WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:04.600 beginning in verse number one Luke chapter 8 the Bible reads 00:06.400 --> 00:12.600 And came to pass afterward that he went throughout every city and village preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and the twelve are with him. 00:12.600 --> 00:23.600 And certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, married called Magdalene out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Cusa Herod's steward, and Susanna and many others which ministered unto him of their substance. 00:23.600 --> 00:28.400 And when much people were gathered together and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable. 00:29.000 --> 00:32.840 A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was 00:32.840 --> 00:35.680 trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 00:35.680 --> 00:39.400 And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because 00:39.400 --> 00:40.760 it lacked moisture. 00:40.760 --> 00:44.160 And some fell among thorns, and the thorn sprang up with it and choked it. 00:44.160 --> 00:47.480 Another fell on good ground, and sprang up in bare fruit and a hundredfold. 00:47.480 --> 00:51.760 And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 00:51.760 --> 00:55.040 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 00:55.040 --> 00:56.040 And he said... 00:56.300 --> 01:00.620 Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables, 01:00.620 --> 01:03.580 that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand. 01:03.580 --> 01:08.460 Now the parable is this, the seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear, 01:08.460 --> 01:13.020 then come with the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and 01:13.020 --> 01:19.260 be saved. They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy, and these have no 01:19.260 --> 01:22.380 root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away. 01:23.300 --> 01:31.300 And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 01:31.300 --> 01:38.300 But not on a good ground are they which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 01:38.300 --> 01:45.900 No man, when he has lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed, but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. 01:46.300 --> 01:51.180 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither anything hid that shall 01:51.180 --> 01:53.740 not be known and come abroad. 01:53.740 --> 01:57.780 Take heed therefore how ye hear, for whosoever hath to him shall be given, and whosoever 01:57.780 --> 02:02.060 hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. 02:02.060 --> 02:05.180 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 02:05.180 --> 02:08.600 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without 02:08.600 --> 02:09.800 desiring to see thee. 02:09.900 --> 02:14.060 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it. 02:15.180 --> 02:19.260 Now it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with his disciples and he said unto them, 02:19.420 --> 02:22.060 Let us go over onto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 02:22.460 --> 02:27.180 But as they sailed he fell asleep and there came down a storm of wind on the lake and they were filled with water and 02:27.180 --> 02:31.440 were in jeopardy. And they came to him and awoke him saying, Master, Master, we perish. 02:32.000 --> 02:35.240 Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and 02:35.240 --> 02:36.240 there was a calm. 02:36.240 --> 02:37.960 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? 02:37.960 --> 02:42.120 And they, being afraid, wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this? 02:42.120 --> 02:44.920 For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. 02:44.920 --> 02:48.440 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 02:48.440 --> 02:52.240 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had 02:52.240 --> 02:55.920 devils long time, and wear no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. 02:56.600 --> 03:00.600 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, 03:00.600 --> 03:05.480 What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of the Most High? I beseech thee, torment me not. 03:05.480 --> 03:09.080 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him, 03:09.080 --> 03:13.000 and he was kept down with chains and in fetters, and he break the bands, and was driven of the 03:13.000 --> 03:18.040 devil into the wilderness. And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion, 03:18.040 --> 03:22.600 because the many devils were into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go 03:22.600 --> 03:23.800 into the deep. 03:24.000 --> 03:28.680 And there was there and heard of many swine feeding on the mountain, and they besought 03:28.680 --> 03:32.160 him that he would suffer them to enter into them, and he suffered them. 03:32.160 --> 03:35.120 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently 03:35.120 --> 03:37.640 down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. 03:37.640 --> 03:41.560 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city 03:41.560 --> 03:42.920 and in the country. 03:42.920 --> 03:46.520 Then they went out to see what was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom 03:46.520 --> 03:50.840 the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind, and 03:50.840 --> 03:51.800 they were afraid. 