Fantasy Christianity

Good Morning!

Good Morning and Welcome to Freedom Chapel. My name is Pastor Terry, my wife Michelle and I serve as the lead pastors here at Freedom Chapel. We exist to bring hope to our community we do that by being a Place to Belong, Church for the Whole Family.

If you are new with us this morning would you please take the time fill out that little flap on the side of your bulletin. If you put it in the black boxes by the back door we will make a donation in your name to a local charity and send you cookies. Church can we show our guests some love this morning.

Swim Party Tonight 7:15 PM

Unless it is raining.

Last week we had Mike and Sonya Trei here. They are missionaries to Peru. As you recall Mike taught us a Bible passage in the same way they teach indigenous Pastors in Peru. This is the best way to teach people who can not read or write the Bible. They do this so that these Pastors can go back into the Jungle and teach their tribes.

Last weeks passage was Matthew 13:1-23

Matthew 13:1–9 ESV

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

Would you pray with me.

I have not been able to shake this passage all week. Here is why.

I am part of a Bible Study that meets each week at the Fire Station.

It is a Bible Study for Firefighters and every Week Mayor Tom Brown attends.

I have become quite fond of Mayor Brown. This is not at all a political advertisement for Mayor Brown. However, he is a man who loves the Lord.

Our discussion led to this message.

Why do so many people struggle with the miracles and active relationship that Jesus offers.

Mayor Brown said we live in a world full of Fantasy.

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Sports

Fantasy Christianity.

What is Fantasy Christianity?

Play list of Pastors.

KLove

Pandora

Spotify

Youtube

Right now in our time period we have at our finger tips more information about God than any of the Prophets of the Old Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul.

Yet the vast majority of us are lacking a true relationship with Jesus.

We are living in a world that Jesus is speaking about in this Parable.

Matthew 13:10–16 ESV

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

The Seed is God’s Word.

Some Hearts are just to Hard!

Matthew 13:18–19 ESV

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

Some Hearts Need Cleaned Up!

Matthew 13:20–21 ESV

20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

Some Hearts Need to be Transplanted in a New Environment.

Matthew 13:22 ESV

22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Some Hearts are continually renewed.

Matthew 13:23 ESV

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

What Fantasy Sports and Fantasy Christianity have in common.

From Spiritual Couch to the Spiritual Playing Field.

1. I have to connect with God through worship daily

2. I have to connect to God through personal Bible Study daily

3. I have to connect with God through prayer daily.

4. I have to align my life with the word of God and live it out daily.

Psalm 139:23–24 ESV

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Would you stand with me this Morning.

Holy Spirit would you begin to connect each one of us with what God wants are eyes and ears open to this morning.

Hard Heart

Rocky Heart

Thorny Heart