WEBVTT 03:13.000 --> 03:15.400 Good evening everyone, welcome to Anchor Baptist Church. 03:15.400 --> 03:17.400 It is time to go ahead and get started. 03:17.400 --> 03:20.120 If you would find a seat and grab a hymnal. 03:20.120 --> 03:23.120 Our first hymn tonight is number 45. 03:24.600 --> 03:26.780 Hymn number 45, four five, 03:28.000 --> 03:30.500 when I can read my title clear. 03:31.320 --> 03:32.500 Hymn number 45. 03:33.520 --> 03:33.400 Hymn number 45. 03:41.500 --> 03:43.500 45 let's sing it out all together 06:26.000 --> 06:29.120 Father we thank you for this evening and for all your wonderful blessings. 06:29.120 --> 06:33.400 Lord we just also want to thank you for your prayers that have been answered for Pastor 06:33.400 --> 06:35.040 Anderson and his family. 06:35.040 --> 06:38.360 For this service Lord I just pray that you would be with us and guide us, that you'd 06:38.360 --> 06:42.920 open our ears and that you'd fill us with your spirit as we lift up our voices unto 06:42.920 --> 06:43.920 you. 06:43.920 --> 06:46.560 These things we pray in Jesus name, amen. 06:46.560 --> 06:51.040 For our next hymn number 404, When the Battle's Over. 06:53.700 --> 06:58.700 Ham number 404 win the battles over. 07:07.100 --> 07:10.100 404, let's sing it out! 17:55.300 --> 17:58.980 for our third song this evening in your white handouts. 17:58.980 --> 18:00.820 It'll be Psalm 67. 18:03.500 --> 18:07.500 Psalm 67 in your white handouts. 18:10.500 --> 18:13.340 God be merciful unto us and bless us. 18:13.340 --> 18:15.140 Psalm 67. 18:24.700 --> 18:27.700 Let's sing it out, Psalm 67. 18:27.700 --> 18:32.700 God be merciful unto us and bless us 18:32.700 --> 18:36.700 and cause this place to shine upon us. 20:25.600 --> 20:28.720 Turn if you would to Mark chapter number four. 20:28.720 --> 20:30.720 Mark chapter number four. 21:07.900 --> 21:13.180 Mark chapter 4, And he began again to teach by the seaside, and there was gathered unto 21:13.180 --> 21:18.140 him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea. 21:18.140 --> 21:22.420 And the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 21:22.800 --> 21:27.760 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Harken, 21:27.760 --> 21:32.040 behold, there went out a sower to sow, and it came to pass, as he sowed. 21:32.040 --> 21:36.440 Some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 21:36.440 --> 21:40.920 And some fell on stony grounds, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang 21:40.920 --> 21:43.160 up, because it had no depth of earth. 21:43.160 --> 21:47.960 But when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away. 21:48.300 --> 21:52.740 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no 21:52.740 --> 21:53.740 fruit. 21:53.740 --> 21:58.100 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased. 21:58.100 --> 22:03.260 And some brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some in hundred. 22:03.260 --> 22:07.020 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 22:07.020 --> 22:12.020 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve, asked of him the parable. 22:12.900 --> 22:17.780 And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. 22:17.780 --> 22:22.140 But unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables, that seeing they 22:22.140 --> 22:27.900 may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time 22:27.900 --> 22:31.420 they should be converted, and their sin should be forgiven them. 22:31.420 --> 22:34.100 And He said unto them, Know ye not this parable? 22:34.100 --> 22:36.580 And how then will ye know all parables? 22:36.580 --> 22:40.800 The sower soweth the word, and these are they by the wayside, where the word is 22:40.900 --> 22:46.300 sown. But when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that 22:46.300 --> 22:51.220 was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground, who 22:51.220 --> 22:55.780 when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness, and have no root 22:55.780 --> 23:01.660 in themselves, and so endure but for a time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution 23:01.660 --> 23:05.180 ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 23:06.300 --> 23:11.580 And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, 23:11.580 --> 23:16.380 and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, choke the word, 23:16.380 --> 23:21.740 and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as hear the 23:21.740 --> 23:27.020 word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some hundred. 23:27.020 --> 23:30.580 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be but... 23:31.000 --> 23:34.920 put under a bushel or under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick. 23:35.480 --> 23:38.440 For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested. 23:38.440 --> 23:43.160 Neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 23:43.160 --> 23:45.960 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 23:45.960 --> 23:48.680 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear. 23:48.680 --> 23:51.720 With what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you. 23:51.720 --> 23:53.960 And unto you that hear shall more be given. 23:54.800 --> 24:01.300 For he that hath to him shall be given, and he that hath not from him shall be taken even that which he hath. 24:01.300 --> 24:07.200 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, 24:07.200 --> 24:15.600 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up. He knoweth not how. 24:15.700 --> 24:21.260 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that 24:21.260 --> 24:22.940 the full corn in the ear. 24:22.940 --> 24:27.740 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest 24:27.740 --> 24:28.740 is come." 24:28.740 --> 24:32.500 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? 24:32.500 --> 24:34.980 Or with what comparison shall we compare it? 24:34.980 --> 24:40.000 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than 24:40.000 --> 24:41.420 all the seeds that be in the earth. 24:42.500 --> 24:52.500 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becomeeth greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 24:52.500 --> 24:57.500 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 24:57.500 --> 25:03.500 But without a parable spake he not unto them. And when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. 25:03.500 --> 25:10.200 In the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 25:10.400 --> 25:14.800 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. 25:14.800 --> 25:18.000 And there were also with him other little ships. 25:18.000 --> 25:24.160 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 25:24.800 --> 25:28.320 And he was in the hindered part of the ship, asleep on the pillow. 25:28.320 --> 25:32.080 And they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 25:32.720 --> 25:36.560 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still. 25:37.100 --> 25:39.980 And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 25:39.980 --> 25:42.940 And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? 25:42.940 --> 25:45.020 How is it that ye have no faith? 25:45.020 --> 25:48.060 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, 25:48.060 --> 25:52.700 What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? 25:52.700 --> 25:53.500 Let's pray. 25:53.500 --> 25:57.340 Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you would fill Pastor Oz with your Spirit, 25:57.340 --> 26:02.140 help him to preach an edifying sermon for us this evening, and help us to receive it. 26:03.300 --> 26:06.460 We're in mark chapter number four. Let's start reading there in verse one 26:06.460 --> 26:09.580 It says and he began again to teach by the seaside 26:10.260 --> 26:13.420 There was there gathered unto him a great multitude 26:13.860 --> 26:20.740 So that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land 26:21.260 --> 26:24.740 And he taught them many things by parables 26:25.300 --> 26:31.140 and said unto them in his doctrine, Harken, behold, there went out a sower to sow. 26:31.780 --> 26:37.780 And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and 26:37.780 --> 26:44.340 devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it 26:44.340 --> 26:49.860 sprang up, because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, it was scorched, 26:49.860 --> 26:52.340 and because it had no root, it withered away. 26:53.100 --> 26:59.180 and some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no fruit. 26:59.900 --> 27:07.100 And others fell on good ground and it yield fruit that sprang up and increased and brought forth 27:07.100 --> 27:11.700 some 30 and some 60 and some 100. 27:11.800 --> 27:15.400 So this is what is known as the parable of the sower. 27:15.400 --> 27:19.200 So Jesus is just preaching to this great multitude. 27:19.200 --> 27:23.600 And the Bible says that he starts to teach them doctrine through a parable. 27:23.600 --> 27:25.000 Now what is a parable? 27:25.000 --> 27:32.200 A parable is a carnal story, an earthly story that's used to illustrate spiritual truth. 27:32.600 --> 27:38.720 Now, parables are a little bit more advanced when it comes to teachings of the Bible because 27:38.720 --> 27:43.100 of the fact that this chapter is going to explain that the whole reason Jesus is using 27:43.100 --> 27:48.060 these parables is so that he could preach truth and explain things to people who have 27:48.060 --> 27:53.440 ears to hear, to the saved, to those who want to hear the truth, and at the same time withhold 27:53.440 --> 27:57.800 truth from those who are prideful, from those who don't want to listen, from those who are 27:57.800 --> 27:58.980 unsaved. 27:58.980 --> 28:00.600 This is why when you listen to 28:00.600 --> 28:04.840 false prophets preach, they abuse the parables, right? 28:04.840 --> 28:07.080 Because, I mean, they're really just going to show 28:07.080 --> 28:10.500 how right Jesus is, the fact that these were hidden 28:10.500 --> 28:12.680 from some people because they just totally 28:12.680 --> 28:13.800 mess up these parables. 28:13.800 --> 28:15.880 And the parable of the sower is one of those 28:15.880 --> 28:17.900 that false prophets really mess up. 28:18.200 --> 28:23.860 Because I would submit to you and I'm gonna prove this throughout this sermon that when he's talking about these different types of ground 28:23.860 --> 28:30.640 What is he doing? He's giving a physical story of someone going out and sowing right? This isn't your mom's sewing machine 28:30.640 --> 28:34.960 This is someone you know sowing seed out into a field something that you know 28:34.960 --> 28:39.120 We're kind of out of touch with in our day and age maybe got to explain these things to some people 28:39.200 --> 28:42.200 But you got this guy. You know he's working out in agriculture 28:42.200 --> 28:46.060 He's throwing seed on the ground and it's landing on these different types of ground 28:46.200 --> 28:52.200 And what these different types of ground are representing are different types of hearts in man 28:52.720 --> 28:57.000 Different types of hearts in man and let me prove that to you before we go any further go to Luke chapter number eight 28:57.560 --> 29:00.300 Luke chapter number eight is a parallel passage 29:00.920 --> 29:07.000 And in the different Gospels the parable of the sower has a little bit of different, you know details given 29:07.400 --> 29:11.280 But the overall story is absolutely the same but Luke chapter number eight look at verse 15 29:11.280 --> 29:13.640 It says this but that on the good ground 29:14.300 --> 29:18.620 They which in notice an honest and good heart 29:19.420 --> 29:27.060 Having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience go back to mark 4 so this whole parable is about 29:27.600 --> 29:33.600 How different types of different types of people react to the word of God being preached? 