03:52.000 --> 03:56.240 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the 03:56.240 --> 04:00.560 devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the gatherings 04:00.560 --> 04:04.240 round about besought him to depart from them for they were taken with great fear 04:04.240 --> 04:07.840 and he went up into the ship and returned back again. Now the man on whom the 04:07.840 --> 04:10.400 devils were departed besought him that he might be with him 04:10.400 --> 04:13.680 but Jesus sent him away saying return to thine own house 04:13.680 --> 04:16.200 and show how great things God hath done unto thee. 04:16.700 --> 04:20.860 And he went his way and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. 04:21.900 --> 04:26.460 And it came to pass that when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him, for they were all waiting for him. 04:26.860 --> 04:31.740 And behold, there was a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue, and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and 04:31.740 --> 04:36.940 besought him that he would come into his house. For he had one only daughter about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. 04:37.600 --> 04:39.840 But as he went, the people thronged him. 04:39.840 --> 04:41.840 And a woman, having an issue of blood twelve years, 04:41.840 --> 04:43.840 which had spent all her living upon physicians, 04:43.840 --> 04:45.040 neither could be healed of any, 04:45.040 --> 04:47.520 came behind him and touched the border of his garment. 04:47.520 --> 04:50.160 And immediately her issue of blood stanched. 04:50.160 --> 04:52.240 And Jesus said, Who touched me? 04:52.240 --> 04:54.800 When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, 04:54.800 --> 04:57.520 Master, the multitude throng thee, impress thee, 04:57.520 --> 04:59.200 and sayest thou, Who touched me? 04:59.200 --> 05:01.200 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me, 05:01.200 --> 05:03.200 for I perceive the virtue has gone out of me. 05:03.900 --> 05:08.300 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling and falling down before him. 05:08.300 --> 05:12.500 And she declared on him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, 05:12.500 --> 05:15.220 and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, 05:15.220 --> 05:18.620 Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace. 05:18.620 --> 05:22.900 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, 05:22.900 --> 05:27.660 Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, 05:27.660 --> 05:30.260 Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole. 05:30.700 --> 05:34.340 When he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in save Peter, and James, and John, 05:34.340 --> 05:36.140 and the father, and the mother of the maiden. 05:36.140 --> 05:40.820 And all wept and bewailed her, but he said, Weep not, she is not dead, but sleepeth. 05:40.820 --> 05:43.220 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 05:43.220 --> 05:47.580 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, May it arise. 05:47.580 --> 05:52.740 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway, and he commanded to give her meat. 05:52.740 --> 05:56.300 And her parents were astonished, but he charged them that they should tell no man what was 05:56.300 --> 05:56.800 done. 05:57.100 --> 05:59.580 Let's pray to the Lord God. Thank you again for all you've blessed us with. 05:59.580 --> 06:02.580 We ask that you would please meet with us here now this morning and bless. 06:02.580 --> 06:05.580 Pastor, we're here with the Holy Spirit as he preaches. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 06:05.580 --> 06:07.500 Amen. 06:07.700 --> 06:10.900 Okay, we're in Luke chapter 8 this morning look down to your bibles of verse 10 06:11.300 --> 06:15.060 It says and he said unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of god 06:15.380 --> 06:20.020 But unto others in parables that seeing they might not see in hearing 06:20.580 --> 06:26.900 They might not understand verse 11 now the parable is this the seed is the word of god and time 06:26.900 --> 06:29.220 I'm assuming this morning is good seed 06:29.780 --> 06:35.620 Bad ground good seed, but bad grounds morning. I want to preach on the subject of the parable of 06:35.700 --> 06:38.820 the seed and the sower as found here in Luke chapter 8. 06:38.820 --> 06:41.040 And this particular parable is found actually 06:41.040 --> 06:42.420 in three places in the gospels. 06:42.420 --> 06:45.180 You have it here in Luke 8, you have it in Mark chapter 4, 06:45.180 --> 06:46.700 and you have it in Matthew 13. 06:46.700 --> 06:48.380 So throughout the sermon, we're actually 06:48.380 --> 06:50.860 going to go to each of those passages of scripture. 06:50.860 --> 06:53.400 So make sure you either have a pen or a piece of paper 06:53.400 --> 06:54.500 that you can put into that. 06:54.500 --> 06:58.020 Matthew 13, Mark 4, and then of course, 06:58.020 --> 06:59.700 we're right here in Luke chapter 8. 