The Soils of Man's Heart
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Introduction
Introduction
We come this morning to a text that will mark the starting point of a new section in the Gospel of Luke.
This section of the Gospel is one in which Luke describes Jesus as travelling around from place to place, and teaching the crowds. Christ’s goal at this point in the Gospel narrative is to go out and proclaim all that needs to be proclaimed concerning this glorious New Covenant era that is becoming a reality even in their midst. And coupled with that proclamation, he is demonstrating with power the authenticity of His message through the performing of many miracles.
As Luke introduces this section, he does so by pointing out some of those who were supporting him...
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,
2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
While the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus were traveling with him, we also see that there was a group of women that were also traveling with Jesus, as they had responded to His mercy and grace towards them.
Just a few things worth pointing out...
Firstly, we immediately see that women were not insignificant in terms of the teaching ministry of Jesus. The general attitude towards women within the prevailing Greco-Roman culture of that day was that they were not as important as men in society. That was the broader society - the secular society, not necessarily the Jewish society as a whole.
In terms of Old Testament Jewish law, women were were certainly not to be disdained, but were to be regarded with honour. But the general cultural sense of that day, in the Greco-Roman world, took a rather low view of women.
And so in this respect, here is a glorious reality - the Gospel is for all! And these women were not only welcomed by Jesus in terms of following him, but their acts of generosity were recorded for us in Scripture, even as a commendation of their kindness.
We see through these introductory verses that these women that were following Jesus were certainly the recipients of the grace of God through Christ. Note that Luke records for us that each of them had been cured - either of evil spirits, or of diseases. And there was a fairly sizable group of them (see “many others....” in verse 3).
Out of the “many” women that followed Jesus, three of them are particularly noted here.
The first is Mary Magdalene, or Mary of Magdala. This Mary continued to follow Jesus throughout his ministry, and is prominent in all four of the Gospels accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus. She was there watching when Jesus was crucified. She saw where the body of Christ was laid after his death. She was one who came with the intention of annointing the body of Jesus with spices following his burial. And she was the first person to whom the risen Saviour would appear!!
Luke records here that what initiated her following of Jesus was the fact that Jesus had expelled seven demons from her. What a glorious introduction to the Saviour that must have been! We are not told the nature of her affliction under these demons. We are also not told to what extent she was affected by the demons. Some of concluded that Mary was a very immoral woman as a result of the demon possession - but that is pure speculation. All we do know is that she had been possessed by seven demons, and at this point she had been healed and so followed after Christ, and supported him!
The second mention is Joanna, wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household. She too would be present to tell of the wonderful news of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Luke 24:6, 10). What is notable from the mention of her is the fact that the Gospel had clearly infiltrated the Herodian household. This lady Johanna had a husband who was fairly senior within the courts of Herod Antipas. Her husband was a manager in the household of Herod. Recall that Herod Antipas was the one that had John the Baptist put to death at the request of his daughter. And had listened intrigued at the message that John proclaimed, but never submitted to it. But others within his household had. Clearly they had heard the message of the Gospel of the kingdom, and Joanna was now a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.
The third woman that is named by name is Susanna. Nothing more is known about her, but she certainly is not forgotten. Rather, her name is recorded in the Scriptures and will be remembered in the church for all time.
Of importance from this verse is the fact that these women were “helping to support [Jesus and his disciples] out of their own means...”
We know that Jesus and his disciples travelled around from place to place as a full-time ministry, and thus they had need of provisions and support. And these women, having experienced the wonderful grace of God through Christ healing them, were led to support Jesus out of their own means. These women clearly had some financial means - whether through their husbands, or through their own means. But the important fact is that they chose to serve Christ with the means that they had at their disposal.
Philip Ryken’s comments on these verses is helpful. He writes...