29:33.600 --> 29:39.260 Of course the sower sows the seed right and that's a picture of a preacher or a soul winner 29:39.600 --> 29:46.640 preaching the word of God and being received by four different types of grounds or four different types of hearts and so you have 29:46.720 --> 29:53.560 The wayside and the wayside just immediately the the foul the birds come and just gather it up 29:53.900 --> 30:01.600 You have the stony ground, it springs up very quickly, but it has no depth of earth and so it perishes very quickly. 30:01.600 --> 30:08.800 In Luke's Gospel it says that it lacks moisture, which could be a picture of the Word of God getting people deeply rooted. 30:08.800 --> 30:14.000 Okay, then of course you have the thorns growing and choking, not allowing it to become fruitful. 30:14.000 --> 30:18.400 And then you have the good ground that receives it and brings forth fruit. 30:18.400 --> 30:21.800 I submit to you that in these four different types of ground, there is a- 30:21.900 --> 30:24.900 only one ground that is unsaved. 30:25.500 --> 30:32.060 Only one ground that is unsafe whereas false prophets usually look at this and they'll say that only one 30:32.780 --> 30:37.100 Ground is saved why because they're looking at works, right? 30:37.420 --> 30:42.860 And they want to see hey you have to be bringing forth fruit and they don't define that properly 30:42.860 --> 30:44.940 They're not going to show you from the bible what they mean by that 30:45.340 --> 30:49.020 Okay, they mean good works and they want to see oh the one that brings forth good works 30:49.260 --> 30:53.340 That's the one that's safe. But really the three that received the 30:53.500 --> 30:58.180 word of God believed it are saved the only one that did not get saved is the 30:58.180 --> 31:03.000 one is the wayside where the the foul comes and they remove it from the earth 31:03.000 --> 31:06.540 picturing the devil taking away the word of God out of people's hearts okay so 31:06.540 --> 31:09.520 that's kind of a prelude to this but we're gonna get a lot more in depth into 31:09.520 --> 31:12.520 this but before we even get started in the parable look what he says in verse 31:12.520 --> 31:19.400 number 9 he says and he said unto them he that hath ears to hear let him hear 31:19.500 --> 31:21.420 So he's just saying right off the bat, 31:21.420 --> 31:23.860 hey, I want to give this parable to those 31:23.860 --> 31:25.220 who are actually receptive. 31:25.220 --> 31:29.180 I want to explain these concepts to those who are actually 31:29.180 --> 31:30.820 willing to hear. 31:30.820 --> 31:34.300 We need to have the mentality of being ready to hear. 31:34.500 --> 31:38.180 that we come to church ready to hear God's word, 31:38.180 --> 31:40.740 not thinking that we already know everything 31:40.740 --> 31:44.740 or that we can't grow, but we show up ready to hear. 31:44.740 --> 31:47.580 As soul winners, I want to find those people 31:47.580 --> 31:49.260 that are ready to hear. 31:49.500 --> 31:54.300 I want to spend my time with those who are ready to hear as a pastor as a preacher 31:54.300 --> 32:00.780 I want to invest in those who are ready to hear this is Jesus's mentality and this is part of why 32:01.100 --> 32:07.420 He even uses parables because the fact that that's who he wants to really minister to is those who are ready to hear 32:07.500 --> 32:14.320 And those who are actually ready to hear are gonna find out that this parable is not that difficult to understand 32:14.700 --> 32:20.740 In fact, I would submit unto you that of the parables of Jesus Christ. This is one of the easiest to understand 32:20.740 --> 32:27.900 You know why because he literally breaks down the parable verse by verse and explains what he means and false prophets 32:28.060 --> 32:35.560 Still don't get it still mess it up. Why because they don't have ears to hear. All right, let's keep reading there 32:35.560 --> 32:37.560 He says in verse number 10 32:37.600 --> 32:39.100 When he was alone 32:39.200 --> 32:44.760 They that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 32:44.760 --> 32:50.400 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, 32:50.400 --> 32:54.800 but unto them that are without all these things are done in parables. 32:54.800 --> 32:55.800 Why? 32:55.800 --> 32:56.800 Verse twelve. 32:56.800 --> 32:59.800 seeing they may see and not perceive. 33:00.200 --> 33:07.360 Hearing they may hear and not understand lest at any time they should be converted and their sins 33:07.840 --> 33:13.080 Should be forgiven them now at first this seems kind of strange, right? 33:13.280 --> 33:18.440 Because you take a first glance of this and you think well Jesus why don't you want everyone to understand? 33:18.440 --> 33:22.880 Why don't you want every single person who you're preaching to to just clearly get it? 33:22.880 --> 33:26.120 And you got to remember he's preaching to a mixed crowd here 33:26.900 --> 33:31.740 Some people in the crowd are there because they want the miracles they want to see the miracles 33:31.740 --> 33:36.380 They want to get healed other people there. They want the teaching of Jesus Christ. They believe he's the Messiah 33:36.380 --> 33:39.940 They're following him. They think he's the son of God other people there hate him 33:39.980 --> 33:45.780 You got to remember that like some of the people is preaching to absolutely hate him want him dead 33:46.060 --> 33:51.620 We've already seen in the gospel of Mark how insincere the Pharisees are they're not interested in truth 33:51.740 --> 33:54.860 They're not interested in learning and so Jesus is not going 33:54.900 --> 33:58.740 to give the gold to the swine if you will. 33:58.740 --> 34:00.900 He's not gonna cast his pearls before swine. 34:00.900 --> 34:03.260 He doesn't want these certain people to understand. 34:03.260 --> 34:04.100 And we get more of that. 34:04.100 --> 34:06.500 Go if you would to John chapter number 12. 34:06.500 --> 34:08.300 John chapter number 12. 34:09.700 --> 34:11.600 He's like, look, some of these people, 34:11.600 --> 34:13.700 I want them to see and not perceive. 34:13.700 --> 34:17.340 Some of these people I want them to hear and not understand. 34:17.340 --> 34:19.360 You know that just because you hear a sermon, 34:19.360 --> 34:20.500 just because you read the Bible 34:20.500 --> 34:21.900 does not mean you understand it. 34:22.100 --> 34:25.540 You need this thing called the Holy Spirit to understand God's Word 34:26.340 --> 34:29.340 Look at verse number 36 of John 12 34:30.140 --> 34:32.500 John chapter number 12 verse 36 34:33.140 --> 34:35.920 Notice what Jesus said. He said while ye have light 34:36.560 --> 34:44.580 Believe in the light that ye may be the children of light these things spake Jesus and departed and did hide 34:44.820 --> 34:46.820 himself from them 34:47.100 --> 34:53.720 So look, it's not that Jesus doesn't give every single person a chance. He does right the Pharisees at one point 34:53.740 --> 35:00.860 They had a chance every single person in this world has a chance because you know what even creation declares the glory of God 35:01.380 --> 35:08.180 Even creation reveals God's power and his Godhead and so no one is without excuse in this world 35:08.540 --> 35:12.460 Everyone has been revealed some truth to them, but how you respond 35:13.100 --> 35:16.140 often times if God's gonna reveal more truth to you 35:16.140 --> 35:22.300 Right and so we got to take any little truth that we get very seriously and have ears to hear 35:22.300 --> 35:27.900 Because he said hey walk in the light while he have the light and we're gonna see in this story 35:27.900 --> 35:33.020 There's people that Jesus was there. He's the light of the world, but eventually he did what he withdrew himself from them 35:33.020 --> 35:36.780 He hid himself from them verse 37 35:36.780 --> 35:39.780 from them. Verse 37. 35:40.100 --> 35:46.940 But though he had done so many miracles before them yet. They believe not on him, right? 35:46.940 --> 35:48.940 So these people are without excuse 35:49.440 --> 35:53.320 Did they see the light of Jesus Christ? Yes, they did they heard his preaching 35:53.320 --> 35:59.420 Not only that they saw the miracles that he did and they still chose to not believe in him 36:00.020 --> 36:01.400 wicked people 36:01.400 --> 36:07.600 Verse 38 that the saying of Isaiah's that's Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord 36:08.100 --> 36:15.300 Who hath believed our report and to whom hath the arm of the lord been revealed verse 39 is key therefore 36:15.700 --> 36:17.700 They could not believe 36:18.340 --> 36:20.340 Because that is is said again 36:20.580 --> 36:26.180 He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes 36:26.580 --> 36:32.340 Nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them doesn't that sound like exactly? 36:32.740 --> 36:35.240 What jesus was saying when he was preaching this parable? 36:35.500 --> 36:41.340 You know what it is a punishment from God for the light of the gospel to be darkened unto you 36:41.680 --> 36:48.620 It's a punishment from God for the light of the Bible the light of Jesus Christ to be shown to you 36:48.740 --> 36:52.940 But you just reject it so many times that God says okay, you know what as a punishment 36:52.940 --> 36:58.500 I'm gonna make it to where your eyes are darkened your hearts darkened. You can't hear you can't perceive 36:58.500 --> 37:00.980 Why lest you be converted and be healed? 37:01.500 --> 37:05.580 He's saying you've crossed a line, you've gotten to a point, notice what the Bible says there, 37:05.580 --> 37:12.700 that they cannot believe. This is a reprobate. It's not that, oh you know, because people say 37:12.700 --> 37:16.940 like, well what if a reprobate believes? Okay, well let's just play this make-believe game here, 37:16.940 --> 37:21.260 that let's say theoretically if a reprobate believed in Jesus Christ, guess what? They would 37:21.260 --> 37:25.340 go to heaven because everyone who believes on Jesus Christ is going to heaven. But here's the thing, 37:25.340 --> 37:26.700 They can't believe. 37:27.000 --> 37:28.000 That's the punishment. 37:28.000 --> 37:30.000 They can't believe. 37:30.000 --> 37:35.000 And so, look, you can listen to Jesus preach parables to you all day long, Pharisees, but 37:35.000 --> 37:36.000 you know what? 37:36.000 --> 37:37.000 It's hidden from you. 37:37.000 --> 37:38.000 It's darkened from you. 37:38.000 --> 37:39.000 You're not going to receive it. 37:39.000 --> 37:42.400 And so that's why He's doing this here in Mark chapter four. 37:42.400 --> 37:43.760 Let's go back there, Mark chapter number four. 37:46.500 --> 37:49.700 Again, let's read verse 12, that seeing they may see and not perceive. 37:50.200 --> 37:56.820 Hearing they may hear and not understand lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them 37:56.980 --> 38:03.340 Verse 13 and he said unto them no ye not this parable and how then will you know all? 38:04.000 --> 38:07.320 Parables like to me what I'm getting from this is Jesus is kind of saying like hey 38:07.320 --> 38:11.060 This is one of the easier parables that I'm gonna be explaining to you, right? 38:11.200 --> 38:16.340 But you know the Bible talks about how as a thorn goeth into the hand of a drunkard 38:16.500 --> 38:18.200 so is a parable in the 38:18.200 --> 38:20.000 mouth of fools. 38:20.000 --> 38:24.920 And even though this is a pretty easy parable, relatively speaking to some of Jesus' other 38:24.920 --> 38:30.720 parables, people who are unsaved, false prophets, they can't even understand this parable. 