06:59.700 --> 07:01.660 Now typically when I teach the Bible or preach 07:01.660 --> 07:03.700 about a parable in Illustration, 07:03.700 --> 07:11.500 a story in the Word of God, I typically give the primary interpretation and then give the secondary and tertiary 07:12.180 --> 07:14.020 application, but in this particular sermon 07:14.020 --> 07:16.660 I actually want to start with the secondary and tertiary 07:17.260 --> 07:23.940 applications and then give you the main interpretation at the end of the sermon. Now, let me start off by pointing out the fact that 07:24.220 --> 07:28.140 in this parable, we obviously know that the seed is represented as 07:28.620 --> 07:31.700 the Word of God, right? And this is something that's consistent 07:31.700 --> 07:35.860 brought up throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testament, where the Word of God is 07:35.860 --> 07:42.900 illustrated as a seed that is being sown into the harp. And before we examine the four types 07:42.900 --> 07:48.100 of ground in these parables, I want to talk about why that is. Why is it that God compares the Word 07:48.100 --> 07:50.100 of God to a seed? 07:50.300 --> 07:57.340 You know a seed obviously may look small, it's simple, it may seem insignificant or unimpressive 07:57.900 --> 08:03.100 but within the seed there's life, right? The word of God may be despised in like manner, 08:03.100 --> 08:08.860 mocked by unbelievers, it is taken lightly by carnal men, but it is the very instrument that 08:08.860 --> 08:16.060 God uses to bring forth spiritual life and as well as spiritual fruit. Why? Because the Bible is like 08:16.060 --> 08:18.260 like a seed. First Peter 123 tells us. 08:18.300 --> 08:25.820 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth 08:26.300 --> 08:30.020 Forever so the Word of God is like a seed why is that well first and foremost? 08:30.460 --> 08:33.500 the Word of God is like a seed because it does require a 08:33.860 --> 08:36.820 Sower in order to distribute it, right? 08:37.300 --> 08:46.300 And we as God's people can't just rely upon a person just having the Bible or hearing the word of God online or something. 08:46.300 --> 08:50.300 We need to make sure that we go to them and distribute the word of God to them. 08:50.300 --> 08:56.300 We need to make sure that as a sower, a faithful sower, that we are good stewards of the mysteries of the gospel. 08:56.300 --> 09:00.300 And we go to people to sow the seed that has been given to us. 09:00.300 --> 09:05.300 The ministry of reconciliation has been given to us to go to others. 09:05.300 --> 09:12.180 Give them the seed Psalm 126 verse 6 says he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed 09:12.580 --> 09:17.140 Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with them 09:17.140 --> 09:22.740 You know the Bible has to be preached it has to be taught it has to be spoken it has to be distributed 09:23.300 --> 09:26.260 To the masses in order for it to do its work 09:26.260 --> 09:31.220 We can't really just rely upon people being willing to just respond to the light we need to go to them right 09:31.340 --> 09:33.300 Is what the Bible tells us to preach to God 09:33.300 --> 09:38.500 to every creature going to all the world and teach all nations right we need to 09:38.500 --> 09:43.260 make sure that we're a witness both in Jerusalem and in Judea Samaria and the 09:43.260 --> 09:47.980 uttermost parts of the world the Commission is for us to be proactive and 09:47.980 --> 09:53.380 going out and giving the seed sowing the seed and all types of grounds secondly 09:53.380 --> 09:57.820 is that the Bible is like a seed because it requires watering in order for it to 09:57.820 --> 09:58.500 germinate 09:58.600 --> 10:03.720 You know, it's not always enough to simply cast the seed and walk away, right? 10:03.720 --> 10:05.760 We need to sometimes cultivate it. 10:05.760 --> 10:10.240 We need to make sure that we're praying for the ground that it's being sown upon. 10:10.240 --> 10:12.320 Sometimes we need to follow up. 10:12.320 --> 10:15.280 Sometimes we need to instruct, exhort, reprove. 10:15.280 --> 10:21.280 We need to keep laboring over that soul, over the souls of men in order for that ground 10:21.280 --> 10:22.040 to cultivate. 10:23.000 --> 10:27.320 Thirdly, the word of God is like a seed because it must be given time to grow. 10:27.320 --> 10:32.040 You can't expect to sow a seed and just for it to automatically produce the fruit overnight, 10:32.040 --> 10:33.960 it requires time, right? 10:33.960 --> 10:39.640 We need to make sure that when we are sowing the seed, we have faith that God is working through that person. 10:39.640 --> 10:44.040 God is going to use the word of God that's being sown in different parts of the world, 10:44.040 --> 10:46.920 in different neighborhoods, in different countries. 10:46.920 --> 10:51.000 We need to rely upon the power of the word of God to actually produce 10:51.000 --> 10:53.000 that which it's called to do, right? 10:53.000 --> 10:55.000 And can't expect for it to just grow overnight. 10:55.000 --> 10:57.000 You know, a perfect example of this would be 10:57.000 --> 11:00.000 when we are preaching the Gospel to our children. 11:00.300 --> 11:07.660 You know our children require time to understand the gospel right and luckily you know in a church like this children do get saved 11:08.060 --> 11:09.660 pretty early on 11:09.660 --> 11:15.180 Because of the fact that you know their parents are giving them the gospel the gospel is being reinforced here in church 11:15.820 --> 11:20.700 Doctrine is being given. This is one of the reasons why we don't have Sunday school classes or you know 11:21.660 --> 11:27.900 Junior church or whatever we want kids to hear the pure and unadulterated word of God the preaching of God's word 11:28.300 --> 11:30.700 And you'd be surprised how much they actually soak up. 11:31.200 --> 11:34.680 Okay, sometimes kids in our church paying better attention than the adults. 11:35.000 --> 11:36.800 You know, they actually retain a lot more. 11:36.800 --> 11:41.320 They soak up a lot more and they know a lot more doctrine than, you know, 11:41.320 --> 11:42.720 what people give them credit for. 11:42.960 --> 11:46.600 Point that I'm making here is that sometimes it just requires time giving them 11:46.600 --> 11:48.640 the word of God, giving them the gospel. 11:48.840 --> 11:53.040 And then ultimately they will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 11:53.320 --> 11:57.540 The word of God is able to make them wise unto salvation, as it says in second 11:57.540 --> 11:59.120 Timothy chapter three. 