Luke, Volumes 1 & 2 The Women Who Supported Jesus
This shows that there is more than one way for a woman to show her love for Jesus Christ. Some women are called to anoint Jesus’ feet, like the sinful woman at the Pharisee’s house. There is a place for their love in the church—a place for adoring Jesus with the sweet perfume of extravagant worship, in which mind, heart, soul, and strength are totally absorbed in praising God. But there is also a place for serving Jesus in more practical ways, like paying the bills. This too is loving service for Christ. Whatever God has given us—whether it is the treasure of a loving heart or the gold of earthly gain—we are called to use it for his glory.
With this introduction by Luke of the next missionary journey, he now proceeds to record for us a parable that was spoken by Jesus.
1. The Parable Told (vv.4-8)
1. The Parable Told (vv.4-8)
As Luke sets the scene, he writes in verse 4...
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
Again, the situation is that a large crowd has gathered. There were continuously large crowds that were gathering to listen to Jesus. And the same is true in this case. They don’t just come from the nearby town, but from town after town.
And then in the presence of this large crowd of people, Christ speaks these very familiar words of the parable...
5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The explanation of the Parable will follow shortly. Just a few comments at this stage...
Firstly, the parable is spoken on the basis of a context that would be extremely familiar with the people to whom it was spoken. This was an extensively agrarian society - they were involved in agriculture, and depended heavily on it for survival.
In my mind, I wondered if Jesus perhaps could even see a farmer at work planting seed, and spoke this parable to the people based on what he was seeing unfold in front of him?! (please excuse the pastoral license… that’s not recorded in Scripture - just me wondering how this unfolded)
But the point is, the crowds would have had a deep understanding of the picture that was being present.
With that said, note what Jesus remarks at the end of the parable. He says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear...”
This was such an important statement in the teaching of Jesus. This was a statement that he repeated time and time again as he taught these large crowds. One commentator writes...
Luke 8:4–8 The Parable of the Sower
In all of Christ’s teaching, both on earth and from heaven, it would be difficult to discover any exhortation that he repeated more often, in one form or another, than the one of verse 8b.
As he taught the people this good news concerning the kingdom of God, He recognised that not everyone that heard the words that he spoke would actually truly hear the message that was bring conveyed. And although many large crowds followed Jesus with the intention of listening to him (and watching him) very few of those crowds truly heard him.
But the truth is, this same exhortation must be conveyed to every one of us today. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
So often, we hear the teaching of Jesus with our ears, but it doesn’t penetrate with the depth of its meaning to our hearts. We hear the words proclaimed, but the significance of the message is not registered in our minds.
James speaks about the one who hears the words of God, and then walks away and fails to put them into practice...
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
As Jesus conveys Gospel truth through a practical picture that would have been fully understood in terms of it’s picture, the sad reality was that it would not be understood in terms of its true Gospel meaning.
Even the disciples of Jesus are battling to grasp the connection… And this leads to a question by them, and our second main point...
2. Parables Explained (vv.9-10)
2. Parables Explained (vv.9-10)
In verse 9 we read...
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
At the very least, the disciples are interested to truly understand the meaning of the parable. And so they approach Jesus and ask, “but what does this mean??”
Christ’s response to them is fascinating! In verse 10 we read...
10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
What does Jesus mean by these words?
Firstly, he speaks here of a “knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God.”
The word “secrets” that is used here can also be translated as “mysteries.”
Luke 8:9, 10 The Purpose of the Parables
Outside of Christendom, in the realm of paganism, it referred to a secret teaching, rite, or ceremony having something to do with religion but hidden from the masses, and known (or practiced) only by a group of initiates.
Within Christianity, it really referred to that which was kept secret for a time, and which would have remained unknown if God had not chosen to reveal that truth to them.
In this context, we need to recognise that ultimately God has chosen to fully reveal this mystery that was once concealed, and is now revealed.
And it is none other than the revelation of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ!! It has to do with all Christ came to reveal in terms of who he was as a person, the perfect revelation of God, and also through that which he proclaimed and taught, the truths concerning the kingdom of God.
Now notice that Jesus says to his disciples that these mysteries have been given to them. In other words, at this particular point in the revelation of God, he is choosing to reveal this kingdom mystery to a handful of people, namely his true disciples. But he goes on to say...