38:30.720 --> 38:34.840 And it's like, well, how will you understand all parables if you're not going to understand 38:34.840 --> 38:36.160 the parable of the sower? 38:36.160 --> 38:41.480 When someone gets up and says, yeah, only one person here is someone getting saved, 38:41.480 --> 38:43.960 it's like, man, you are blind. 38:43.960 --> 38:45.520 You are not saved yourself. 38:45.800 --> 38:49.360 Because you know what how understanding these things comes from the spirit of God 38:49.920 --> 38:54.240 All right, so now he's gonna explain a little bit of the parable here. He says verse 14 the sower 38:54.840 --> 38:56.840 soweth the word 38:57.240 --> 39:03.040 Notice what that person is that person is the sole winner that person is the preacher 39:03.320 --> 39:09.520 Do you know that in all the farms of Oklahoma these fields are not planting themselves? 39:10.600 --> 39:15.120 Do you know that there's a worker, there's a farmer, there's a sower, right? 39:15.120 --> 39:19.820 Just how, when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ and people getting saved, there has 39:19.820 --> 39:21.480 to be a preacher of the gospel. 39:21.480 --> 39:22.760 And you know what? 39:22.760 --> 39:28.320 This doctrine is just constantly under attack today by people who don't go sow the word. 39:28.320 --> 39:32.460 They're trying to gaslight us into thinking that fields are just going to plant themselves. 39:32.800 --> 39:35.300 that forests are just going to plant themselves, 39:35.300 --> 39:37.840 that we're just going to see all this great agriculture 39:37.840 --> 39:40.740 throughout America, and all of that is done by itself. 39:40.740 --> 39:42.840 No, you want to know how the land of America 39:42.840 --> 39:43.880 got developed? 39:43.880 --> 39:47.640 By workers, by farmers, right? 39:47.640 --> 39:51.880 During the westward expansion of the United States, 39:51.880 --> 39:53.580 there was one point where Oklahoma 39:53.580 --> 39:55.320 was just complete wilderness. 39:55.500 --> 39:58.800 The Native Americans, they were not living in utopia, 39:58.800 --> 40:02.340 you know, lands here, they had not cultivated the land, 40:02.340 --> 40:04.140 they had not done anything in this land 40:04.140 --> 40:05.620 because they were a bunch of savage pagans. 40:05.620 --> 40:07.500 That's another sermon for another day. 40:07.500 --> 40:11.440 But you know what, as Christians moved westward, 40:11.440 --> 40:13.360 you know what started happening in our country 40:13.360 --> 40:14.740 from a physical perspective, 40:14.740 --> 40:17.500 is that sowers were sowing the seed. 40:17.500 --> 40:19.780 And you know what we're doing in a spiritual perspective 40:19.780 --> 40:22.280 is that we are sowing the word of God. 40:22.500 --> 40:29.300 Right now. Here's the cool thing about sowing from an agricultural perspective is that all you got to do is just sow that seed 40:29.580 --> 40:34.840 Right. I can't just like, you know grow make this thing grow obviously God's involved there 40:35.200 --> 40:36.200 Right? 40:36.200 --> 40:39.120 God is involved with the physical world that we live in. 40:39.120 --> 40:42.280 God is the one that causes the grass to grow. 40:42.280 --> 40:45.560 God is the one that causes the flowers to spring forth. 40:45.560 --> 40:49.440 God is the one that causes life to be reproduced. 40:49.440 --> 40:51.600 But still though, there has to be a sower. 40:52.000 --> 40:58.640 Right and just like in the same way when it comes to preaching the gospel god, of course dummy is getting the soul saved 40:58.880 --> 40:59.680 Right, but you know what? 40:59.680 --> 41:07.920 We're preaching the word we're sowing the word and we're involved in that process and human saved individuals are a necessary component of that process 41:08.480 --> 41:13.120 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of god. How shall they hear without a what preacher? 41:13.440 --> 41:15.840 Right, how should they preach except they be sent? 41:16.700 --> 41:24.060 Alright, so the sower soweth the word the seed is the word of God and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown 41:24.700 --> 41:26.700 But when they have heard 41:27.240 --> 41:32.860 Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts 41:33.620 --> 41:41.460 This is why it is so important for a person to get saved when they hear the gospel and to not put off getting saved 41:41.780 --> 41:43.780 That is a dangerous thing to do 41:44.300 --> 41:51.980 I believe and this parable bears this out that there are people that hear the gospel and they they have like a mental 41:52.140 --> 41:59.680 Head knowledge of the information that's being given to them. But for whatever reason they decide hey, I'm not gonna do that 41:59.680 --> 42:05.500 I'm not ready to call upon the name of the Lord. I'll worry about that later. Hey, I'm working on myself right now 42:05.500 --> 42:09.080 I'm working on my career. I'm having fun in life. I don't want to worry about that 42:09.260 --> 42:12.260 Well, here's the danger is that Satan can come and take away that mess 42:12.300 --> 42:13.640 out of your heart. 42:13.640 --> 42:15.100 You ever forgot something in life? 42:15.100 --> 42:16.740 I know I have, right? 42:16.740 --> 42:18.580 People forget things all the time. 42:18.580 --> 42:20.640 You're gonna forget things that I preach in this sermon. 42:20.640 --> 42:22.040 I'm gonna forget things that I preach 42:22.040 --> 42:23.420 in this sermon tomorrow, right? 42:23.420 --> 42:25.280 And so when we get information, 42:25.280 --> 42:27.880 the best time to act on that information is right away. 42:28.400 --> 42:34.900 Right when you hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and you're not saved the best thing to do is now is the day of salvation 42:35.320 --> 42:42.280 Not tomorrow not next week and I've even used this verse when you ever got you know, you preach the gospel to someone 42:42.920 --> 42:44.560 They're getting the answers, right? 42:44.560 --> 42:48.760 But you get to the part about calling upon the name of the Lord and they're like, ah, you know 42:48.760 --> 42:52.720 I don't really want to do that right now or I want to do that by myself blah blah blah 42:53.300 --> 42:55.140 Look, there could be a couple reasons for that. 42:55.140 --> 42:57.220 One reason could be because they just haven't gotten it yet. 42:57.220 --> 42:58.700 That's often one reason. 42:58.700 --> 43:01.380 Or they just have this silly thought in their mind 43:01.380 --> 43:02.700 that like, I'll do it later. 43:02.700 --> 43:04.860 I've taken them to the parable of the sower and said, 43:04.860 --> 43:06.540 hey, here's the danger. 43:06.540 --> 43:08.720 Is that there's a good chance that if I walk away 43:08.720 --> 43:10.780 from you right now and you don't get saved right now, 43:10.780 --> 43:13.220 you're gonna go about your life. 43:13.220 --> 43:14.060 You're gonna live your life. 43:14.060 --> 43:15.060 You're gonna go to your job. 43:15.060 --> 43:16.400 You're gonna keep playing your video game 43:16.400 --> 43:17.500 that you're playing right now. 43:17.500 --> 43:19.300 And you're gonna forget what I'm telling you. 43:19.900 --> 43:25.900 There's a big danger with you forgetting this and then you never getting saved and you going to hell and I've actually had people 43:25.900 --> 43:29.980 See this and say alright. Alright, I'll call upon the name of Lord. Look other people have rejected it 43:30.020 --> 43:32.740 But why is Jesus giving us this truth? 43:32.740 --> 43:39.860 Because it's real that people could hear the gospel and the devil can come and take that away from their hearts, right? 43:39.860 --> 43:42.420 These people didn't lose their salvation. They never got saved 43:42.900 --> 43:45.300 It was taken away out of their heart. 43:45.300 --> 43:48.140 And so the seed sown by the wayside, 43:48.140 --> 43:51.360 the wayside is the one unsaved group 43:51.360 --> 43:55.200 in the parable of the sower, the only unsaved group. 43:55.200 --> 43:56.880 Then let's go to verse 16. 43:56.880 --> 44:00.000 And these are they likewise, 44:00.000 --> 44:02.640 which are sown on stony ground, 44:02.640 --> 44:04.900 who when they have heard the word, 44:04.900 --> 44:08.180 immediately notice, receive it with gladness. 44:08.400 --> 44:12.020 They like the message of the gospel they receive it they believe the gospel 44:12.360 --> 44:18.140 But notice what it says it says and have no root in themselves and so endure for a time 44:19.180 --> 44:21.380 afterward when affliction or 44:21.940 --> 44:24.180 Persecution arise it for the words sake 44:24.940 --> 44:29.540 Immediately they lost their salvation. Oh, that's not what it says says they are offended 44:29.900 --> 44:35.340 Right the false prophets used to say oh they they got persecuted they had these issues and they lost their salvation 44:35.500 --> 44:40.220 It doesn't say they lost their salvation because you can't lose your salvation. It says they got offended 44:40.860 --> 44:45.660 What does the bible actually say it says that they what received it with gladness? 44:46.380 --> 44:49.260 Right doesn't the bible talk about in john chapter number one verse 12 44:49.500 --> 44:56.540 But as many as received him to them gave me power to become the sons of god even to them that believe on his name 44:56.900 --> 45:02.740 Right, so I love it when the Bible defines words for you, right John 6 Jesus he that cometh to me 45:02.740 --> 45:08.660 What does it mean to come to Christ believe right? Hey, what does it mean to receive Christ believe in Jesus Christ? 45:08.820 --> 45:12.760 So the Bible says and so what does this person do they believe in Jesus Christ? 45:13.580 --> 45:19.060 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life, right? 45:19.060 --> 45:24.440 So this person is saved but what is the problem with this person? The Bible says that they have no 45:24.900 --> 45:29.840 root in themselves. Keep your place there. Let's go to Psalm chapter number one. Psalm 45:29.840 --> 45:34.860 chapter number one. It says they have no root in themselves. It says when persecution or 45:34.860 --> 45:44.340 tribulation comes, by and by they are offended. Psalm chapter number one. The Bible says this, 45:44.340 --> 45:45.580 Blessed is the man. 45:45.900 --> 45:49.060 that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, 45:49.060 --> 45:51.300 nor standeth in the way of sinners, 45:51.300 --> 45:54.340 nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, 45:54.340 --> 45:57.300 but his delight is in the law of the Lord. 45:57.300 --> 46:01.380 And in his law doth he meditate day and night, 46:01.380 --> 46:05.980 and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. 46:06.400 --> 46:13.360 That bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper 46:13.760 --> 46:17.840 Right. So the psalm chapter 1 christian would be like the good ground 46:18.400 --> 46:20.800 What's the problem with the ground? 46:20.800 --> 46:26.080 The stony ground is that they receive it with gladness, but there's no root right? 46:26.320 --> 46:31.940 You ever seen a bush or a tree or something that had roots that were very very surface level? 46:32.600 --> 46:34.400 And then, you know, the floods come. 46:34.400 --> 46:36.080 You get one of those Texas floods 46:36.080 --> 46:38.160 or one of those just crazy rainstorms. 46:38.160 --> 46:40.080 And then all of a sudden that tree just topples over. 46:40.080 --> 46:41.520 It could be a huge tree. 46:41.520 --> 46:44.440 But if its root systems were really shallow in the earth, 46:44.440 --> 46:46.040 didn't have those deep roots, I mean, 46:46.040 --> 46:48.800 it just takes a little bit of tribulation, right, 46:48.800 --> 46:50.280 to just knock that tree over. 46:50.280 --> 46:52.160 Whereas what is this tree? 46:52.160 --> 46:54.880 It's the tree that's planted by the rivers of water. 