11:59.200 --> 12:02.500 We need patience, just as a farmer needs patience 12:02.500 --> 12:05.420 when he sows the seed that it's going to bring forth fruit. 12:05.420 --> 12:08.080 Fourthly, the word of God is like a seed, 12:08.080 --> 12:10.260 because the harvest, listen to this, 12:10.260 --> 12:14.300 actually often is greater than that which is sown. 12:14.300 --> 12:17.060 You sow a little seed, and it seems kind of insignificant. 12:17.060 --> 12:19.140 But the truth of the matter is that what it produces 12:19.140 --> 12:20.500 is so much the more. 12:20.900 --> 12:28.180 A handful of seed may seem small, but once it's received into good ground, it can produce 12:28.180 --> 12:29.680 a lot of fruit. 12:29.680 --> 12:32.100 Some hundredfold, as the Bible tells us. 12:32.100 --> 12:35.340 We don't always know what God will do with one sermon. 12:35.340 --> 12:39.220 We don't always know what God will do with your one verse that you leave at the door 12:39.220 --> 12:42.020 to someone that rejects the gospel. 12:42.020 --> 12:46.580 Sometimes we go out there and preach the gospel and it's just not a good day. 12:46.580 --> 12:48.380 People are not responsive. 12:48.380 --> 12:48.900 not miss 12:48.900 --> 12:51.260 necessarily listening, they don't want to talk. 12:51.260 --> 12:52.260 So what do we tell them? 12:52.260 --> 12:55.220 We say, can I leave you with the verse to think about? 12:55.220 --> 12:59.140 You may think to yourself, like, how good is that going to do? 12:59.140 --> 13:00.140 How is that going to help? 13:00.140 --> 13:03.220 Well, you'd be surprised what the Word of God can do. 13:03.220 --> 13:08.220 And any time we've led someone to Christ at the door, just mark it down. 13:08.220 --> 13:10.700 That person had heard the gospel multiple times before that. 13:11.300 --> 13:20.300 A seed was sown into that person's heart long before that and we just came we watered it and we ended up reaping the benefits of other people's labors. 13:20.300 --> 13:29.300 The point being here is that the Word of God when it's sown like a seed, reaps a harvest that is often greater than the seed itself. 13:29.300 --> 13:32.700 And then lastly, the word of God is like a seed, 13:32.700 --> 13:37.060 because seeds required the right type of ground, okay, 13:37.060 --> 13:39.300 to be sown into in order to produce. 13:39.300 --> 13:43.380 the fruit. You see the problem in each of these parables that we're going to look 13:43.380 --> 13:47.940 at this morning is never the seed. Okay now obviously the seed is the problem if 13:47.940 --> 13:52.900 you've got the wrong seed. We need to make sure we have the right seed and of 13:52.900 --> 13:57.300 course we know that to be the King James Version of the Bible. All modern versions 13:57.300 --> 14:02.200 of the Bible are genetically modified seeds. Okay? 14:02.500 --> 14:05.260 They're not the right type of seed, they're fake. 14:05.260 --> 14:09.180 And this is not a sermon on why we use the King James Bible, but let me just give you 14:09.180 --> 14:10.580 a synopsis as to why. 14:11.100 --> 14:14.980 You know, the reason why we use it is because we believe that it's the inspired and preserved 14:14.980 --> 14:17.500 word of God for the English-speaking people. 14:17.500 --> 14:23.340 It is accurate, it is loyal to the underlying Masoretic and Greek texts, and modern versions 14:23.340 --> 14:28.300 of the Bible not only add to the word of God, but they take away from it, and they're also 14:28.300 --> 14:32.160 anachronistically erroneous in a lot of ways, okay? 14:32.160 --> 14:38.340 They often, you know, get geography wrong, they get doctrine wrong, sometimes they just 14:38.340 --> 14:39.100 Put a verse that just. 14:39.100 --> 14:42.900 It's not even in the original language just the editors decided to put it in there 14:42.900 --> 14:48.340 And so, you know, that's one of the reasons those are a few reasons why we use the King James Version of the Bible 14:48.340 --> 14:54.480 and quite frankly if you were to take a pull of all the different churches and see how many 14:54.820 --> 15:01.020 Souls these churches have gotten saved the majority of the churches that you will discover that are getting a lot of people saved 15:01.220 --> 15:05.980 They're actually preaching the Word of God. They're actually taking a stand use the King James Version of the Bible 15:07.200 --> 15:11.520 And look folks, we know this because of the fact that like we literally go door to door 15:11.520 --> 15:14.560 and aside from preaching the gospel, we're kind of taking a consensus 15:15.200 --> 15:18.960 of the type of churches that people go to, the type of Bible that they use, 15:18.960 --> 15:23.920 and the kind of doctrine that they have. And the majority of people who tell us, 15:23.920 --> 15:26.600 oh I'm saved, I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 15:26.700 --> 15:29.500 I've come to the same knowledge of Jesus Christ and it's just like, oh, okay. 15:29.500 --> 15:30.100 Where'd you get saved? 15:30.100 --> 15:32.860 Like, well, I got saved at a Baptist church when I was five years old, actually. 15:33.540 --> 15:35.700 I mean, I actually, you know, went to a Baptist church. 15:35.700 --> 15:37.140 I used to be a Baptist. 15:37.420 --> 15:40.780 I went to a fundamental Baptist church and then they ended up going to some other church. 15:40.820 --> 15:41.220 Okay. 15:41.620 --> 15:44.340 Point being that is, and I get it. 15:44.340 --> 15:46.860 You're like, well, that's an anecdotal, that's anecdotal evidence. 