April 17, 2022 Sunday Worship Service (Roy)
Thank you, brother. Keith. That was great reading for it this morning. And so it's obvious that we can see that we'll be talking about the parable of the soils and you probably know it as the parable of the sower but it really isn't about the show. ER the guy that's going around spreading the seed and it's really not about the sea that's being spread, but it's about the soils that are accepting the seed from the sower and the soils, represent you and me. They represent Hearts different levels of reception based upon the hearts of men. But before we get into our lesson this morning just want to remind us that there will be no elders meeting today at 3:30. So no elders meeting today at 3:30. Also in our blessing box. If you would the next time you go grocery shop. Thing that you pick up a few items, have some canned goods in your own Supply home. Put them in the in the blessing box for the folks. You can put in on perishable items. And also we have a refrigerator out there on the bottom and it's there for eggs and milk and things of that nature refrigerated items. So you can put both in there and also last week we handed out involvement forms. If you have those today, if you would, please give them back to me or to one of the elders and also is, if anyone's interested. We have a calendar and scheduling committee, and that committee is going to be responsible for number one, putting a calendar together and including in that calendar events, like gospel meetings and other such things, even our Potlucks or any other thing that might be in our programs here and so will need help with that. If you are interested in that, I told as we continue talking about the Life of Christ, much of the world is focusing upon the resurrection of Christ, and we're going to be focusing upon Christ himself. As he delivers this Parable, and what we just read really is a summary of that terrible. You can find a longer reading in Matthew Chapter 13, you can find about the same amount of reading in Mark, chapter 4, but the thing that we want to introduce ourselves with this morning, is why in the world? Did he say what he said? Why in the world did he say what he said? And so we're going to take a look at what he just said. He says, now the parable is this.
The seed is the word of God. Okay, I think we understand that. It's the teaching of God, the word of God goes. By the wayside are the ones who here, then the Devil comes along and takes away two words out of their hearts. That is They don't have an understanding. And I noticed it's over the past 30 years or so, where people, they come to church and they hear something, they don't quite understand it and then walk away because they just have no understanding whatsoever. And because I have no understanding, they feel whatever it is. They're feeling and they just don't want to go back. It's just not worth the effort. That's the type of heart. The devil loves until the Devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts. Less. They should believe and be safe. So, first thing, we need to understand the word of God as necessary to believe and be safe, first and foremost. And not only that, the word of God is necessary to continue remaining and we'll talk about that in just a little bit. He starts, but the ones on the rock or those who, when they hear received the word with joy, and these have no root who believed for a while and in a town of Temptation Fall Away, the apostatize the Fall Away. I so they believe they're excited. They're happy to be Christians. But really they've not grounded themselves in the face. That is the word of God. They have not grounded themselves in the teachings of Jesus. There's a lot of reasons why people want to be Christians. There's a lot of reasons why people want to be baptized and often times we find people in that predicament where they're not so inclined to think about their need for Jesus Christ or even the need for the church. They're seeing something else, perhaps it's being part of a group. Perhaps it's being a having connections with people. And so we find all of these different ideas that exist among people asked for the reasons. They become Christians. I think all of us would agree that the primary reason we become Christians is because Jesus died for me. Right is died for me. So why not serve the one who did that for me? Well, that's a kind of a mature attitude and not everyone is on the same level of maturity and sometimes maturity comes after a while. I'll down the road. And what the problem is that those who are young in the faith? They can be older than age, but young in the face, they run into obstacles in their lives and the first sign of Temptation the first struggle that comes their way.