46:55.400 --> 46:58.400 Right? So that tree is getting lots of nutrients. 46:58.400 --> 47:00.400 It's getting all the nutrients that it needs. 47:00.400 --> 47:03.400 And the trees that are planted by the rivers of water, 47:03.400 --> 47:06.400 they have what? Deep, strong roots. 47:06.900 --> 47:13.660 Even during times where other trees are falling over and other you know different types of vegetation are getting destroyed 47:13.660 --> 47:17.540 It's often those trees that are by the rivers of water that are sturdy 47:17.700 --> 47:24.100 They're not going anywhere and not only are they just not being destroyed, but they're also bringing forth fruit, right? 47:24.100 --> 47:27.420 They're being productive and how is it that a Christian gets like this? 47:27.420 --> 47:30.740 It says there in verse 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord the Bible 47:31.300 --> 47:34.340 And in his law, does he meditate day and night? 47:34.340 --> 47:36.820 So what is the water of the Christian life? 47:36.820 --> 47:38.900 It's the word of God. 47:38.900 --> 47:42.540 And how we get those roots really down deep 47:42.540 --> 47:44.100 is to read the word of God. 47:44.100 --> 47:46.820 I like how this parable is worded in Luke, 47:46.820 --> 47:48.900 how it talks about the stony ground. 47:48.900 --> 47:51.940 It says that it lacked moisture. 47:51.940 --> 47:55.460 So the seed is planted, but it lacked moisture. 47:55.460 --> 47:56.300 You know what that is? 47:56.300 --> 47:57.560 A lack of Bible reading. 47:58.000 --> 48:04.560 And let me tell you that this is the reason why people quit in the Christian life go back to mark chapter number four the biggest reason 48:05.040 --> 48:08.400 Why people quit in the Christian life not lose your salvation 48:08.880 --> 48:15.280 But get back slidden stop going to church. Stop doing the things of god stops holding is because they're not reading their bible 48:16.000 --> 48:23.600 Because you know what the bible says great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them 48:24.000 --> 48:27.000 You know that verse is not talking about getting your feelings hurt. 48:27.000 --> 48:29.500 That's not what the word offend means there, okay? 48:29.500 --> 48:33.000 What offend means to cease or to cause to stumble? 48:33.500 --> 48:37.280 And what this stony ground, it says there, 48:37.280 --> 48:38.120 notice what it says, 48:38.120 --> 48:39.920 it says, and have no root in themselves, 48:39.920 --> 48:42.560 and so endure for but a time afterward 48:42.560 --> 48:44.480 when affliction or persecution arise 48:44.480 --> 48:48.560 at for the word's sake immediately, they are offended. 48:48.560 --> 48:50.680 It's not saying that they got their feelings hurt, 48:50.680 --> 48:54.100 it's saying that when persecution or tribulation 48:54.100 --> 48:56.180 or bad times come in the Christian life, 48:56.180 --> 48:59.100 they cease in their walk with God. 48:59.100 --> 48:59.940 Why? 48:59.940 --> 49:01.000 Because they didn't have those roots. 49:01.200 --> 49:03.600 They didn't have those roots of the Word of God. 49:03.600 --> 49:06.640 And if I've seen it once, I've seen it a hundred times, 49:06.640 --> 49:08.480 I've seen it hundreds of times, 49:08.480 --> 49:12.400 the Christians that get saved and they get excited for a while, 49:12.400 --> 49:14.640 and then all of a sudden they're just out of church, 49:14.640 --> 49:16.720 I could promise you something about that person, 49:16.720 --> 49:19.280 they are not diligently reading their Bible. 49:19.900 --> 49:21.900 They are not a student of the word of God. 49:21.900 --> 49:24.900 They are not meditating in God's word day and night 49:24.900 --> 49:28.400 because the Bible says that when you're meditating on God's word day and night, 49:28.400 --> 49:31.900 you're going to be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. 49:31.900 --> 49:34.900 And I'm telling you, there's no better indicator 49:34.900 --> 49:38.900 to your future in the Christian life than to your Bible reading. 49:38.900 --> 49:41.900 I'm just telling you, if you're not a daily Bible reader, 49:41.900 --> 49:43.900 I probably will not see you in five years. 49:43.900 --> 49:46.600 I probably will not see you in ten years. 49:46.600 --> 49:50.340 And look, people can go for a while, right? 49:50.340 --> 49:52.400 And it's like, well how is it that some people, 49:52.400 --> 49:55.140 they do go to church for five years, for 10 years, 49:55.140 --> 49:57.020 while not really reading their Bible that much? 49:57.020 --> 49:58.540 Well, it's because they went through a period of time 49:58.540 --> 50:01.140 where they weren't having persecution and affliction. 50:01.140 --> 50:03.020 But notice what happens. 50:03.020 --> 50:04.540 Whenever there's a big battle, 50:04.540 --> 50:05.700 you know what you see happen? 50:05.700 --> 50:07.200 You see a bunch of people get offended. 50:07.700 --> 50:09.700 You see a bunch of people quit. 50:09.700 --> 50:11.700 You see a bunch of people stop. 50:11.700 --> 50:14.700 And why is it? It's because they did not love God's Word enough. That's why. 50:15.600 --> 50:19.600 Because great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them. 50:19.600 --> 50:22.600 Right? Persecution is not going to make us stop. 50:22.600 --> 50:24.600 Tribulation is not going to make us stop. 50:24.600 --> 50:26.600 Losing friends is not going to make us stop. 50:26.600 --> 50:29.600 Family members not liking you is not going to make us stop. 50:29.600 --> 50:31.600 Being in the news is not going to make us stop. 50:31.600 --> 50:33.600 Losing money, losing health. 50:33.600 --> 50:37.600 Look, if you have deep roots in the word of God, you can go through a lot. 50:38.300 --> 50:44.500 And when I look at Christians in life that just go through trial after trial, tribulation 50:44.500 --> 50:48.060 after tribulation, man I can't think of anyone like this, Pastor Anderson, and they just 50:48.060 --> 50:49.060 keep going. 50:49.060 --> 50:50.060 You know why? 50:50.060 --> 50:51.060 It's because they love God's word. 50:51.060 --> 50:54.160 Because they've got God's word deep into their heart. 50:54.160 --> 50:57.660 And I'm just telling you, look, if you are not someone who reads your Bible every day, 50:57.660 --> 50:58.980 you should be scared that you're going to quit. 50:59.300 --> 51:06.280 You should be scared that you're gonna stumble you should be scared that you're gonna be offended because you are in danger of being the stony ground 51:06.280 --> 51:12.060 And don't make the mistake of this parable of acting like this is only one time in your life 51:12.620 --> 51:17.300 Obviously, you can't lose your salvation. Can't be the wayside, but look you could be the good ground today 51:17.300 --> 51:19.360 And you could be the stony ground next year 51:19.940 --> 51:23.960 Right, you could be the good ground today. You know if you have a good piece of land 51:24.500 --> 51:31.580 It's really productive and it's bringing forth fruit if you've got a garden and you're fertilizing it, right? You're watering it 51:31.580 --> 51:36.320 You're taking care of it. You're pruning it, you know that is gonna be productive. But what if you just stop? 51:36.980 --> 51:41.240 What if you stop watering it? What if you stop feeding it? What if you stop taking care of it? 51:41.240 --> 51:43.620 You know, eventually it's gonna become stony ground 51:44.480 --> 51:49.360 Eventually, it's gonna become ground and so look the Bible talks about how we should guard our heart 51:49.800 --> 51:55.640 How diligently keep thy heart for out of it are the issues of life. It's very important that you take care of your ground 51:56.360 --> 52:00.840 Take care of your heart and make sure you don't allow yourself to be this stony 52:01.480 --> 52:03.240 hearted christian 52:03.240 --> 52:05.240 Let's go to verse 18 52:06.360 --> 52:11.340 Now we have verse number 18 says and these are they which are sewn among thorns 52:12.000 --> 52:18.240 such as hear the word, notice, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, 52:18.240 --> 52:25.440 and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomeeth unfruitful." 52:27.100 --> 52:29.980 It doesn't lose its salvation, right? You don't lose your salvation 52:30.380 --> 52:35.340 It's just saying the type of a person who they receive the word of god. They believe the gospel 52:35.660 --> 52:40.220 They've trusted in christ, but even those who are saved who trust in christ 52:40.540 --> 52:46.540 There is always going to be a danger of this world coming in and choking our fruitfulness 52:47.180 --> 52:52.720 Again, this is not a one-time thing. You you have a danger of becoming this ground in the future 52:53.600 --> 52:58.120 Yacht to not yacht not never to think like oh, you know riches could never tempt me 52:58.200 --> 53:05.120 This world could never tempt me again. We've got to be constantly what renewing our mind go if you would to Romans chapter 12 53:05.120 --> 53:07.240 Let's go there Romans chapter number 12 53:09.200 --> 53:13.840 Now look some people we get saved they're this type of ground right away, right? 53:13.840 --> 53:18.240 We get someone saved and you know what? They already have the the love of money just deep into their heart 53:18.480 --> 53:20.720 It's who they are. They want to live for this world 53:20.960 --> 53:27.040 They want to live for the vacations for the fun for the games for for all of the things this world can provide us 53:27.120 --> 53:31.200 Right. Some people are like that. There are other people or maybe they start out as the good ground 53:31.520 --> 53:35.540 But then the cares of this world eventually get to them right down the road 53:36.600 --> 53:44.060 Look at Romans chapter 12 verse 1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice 53:44.920 --> 53:51.560 Holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world 53:52.200 --> 53:54.200 But be ye transformed 53:54.680 --> 53:56.680 By the renewing of your mind 53:57.160 --> 54:02.060 That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of god 54:02.600 --> 54:06.800 Right, so the thorns, they just want to just take you over. 54:06.800 --> 54:08.440 They want to choke you out. 54:08.440 --> 54:12.040 And the Bible is saying, hey, be not conformed to this world. 54:12.040 --> 54:18.280 Right, so don't just go along with this world's way of living, this world's way of thinking. 54:18.280 --> 54:20.080 Hey, don't be conformed to this world. 54:20.080 --> 54:21.080 It says be transformed. 54:21.080 --> 54:22.080 You know what that means? 54:22.080 --> 54:22.760 Change. 54:23.300 --> 54:26.300 Be different. Change who you are. 54:26.300 --> 54:28.300 And how is it that you change who you are? 54:28.300 --> 54:31.300 How is it that you don't fall into the love of money, 54:31.300 --> 54:33.300 the cares of this world, the pleasure, the riches? 54:33.300 --> 54:36.300 It's by the what? Renewing of your mind. 54:36.300 --> 54:38.300 How is it that you renew your mind? 54:38.300 --> 54:42.300 You prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God 54:42.300 --> 54:44.300 by reading the Word of God. 54:44.300 --> 54:47.300 Right? So notice, like, what is the answer in all these areas? 54:47.300 --> 54:48.300 It's the Bible. 54:48.500 --> 54:52.500 What is it that's going to bring someone to be that good ground? 54:52.500 --> 54:53.500 It's the Bible. 54:53.500 --> 54:55.500 Because again, what is the ground? 54:55.500 --> 54:56.500 It's your heart. 54:56.500 --> 54:58.500 You know what is going to pierce your heart? 54:58.500 --> 54:59.500 The Word of God. 54:59.500 --> 55:02.500 You know what can make a stony heart soft? 55:02.500 --> 55:04.500 The Word of God. 55:04.500 --> 55:05.500 God gives us a new heart. 