Sowing Seed

Do you struggle with reading and understanding the Bible do you struggle with healing and understanding preaching the something find the Bible boring you find Bible study boring you find sometimes that the preaching is no impact on you sometimes are glad when the services over were going to learn today that sometimes the problem is not with the preacher is not with the message, but is with you the list. Sometimes the problem is yours. You're not listening you're not understanding what you learn from the teaching of Jesus that there are different responses to the word of God that was through the Lord Jesus, who was the perfect teacher the perfect preacher and not everyone accepted his words.

Everyone understood what he was saying and so to help us and the challenges Jesus tells a story some wonderful stories. A very important story.

The first of the parables that Matthew tells us is going to tell her several parables. In fact, here in Matthew chapter 13 if you have your Bible time there. Matthew chapter 13, the eighth parables would only think of one.

Today for the parables are told to the crime from verses one through 35 Jesus telling for parables to the crowds and then from verse 36 onward he's going to town for parables to his disciples notice our chapter 13 one begins the same day Jesus went under the house and sat beside to see him. Great crowds gathered about him so that he got into the boat and sat down on the whole college student on the beach so here Jesus is teaching you crowds there on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and he's in the boat and then look at verse 13, six then he left the clouds and explained and went into the house and the disciples came to him, saying, explained to us the parables of the weeds of the field, eight parables in all this is the first one in one way is foundational to everything Jesus is going to be saying and at one level this holiday.

This parable is easy to understand is not difficult to understand as we will see as were going to read it together with compatible portable is an everyday story and story coming from everyday life which helps us to understand spiritual truths. We understand this only one level is an event of everyday life. All of us can relate to. But it's more than that. It is the explanation of spiritual truths. When I was in Sunday school. We were taught, some scholars today don't think this is nuanced enough without you still a good definition that I learned in Sunday school. That parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning that this is a story from everyday life, but is presenting spiritual truth. Now here as we begin this a very very important truth I want I want you to think of because is a difficult one to get our minds run, but it is this.

If you yes you if you humbly receive the truth of the parable. If you humbly receive the truth of the word of God more truth will be revealed, but if you don't respond humbly if you resist if you're careless about it.

If you don't respond humbly, the parable conceals the truth to those who are humble to those who are receptive. The parable reveals truth to those who are resistant to those who are critical to those who close our hearts in their minds to the truth of God, the truth of the parable is in fact: is it will estrange. Listen to what Jesus says when going to read from verse 10, first of all, because between the sodium. The interpretation, Jesus tells us about the purpose of the parables. This is perhaps going to surprise you, but I wanted to try and follow me all of what Jesus is teaching here in Matthew chapter 13 verse 10 he tells us the parable to the cards.

Notice what happens verse 10. Then the disciples came not because the disciples came and said to him, why do you speak to them. The cars and parables. What you doing this, Lord, and he answered them to you. It has been given to know the secrets of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given 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. You receive the truth of God, you're going to receive more use it when I don't really understand the Bible, and sometimes I find preaching kinda boring problem is not with this book. Problem is with you. You see, how is it that other people get so much from this morning. You humbly receive the word. The more truth will be revealed. The more you resist it, the more you just think about it the more you criticize it just goes over your head. Truth is concealed. Verse 13. This is why I speak to them in parables, as it is.

This is why Jesus speaks in parables because ceiling they did not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand is what was he getting indeed in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, it says records from the New Testament, you will indeed hear but never understand interesting. There are those who hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. Why is that for this people's heart has grown dull, and with her ears they can barely hear them. Got hearing problems got the wax build up is aware and their eyes they have closed in the preacher, teacher can relate to this about people with eyes closed with your project happen.

Never. Your thoughts, your breach guy sometimes right in the front row you feel you are more comfortable place to sleep.

Sometimes people literally close their eyes.

They just should write out what we can seem to be attentive and still be 10,000 miles away in our minds right. Leslie would see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. As the blessing if you're a follower of Christ, that wonderful but blessed are your eyes he's talking to his followers, talking to those who have repented and believes in the gospel but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears, for they hear doing.

You want your eyes to see spiritual truth.

