground are those who having heard the word of God with a no one good heart keep it and bear fruit with patience. These types of people don't need much explanation. These are the disciples that grow again. What is the disciple a disciple means learner of Christ? Every born again. Christian is a disciple of Christ go and make disciples.
And what do we do with all this had knowledge all of this learning as disciples? We put it to work work. Paul tells us in Ephesians
210 but we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Similar similar Lee Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15:58. Therefore my beloved Brethren be fast be steadfast unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain.
When you do stuff for God people don't necessarily say all great job keep it up the Lord the lord loves you now, but you know what God keeps. It keeps a record of everything that you do.
What do we do? What do we do as Disciples of Christ?
I know two men where I work. Both accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts, but something terrible happened to the both of them. They called themselves Christians, and we sometimes go to church, but do whenever disciples after accepting Christ and he spent many years apart from God until one day. One of the guys who was married was born to him a little precious daughter. And shortly after his little girl got sick. The doctors told the parents that she had developed severe cancer. And sadly after being a live with them purchase a short of money. Of time she died. This one guy became very bitter and angry at God for taking her daughter away. So he blame God for his little girl's death. And to this day he still blames God and wants nothing to do with him. The other man was married also into him also was born a little girl. This guy accepted Jesus Christ into his heart but was never disciples and hardly ever went to church. He was a typical Young American who lived for the weekends. He Love The Nightlife so much. He started getting involved with alcohol and drugs many many nights many Friday nights. You would come home tired and drunk but on one cold winter night his wife. I put their daughter to bed. And use an old space heater in her room to keep her nice and warm. During the night the space heater was caught on fire and it's a fire in the Smoke worse than the little girl who was asleep in her room suffocated from all the carbon monoxide and the guy woke up in the middle of the night into a burning apartment. He rushed into the little girl's room got her out of bed. Only to find her lifeless in his arms for the lack of oxygen. The doctors could not revive her. but after all of this that man After meditating on God finally surrendered his life to God. And to this day he is an outspoken Christian at work who glorify his guy with his testimony and the many things he does in the church and in his life.
We have to ask ourselves. What type of seed am I one two or three?
Has has has my heart become too hardened for the word of God is my heart just too angry or bitter towards the things of God or is my heart just too busy for the mini Works guy has set before me. If you find yourself to being one of the first three types of sea God calls you to repent. What is repentance repentance is a change of heart? We live in a fallen and broken world. And the only thing that can make things right is having a right relationship with the loving father that made you If the holy spirit is speaking to your heart don't turn away from him, but repent. God says in 1st John 1:9 9 and 10 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. if we say that we have not send.
We make him a liar. And his word is not in US. If you have ears that understand in the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart. Play with me. Play with me and repent.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father Forgive me my Lord forgive us. Forgive me for the many sins in my life. Forgive me for not being a Sanctified vessel of Honor for you. Forgive me for all the many times. I fail to share your word with others, forgive me for all the many times. I should have served you at church, forgive me for not doing the mini works. You have prepared beforehand. I Repent my Lord. Stopped in my heart for the many things you have in store for me, and I renounce the sins. I have been keeping in my life. Help me to show you how much I love you. By helping me to repent and give my life to you as a perfect offering.
Help us to do all these things my father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thank you for being here with us today brother Eddie. Thank you for a great message. God bless your hunt.