55:05.500 --> 55:07.500 God can renew our heart. 55:07.500 --> 55:08.500 God can renew our mind. 55:08.500 --> 55:10.500 But it's done through His Word. 55:10.500 --> 55:11.500 And again, 55:12.300 --> 55:17.660 Every single person under the sound of my voice there is a danger in the future of you becoming this ground 55:18.100 --> 55:25.240 There is a danger of you becoming a stony ground there is the danger of you becoming the thorny ground if you stop reading your Bible 55:25.900 --> 55:30.800 Every single person can fall into the lusts of flesh the lusts of the eyes the pride of life 55:30.900 --> 55:38.040 Let him that think if he standeth take heed lest he fall. How is it that you take heed? It's by reading the Bible 55:38.600 --> 55:40.880 It's by reading God's word, applying it to your life, 55:40.880 --> 55:44.200 allowing it to change you, allowing it to transform you. 55:44.200 --> 55:46.200 Go if you would back to Mark chapter number four. 55:49.700 --> 55:53.940 Alright, so what do we got so far we got the wayside the devil takes the word out of someone's heart 55:54.260 --> 55:59.300 They're not saved you got the stony ground. They receive it with gladness. They're excited for a while 55:59.700 --> 56:02.900 Maybe they come to church for a while. Maybe they go soul winning a few times 56:03.140 --> 56:07.380 But then they don't have that depthness that that uh, deepness of earth 56:07.920 --> 56:13.460 Persecution comes they're offended. They stop serving god thorns. They receive the word of god the cares of this world comes 56:13.620 --> 56:15.700 It makes them unfruitful now. We got the good ground 56:16.740 --> 56:17.700 verse 20 56:18.000 --> 56:32.000 And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty and some and hundred. 56:32.000 --> 56:37.000 So what is what is God's definition? Right? When you know, people like to talk about. 56:37.800 --> 56:42.560 You know I have a good heart right people say stuff like I have a good heart. Well. What is the good heart? 56:42.640 --> 56:48.000 What is the good hearted person? They're someone who receives God word God's word they believe it and 56:48.920 --> 56:50.640 They bring forth fruit 56:50.640 --> 56:55.580 Right and so you know don't tell me you have a good heart as you don't care about people dying and going to hell 56:56.040 --> 57:00.900 Because the Bible says that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he that winneth souls is wise 57:01.240 --> 57:05.180 What does it mean to bring forth fruit? It's talking about getting people saved 57:06.100 --> 57:09.100 It's not talking about your works. 57:09.100 --> 57:11.180 And I've even had safe people come to me 57:11.180 --> 57:13.380 and get confused on this and try to tell me 57:13.380 --> 57:17.140 that they think that fruit is just good works in general. 57:17.140 --> 57:20.620 Well, explain to me how it's like 30 good deeds, 57:20.620 --> 57:23.220 like 30 good deeds, 60 good deeds, 57:23.220 --> 57:26.060 100 good, I'm 100 good, right? 57:26.060 --> 57:28.180 Or even people will try to say it's the fruits of the spirit. 57:28.180 --> 57:30.580 So it's like, what are you, 100 love? 57:30.580 --> 57:31.940 Are you 60 piece? 57:32.600 --> 57:34.760 30 gentleness, right? 57:34.760 --> 57:37.360 This is talking about winning souls, folks. 57:37.360 --> 57:39.000 And look, it's not hard to understand. 57:39.000 --> 57:40.900 He that have ears to hear, let him hear. 57:40.900 --> 57:42.000 You know who doesn't want to hear it? 57:42.000 --> 57:43.540 Lazy non-soul winners. 57:43.700 --> 57:47.140 people who have a hard heart and don't care about people dying and going to hell 57:47.140 --> 57:50.900 but the good-hearted person is going to go out and they're going to preach the word 57:50.900 --> 57:55.140 they're going to sow the seed and they're going to get people saved and look he that goeth forth 57:55.140 --> 58:00.740 and weepeth bearing precious what seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing 58:00.740 --> 58:06.180 his sheaves with him if you preach the gospel you will get people saved plural 58:07.000 --> 58:09.000 And look, in a place like Oklahoma City, 58:09.000 --> 58:11.520 if you're just an average soul winner, 58:11.520 --> 58:15.880 you go once a week for 59 minutes and 59 seconds, 58:15.880 --> 58:20.960 it is very, very doable for you to get 30 people saved a year. 58:20.960 --> 58:23.120 You may even get 60 people saved a year. 58:23.120 --> 58:23.620 And you know what? 58:23.620 --> 58:25.040 In Oklahoma City, you don't even have 58:25.040 --> 58:27.360 to work that hard to get 100 people saved a year. 58:27.360 --> 58:29.720 Look, you could be like Brother Sonny and go on one mission 58:29.720 --> 58:32.200 strip and get 99 in a week, right? 58:32.200 --> 58:34.240 That's a really productive tree right there. 58:34.240 --> 58:34.740 And look. 58:35.300 --> 58:37.960 Let me say this, if you're getting 30 people saved a year, 58:37.960 --> 58:39.180 you're awesome. 58:39.180 --> 58:40.680 You have a good heart, right? 58:40.680 --> 58:43.060 We don't want to become these holier than nows, 58:43.060 --> 58:44.020 you know, that are just like, 58:44.020 --> 58:46.260 oh, well you didn't get as many people saved as me. 58:46.260 --> 58:49.180 You know what, if you're getting 30 people saved a year, 58:49.180 --> 58:51.020 that's a big deal. 58:51.020 --> 58:52.520 We should praise God for that. 58:52.520 --> 58:54.020 We should thank God for soul winners 58:54.020 --> 58:56.740 that are getting 30 people saved a year. 58:56.740 --> 58:58.060 Praise the Lord for that. 58:58.060 --> 59:00.420 Look, if you're getting 60 people saved a year, 59:00.420 --> 59:01.420 that's amazing. 59:01.900 --> 59:06.100 That is 60 times more a year than the average Christian is doing. 59:06.100 --> 59:09.100 Because the average Christian is getting zero people saved. 59:09.100 --> 59:13.100 And I'm just here to encourage you, look, you can get people saved. 59:13.100 --> 59:15.600 You do not have to be someone special. 59:15.600 --> 59:19.100 You know, the person that sows the seed in the ground, 59:19.100 --> 59:21.600 again, they're not like doing some sort of magic potion, like, 59:21.600 --> 59:23.100 oh, grow, you know, seed. 59:23.100 --> 59:25.100 They're just sowing the seed, right? 59:25.100 --> 59:27.100 And it's like, here's the nice thing about getting people saved, 59:27.100 --> 59:28.900 is I am just God's... 59:29.000 --> 59:32.320 Messenger boy, that's all I am right or like the boy 59:32.320 --> 59:37.480 You know back it back in the dinosaur days and people had newspapers right and the little boy would go down the street 59:37.480 --> 59:41.400 He would toss newspapers to people is he like editing the newspaper 59:41.760 --> 59:44.760 Is he is he like editing any jokes in there? 59:44.760 --> 59:49.820 Is he no he's just delivering the newspaper and you know we're doing a solaners. We're just delivering the news 59:50.700 --> 59:55.880 We're literally just delivering the good news. That's what the gospel is is the good news, right? 59:55.880 --> 01:00:00.920 And so look people put so much pressure on themselves. You can't force anyone to get saved 01:00:00.920 --> 01:00:05.120 I can't force anyone to get saved all I could do is just sow the seed 01:00:05.520 --> 01:00:09.600 Right, and if we sow the seed that you are doing your job as a soul winner 01:00:10.380 --> 01:00:11.300 now 01:00:12.100 --> 01:00:16.500 With this in mind, let's read verse 20 again. It says and these are they which are sown on good ground 01:00:16.740 --> 01:00:23.620 Such as hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit some 30 fold some 60 and some 100 01:00:24.260 --> 01:00:31.620 Verse 21. I do not believe he's just completely changing gears in the next couple verses talking about something completely different 01:00:31.860 --> 01:00:35.780 I think he's going on the same vein of thought here and he said under them is a candle 01:00:36.340 --> 01:00:39.620 Brought to be put under a bushel bushel or under a bed 01:00:40.000 --> 01:00:42.320 and not to be set on a candlestick. 01:00:42.320 --> 01:00:44.560 It's like obviously if you're lighting a candle... 01:00:44.900 --> 01:00:50.580 Putting it underneath some sort of bushel or barrel or underneath your bed number one. That's a fire hazard. Don't do that 01:00:50.980 --> 01:00:54.900 Okay, and it's like that defeats the whole purpose of the light, right? 01:00:55.300 --> 01:01:01.140 And so the bible talks about hey if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 01:01:01.620 --> 01:01:04.340 Right, so it's important that we let the light of the gospel 01:01:04.820 --> 01:01:08.740 Shine by opening our mouths boldly making known the mystery of the gospel 01:01:08.900 --> 01:01:12.660 We don't want to hide that under a bushel and look there's a lot of things in the bible 01:01:12.900 --> 01:01:15.020 that should be done in secret. 01:01:15.020 --> 01:01:17.340 Most of your prayer should be done in secret. 01:01:17.340 --> 01:01:19.460 Your alms should be done in secret. 01:01:19.460 --> 01:01:22.100 Fasting should be something that's private and personal 01:01:22.100 --> 01:01:23.600 and you're not blowing a trumpet about. 01:01:23.600 --> 01:01:24.640 But when it comes to soul winning, 01:01:24.640 --> 01:01:27.140 this is a public ministry. 01:01:27.140 --> 01:01:29.180 This is something that we should not be afraid 01:01:29.180 --> 01:01:30.680 of people seeing us doing. 01:01:30.680 --> 01:01:33.220 We want the light of the gospel to shine, right? 01:01:33.220 --> 01:01:34.680 We don't have to be ashamed of it. 01:01:34.680 --> 01:01:36.300 We're not gonna hide our numbers. 01:01:36.300 --> 01:01:38.100 We want to say, hey, praise the Lord, 01:01:38.100 --> 01:01:39.460 we had this soul winning marathon. 01:01:39.460 --> 01:01:40.980 This amount of people got saved. 01:01:40.980 --> 01:01:42.820 Hey, we're having a soul winning marathon. 01:01:42.820 --> 01:01:44.220 Come and join us at this time. 01:01:44.220 --> 01:01:46.020 The only people that don't like this, again, 01:01:46.020 --> 01:01:48.380 are non-soul winners that aren't doing anything. 01:01:48.380 --> 01:01:49.460 But those are the same. 01:01:49.460 --> 01:01:52.100 It's like people being upset about doing public soul 01:01:52.100 --> 01:01:53.940 winning, I guess you're the type of person 01:01:53.940 --> 01:01:56.060 that wants to put a candle under your bed or something. 01:01:56.060 --> 01:01:57.100 What's wrong with you? 01:01:57.500 --> 01:02:00.760 Do you want to put a barrel over your candle or something like that? 01:02:00.760 --> 01:02:04.260 You know, do you take out a flashlight and try to look for something and then cover it? 01:02:04.260 --> 01:02:06.460 It's like, are you retarded? 01:02:06.460 --> 01:02:10.140 Okay, like we want to make sure we're shining the light of the gospel. 01:02:10.140 --> 01:02:13.440 In fact, we're gonna make a movie called The Truth of the Gospel 01:02:13.440 --> 01:02:16.140 because we just want the light of the gospel to shine so brightly. 01:02:16.140 --> 01:02:20.520 You know, the old IFB should stop, you know, not putting things online, 01:02:20.520 --> 01:02:23.160 hiding their services, not streaming their services. 