15:46.860 --> 15:47.140 Yeah. 15:47.140 --> 15:52.220 I mean, I've been doing this for the last 15, 16, 17 years or so, and it's been pretty 15:52.220 --> 15:53.620 consistent throughout that whole time. 15:53.620 --> 15:54.700 And the point that I'm making is that. 15:54.700 --> 15:57.440 we need to make sure that we use the right seed. 15:57.600 --> 16:02.080 if we're sowing the gospel. Now why is that? Well think about this, you know the King James 16:02.080 --> 16:07.760 version of the Bible specifically says this in 1st Peter 2 2, as newborn babes desire the sincere 16:07.760 --> 16:11.600 milk of the word that ye may grow thereby, essentially teaching us that if we're going to 16:11.600 --> 16:18.080 grow spiritually we need the word of God, right? The milk of the word, that's what we need. The 16:18.080 --> 16:23.040 teaching there is pretty clear, it's pretty explicit, no arguing that. The modern versions 16:23.040 --> 16:25.600 of the Bible said that ye may grow into salvation. 16:25.600 --> 16:32.400 Well, that perverts the gospel because it's saying that it makes salvation a process. 16:32.700 --> 16:34.500 It makes salvation a matter of, well, I 16:34.500 --> 16:36.040 have to keep reading the Word of God 16:36.040 --> 16:39.100 if I want to confirm my salvation. 16:39.100 --> 16:40.060 Here's another verse. 16:40.060 --> 16:43.380 1 Corinthians 1, 18 says, the preaching of the cross, 16:43.380 --> 16:45.260 but unto us, the preaching of the cross 16:45.260 --> 16:47.140 is to them that perish foolishness, 16:47.140 --> 16:50.300 but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. 16:50.300 --> 16:51.420 Pretty explicit. 16:51.420 --> 16:54.060 Modern versions, such as the New King James, 16:54.060 --> 16:57.180 but unto us which are being saved, it is the power of God. 16:57.180 --> 16:59.980 Again, making salvation a process. 16:59.980 --> 17:00.700 You're like, well, I. 17:00.700 --> 17:02.820 I can kind of understand what they're getting across there. 17:02.820 --> 17:04.380 Well, let's just say you could. 17:04.380 --> 17:06.080 It's still wrong, and it's not accurate, 17:06.080 --> 17:08.460 because it's not loyal to the underlying Greek text, which 17:08.460 --> 17:10.300 doesn't say that at all. 17:10.300 --> 17:12.620 So you got that problem, too. 17:12.620 --> 17:14.540 Point that I'm making here is that we need to make sure 17:14.540 --> 17:15.580 we have the right seed. 17:15.580 --> 17:17.140 But once we get the right seed, we 17:17.140 --> 17:20.220 need to make sure we sow it on the right type of ground. 17:20.220 --> 17:23.180 This is not to say that we are to be biased in how we 17:23.180 --> 17:24.500 distribute the seed. 17:24.500 --> 17:28.460 Just know that some grounds are far more fruitful than others. 17:28.460 --> 17:28.600 you 17:28.700 --> 17:32.700 Okay, and we're going to go over those different grounds in this sermon. 17:32.700 --> 17:35.900 The issue is the condition of the ground upon which it falls. 17:36.860 --> 17:41.340 In the same way, the word of God is perfect, but not every heart receives it rightfully. 17:41.340 --> 17:43.180 Now, you're in Luke chapter eight. 17:43.180 --> 17:47.500 Please make sure you go to Matthew 13 and Mark chapter four. 17:47.500 --> 17:54.220 We're going to be comparing these parables in their different gospel locations. 17:54.220 --> 17:56.220 And so we're going to start off in Luke chapter eight. 17:57.400 --> 17:59.860 Number one, let's talk about the seed 17:59.860 --> 18:02.820 that fell by the wayside. 18:02.820 --> 18:03.860 What is the wayside? 18:03.860 --> 18:07.820 The wayside is simply referring to that which is off the path. 18:07.820 --> 18:09.340 It's like the ditch. 18:09.340 --> 18:12.340 But it's other areas where people are walking on, 18:12.340 --> 18:13.940 animals trample over. 18:13.940 --> 18:15.820 It's simply a different path than that 18:15.820 --> 18:18.380 which is the main path. 18:18.380 --> 18:20.580 Luke chapter 8 and verse 12 says, 18:20.580 --> 18:24.400 those by the wayside, are they that here? 18:24.600 --> 18:32.160 Then cometh the devil and takeeth away the word of out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved 18:32.160 --> 18:38.420 Okay, now go to Matthew chapter 13. Let's look at the parallel passage to this in Luke chapter 8 18:38.420 --> 18:42.040 It says then when the seed of the Word of God is sown on the wayside 18:43.280 --> 18:49.520 Satan comes as figured by the bird the fowls of the air. He comes and he snatches the Word of God 18:50.000 --> 18:52.160 He takes the gospel presentation. 18:52.160 --> 18:54.360 He takes the scripture out of their hearts, 18:54.360 --> 18:57.040 lest they should believe and be saved. 18:57.040 --> 18:58.520 Now let me make this statement. 18:58.520 --> 19:01.760 These four seeds that are sown, out of the four, 19:01.760 --> 19:04.440 only three of them get saved. 19:04.440 --> 19:07.400 And obviously the one that's not is this one right here. 19:07.400 --> 19:10.240 It explicitly says, lest they should believe and be saved, 19:10.240 --> 19:11.500 meaning they don't get saved. 19:11.700 --> 19:14.060 Because they don't have the word of God in their hearts. 19:14.060 --> 19:15.700 It's removed from their hearts. 19:15.700 --> 19:18.340 So there's going to be instances where we're preaching the gospel, 19:18.340 --> 19:19.420 and we leave them with the verse. 19:19.420 --> 19:19.820 And what does it do? 19:19.820 --> 19:22.140 Satan comes and he snatches out of their hearts. 19:22.140 --> 19:23.380 They forget about it. 19:23.380 --> 19:25.420 They're not paying attention. 19:25.420 --> 19:28.500 They're watching the World Cup or something, 19:28.500 --> 19:31.960 and they're just trying to get you off their back or whatever. 