“...but to others I speak in parables, so that, “ ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’”
Very often we see the parables as those things which were spoken in order to make things simpler to understand. But that isn’t always the case, as Christ explains here. For “the others” that heard the parable, the reason was something of the opposite.
The fact is that the mysteries, at least at this stage, would not be revealed to all people, but only to a handful of people.
Now, what Jesus is doing here is quoting the prophet Isaiah. The context of that quote is Isaiah entering into the temple when King Uzziah had died, and Him beholding the holiness of God in the temple. In that account, Isaiah was confronted by his own sinfulness, and cried out...
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
And then following that beautiful picture of the coal touching his lips, and God declaring that his guilt was taken away and atoned for, God asks who shall he send to speak to His people Israel with the prophecy that He has. And Isaiah says, Here am I, send me! And then God speaks these words to him...
9 He said, “Go and tell this people:
“ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
The fact was that the word of God had been proclaimed over and over to this people. Time and again, God had sent his prophets to Israel, calling them, beseeching them to turn back to him because he had given them his law to live by, his promises of a land flowing with milk and honey, the miraculous deliverance, and many, many other evidences of his grace and mercy.
But time and again they had turned away from him. And now, they would reject the Saviour. William Hendriksen writes:
Luke 8:9, 10 The Purpose of the Parables
It was because by their own choice these impenitent Pharisees and their followers had refused to see and hear, that, as a punishment for this refusal, they are now addressed in parables, “that [or in order that] seeing, they may not see; and hearing, they may not understand. They must “endure the blame of their own blindness and hardness” (Calvin on this passage). God had given these people a wonderful opportunity; but they had refused to avail themselves of it. Result: it is God’s sovereign will to remove what man is unwilling to improve, to darken the heart that refuses to hearken. He hardens those that have hardened themselves.
But, the fact is that although the parables would be used to conceal something of the truth being revealed, Christ was pleased to reveal it to those that would truly seek to understand and to know.
This leads us to our third point...
3. The Parable Interpreted (vv.11-15)
3. The Parable Interpreted (vv.11-15)
We now turn our attention to the explanation of the parable as given by Jesus to his disciples. In verse 11, we read...
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
Quite simply, the seed that he pictures is God’s word going out and being spread. In this instance, Christ was declaring to His own disciples at least that he was the one that was proclaiming the Word of God. Jesus himself then would be the sower.
In a different parable, with some differences in meaning, but also a parable concerning the sowing of seeds, Jesus affirms that he is himself the one sowing the seeds of the Word of God.
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
But then so too are those who fulfill the commission of Jesus Christ to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom. So long as we take the Words of Scripture, and the words and teaching of Christ into the world, we are sowing the seed of God’s word.
Paul said precisely this to the Corinthian believers, when he told them in 1 Corinthians 3:6,
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
The reality is that this seed of the word of God is essential for the building up and growth of the church, since it is this seed of God’s word that gives life!!
We should not underestimate this truth. If we would see growth in God’s church (genuine growth in fruitfulness and holy living) then the seed of God must be sown.
But even as we do that sowing of the seed of God’s word, we must recognsie that the seed will fall into different types of soils. And in each case, the response that is forthcoming from the people to whom the Gospel is preached and the seed is sown, will depend on the type of soils of their heart.
What are those different types of soils, and what do they mean practically speaking? The first is given in verse 12...
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
The first kind of hear that would receive the seed is that which is hard and indifferent towards the Gospel. The seed in this case doesn’t even penetrate the heart of this person. They hear the word preached and proclaimed, but they really have no interest in the things of God. Quite simply, they don’t want to hear about it.
In this case, as the word is preached to such as these, the message literally goes in one ear, and out the other. Since their hearts are already so hardened, Satan easily comes in and snatches away that seed of the word.
Notice what the consequences / effects are of that. The end of verse 12 says, “so that they may not believe and be saved.”