01:02:23.160 --> 01:02:25.160 It's like, we should be shining the light here. 01:02:25.200 --> 01:02:27.660 not be trying to hide it, okay, then 01:02:28.600 --> 01:02:36.200 Verse number 22 I believe is is related. Okay, it says this for there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested 01:02:36.720 --> 01:02:40.960 Neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad 01:02:41.840 --> 01:02:44.400 Some people I think have abused this verse 01:02:45.000 --> 01:02:48.680 Try to make it seem like every single Christian, you know 01:02:48.680 --> 01:02:52.160 You're gonna be brought up to God and there's gonna be a big screen 01:02:52.440 --> 01:02:55.400 right of all your sins that you've ever committed and 01:02:56.000 --> 01:03:00.780 Everything that you've ever said right and none of it's gonna be hid all of it's gonna be exposed 01:03:00.780 --> 01:03:07.240 We're gonna find out every single thing about every single person like people that want that or just weird in my opinion 01:03:07.600 --> 01:03:11.840 You know the Bible says that charity covereth a multitude of sins 01:03:12.600 --> 01:03:19.940 The Bible talks about how love often times covers a transgression and so wanting everyone's 01:03:19.940 --> 01:03:23.180 sins blasted is just really weird to me. 01:03:23.180 --> 01:03:26.340 Now when it comes to the unsaved, yeah they're going to be held accountable for every idle 01:03:26.340 --> 01:03:26.700 word. 01:03:27.100 --> 01:03:32.060 But you know what? The Bible talks about how my sins are not going to be imputed unto me in the future. 01:03:32.060 --> 01:03:36.620 Future tense, right? So this isn't saying like, hey, you know, every single thing you've ever done is 01:03:36.620 --> 01:03:41.740 going to be exposed to everyone. That's super weird. It's just saying like, look, you might as well 01:03:41.740 --> 01:03:46.700 reveal your light now, because someday it's going to be clear who are the children of light and who 01:03:46.700 --> 01:03:51.900 are not. Like right now, some people in this world are afraid to let their light shine. They're 01:03:51.900 --> 01:03:53.700 They're afraid to be that good ground. 01:03:53.700 --> 01:03:55.100 They're afraid to say they're a Christian. 01:03:55.100 --> 01:03:58.540 They're afraid to knock on someone's door and preach them the gospel. 01:03:58.540 --> 01:03:59.540 Right? 01:03:59.540 --> 01:04:02.060 Why is he telling you not to hide your light? 01:04:02.060 --> 01:04:04.380 Because a lot of people are hiding their light. 01:04:04.380 --> 01:04:07.580 It's like, hey, it's going to be all exposed someday, so you might as well just let it 01:04:07.580 --> 01:04:09.060 shine bright now. 01:04:09.060 --> 01:04:10.060 Right? 01:04:10.060 --> 01:04:14.120 You don't need to just wait until the judgment seat of Christ and you put it under a bushel 01:04:14.120 --> 01:04:15.180 your whole life. 01:04:15.180 --> 01:04:18.020 Now you're not going to be shining very bright up in glory, will you? 01:04:18.300 --> 01:04:23.620 You might as well just be bright now, be bright then, shine the light of the gospel, don't 01:04:23.620 --> 01:04:26.020 hide who you are as a Christian. 01:04:26.020 --> 01:04:28.480 Don't be ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ. 01:04:28.480 --> 01:04:31.460 Don't be ashamed to take a stand for Him in public. 01:04:31.460 --> 01:04:36.500 Don't be afraid to be seen with a Bible or preaching God's word. 01:04:36.500 --> 01:04:38.620 Just let it shine right now. 01:04:38.620 --> 01:04:39.620 Don't be afraid. 01:04:39.620 --> 01:04:41.500 There's nothing hid which shall not be manifested. 01:04:41.500 --> 01:04:45.180 Neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 01:04:46.000 --> 01:04:48.800 You know, your good works are not hid to God. 01:04:48.800 --> 01:04:52.800 The Bible says that He is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love. 01:04:52.800 --> 01:04:53.800 Right? 01:04:53.800 --> 01:04:54.300 And so... 01:04:55.000 --> 01:04:59.160 You can look at this two ways like hey, you know someday it's going to be known who are the real ones and who are not 01:04:59.400 --> 01:05:02.760 Someday it's going to be known who are the false prophets who had a false light 01:05:03.000 --> 01:05:09.320 You know someday it's going to be known the faithful person that's being that good ground that's serving god. They're not seeking attention 01:05:09.640 --> 01:05:11.560 They're not trying to be well known. They're just serving god 01:05:11.640 --> 01:05:15.560 You know that's not going to be hid to god and that's not going to be hid to everyone someday 01:05:15.560 --> 01:05:18.280 It's going to be obvious to everyone who the real ones are 01:05:19.480 --> 01:05:20.600 verse 23 01:05:20.800 --> 01:05:25.240 He says, if any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 01:05:25.240 --> 01:05:27.240 And he said unto them, take heed. 01:05:27.240 --> 01:05:30.480 He's saying, hey, be careful what you hear, 01:05:30.480 --> 01:05:35.240 for what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you, 01:05:35.240 --> 01:05:39.480 and unto you that hear shall more be given. 01:05:39.900 --> 01:05:43.700 Right, so those of us who can understand this parable, 01:05:43.700 --> 01:05:45.040 the audience he was preaching to, 01:05:45.040 --> 01:05:46.980 those that could understand that parable, 01:05:46.980 --> 01:05:49.180 when you are revealed truth, 01:05:49.180 --> 01:05:52.040 make sure that you harken to that truth. 01:05:52.040 --> 01:05:54.480 Make sure that you listen to it and apply it 01:05:54.480 --> 01:05:57.660 because God is watching your what, your heart. 01:05:57.660 --> 01:06:00.360 God is seeing the seed of God's word, 01:06:00.360 --> 01:06:03.120 not just sown when we hear the gospel for the first time, 01:06:03.120 --> 01:06:04.720 but you know the word of God is being sown 01:06:04.720 --> 01:06:06.600 into our hearts constantly throughout our life. 01:06:06.700 --> 01:06:11.520 Right, you're getting God's word sown into your heart right now during the sermon, right when you're reading your Bible 01:06:11.520 --> 01:06:17.940 And you know what God is constantly testing our hearts to see if we're that good ground if we're receiving it with gladness 01:06:17.940 --> 01:06:23.680 If we want to receive it and hey those that here it says shall more be given 01:06:24.500 --> 01:06:29.920 Right someone who is very knowledgeable in the Bible who understands a lot of scripture. It's not like you get saved 01:06:29.920 --> 01:06:31.300 And there's like this download 01:06:31.500 --> 01:06:35.500 Where you get the full software package just in one download. 01:06:35.500 --> 01:06:38.500 No, it's given line upon line. 01:06:38.500 --> 01:06:40.500 Here a little, there a little. 01:06:40.500 --> 01:06:46.500 And so every truth, no matter how big or how small you may think it is, it's big to God. 01:06:46.500 --> 01:06:51.500 At the end of the day, there really is no such thing as secondary doctrines. 01:06:51.500 --> 01:06:53.500 Because it's all God's Word. 01:06:53.500 --> 01:06:55.500 It's all the words of Jesus Christ. 01:06:55.500 --> 01:06:56.400 And you know what? 01:06:56.600 --> 01:07:02.200 We use that term, secondary doctrine, but you know, I think God cares about what you believe on the secondary doctrines. 01:07:02.200 --> 01:07:05.700 I think God cares about what you believe on the tertiary doctrines. 01:07:05.700 --> 01:07:08.200 I think he cares about all truth, because he is the truth. 01:07:08.200 --> 01:07:12.200 And whatever truth is revealed to you, you know what, you should just receive that. 01:07:12.200 --> 01:07:14.400 Let's not even apply this on a carnal sense. 01:07:14.400 --> 01:07:17.000 I don't think God likes it when people deny carnal truths. 01:07:17.000 --> 01:07:20.000 You know, it pisses me off when people just deny carnal truths. 01:07:20.000 --> 01:07:21.800 When people deny reality. 01:07:21.800 --> 01:07:24.200 When people deny the shape of the earth. 01:07:24.500 --> 01:07:28.940 When people deny that disease is real, it just pisses me off because it's just like 01:07:28.940 --> 01:07:32.820 there's something wrong with the heart of a person that doesn't like truth. 01:07:32.820 --> 01:07:35.860 You need to accept truth whenever it is given to you. 01:07:35.860 --> 01:07:39.380 Some people, they don't like the truth about themselves when they're given correction. 01:07:39.380 --> 01:07:45.180 A lot of people say they like hard preaching until it actually comes close to home, until 01:07:45.180 --> 01:07:46.580 it actually steps on their toes. 01:07:46.580 --> 01:07:47.580 Hey, you know what? 01:07:47.580 --> 01:07:52.020 You better love the truth, even if that truth reveals something ugly about you. 01:07:52.500 --> 01:07:56.340 Because guess what? There's something ugly about all of us. We're human beings. We're sinners, right? 01:07:56.340 --> 01:08:02.020 And so we should expect the Word of God to shine our imperfections and our problems. 01:08:02.020 --> 01:08:06.500 You know, we should desire correction in our life and want that truth to be shown. 01:08:08.020 --> 01:08:14.260 It says in verse number 26, or verse 25, for he that hath to him shall be given, 01:08:14.260 --> 01:08:19.220 and he that hath not from him shall be taken even that which he hath. 01:08:19.600 --> 01:08:25.200 So when people get backslidden and they stop harkening to truth you see them get dumber 01:08:25.880 --> 01:08:30.580 You see them lose wisdom you see them make decisions. That's just like mind-blowing 01:08:30.880 --> 01:08:36.900 You're like wait this person is doing this but man. They were once a great soul winner. They're once a great preacher 01:08:36.900 --> 01:08:41.600 What are they doing? It's because God is removing truth from their heart as a punishment, right? 01:08:41.600 --> 01:08:46.020 So we got to be careful. Hey that if you've been given a lot of truth, okay, then God expects a lot out of you 01:08:46.400 --> 01:08:53.140 And there's a danger to start rejecting truth ignoring truth ignoring preaching. You know, the bible says despise not prophesying 01:08:53.600 --> 01:08:57.200 You don't want to get to the point where you just have a cold heart to the preaching, right? 01:08:57.200 --> 01:09:00.480 It can't penetrate your heart correction. Just is like water off a duck's back 01:09:00.720 --> 01:09:05.360 It doesn't even hurt doesn't even upset you when you're not right with god when you're grieving the holy spirit 01:09:05.360 --> 01:09:11.280 No, but no big deal whatsoever. That's a dangerous position to be because god could start removing that truth from you 01:09:12.240 --> 01:09:13.300 then he says 01:09:13.600 --> 01:09:20.640 for the earth verse number or sorry verse number 27 verse 26 excuse me and he said so is the kingdom 01:09:20.640 --> 01:09:28.400 of god as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day 01:09:28.400 --> 01:09:34.720 and the seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how for the earth bringeth forth fruit of 01:09:34.720 --> 01:09:37.560 of herself. First the blade, then the ear. 01:09:37.800 --> 01:09:39.840 after that the full corn is in the air, 01:09:39.840 --> 01:09:41.400 but when the fruit is brought forth, 01:09:41.400 --> 01:09:43.400 immediately he put it in the sickle 01:09:43.400 --> 01:09:45.600 because the harvest is come. 01:09:45.600 --> 01:09:47.920 Right, so, you know, the farmer, 01:09:47.920 --> 01:09:50.000 he casts seed on the ground, 01:09:50.000 --> 01:09:52.040 and then he just goes to bed that night, 01:09:52.040 --> 01:09:53.880 he eats breakfast the next morning, 01:09:53.880 --> 01:09:56.400 he lives his life, he plays with his kids, 01:09:56.400 --> 01:09:59.840 all the while the seed is growing, right? 01:09:59.840 --> 01:10:01.960 The earth is producing fruit, 01:10:01.960 --> 01:10:03.160 and he doesn't know how. 01:10:03.400 --> 01:10:09.400 Right? And we like to kid ourselves and pretend like we understand how everything works in the natural world, but we really don't. 01:10:09.400 --> 01:10:15.400 Bible says you don't know how the bones grow in the womb. How does all of a sudden there's nothing and then a baby comes out nine months later? 