19:31.960 --> 19:34.500 Which I commend you for being here, instead of watching 19:34.500 --> 19:38.860 one of the most boring sports in all of history. 19:38.860 --> 19:39.420 Amen. 19:41.700 --> 19:45.300 Lest they should believe and be saved. 19:45.300 --> 19:49.140 Look at Matthew 13 and verse 19. 19:49.140 --> 19:51.740 I just offended probably like 25% of the Mexicans 19:51.740 --> 19:53.820 in our church. 19:53.820 --> 19:57.620 Verse 19 says, when anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, 19:57.620 --> 20:00.140 and I want you to notice this, and understandeth it not. 20:00.140 --> 20:00.300 you 20:00.600 --> 20:02.640 So now we have a little more clarification 20:02.640 --> 20:05.680 as to why people, when they receive the word, 20:05.680 --> 20:07.360 Satan comes and snatches it out. 20:07.360 --> 20:09.900 It specifically says here that they don't understand it. 20:10.300 --> 20:12.020 He says, and understandeth and not, 20:12.020 --> 20:15.060 then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth the way 20:15.060 --> 20:17.540 that which was sown in the heart. 20:17.540 --> 20:20.860 This is he which received the seed by the wayside. 20:20.860 --> 20:22.420 And let me just explain something, 20:22.420 --> 20:24.380 that's why it's important when we're preaching the gospel, 20:24.380 --> 20:26.780 and if we're leaving someone with a verse, 20:26.780 --> 20:29.020 we give a little synopsis of what that verse 20:29.020 --> 20:30.200 is referring to, right? 20:30.340 --> 20:30.200 Right. 20:30.600 --> 20:35.540 You know believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and not shall be saved he that believeth on the sun hath everlasting life 20:35.540 --> 20:39.320 He that believeth not the sun shall not see light but the wrath of God abideth on him that 20:39.760 --> 20:45.600 Basically means that you have to place your faith exclusively upon Christ to be saved at the exclusion of everything else 20:45.600 --> 20:50.400 You know you give a little explanation of that so that they can understand it 20:50.700 --> 20:56.360 Because what the Bible is telling us here is that sometimes the word of God is sown in a particular heart that is 20:56.980 --> 21:00.220 Categorized as the wayside, but they don't understand it 21:00.220 --> 21:06.460 So Satan comes and removes that truth from their hearts and they don't come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ 21:06.460 --> 21:11.220 Now let me just say this is that you know, this can also picture people who are just in false religion 21:11.820 --> 21:13.820 The wayside is a different path 21:14.540 --> 21:16.780 Than the path that it's supposed to fall on right? 21:17.300 --> 21:18.760 And what is a different path? 21:18.760 --> 21:21.720 It's anything outside of the salvation 21:21.720 --> 21:23.300 that's found in the Bible. 21:23.300 --> 21:26.160 That should be a not controversial part for us 21:26.160 --> 21:28.340 as Christians to believe, right? 21:28.340 --> 21:31.040 I can't believe you said that some people are not saved. 21:31.040 --> 21:32.560 Yeah, try telling that to all the people 21:32.560 --> 21:35.000 who are in hell today. 21:35.000 --> 21:37.000 You know, people are in hell today in eternal fire 21:37.000 --> 21:39.720 and damnation because they believed 21:39.720 --> 21:42.080 on a different gospel, another Jesus, 21:42.080 --> 21:43.480 a different form of salvation. 21:43.800 --> 21:47.600 Folks, the Bible is very black and white when it comes to the gospel. 21:47.600 --> 21:51.100 And don't be surprised if you come to a fundamental Baptist church and we take a strict stance 21:51.100 --> 21:56.560 on the gospel, on the message of salvation, this is not a broad brush that we paint and 21:56.560 --> 22:01.280 say, well, you know, as long as you believe in God, that doesn't count. 22:01.280 --> 22:02.280 Why? 22:02.280 --> 22:04.320 Because everyone believes in God. 22:04.320 --> 22:05.600 Even if they tell you they don't. 22:06.800 --> 22:09.120 You say, well, if they tell me they don't, 22:09.120 --> 22:11.080 doesn't that mean that they don't believe in God? 22:11.080 --> 22:13.760 It's called lying. 22:13.760 --> 22:17.120 You know, atheists, they're liars. 22:17.120 --> 22:18.600 They believe in God. 22:18.600 --> 22:21.640 They just want to scorn and mock the things of God. 22:21.640 --> 22:23.600 They just want to mock Christianity. 22:23.600 --> 22:25.280 They just want to rage bait Christians 22:25.280 --> 22:27.840 by claiming that they don't believe in God. 22:27.840 --> 22:29.480 But the reality is this is they do. 22:29.480 --> 22:29.600 you 22:29.800 --> 22:35.200 Everyone believes in God and quite frankly everyone believes that Christ was a real person and 22:35.840 --> 22:41.740 Many of them would even assert that yeah, he is the Savior, but here's the point folks is that getting saved 22:42.360 --> 22:49.080 Requires for you to trust only upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to be saved 22:49.400 --> 22:54.460 Okay, meaning that you believe that his death and his resurrection is sufficient to give you eternal life 22:55.520 --> 22:57.500 Meaning you can't add anything to that 22:58.000 --> 23:01.040 Not your works, not your ability to keep God's commands, 23:01.040 --> 23:06.000 not the sacraments, not the Eucharist, not baptism, 23:06.000 --> 23:08.720 not anything else, not church attendance, 23:08.720 --> 23:10.280 not that your parents are Christian, 23:10.280 --> 23:12.280 not that your dad was a pastor, 23:12.280 --> 23:14.600 not that so-and-so was a missionary. 23:14.600 --> 23:17.880 The Bible requires for us to solely believe on Jesus Christ. 