Don't you want your ears to hear what God is saying. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear that I did not hear it there by generations and generations. We don't buy them in the Old Testament who would belong to have her very teaching of Jesus to be the privilege would send their eyes the Lord of glory is opening up the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. The long term, saying that they have long to hear it. What you are blessed because you now you see and you know here with spiritual eyes so there's a point the same parable reveals spiritual truth to some people, but it conceals spiritual truths to others.

This parable then describes various responses to the word of God. It's the same see this the same sore but it falls on four different soils and today I'm asking you a question very pretzel question all of you my fellow passengers.

You're here for the first time, whoever you are, want to ask you what is your personal response to the word of God is a question what soil, ready to hear the story. Matthew chapter 13, then verse one, the same day Jesus went to the house in Capernaum and sat beside the sea, beautiful sea of Galilee, and great crowds gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat down in the hole card suit on the beach and he told her many things and parable say it is a sore went out to so and as he sowed, some seats fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground with the did not have much soil and immediately they sprang up since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no roots.

They withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked them other seeds fell on good soil and produce grain, some a hundredfold, some six-day, some 30. He who has ears, let him hear my fascinating story was about two important things about see two obvious things first seed must be song Jesus begins a sore went out to so sort, who wasn't just going for a walk was admiring his fields wasn't just that he had good intentions wasn't just because it was a nice day.

It wasn't just because of the scene might be suitable for fruit wasn't just that he had good intentions. No, he went out to so good intentions. Nice weather pleasant experience are all utterly useless unless the seat is so so of this part number seed must be so number two, every seed doesn't produce fruit that is not a harvest from every seat was that some seed fell on the path is mutually devoured by the birds. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, other seeds fell on the ground where there were thorns receiving the produce no fruit told Bart.

These obstacles spite of these difficulties is right of these disappointments. There was a great harvest hundred 6030 fold) both told by Jesus is reminding us that every seed does not produce fruit. Yet the kingdom of heaven is going there will be an abundant harvest involved in suing state fair.

You are with your children resend the school teachers were teachers with your people.

The people who leave Bible studies. People who so seed in the neighborhood and tell people about Jesus sowing seeds goes on and on and on and is very discouraging as being a preacher can be very discouraging or sowing seed seed and seat and sometimes it seems as hopefully a tall, Jesus is reminding us keep sowing the seeds there's going to be an abundant harvest.

It's true there are disappointments, but there's going to be a magnificent harness hundredfold 6030 C irrespective of the response. We are called to sow the seeds we sow the seed and God does a transformation I can transform your heart. I can create in your mind the spiritual thought that is what God does. But God doesn't remains in the means is the word of God and so we sow the seed, we don't change the seed out when it doesn't produce fruit quickly enough. We don't tamper with the gospel.

As we said before, we don't take the word of God and surrounds the really user-friendly doesn't quite fit in to the 21st century and then I would got to make it more palatable to people today to the postmodern man or woman that we don't do that.

It is the word of God is given to us and the power is in the word of God. So here are two principles of sowing and reaping number one.

Two. Principles of evangelism.

One is before you have fruits so the seat you can expect a harvest unless you so to say this basic architectures and the basic principle of spiritual life seed must be song. Secondly, every six on does not produce fruit so that the parable is about what all does it mean wonderful that Jesus gives the interpretation let's read the interpretation in chapter 13 verse 18 got your Bible follow along their not all of the parables does Jesus give the interpretation, but he does with this very important one. Verse 18 hear then the parable of the sore is the interpretation is the divine interpretation when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sowing and his heart. This is what was sowing along the path.

As for what was sown on rocky ground. This is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word immediately falls away. 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. 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 and another 60 and in another third, the soil determines the response is the basic point other similarities and differences of the soil indicates there's four soils and the solar is the same in all four soils. Jesus emphasizes that people hear the word that is word of God, the perfect word of God. Nothing wrong with the seed notice verse 19 when anyone hears what the word of the kingdom.

Verse 20.

As for what was sown on rocky ground. This is the one who hears the word verse 22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the words verse 23. The good soil. And as for what was sown on Gustav. This is the one who hears the word and all four cases in all four soils. The people hear the word the same word, hearing the word of God. As I arrived at him as the Old Testament prophet prophesied of the time when there would be a fireman of hearing the words of the Lord appeared in the parable, that's not the problem. The problem is that that is not the word of God. The problem is, how it is received. The Calvary church. We emphasize the preaching of the word of God in season and out of season and my task is your pastor is not to give you some little platitude some little principles for helping you through life but to give you the word of God is what is going to transform your life. That's was going to bear fruit to meeting a long time is going to bear fruit, and were committed to that the word of God.