That's not supposed to happen. I thought I became a Christian in my life is supposed to be easy, living from now on. A lot of people think that way. Not so. And so I think one of the reasons we study with people is so that they understand that as Jesus tells us we need to count the cost. There is a cost for following Jesus and often. It's not a good cost because a lot of our friends don't like it when we become Christians, why we're not doing the things. We're not behaving in the same manner that they're doing. And so you feel guilty because your friends are now sliding you. Perhaps not your friends, but your family Are there sliding, you? And Jesus comes and he says, I came to bring a sword. He says, I did not come to bring peace but a sword and he was talking about the word that he was going to deliver the gospel. And he said, this gospel is going to the five divided hearts. People going to hear it. They're either going to love it and accept it or they're going to hate it in to stain it. Now, the people that hate it in to stain, it don't like. We might have been like them at one time, but they don't like the fact that we changed. S Peter says they think it's strange that you no longer run with them in the sins that they do. And so it is with becoming a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. You're saying, I'm going to follow Jesus and I'm going to live the best that I can and living up to being like Jesus. It's all we always ask, you know, years ago. 20-30 years ago. I guess wwjd what would Jesus do right? Whenever you are confronted with a Temptation or a problem or issue in your life. Yes. The question. Well, what would Jesus do? And I think that's true. I think we have to think about those things, because I want to do the right thing, and I want to do it the way that Jesus wants me to do it. So I have to have these things in my mind, but Temptation comes and they fall away. Now, the ones that fell among the Thorns, are those who win when they have heard go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on a good ground or those who haven't heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patients. So there are those who become Christians there converted to Christ and they start living a life surprised, but then something happens in life. It could be death. It could be taxes taxis and now and it could be. Another issue could be your Outlaws. There could be any number of things that come up in life, that we're all familiar with. And it causes issues and problems and it causes allegiances in the royalties. And what are you going to do? And I have to make decisions and choices in life. And you already think to yourself. I have so many choices and decisions to make in my life. Now. You mean to tell me I have to make more. Yeah. It's all about the decision and the choices and so something comes along and people don't bear it well and I don't live up to it. They either blame God or they blame others, but they want to get rid of their loyalty to Jesus at the first sign of an issue or a problem. And so they run away. Because they feel betrayed by Jesus. They feel betrayed by God. We talked we talked about about this morning. The fact that Jesus said you're going to have all sorts of problems in this world. He said it's true of the non-Christian. It's true of the Christian people die. People are born life goes on things happen. Is that Jesus talked about an accident? He's talking about this. This Tower in this particular Tower fell and it killed a bunch of people. A Jesus said he killed a bunch of Righteous people, unrighteous people. So people think, well, that things shouldn't happen to me since I'm a Christian and Jesus is pointing out that things happened. And Jesus says, look at my life. Look at my life, and so it is, we need to understand that because we become Christians. Paul tells us in second Timothy 3:12 those who desire to live Godly in Christ. Jesus will suffer persecution.
If you're not suffering, persecution, I wonder what's happening. We need to be suffering a little bit of persecution, a little bit of hurt. We need to be ourselves and picking up our crosses on a daily basis, talking about pain. We just went through giving and I know that when we give a lot of people feel the pain because they're giving away their few dollars. But Jesus says, give When The War Began cheerful heart. Why look what Christ gave to you? And to me himself To live forever with him to have the Forgiveness of our sins. And always asking is just for a little Pennies from our hearts. And a lot of times we get offended by that but we still need to give none the less give of ourselves. Yes, but also given Marlene's. Yes. So what's the purpose of the parable? We come across these Parables that I know the people will tell us that. Well, it's just an easy way to explain things and it is their stories that have a moral tone. Do they have a, a conclusion to it? It's something that shows us and Compares us with one thing with another. But it's not so easy and it's the reason why Jesus Is Telling Parables the disciples came to him and asked him. He said, why are you speaking in Parables? Because it has been given to, you his disciples to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given but the van has not been given. And the funny thing is, is just after this Jesus quotes from Isaiah, Isaiah chapter six verses eight and ten. And this is what I say is says and I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? And who will go for us. Then I said, here I am send me, that's Isaiah. Send me. Let me do your work Lord. How many here have that attitude?
That's the attitude. He says we need to have to be a part of the Kingdom. You know. Volunteerism. There's a state named after volunteers, the volunteer state of Tennessee, but people got up and they just volunteered. I'll do it. Here. I am. Send me. That's the kind of attitude. We can't wait for other people. If no one else is going to do it. Who's going to do it. We need to serve Jesus. No matter what. If no one else wants to serve, Jesus does that mean I shouldn't serve? Jesus? No, it means Jesus. If no one else wants to do it, so he says go and say God tells I'm going to keep on hearing but do not understand. Keep on seeing, but do not perceive make the heart of this people do and their ears, heavy, and blind, their eyes, lest. They see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand when their hearts and turn and be healed. What in the world is going on here? Jesus is just giving this commission to Isaiah. I want you to go into all the world and I want you to preach people to keep on hearing, but keep on not understanding. I want you to keep on seeing. But I also want you to keep not perceiving properly. I got the words. I want you to hear this message, but I don't want you to accept this message. It. So seems as if Jesus is telling his disciples that I want to give the people the message. But I'm not going to give him the truth. I will give you the truth, but not then.