23:18.880 --> 23:22.400 Like, oh, where does it say faith alone in the Bible? 23:23.000 --> 23:24.080 Well, how about this? 23:24.080 --> 23:27.280 You know, the Bible says without the deeds of the law. 23:27.280 --> 23:31.400 Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith 23:31.400 --> 23:34.720 without the deeds of the law. 23:34.720 --> 23:36.160 Here, let me translate that for you. 23:36.160 --> 23:37.000 Faith alone. 23:37.000 --> 23:37.100 you 23:39.200 --> 23:40.040 And you know what? 23:40.040 --> 23:42.160 I preach against Catholics a lot, 23:42.160 --> 23:46.080 because they have a tendency over the last couple thousand 23:46.080 --> 23:48.280 years to pervert the gospel. 23:48.280 --> 23:50.240 And they're always asking me to show me 23:50.240 --> 23:52.160 where it says that specifically in the Bible. 23:52.160 --> 23:54.160 And it's just like, well, that's a hypocritical standard. 23:54.160 --> 23:57.040 Show me where it says Catholic in the Bible. 23:57.040 --> 23:58.800 Show me where it says purgatory in the Bible. 23:59.200 --> 24:04.080 Show me where it says, you know, list all of the doctrines of the Catholic faith and show me where it says that in the Bible 24:04.160 --> 24:08.480 Right doesn't exist. They have to go to the church fathers in order to substantiate that claim 24:08.480 --> 24:13.660 But they neglect to realize the proximity to the first century AD doesn't equal accuracy 24:14.040 --> 24:18.040 Because let me tell you someone who was really close to the Lord Jesus Christ and is burning in hell today 24:18.040 --> 24:19.400 His name is Judas Iscariot 24:22.000 --> 24:30.600 Point being here is that the seed that falls upon the wayside is often seed that falls upon a heart that is involved in a different religion. 24:30.600 --> 24:35.100 Okay, they're involved in Mormonism. They're involved in Jehovah's Witnesses. 24:35.100 --> 24:40.900 Now here's the thing is that that doesn't mean that we should have this bias where we don't give them the gospel because of that. 24:40.900 --> 24:46.900 You know, we knock on the door, a Mormon comes out, it's not like, oh, see ya, you know. 24:47.600 --> 24:52.600 Yeah, see you later with your 10 speeder or whatever. I'm not interested. No, I'll give that person the gospel 24:53.040 --> 24:55.040 Why because I believe the Word of God has power 24:55.440 --> 24:58.040 Okay, and I do believe that person can be saved 24:58.040 --> 25:04.580 I will treat that individual as just any other unsafe person that is a candidate for 25:05.240 --> 25:08.080 Salvation and not think well this person is not gonna get saved 25:08.080 --> 25:13.160 I have faith in the Word of God because the gospel is the power of God into salvation to everyone that believeth, okay 25:13.700 --> 25:16.740 But let's just be honest, if we're to be realistic, 25:16.740 --> 25:19.820 you're more likely to get someone saved who maybe doesn't 25:19.820 --> 25:21.860 have any religious background. 25:21.860 --> 25:23.580 Maybe they don't have a church background, 25:23.580 --> 25:24.940 or maybe they thought they were a Christian, 25:24.940 --> 25:26.620 but they're not really in church. 25:26.620 --> 25:28.260 They don't know anything about salvation. 25:28.260 --> 25:31.140 You're more likely to get that person saved than the Mormon. 25:31.140 --> 25:31.640 Why? 25:31.640 --> 25:34.700 Because the Mormon is by the wayside. 25:34.700 --> 25:38.740 And so the Mormon is involved in a different path. 25:38.740 --> 25:41.140 The Jehovah's Witness is involved in a different path. 25:41.700 --> 25:48.100 These individuals are believing in another Jesus, another gospel, another spirit. 25:48.100 --> 25:50.900 Therefore, it's often when we give them the gospel, 25:50.900 --> 25:53.700 the wicked one comes and snatches the word of God out of their hearts. 25:53.700 --> 25:57.900 Now on a practical level, we've actually seen this, okay, spiritually speaking. 25:57.900 --> 26:02.700 When we're at a door and we give the gospel and you feel like Satan is just like interrupting, 26:02.700 --> 26:04.600 he's just like pulling someone away. 26:04.600 --> 26:08.600 I've had instances where I'm talking to someone and they're just like right there. 26:08.800 --> 26:14.640 They're about to get saved and then the mom the dad or someone comes and says all right, that's enough and just closes the door 26:14.640 --> 26:16.800 Right. She's like man. They're that close 26:18.320 --> 26:23.520 This is essentially someone that they're like that foul of the air who comes and takes the word of god 26:24.060 --> 26:30.820 Snatches it out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved and look folks. There is only one right religion 26:32.200 --> 26:33.280 It's the bottom line. 26:33.280 --> 26:34.900 And you say, well, is it Baptist? 26:34.900 --> 26:37.280 Not necessarily, because there's Baptists out there 26:37.280 --> 26:38.640 who are not saved. 26:38.640 --> 26:41.160 People are like, oh, man, you think that your church is the 26:41.160 --> 26:41.660 only? 26:41.660 --> 26:44.000 No, there's plenty of churches out there that don't have 26:44.000 --> 26:47.480 Baptists in the name that preach the right gospel. 26:47.480 --> 26:51.080 Be very arrogant and prideful to say that this is the only 26:51.080 --> 26:53.240 church that has the right gospel, or you could only be a 26:53.240 --> 26:54.800 Baptist to have the right gospel. 26:54.800 --> 26:55.500 False. 26:55.700 --> 26:57.980 Plenty of churches out there that don't have Baptists. 26:57.980 --> 27:01.380 They call themselves Christian, fellowship, or whatever other name they got. 27:01.380 --> 27:02.840 And they do have the right gospel. 