Jesus describes it in verse 19 is the word of the kingdom. This is a parable about the kingdom of heaven. Mark when he tells a parable in Mark four says that the source knows the word. Luke 20 gives the part about and locate says the seed is the word of God, no question about the seed. The seed is the word of God. The seed is the gospel seed is the word of the kingdom who is the sort of thing is pretty obvious that Jesus is the sort in the parable of the weeds. He says in verse 37 the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man himself.

What does Jesus do when he begins his public ministry, you say well he feels that is true because his disciples that is true but he comes what proclaiming the message proclaiming the gospel of God preaching the message of the kingdom sowing the seed of the kingdom in single-parent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, is sowing the seed is calling people to repentance is calling people to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because in the person of Jesus. The kingdom of heaven is breaking into time and space. The king has come, and to enter the kingdom of God to be part of the kingdom of heaven.

It is essential to hear and to respond to the word verse nine and of the parable Jesus said he who has ears, let him hear his course as a floor you know you can have a conversation with someone and you don't hear anybody person can tell you you're not listening. I had everything you said something to I can tell you exactly what you're saying I can repeat it back to the point the message has been received and understood and been responded to. He who has ears, let him hear. Verse 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see, and you hears part of a end of verse 43, the parable of the wheat and the tears Jesus again says he who has ears, let him hear. This is a point here. The message here, in the sense of understanding and obeying as you can hear the story of the parable and you can repeat the story of the sort. Totally miss what Jesus said, totally miss the spiritual truth totally miss the personal application which is going to change her her and infuriates Conan Doyle Charlie Holmes is a knob reducing the TV programs of the movie is good to read the book as well and one of the books Charlie Holmes, the famous detective says that Dr. Watson you see Dr. Watson, but you do not observe a good detective sees what's there assesses the situation look for the close is aware, but does more than that you and I trained. I remember things. The train detective not only sees lots observed Jesus once once you see spiritual house for them.

Praying for you.

But you see the beauty of Christ. You hear the voice of Christ coming to you that you have a humble and open heart is absolutely essential. The sewer is the same seed is the same, but there's four different soils for different responses of the new through the end you're going to ask which one of the first is this a resistance response. Verse four. Some of the seed found what it fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it so restoring brothers and five people walk in the path of this hard seed falls on it, and is right there in the birds, and take the seat is very easy for the bursa take the seat and eat it is with his that was all about. Verse 19 with anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand that the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path interesting. A group of people. Yes on them to be here this morning and maybe one of them there exposed to the word of God that most of the gospel is no impact on the sea doesn't penetrate the resistant hearts this individual. He said why would this individual even come to church then why would then why might he go to the Bible study well for all kinds of reasons, you may be here just out of obligation, you may be here to please your parents you may be here to please your husband or your wife or your granddad. I don't know what your you're here, but you don't really have any spiritual interest and find it quite bored by the whole thing and you're looking at your watch, sometimes even wondering is it taking so long. I mean, you're not turned in your you're looking forward to the end of the service and I got into this. By the time you arrive in the parking lot you forgotten everything that you have your thinking about next week's Super Bowl. Are you you're wondering about what you be buying at Harris Teeter here just thinking, your family, your thinking up some support your thinking of your your girlfriend or whatever was happens problem with the word no problem with you and furthermore you don't realize it is you have sat and listened to the word of God this morning, Satan himself, the evil one has come and snatch the way that work you said I don't believe I believe hard hearts resistant hearts.

How is it that people can listen to the preaching of the word of God. Week after week, and after we and it makes absolutely no impact on how they live. Seed has fallen on the path. In fact, the situation is worse the more you are exposed to the truth of God and the more you turn from it, the harder and harder. Your heart becomes Scripture says where to from Pastor Hathaway today if you hear his voice partner know your heart today you hearing the word of God, do not harden your heart stop being a critic stop resisting the Holy Spirit in your life. Be humble, receive his word. You know it's true and if you resist it, and if you turn from it. Yes, your heart will become harder and harder and you will continue your life of sin your life away from God. You see what I can get right with God. Anytime I want to know you can't.