Immediately here we must realise that believing and being saved comes about as a person receives the word of God and allows it to bear fruit. If Satan would have his way, no one would come to believe the word. J.C. Ryle writes...
Luke, Volumes 1 & 2 Bad Soil
Nowhere does he labor so hard to stop the progress of that which is good, and to prevent men and women being saved. From him come wandering thoughts and roving imaginations,—listless minds and dull memories,—sleepy eyes and fidgety nerves,—weary ears and distracted attention. In all these things Satan has a great hand. People wonder where they come from, and marvel how it is that they find sermons so dull, and remember them so badly! They forget the parable of the sower. They forget the devil.
The second type of soil is then described in verse 13...
13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
The soil of this person’s heart is a soil that is shallow and superficial. This was a common thing in Palestine, where only a thin layer of soil was there, covering the hardened bedrock. Sowing the seeds there would result in an initial growth of the plant, but the plant simply couldn’t survive the various harsh conditions without proper roots, and the plant would ultimately shrivel up and die.
The person that this soil represents is the one that has heard the word of God preached to them, and it makes sense, and so they start out by responding with what appears to be some evidence of growth. But then the trials of life begin to affect them. Hardships come their way.
Financial strains begin to weigh on them. Relationship struggles are met. Someone close to them dies in a car accident, and they cannot make sense of why God would allow such bad things to happen. And so they question the whole faith thing. Is God real?! Or perhaps it happens that the world begins to treat them badly because of the convictions they hold as a Christian.
Dear friends, these are real struggles that are faced in a sin-cursed world. But the sad reality is that those whose faith is not genuine, will not endure the testing. They will fall away from the faith in the midst of the struggles of life, because their faith was not genuine. It had no deep root. It was fine while they going was good, but when the going gets tough, there is a falling away.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
We need to see the truth of this sad reality, and we need to be cogniscant of this even when proclaiming the word to others.
There is a very sad prevalence of easy-believism being proclaimed. “Just believe in Jesus, and your life will be better.” Or even, “Jesus loves you so much, just give him your heart, and you’ll be in heaven one day.”
While there are elements of truth in those statements, there is more truth that needs to be told. One of those truths is that the Christian life is difficult in many respects, and that you will face opposition, persecution, onslaughts from the evil one, and it won’t be easy.
Neither will you get abundant physical blessings simply because you follow Jesus. Instead, Jesus would rather advise that if you’re not willing to give up everything you have, you cannot be his disciple...
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
After a few more examples, Jesus says...
33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Slow down… let it sink it...
Do you have a faith that can stand the onslaughts that will be faced by true believers?
In the words of the familiar old hymn...
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?
The third type of soil is explained in verse 14...
14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
The person that is described here is a person that has received the word of God, and has even started along in the Christian life, but they become preoccupied and distracted with the things of this world. Life happens, and because they have more time and energy focused on the things of this world, they are unable to grow and mature in their faith.
Jesus says that these people are choked.... The life is squeezed out of them by these distractions around them. What are those distractions?
Life’s worries firstly. And aren’t there so many things to worry about in this world. Good and noble things that are important for life, but that can so easily kill spiritual growth because they become the most important thing! You recall that account with Mary and Martha as Jesus visited them...
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Then there is the struggle with riches and pleasures in the world. People become caught up in trying to get a little more. If I just had this, then I’d be happy. If I just had a little bit more, well then I’d be able to relax and serve God without these hindrances that I now have without my wealth. We think that by having money we will be better Christians.
How deceived we can be at times. How powerful is the deception caused by the evil one!!!
There was once a man who said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go...” Do you know what the response of Jesus was?
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Do you realise that following me means being prepared to forsake the things of this world in order to follow me??
J.C. Ryle again said...
Luke, Volumes 1 & 2 Three Bad Weeds
The things of this life form one of the greatest dangers which beset a Christian’s path. The money, the pleasures, the daily business of the world, are so many traps to catch souls. Thousands of things, which in themselves are innocent, become, when followed to excess, little better than soul-poisons, and helps to hell. Open sin is not the only thing that ruins souls. In the midst of our families, and in the pursuit of our lawful callings, we have need to be on our guard. Except we watch and pray, these temporal things may rob us of heaven, and smother every sermon we hear. We may live and die thorny-ground hearers.