01:10:15.400 --> 01:10:24.400 That's incredible. It's a miracle. Every birth is a miracle, right? The earth growing and producing food for us is a miracle of God. 01:10:24.400 --> 01:10:30.200 You know, how do you know that? We'll try that on any other planet in this universe. Right? The earth itself is a miracle. 01:10:30.300 --> 01:10:34.660 That our atmosphere is a miracle everything is a miracle right and so he's just saying hey 01:10:34.660 --> 01:10:37.580 He sows the seed and it just grows and he doesn't know how you know 01:10:37.580 --> 01:10:41.380 This is the exact same thing with soul winning like I said, we're just there. We're just there to preach the word 01:10:41.500 --> 01:10:45.180 We're there to sow the seed and God brings the increase the Bible says 01:10:45.580 --> 01:10:52.520 This is the same thing even in just personal growth. You know as a preacher all I'm doing is sowing the seed right? 01:10:52.520 --> 01:10:55.760 I'm just sowing the Word of God, but you know I can't force someone to grow 01:10:56.900 --> 01:10:59.140 I can't force someone to apply God's word. 01:10:59.140 --> 01:11:01.580 I can't force someone to become a better Christian. 01:11:01.580 --> 01:11:03.420 You know, that's gonna have to be up to God, 01:11:03.420 --> 01:11:05.900 the Holy Spirit, to convict that person's heart. 01:11:05.900 --> 01:11:08.540 Right, so we as preachers and as soul winners, 01:11:08.540 --> 01:11:09.660 you know, it's okay to take a little bit 01:11:09.660 --> 01:11:10.820 of the pressure off yourself. 01:11:10.820 --> 01:11:12.780 You can't force anyone to get saved. 01:11:13.200 --> 01:11:15.040 You can't make anyone get saved. 01:11:15.040 --> 01:11:17.880 And look, I understand, it is so frustrating. 01:11:17.880 --> 01:11:19.000 Right, we've all been there. 01:11:19.000 --> 01:11:21.240 You preach the whole gospel and they don't want to get saved. 01:11:21.240 --> 01:11:22.800 It is frustrating. 01:11:22.800 --> 01:11:25.920 Okay, you spent all this time investing in someone, 01:11:25.920 --> 01:11:28.960 in the heat or in the cold, in this ghetto part of town, 01:11:28.960 --> 01:11:30.000 and they don't want to get saved. 01:11:30.000 --> 01:11:31.120 It's just annoying. 01:11:31.120 --> 01:11:33.480 Okay, and I'll just be honest, as a preacher, 01:11:33.480 --> 01:11:36.280 sometimes it's just annoying when you put in so much work 01:11:36.280 --> 01:11:39.680 and effort and labor and love, and some people just don't care. 01:11:39.800 --> 01:11:41.460 But here's the thing, I just gotta remind myself, 01:11:41.460 --> 01:11:43.260 that's not my job. 01:11:43.260 --> 01:11:44.600 I have no responsibility, 01:11:44.600 --> 01:11:47.560 I have no responsibility in your growth as a Christian. 01:11:47.560 --> 01:11:48.640 None. 01:11:48.640 --> 01:11:51.200 My responsibility is to preach you the word of God. 01:11:51.200 --> 01:11:53.840 My responsibility is to reprove, rebuke, 01:11:53.840 --> 01:11:56.140 and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. 01:11:56.140 --> 01:11:59.520 My responsibility is to model the way in my own life, 01:11:59.520 --> 01:12:01.880 but I can't make anyone love God. 01:12:02.300 --> 01:12:05.140 I can't make anyone do anything. 01:12:05.140 --> 01:12:07.340 You know what's gonna have to come to the Holy Spirit of God 01:12:07.340 --> 01:12:08.680 to convict someone's heart. 01:12:08.680 --> 01:12:11.020 And so look, you know, maybe you got a loved one 01:12:11.020 --> 01:12:12.140 and you're just burdened about them. 01:12:12.140 --> 01:12:13.780 You're just upset that they're not getting saved. 01:12:13.780 --> 01:12:15.780 And it's like, look, don't beat yourself up about it. 01:12:15.780 --> 01:12:18.020 You can't make them get saved. 01:12:18.020 --> 01:12:19.520 And let's just be honest, sometimes it's harder 01:12:19.520 --> 01:12:21.400 to get family members saved than anyone else. 01:12:21.800 --> 01:12:25.320 Sometimes it's harder to get our family members to get on board serving God, 01:12:25.320 --> 01:12:29.160 coming to church, going soul-witting than anyone else. But look, you got to take the pressure off 01:12:29.160 --> 01:12:35.080 yourself. All you are is the messenger. All you could do is give them the message. All you could 01:12:35.080 --> 01:12:39.480 do is pray for that person, but eventually the Holy Spirit of God has got to come in and convict 01:12:39.480 --> 01:12:42.520 someone's heart and lead them to growth. 01:12:43.500 --> 01:12:48.900 Then it says in verse number 30 and he said where into shall we liken the kingdom of God or with what? 01:12:49.100 --> 01:12:53.160 Comparison shall we compare it it is like a grain of mustard seed 01:12:53.660 --> 01:12:59.580 Which when it is sown in the earth is less than all the seeds that be in the earth 01:13:00.120 --> 01:13:05.940 But when it is sown it groweth up and become greater than all herbs and shoot it out great branches 01:13:06.140 --> 01:13:10.960 So that the fouls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it 01:13:11.600 --> 01:13:16.480 Right so the mustard seed it starts out as something so small and turns into something great 01:13:16.960 --> 01:13:20.400 One of the things I think we could pull from this is that we as christians 01:13:20.640 --> 01:13:23.600 We are always going to be a remnant in this world, right? 01:13:23.600 --> 01:13:28.080 The kingdom of god is like this mustard seed which when it's sown it's less 01:13:28.800 --> 01:13:34.500 Than all the seeds that be in the earth, right? We as christians are the minority in this world 01:13:34.800 --> 01:13:40.520 I don't care where you live even in the Bible Belt actual saved Christians are the minority 01:13:40.760 --> 01:13:45.320 We are that mustard seed and look that's got to wake us up and say man this world's going to hell 01:13:45.320 --> 01:13:50.320 We got to preach the gospel. We got to let our light shine because we really are that remnant 01:13:50.760 --> 01:13:54.020 But man someday at the great white throne. There's gonna be untold 01:13:54.400 --> 01:13:58.780 Untold multitudes of safe people right the kingdom of God is going to grow into this great multitude 01:13:58.780 --> 01:14:04.120 And it's going to be just this huge massive thing also. You know I think this can go to show 01:14:04.640 --> 01:14:08.160 The impact that the word of God can have in someone's life 01:14:08.560 --> 01:14:14.780 Where just a little bit right just this little seed of God's word can have a big impact in someone's life 01:14:15.400 --> 01:14:20.100 You know I was thinking I was thinking about like this idea of a sermon about like little big things 01:14:20.900 --> 01:14:28.220 Little big things, you know, for example you go out soul winning you just spend a little 15 minutes with someone right just this little 01:14:28.220 --> 01:14:34.900 Mustard seed of time but you know that could grow into a big thing because you know what one person getting saved is a big thing 01:14:35.380 --> 01:14:37.700 Let us never forget about the individual 01:14:38.180 --> 01:14:43.660 Let us never forget about what a big deal it is that one person has passed from death unto life 01:14:44.200 --> 01:14:46.200 And for us, it's like, yeah, it's a soul. 01:14:46.200 --> 01:14:48.200 Because we get so many people saved, we're just like, 01:14:48.200 --> 01:14:49.040 yeah, it's a soul. 01:14:49.040 --> 01:14:52.200 But for that person, that was big. 01:14:52.200 --> 01:14:54.400 They just went from being on their way to a fiery hell 01:14:54.400 --> 01:14:56.960 for all of eternity, and now they're heading to heaven. 01:14:56.960 --> 01:14:58.720 That's big. 01:14:58.720 --> 01:15:00.500 A word fitly spoken. 01:15:01.000 --> 01:15:07.560 Is it is a is can be so powerful right just a little scripture can often just lift someone's whole day, right? 01:15:07.880 --> 01:15:13.400 Just you're having a bad day. You just one scripture just that little mustard seed could just like renew your mind, right? 01:15:14.040 --> 01:15:18.440 You know, just one little prayer for your brethren could make a big difference 01:15:19.560 --> 01:15:21.560 We need to be praying for each other in this church 01:15:21.720 --> 01:15:26.680 There's no reason there's no reason that you cannot pray for every single person in this church every single week. There's no reason 01:15:27.800 --> 01:15:30.200 You should be praying by name for every single person. 01:15:30.200 --> 01:15:31.500 And you say, but it's just one prayer. 01:15:31.500 --> 01:15:32.640 It's one prayer a week. 01:15:32.640 --> 01:15:33.480 You know what? 01:15:33.480 --> 01:15:36.600 That little mustard seed can make a big difference. 01:15:36.600 --> 01:15:37.680 I'm just one person. 01:15:37.680 --> 01:15:38.780 I'm just a little mustard seed. 01:15:38.780 --> 01:15:40.780 You know, you coming to church can make a big difference 01:15:40.780 --> 01:15:41.680 in someone's life. 01:15:42.720 --> 01:15:43.640 We went out soul winning. 01:15:43.640 --> 01:15:46.080 Me and brother Sonny went out soul winning a few weeks ago. 01:15:46.080 --> 01:15:47.920 And this woman got saved who told us 01:15:47.920 --> 01:15:49.680 that she wanted to commit suicide. 01:15:50.560 --> 01:15:51.380 I don't know. 01:15:51.380 --> 01:15:54.000 I don't know if she's gonna follow up on that in the future, 01:15:54.000 --> 01:15:55.400 but I know that she saved now. 01:15:55.900 --> 01:15:57.500 That's a big deal. 01:15:57.500 --> 01:16:01.700 And maybe she's not going to because of that little mustard seed of 15 minutes that we 01:16:01.700 --> 01:16:02.700 spent with her. 01:16:02.700 --> 01:16:03.700 It was a lot longer for her actually. 01:16:03.700 --> 01:16:06.500 But still, a mustard seed in the grand scheme of life. 01:16:06.500 --> 01:16:10.020 I'm just saying, hey, the Word of God is powerful. 01:16:10.020 --> 01:16:12.500 The work of the ministry is powerful. 01:16:12.500 --> 01:16:15.780 What we're doing here is not a game, it's not a joke. 01:16:15.780 --> 01:16:18.540 The work of God, you know, it's going to make a big difference someday. 01:16:18.900 --> 01:16:24.740 And God is going to reward every little mustard seed of your work that you invest in this 01:16:24.740 --> 01:16:25.900 life for God. 01:16:25.900 --> 01:16:28.380 He will reward all of those things someday in heaven. 01:16:28.380 --> 01:16:30.260 There is no little work for God. 01:16:30.260 --> 01:16:32.380 Oh, I'm just cleaning the church. 01:16:32.380 --> 01:16:33.540 That is not a little work for God. 01:16:33.540 --> 01:16:34.740 That's a big work for God. 01:16:34.740 --> 01:16:37.420 Oh, I'm just inviting guests to come to church. 01:16:37.420 --> 01:16:38.500 I'm just inviting people in. 01:16:38.500 --> 01:16:39.900 I'm showing them where to sit. 01:16:39.900 --> 01:16:40.980 That's not a little work for God. 01:16:41.500 --> 01:16:44.100 You may think it's a mustard seed at the time, but you know what? 01:16:44.100 --> 01:16:48.500 I believe there's going to be a lot of ushers that are greatly rewarded in heaven. 01:16:48.500 --> 01:16:51.740 A lot of faithful greeters that are greatly rewarded in heaven. 01:16:51.740 --> 01:16:55.500 You know, don't despise the little things of God because there is no little things of 01:16:55.500 --> 01:16:56.620 God. 01:16:56.620 --> 01:16:59.820 Little big things of God, hey, they're all big things when it's the work of God. 01:16:59.820 --> 01:17:01.220 Little is much when God is in it, amen. 01:17:03.000 --> 01:17:09.240 Verse 33, and with many such parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to 01:17:09.240 --> 01:17:10.760 hear it. 01:17:10.760 --> 01:17:15.040 But without a parable spake he not unto them, and when they were alone he expounded all 01:17:15.040 --> 01:17:18.160 things to his disciples. 01:17:18.160 --> 01:17:19.560 So he's preaching. 