If your heart is hard today. Do you really think you can choose the time to repent. Your heart will get harder and harder and harder. This is the individual who resists the word of God Scriptures full of them. You continue to do that and you land in eternal destruction don't have resistant part. Secondly, there's a superficial response miss is the rocky ground in some parts of Israel was only a soil of two or 3 inches over limestone bedrock and the seed falls and that I kind of grind and set of forming deeper roots goes up very quickly what happens. The sun comes up scorches it and the person's like that, Jesus tells you.

Verse 20. As for what was going on rocky ground. This is the one who hears the word of God and immediately receives it with joy. Hallelujah, he shouts yet he has no root in himself, but in juice for a while and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away as individuals is exposed to the word of God and that she responds quickly but superficially is individual who comes the church is aware of his with Christian friends and she has a next page is all about. You want some excitement in her life. She's all about emotional experience. Perhaps you liked the old hymns minds are when she was a little girl in the little church I grew up in July children's.

In fact is sometimes when we sing the old rugged cross of their visit here comes Tori or Jill likes the Opry beat contemporary praise song. Well, there will you feel so good singing the song she likes being here she likes the people jointly atmosphere as you likely evangelize the excitement or an individual may be intellectually a tree intrigued by the Christian message you like to talk about that and she seems quite receptive.

You like the debate the spiritual truths and that when she hears and that is this image in response to responds very quickly and says Jesus. She does it with joy is wonderful.

This person has come to Jesus so she doesn't is no conviction of sin, just got up in the event just got caught up in the excitement is no conviction of sin is no genuine commitment to the Lord Jesus. She's shallow and superficial and that superficiality is shown by her falling away. Jesus said you can't stand the tribulation or persecution.

Verse 21. Did you notice that all she may have the right, if I say my Christian I get baptized. Life is just going to be so easy is going to be problem free with engines criticized by her family to church to Bible study, of all things and that she gets a bit of persecution. She goes through a bit of a tough time and went, these difficulties come into her life. She drifts jazz these pressures on these pressures when why there's no roots is not that there's only a shallow, superficial and ultimately empty profession. No genuine saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and certainly not Jesus is no fruit. This is a superficial response to your response. Superficial third response is a compromise response. This is the seed which falls among thorns is going to convicted this morning feeling more connected with this one with.

I thorns choke yields no foods. The thorns crowded the plan picking up my shirt and that underlying thing keeping him in darkness so what's all that about verse 22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but is this and the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it proves on a compromise response. This is individual who appears to be interested in spiritual things.

This individual is not opposed to discussing the Bible.

This individual says I'm a follower of Jesus. Spiritual interest was the problem.

The problem is this that is not his protégé Jesus is only one interest of many on the cares of this world crowded out the word and compromised parts. The busyness of life, his family, his his career.

His his recreation, his employment has helped all the cares of this world crowded out and ultimately kill spiritual.

He is always busy is because this individual always busy. Yes, I like to do these things, but I got to attend to such and such, the cares of this world. The growth among thorns, and then says Jesus in verse 22. The deceitfulness of riches, the love of money is all kinds of evil. Paul says in the love of money is deadly to spiritual life, the deceitfulness of riches, know the problem is and money to be rich is not sinful is the love of riches is the deceits of riches is the deception is individual and never has enough money never enough possessions, enough staff, he says oh I love Jesus, but he never seems to have time to serve Jesus was quite seems of the time to worship Jesus because never seems to get around to it. Yes, he says he loves Jesus, but actually he loves his lifestyle more loves money board member on the some of them I Jesus says you can have two Masters, you can't love God and money. You can't let go of them and money and look 12, the fantasies of a dispute with Jesus about that when he says that the that that your life doesn't consist in the abundance of things that you have on the policy thought that we can love God, but we can also love on Monday,Jesus, you can do that here is a compromise response, the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, his life and choke compromise response again, there is no fruit itself is a receptor so there is the seed which falls into good blinds. Praise God, and produces an abundant harvest hundred follow 60 fold thirtyfold yield I were told that they have, was regarded as very good. So here is a bumper crop bumper crop, not just a little fruit, but much fruit. What's all this about verse 23. As for what was sold on good soil, this is the one who hears the word of God and understands he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold another 60 and another 30.