The common theme in this world is that we will never have enough time. There truly is never enough time to get to all the things that we think are vying for our attention. So much to do… so little time in which to do it.
Let us be sure, that if we fail to pay attention to that which is most important - our relationship with Jesus Christ - we will find ourselves in great danger.
Finally, the good soil!
15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
While all the seed that we’ve considered previously falls on soil that is detrimental for the person receiving it, there is that seed that will fall on the soil of a noble and good heart.
Here is the heart that receives the word of God that has been planted. The soil of the heart is ready to receive it, and the heart retains that word that has been planted. Furthermore, it perseveres. As the seed begins to grow up, and as the elements seek to batter and bruise this plant, it perseveres through, and eventually it begins to produce a crop.
This heart is one that is devoted to God and to Christ. Here is the one that not only wants to receive the word, but by the grace of God their heart is one that allows this seed to grow up and to produce that which is good - a wonderful harvest of good, spiritual fruit.
23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
The person who is truly impacted by the Word will find in their lives that a harvest is produced. They will grow and mature in their faith. They will begin to show forth in their lives that God is at work within them. Their lives will start to look very different from what they used to look like.
Old patterns of sinful behaviour would have been done away with, and they will be replaced with new patterns of behaviour that are glorifying to God, and edifying to those around them.
Old ways of speaking that were ungodly and unkind and ungracious will be replaced by new ways of speaking and communicating that are marked by words that are edifying and encouraging to those around them.
Old selfish ways of living will be transformed, and instead of living in selfishness and the furtherance of personal interests will be marked by loving and gracious selflessness that is more concerned about others than themselves.
The fruit of the Spirit of God will begin to mark the life of this person…
love...
joy...
peace...
patience...
kindess...
goodness...
faithfulness...
gentleness...
self-control.
Such a heart that receives the truth of God’s word will produce much fruit. It must, if God is at work in it.
And so it is, dear friends, that by their fruit, you will know them.
We must ask ourselves, what is the nature of the fruit that is coming forth in our own lives?
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we close, just a few brief points.
This text can provide insight and encouragement and challenge in a few ways.
Firstly, we need to remember that when we take the word of God and proclaim it to others, the seed that is sown will fall on different kinds of soil. We don’t know what kinds of soil are being reached. We cannot see into the hearts of people and see if this is the hardened path, or if this is the stony ground, or if this is the ground where weeds and thorns are growing, or if this is a heart of good soil.
But it is not our responsibility to know this. It is simply our responsibility to sow the seed. God will give the growth and produce the harvest.
The good news is that although there will be those who reject the Gospel, there will always be those who respond in faith, and who grow to maturity in the Christian faith, because God works!!
But in terms of our own hearts, we need to ask where our hearts are. As we receive the truth of the Word of God, week after week, listening to the Word preached, what is the nature of the soil of my heart?
Now, I don’t anyone to resign themselves to fatalism, and to say that my heart is what it is, and there’s nothing I can do about it....
Rather, humble yourselves before God. Humble yourself. Plead with the Lord to allow your heart to be fertile in order to receive the Word, and to produce much fruit.
But please, do take this seriously!!
Our walk with Christ is not some game that we are playing as we live our lives in this world. This is deadly serious. And the consequences are truly eternal. Let us truly humble ourselves before God, not hardening our hearts, but rather allowing the Word of God to do it’s work.
As we close, consider what God’s word is saying to you today. It’s easy to critique the message preached… not preached well… certainly didn’t spend enough time preparing for that message… and perhaps there is some grounds and place for that.
But irrespective, ask yourself this question… how am I receiving this Gospel word preached, and what is it saying about my own heart? Fruit is not produced in a day. It takes time. It takes perseverance. But the fruit will begin to be evident.
Is your life showing the signs of producing good fruit?