01:17:19.700 --> 01:17:22.940 these parables, the unsaved that's going over their head, 01:17:22.940 --> 01:17:25.980 and then he's explaining more to his disciples. 01:17:25.980 --> 01:17:28.740 By the way, this is why church should not be preaching 01:17:28.740 --> 01:17:30.220 the gospel every service. 01:17:30.220 --> 01:17:32.580 You should be explaining a little bit more to the disciples. 01:17:32.580 --> 01:17:34.060 Spend some more time with them, 01:17:34.060 --> 01:17:35.940 go a little deeper into doctrine. 01:17:35.940 --> 01:17:37.740 I have a feeling that Mark chapter four 01:17:37.740 --> 01:17:39.980 is a little bit more spiritually enriching to us 01:17:39.980 --> 01:17:42.220 than if we just heard a gospel presentation this evening 01:17:42.220 --> 01:17:44.940 because we're all saved, all right? 01:17:44.940 --> 01:17:46.620 Verse number 35. 01:17:47.700 --> 01:17:54.900 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 01:17:55.540 --> 01:17:59.220 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. 01:17:59.940 --> 01:18:05.620 And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, 01:18:06.180 --> 01:18:10.980 and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 01:18:12.500 --> 01:18:16.420 We're trying to do justice to this story the little little time that we have left this evening 01:18:16.820 --> 01:18:20.500 But you know right away jesus says hey, let's go over to the other side, right? 01:18:20.660 --> 01:18:22.660 He's giving an order to his disciples 01:18:23.140 --> 01:18:27.620 Them getting in the ship and going across the lake was it jesus's will to do this. Yes or no 01:18:27.860 --> 01:18:33.540 Yes, it was right and here's what I get from this is that even by obeying jesus 01:18:34.180 --> 01:18:39.060 Even by being in the will of god that does not exempt you from storms coming your way in life 01:18:39.500 --> 01:18:44.740 I mean look you could obey God's word Jesus said let us go to the other side 01:18:45.180 --> 01:18:49.300 Let's do this the disciples are just obeying. They're getting in the ship 01:18:49.460 --> 01:18:56.540 They're doing what they're told to do and then there's still stormy winds and waves and all this terrible storm coming their way 01:18:56.540 --> 01:18:58.740 You know what that's life and 01:18:59.540 --> 01:19:02.580 You ought not to look at your life and say man 01:19:03.200 --> 01:19:06.640 I must be so bad because I'm going through storms. 01:19:06.640 --> 01:19:08.140 You should not look at your life and say, 01:19:08.140 --> 01:19:11.340 I must be so good because I'm not going through storms. 01:19:11.340 --> 01:19:14.020 You should look at where Jesus is, 01:19:14.020 --> 01:19:15.140 and if you're close to him, 01:19:15.140 --> 01:19:17.120 you know you're on the right path, right? 01:19:17.120 --> 01:19:19.320 All they should do is be looking at Jesus, okay, 01:19:19.320 --> 01:19:21.360 is Jesus in this ship, yes or no? 01:19:21.360 --> 01:19:22.700 Then I'm in the right ship. 01:19:22.900 --> 01:19:28.940 I'm not worried about the storms. I'm not worried about the waves. I'm not worried about any of those things if I'm with Jesus 01:19:28.940 --> 01:19:35.940 Hey where where Jesus goes I'll go I'll go anywhere with him as the song says that's what you should be focused on 01:19:36.860 --> 01:19:40.260 Verse 38 says and he was in the hinder part of the ship 01:19:40.900 --> 01:19:42.900 asleep on a pillow 01:19:42.900 --> 01:19:45.060 Which is just funny to me like you got this storm 01:19:45.260 --> 01:19:50.140 This crazy storm and the disciples are losing their mind and look this would be scary 01:19:50.600 --> 01:19:54.080 Right? I think I may have just passed over a detail there. It says 01:19:55.360 --> 01:19:57.120 Let's see. Oh 01:19:57.120 --> 01:20:03.060 Yeah, look at verse 37 and there arose a great storm of wind and the waves beat into the ship 01:20:03.680 --> 01:20:05.680 So that it was now full 01:20:06.120 --> 01:20:08.280 They're taking on water 01:20:08.960 --> 01:20:12.840 Waves are coming into the ship. This is not a small pond 01:20:13.080 --> 01:20:17.920 This is a giant sea that they're in this would be humanly speaking really scary 01:20:18.600 --> 01:20:22.440 but Jesus is just chilling, sleeping on a pillow. 01:20:23.880 --> 01:20:25.460 Because he's not worried about the waves 01:20:25.460 --> 01:20:28.880 and the storm and the wind, because he's God. 01:20:28.880 --> 01:20:32.800 And so we're often freaked out about stuff. 01:20:32.800 --> 01:20:35.000 You know, the bomb that's gonna come drop on our head. 01:20:35.000 --> 01:20:39.160 And Jesus is just, he's just like, it's fine, we're good. 01:20:39.160 --> 01:20:41.200 This is how I feel with my wife sometimes. 01:20:41.200 --> 01:20:42.900 It's like, hey, we're fine. 01:20:43.100 --> 01:20:46.100 Hey, I was turning at like 15 miles an hour. 01:20:46.100 --> 01:20:48.100 Why are you acting like we're about to flip the truck? 01:20:48.100 --> 01:20:49.100 We're good, you know? 01:20:49.100 --> 01:20:51.100 My heart rate's fine. 01:20:51.100 --> 01:20:53.100 But that's how we are as Christians, right? 01:20:53.100 --> 01:20:56.100 That's how we are sometimes, where we freak out over things, 01:20:56.100 --> 01:20:58.100 where there's nothing really to freak out over. 01:20:58.100 --> 01:20:59.100 Because you know what? 01:20:59.100 --> 01:21:04.100 If Jesus is with you, he is the one that's more powerful than the sea. 01:21:04.100 --> 01:21:06.100 He says this, I love this question, 01:21:06.100 --> 01:21:09.100 Master, carest thou not that we perish? 01:21:10.100 --> 01:21:13.860 Right, which really of course we know the answer to that is yes. Jesus does care 01:21:14.660 --> 01:21:20.340 And I think another thing we could pull from this is that you know, just because there's times where god may feel distant 01:21:20.340 --> 01:21:22.340 Doesn't mean that he actually is 01:21:22.660 --> 01:21:24.420 Right. Think about job 01:21:24.420 --> 01:21:28.440 Job felt distant from god. He's like how long? 01:21:29.000 --> 01:21:31.000 Like, why are you hiding from me? 01:21:31.000 --> 01:21:32.680 I want you to answer me. 01:21:32.680 --> 01:21:35.080 I want a book written about this, right? 01:21:35.080 --> 01:21:37.080 And then there was a book written about this. 01:21:37.080 --> 01:21:38.600 You read the Psalms, it's just like, 01:21:38.600 --> 01:21:40.360 how long are you gonna hide from me? 01:21:40.360 --> 01:21:42.360 You know, I water my couch with tears. 01:21:42.360 --> 01:21:44.360 You know, there's times that you feel like God is distant, 01:21:44.360 --> 01:21:47.080 but you know what, if you're saved, he never is. 01:21:47.080 --> 01:21:48.680 He never is. 01:21:48.800 --> 01:21:54.760 Hey, we could go boldly into the throne of grace and obtain help in time of need at any time at any time 01:21:54.760 --> 01:21:58.820 We want to we could go to the bottom part of the ship and hang out with Jesus anytime because we're saved 01:21:59.120 --> 01:22:05.740 Right. So just because God may feel distant doesn't mean he is God may feel it may feel like God doesn't care. He always does 01:22:06.560 --> 01:22:11.720 Verse 39 and he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea. Peace be still and 01:22:12.320 --> 01:22:15.960 The wind ceased and there was a great calm 01:22:16.800 --> 01:22:18.300 Did you imagine that? 01:22:18.300 --> 01:22:21.300 A crazy storm where you're taking on water, 01:22:21.300 --> 01:22:24.140 you think you're about to die, there's wind, it's loud, 01:22:24.140 --> 01:22:26.260 there's probably lightning, just turmoil, 01:22:26.260 --> 01:22:28.740 and then there's just a great calm. 01:22:28.740 --> 01:22:32.420 Just this quietness, just because Jesus said, 01:22:32.420 --> 01:22:33.940 peace be still. 01:22:33.940 --> 01:22:37.580 And he just rebukes the wind and the wave and the storm. 01:22:37.580 --> 01:22:40.020 And he rebukes them here in verse 40, it says, 01:22:40.020 --> 01:22:43.100 he said unto them, why are you so fearful? 01:22:43.700 --> 01:22:46.200 How is it that ye have no faith? 01:22:47.240 --> 01:22:50.300 And notice, they feared exceedingly. 01:22:50.300 --> 01:22:52.240 They went from scared of the storm, 01:22:52.240 --> 01:22:54.980 now they're just fearing exceedingly, 01:22:54.980 --> 01:22:58.580 and said one to another, what manner of man is this 01:22:58.580 --> 01:23:03.220 that even the wind and the sea obey him? 01:23:03.220 --> 01:23:04.960 And the thing I wanna close on is this, 01:23:04.960 --> 01:23:08.720 is that our fear should only be directed 01:23:08.720 --> 01:23:11.020 towards the one that controls the storms. 01:23:11.800 --> 01:23:18.120 Towards Jesus only right because the storm is not what you should fear fear not him which kills the body 01:23:18.320 --> 01:23:22.040 But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell 01:23:22.320 --> 01:23:28.800 We shouldn't fear the persecutors we shouldn't fear the nameset naysayers. We shouldn't fear the Jews 01:23:29.400 --> 01:23:34.220 Right, we shouldn't fear people that would come against us people that would threaten us, you know 01:23:34.220 --> 01:23:37.600 We should not be afraid of those people. We should not be afraid of one person Jesus Christ 01:23:38.800 --> 01:23:41.840 You know, I'm reading a book about the Old West. 01:23:41.840 --> 01:23:44.960 It's about the Indian command, the Comanche Indians. 01:23:45.600 --> 01:23:49.360 And there was certain Baptists that the book describes that were 01:23:49.360 --> 01:23:53.680 traveling west and they were living in Comanche occupied territory. 01:23:53.900 --> 01:23:58.860 where there was no Western Civilization, there was no Army Rangers, there was no Texas Rangers, 01:23:58.860 --> 01:24:02.380 they were just out by themselves. They ended up paying the price for this because some of 01:24:02.380 --> 01:24:06.620 their family ended up getting killed and kidnapped by these Comanches. It's the Parker family, 01:24:06.620 --> 01:24:11.180 which lots of Oklahomans should be very familiar with. But this book is talking about how these 01:24:11.180 --> 01:24:16.540 Baptists had such a high fear of God that they had no fear left over for anyone else. 01:24:17.180 --> 01:24:20.140 And I'm just like, you know what, that would be a good testimony of our life. 01:24:20.800 --> 01:24:22.900 that we have such a high fear for God, 01:24:22.900 --> 01:24:25.900 that we have no fear left over for the wind, 01:24:25.900 --> 01:24:27.940 for the rain, for the storms. 01:24:27.940 --> 01:24:30.580 Hey, how about this, for the tornadoes, right? 01:24:30.580 --> 01:24:34.020 Don't be afraid of the tornadoes in and of themselves. 01:24:34.020 --> 01:24:37.780 Be afraid of the one that controls the tornadoes, okay? 01:24:37.780 --> 01:24:41.720 You know, people want to freak out and prep and plan. 01:24:41.720 --> 01:24:44.100 You know, the best preparation you could have 01:24:44.100 --> 01:24:46.200 is a right relationship with Jesus Christ. 01:24:47.100 --> 01:24:52.060 There could be times where the storm feels scary, but you know what if Jesus is with me. I'll go anywhere 01:24:52.380 --> 01:24:56.120 Let's pray Lord. Thank you so much for your word. Thank you for mark chapter number four 01:24:56.120 --> 01:25:01.040 I pray that you would just bless this evening bless the fellowship help us to get home safely Lord 01:25:01.040 --> 01:25:07.220 And just I pray that our hearts would always be in fear of you and nothing else in Jesus name. We pray amen 01:25:16.500 --> 01:25:21.500 Our last hymn this evening, turn if you would to 139. 01:25:25.400 --> 01:25:34.600 Him number 139139. I know whom I have believed. 01:25:40.900 --> 01:25:42.900 139. 01:25:48.200 --> 01:25:50.200 Let's sing it out together. 01:25:50.200 --> 01:25:56.080 I know not why God's wondrous grace