This one has eyes and perceives this one has hears and listens, understands the thought is understanding and obeying. This is good news. The kingdom of heaven. There's a bumper crop or the difficulties world. It was on there is one that is God really in control like this.I will only these things problems people falling away the time of your calorie chart touching people seemingly very excited by the courage and make no, they are totally gone militarist, but the kingdom of God is fencing. John tells us in Revelation 7 of a great harvest. John says in heaven. There's this great multitude that no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, just thing of the March of the kingdom of heaven down through the centuries millions and millions just millions of millions of little boys a little girl, older man, an older woman borrowing at the cross coming to the cross with our failures without addictions with our sins as we hired that God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Here, there will be a bumper crop of people from every tribe, every nation, every background in ways that we can hardly imagine all their before the throne and before the Lamb, singing the praises of the one you love them and gave himself for yes that is resistant soil. Yes, that is, compromise soil and Worley's auto is this good soil and a pretty but you but your heart is open to receive Christ to believe the word to blow across and receive Christ as your Savior and then for that you receive the word of God that you receive Christ that there is the supernatural transformation because receptive hearts not only hear the word not only receive the word not only understand the word, but obey the word whenever themes verse 1B. The word of God I asked you this year. When you hear the word of God to a bed, God wants from you incidental regions sit in your life why you continuing that you know it's wrong, obey the word of God confessing repent of it flee from it. Board of God is speaking to you to serve them in some way to love them over as you read the word of God as you listen to the word of God, humble, receptive, no this is not a superficial commitment. This is not cultural Christianity is not coming to Calvary church were noted in a Sunday and living like the devil for the rest of the week. No, this is a genuine growing commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know you're not perfect.

I know we all sin.

I know it's a struggle sometimes rib the world and the flash and the devil against us by the spine of that the kingdom of heaven is growing in the praise God we see that more and more Calvary church would be the case that we come trust. We do the congregation with receptive hearts perceptive heartbeat for God and respond to so and as I began dear me, I'm speaking to you. Everyone every single one of us. What is your personal response to the word of God.

The word you've had this year reading your Bible you learned in your life Bible study you've had from this pulpit. Even this year you receiving the word of God and growing don't have a resistant response you maybe values are going to be here told Satan snatching real estate.

Some of you brought up in Christian homes and you've heard the word of God and you rebel you turning your back on your resistance, receive it, not because your mother or father said it, but because it is the work of God you know is truth. You think you can resistant your thinking go off to college and live the party life and turn your back understand what that that's your heart is becoming harder and harder resistant response of a superficial response be shallow. Please think deeply about the spiritual issues Christ is who he is. Says he is follow him with all of your heart be compromise and say you want to be a follower of Jesus and then you're going to do on your own terms. He is the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and say I'll follow you, Jesus.

If not, 50%, not 25% know to follow him wholeheartedly.

He is the Lord Jesus Christ instant obedience have him number one. He is the priority he's icing first the kingdom of God seeking first.

Why would you compromise the receptive heart receive the word of God. Here's the good news. John and I sometimes admit my heart is hard from them is compromise. Sometimes it shall John this this book this power of the living word of God. Thus, it shatters heart archives. You may have the hardest heart in North Carolina. I got into this if you humble yourself and come to the cross of Jesus Christ that heart heart of yours will be opening dens shattered. Because this word. Jeremiah says it's a Hummer it's a fire is the living word of God is like a two-edged sword.

This word cleanses your heart.

This word exposes you before garden convicts you and opens your eyes and your ears so that once my heart was hardened, like Paul, the glorious light of the gospel can shine in time, the greatest sin into the chiefest six we receive the work we receive seat with you this morning receive Christ. Open your heart, open your eyes open your ears receive Christ, receive the kingdom of God and have a humble, receptive heart is my prayer for each one of you. We pray with me. Yes, God to do a supernatural work in your heart right now you know where you are.

I don't.

God knows your heart.

We humble ourselves before your father. Sometimes our hearts are hard, compromise dens were very superficial, big spiritual life.

There will be genuine salvation father of the seed of the kingdom of heaven will fall into good grounds bear much fruit we want our lives to be fruitful, but your spirit take word this morning that apply to our hearts and lives will be built not in ourselves but on our culture, but built on Christ the solid rock waistcoat