Obviously not the gospel is for all Jesus came to preach the gospel. That's how he went about seeking in Saving the lost. And so part of his saving power is through the gospel. And that's the very thing we read in. Romans 1:16 not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for his the power of God unto salvation. So Jesus saves through the word through his gospel, and that's what we're reading about here in the parable of the sower. And there are different levels of excitation of the heart, the heart hears the message and they believe it, but that hard path represents the hard heart. And you can't get through to the hard heart sometimes and so they just walk away. It's not for me enough that I hear the the good news. They accept it, but Concerns of this life get to them. It's so they walk away. And then another group comes along and Temptation comes and Temptation, leads them away, and they give up on Jesus, but then he talks about the good and Noble heart. That's the person who says, you know, I want to learn more about God. I know I just heard something but I'm not quite sure. I understand what I heard, but I'm going to keep coming till I find out.
That's the difference. The three prior people. Want to be easy? Give it to me on a plate. I don't want to read, I don't want to study, just tell me what I need to do, and I'll be on my way. Jesus in his ministry, talked about searching, the scriptures. The Bible tells us that we need to work at our Salvation that we need to study and show ourselves approved to God. A Workman not getting to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth. But people want it easy.
They want welfare. They don't want to work for it. They want to be giving it to you. Just tell me and that's it. Not so not. So and so. There has to be a personal investigation.
In Acts chapter 17, Paul talks about the noble bereans. He says, about the bereans in contrast to the bustling bustling audience. That's a long answer. The best one. I can be says to them. He says, these were more noble-minded than those in thessalonica and that they searched the scriptures to see if these things were. So another words, Paul was preaching and Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ, but just because he was an apostle of Jesus Christ. Doesn't mean they gave up their responsibilities of searching out and finding out the truth. They wanted to find out. Okay, Paul said this but what does God say here?
But the holy spirit says, they were more noble.
They have more order. Then those in thessalonica. Because they put a premium on their own soul. And so many do not today. So many do not think of what's coming down the pike. Somebody don't think about tomorrow. Talking about heaven and hell. The Bible is filled with Heaven and Hell, issues decisions and choices that we need to all make it. So he says, you need to learn. You need to study. You need to grow. That's why in this Paralee saying and they bore more fruit. They were more fruitful. Because of their attitude, their attitude toward God's word. How many here today woke up this morning and said,
How many shut off? I got to go to bible class.
Those are the hearts that he's talking about.
When you do put a premium on Jesus then actually you don't put a premium on his word. And if you don't put a premium on his word, you don't put a premium on his body, the church. Google premium. The only premium is what satisfies my heart. What's that as far as my thinking? I'm right. And I'll do what I say and I'll do what I do. This is the whole point of the story.
Talking about the hearts the soils. What kind of hard are you? What kind of heart do I have?
So important for us to understand these simple things. It wasn't so simple. It's good to understand that Jesus saves, but how does he say? What's involved in the process of Salvation? A lot of people just think, well, Jesus died on the cross. He died for my sins. And that's it. I'm going to heaven.
Sadly, that's not the case. So the parable of the sower. So here, we have the pathway. We have the rocky soil. We have the weed, eater oil, and we have a good soil. I came across these on the internet. I thought you might appreciate them. I don't know if you can see them. So you might not appreciate them. Show me the she fell on that way and the devil came along and said, put your mind. And then the next one was the, the rocky soil. He had rocks on top of head Rocks, Under Neath, very hard for the plants, and vegetation to grow because of that, what the Rock's represent. One thing in the bushes and all that stuff and check out whatever person had about faith in Christ. And then finally they have the good soil that dark rich soil, that beautiful loving soil. That's so many of you are going to do this and you're going to put your hands and you're going to mix it with manure. Yes. With your bare hands because that's the only way you're going to do it. Cuz you feel it, you're part of the Earth and the Earth loves you, too. And so you do that. But here's here's what I came across, but I thought this was fairly representative of what these soils represent. The first oil, the pathway soil, the value of God's message is not understood and is disregarded. I don't understand her for, I don't care. Cake face in rocky soil, in surface, faith in God, skips dedication to death needed to stay in fur. So it's a shallow Christian. Shallow living.
What's what's that? Can anybody stand up and tell me what a shallow Christian is. I'll tell you what it is. It's what I used to be.
It's what many of you used to be? Yeah, you come to church on Sunday. I did my friend.
Just about Sunday, is it? Oh, yeah, we collectively gather together to worship our Lord, and savior to give honor to His. Holy name. To think about what he's done for us to keep in perspective for the rest of the week. What our life is all about? Do we forget about what our life is all about Monday through Saturday? Maybe we're saved to show people who we really are or what we should be. That was me. that you The shallow Christian Shadow thinking, it's kind of like the way we read the Bible sometime.
Where's the clicker? The shallow. No regard.
Hey, Rebel. Is the third soil destructively allows Wormley priorities to compete with faith in God as primary?
That's a, that's a killer. You know, the number one, religion in the world or I should say the number one religion in America today. Tailgating during the NFL season. That's the number one.
Number one, people would rather go drink your beer. Eat their hot dogs in your pork sandwiches and and say all my teams good and wear their team colors rather than just giving Spanx for Jesus Christ.
What does that mean? It means they're not putting any for the. Remember. In Romans chapter 1, Paul gives a Litany of things that the Gentiles did in Falling Away From God. It wasn't a thing that happened like that. It was over time. But one of the things that caused them to do that was because they were not thankful.
Are you thankful for God? Are you thankful for Jesus? Do you give thanks for your food on a daily basis basis? Sometimes we don't do it. And yet we look throughout the world and we can see young babies and little children starving. Their bellies are like this because they're in Starvation. But we have the abundance of food here.
Are you thankful for your food? That's what we need to do. Cheryl Christian Living hot not to be if we're dedicated to Jesus Christ, Jesus as well be dedicated. You have to decide. You have to choose life is about choices. Heaven, hell is about choices. What's your premium? Where is your priority live? In something other than Jesus Christ. Remember what Jesus said seek first? The kingdom of heaven. And his righteousness. And all these other things, I'll bless you.
You just speak me first. That means before the Dallas Cowboys. And that means we even if I have to get out of bed early, that means if I have to go to church on Sunday, or go to a softball game. Which one do you go first?
I think an answer, right? Ask is But to answer. It's all when Jesus says, first, he needs first. Not something either. That's all we come to this conclusion, conversion and sanctification and you believe it. Can you believe it? You do what Jesus says to do to become saved and then you do it and then you live a life and sanctification and Jesus says sanctify them by their truth. That word is truth. It's the Bible is the word of God that continued sanctifying you. How? What doesn't do it. Magically it doesn't when you submit to it. It doesn't when you give it honour and studying. It doesn't when you apply it to your hearts into your lives. That's when it has its effect. Because what you're saying is, I believe in Jesus. That's what that means. I believe in Jesus so much. I'm going to do what he asked me to do.
So is the message important to you?
The problem is not with the show or the problem is not with the seed. The problem is with the human heart and that is a problem because we all have a heart. And you know, the Bible says about the heart. Good for nothing. When you hear people say all do what you do, what you need hard. Do what your conscience tells you? The Bible tells us the heart is wicked, who can understand it. Do we follow the heart of God? We follow the heart of God. Will, how do you do that, dog? This is the heart of God. Paul says, we have the mind of Christ through the Revelation that Jesus provided him. And when we read the Revelation that Paul gave us but we have the mind of Christ.
So, the problem is with a heart. Is the messaging portal to you? I will keep you from Christ. Ignorance about something an ignorant person. I don't know anything about cars. I don't know anything about math and English.
I barely got through school and high school.
I'm confessing to you.
I couldn't read for a long time. The people came out and he said, he'll he was a 1975 D. What's that? You know what? Dad said? He likes football.
Add. People material in different Fashions who different speeds. I was one. That was like a turtle. Right. there was a time when I was playing Matchbox is up to a certain age and
All my other friends I have girlfriends.
So, the whole point is where's your heart? Cold out today. Let me ask you the question. Where is your heart?
That's what it's about when your hearts, right? All everything's going to go. Are you going to have everything handed to you on a silver? Platter? Go, are you going to have problems? And issues of last? Oh, yeah. It's definitely, oh, yeah. But Heavens coming. Christ is coming. And that means, more ought to me more to you. And to me that anything else. And so where are you this morning? Jesus says this. He that believes and is baptized. She'll be safe. How many here? Believe that?
How many here want to do that?
Your subject, the imitation of Christ this morning. He says, you can have the Peace of Christ in your life today. All you have to do is put them on a baptism. So if you've done that perhaps you wandered away, perhaps you let the cares of this life choke out that faith that Christ demands of you. He says, come back. Is repent. Come back, home, read, dedicate yourself, read. Dedicate yourself to Christ to his church, to his word and not only that to your own soul. A man doesn't love his own soul. What good is he? You're subject to those two things. This morning want to come by faith. That's Together. We Stand and sing.