27:02.840 --> 27:03.840 I've seen it. 27:03.840 --> 27:06.080 I've seen their literature. 27:06.080 --> 27:07.420 I've seen it on their websites. 27:07.420 --> 27:08.720 I've talked to their people. 27:08.720 --> 27:10.180 And they do have the right gospel. 27:10.180 --> 27:10.980 Okay? 27:10.980 --> 27:15.060 You know, you're not going to heaven if you don't believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 27:15.400 --> 27:20.720 Only to be saved. It's not like well if you're not part of this church you can't be saved false 27:21.120 --> 27:26.220 So many people have come to this church already saved. They got saved at a different church, okay? 27:26.820 --> 27:30.360 But all that to say that this is the right religion though 27:31.040 --> 27:35.060 So any church that's preaching this gospel is the right one 27:36.500 --> 27:43.020 Whereas if you have a different church, even if it's called a fundamental Baptist even if it's called Christian fellowship 27:43.020 --> 27:48.940 Even if it's called Jesus church, but they have a different gospel. Guess what? That's a false religion according to the Bible. Oh 27:51.020 --> 27:53.660 But I don't understand what if they call themselves Christian 27:54.220 --> 27:57.580 The Bible tells us that he just themes his word above his name 27:58.460 --> 28:03.600 So the way we determine whether a church is right or not is based upon their doctrine 28:04.100 --> 28:06.100 Not based upon what they call themselves. 28:06.100 --> 28:07.880 Now obviously whatever it is that they call themselves 28:07.880 --> 28:10.380 kind of helps us to put us in the right ballpark 28:10.380 --> 28:12.780 of what the Bible says is the truth, right? 28:12.780 --> 28:14.880 Like, you know, obviously if we're looking at 28:14.880 --> 28:17.880 five different churches, one is a kingdom hall, 28:17.880 --> 28:21.880 one is a Mormon tabernacle, one's a synagogue. 28:23.380 --> 28:27.200 Okay, you can basically like, alright, these for sure. 28:27.300 --> 28:29.740 I don't have the truth here. 28:29.740 --> 28:31.020 These are way off grid. 28:31.020 --> 28:33.860 These aren't even by the wayside. 28:33.860 --> 28:37.300 These are on the way, way, wayside. 28:37.300 --> 28:38.900 These are on the no wayside. 28:39.300 --> 28:42.340 Whereas, you know, then you have the three other churches. 28:42.340 --> 28:43.500 One's a fundamental Baptist. 28:43.500 --> 28:45.060 Two of them are fundamental Baptist. 28:45.060 --> 28:46.420 One's an anandanaam. 28:46.420 --> 28:48.660 One's, or whatever, a Christian church. 28:48.660 --> 28:50.620 You know, it's likely that some of these churches 28:50.620 --> 28:51.860 do have the right gospel. 28:51.860 --> 28:53.380 The only way we can determine that 28:53.380 --> 28:56.540 is by proving all things holding fast that which is good. 28:56.540 --> 28:59.100 By asking them, what do you believe about the gospel? 28:59.100 --> 28:59.900 OK? 28:59.900 --> 29:02.260 In general, if I visit a fundamental Baptist church, 29:02.260 --> 29:04.420 I'm assuming they do have the right gospel, 29:04.420 --> 29:05.500 unless they say otherwise. 29:05.500 --> 29:07.100 Because in general... 29:07.600 --> 29:11.200 Fundamental Baptists do believe right on salvation. 29:11.200 --> 29:14.720 I'm not going to say all of them do, but in general, 29:14.720 --> 29:15.960 they have a tendency to do. 29:15.960 --> 29:18.000 They do believe the right gospel. 29:18.000 --> 29:19.840 But let's just be honest, though. 29:19.840 --> 29:21.920 There are many who don't. 29:21.920 --> 29:24.120 And this is why we're independent fundamental 29:24.120 --> 29:24.900 Baptists. 29:25.000 --> 29:30.800 Meaning that we're we are separated one from another we're like-minded in the essentials of the faith 29:31.160 --> 29:36.760 However, just because one believes a false gospel doesn't mean we have to believe what they believe, okay? 29:37.300 --> 29:40.860 They got their own governing body over there and so forth. 29:40.860 --> 29:45.460 Point that I'm making is that there are only two religions in this world, the right one and the false one. 29:45.460 --> 29:50.600 And the Bible tells us that the God of this world had blinded the minds of them which believed not, 29:50.600 --> 29:55.060 lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 29:55.060 --> 29:58.700 So Satan is obviously working overtime to blind people, right? 29:58.900 --> 30:03.180 He does it through false secular ideologies, 30:03.180 --> 30:06.260 but he also does it through false religion. 30:06.260 --> 30:08.900 And one of the most effective religions 30:08.900 --> 30:11.340 to blind people to the truth is the religion 30:11.340 --> 30:15.180 that's as close to the Bible as possibly can be, 30:15.180 --> 30:17.980 but still be wrong on salvation. 30:17.980 --> 30:21.660 Because that's what you call a wolf in sheep's clothing. 30:21.660 --> 30:24.380 It's when the clothing is nicely woven 30:24.380 --> 30:26.540 to look like the real deal. 30:27.000 --> 30:29.920 But it actually isn't and so it deceives a lot of people 30:30.080 --> 30:33.720 You know, this is why the Bible tells us in first John chapter 5. You don't have to turn there 30:34.040 --> 30:36.520 Verse 4 says for whatsoever is born of God 30:37.280 --> 30:41.260 Overcome at the world and this is the victory that overcome at the world even our faith 30:41.440 --> 30:43.000 Who is he that overcome at the world? 30:43.000 --> 30:46.260 But he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God 30:46.600 --> 30:50.000 What the Bible is telling us here is that in order for a person to get saved? 30:50.160 --> 30:52.160 It's not that they have to overcome sin 30:52.900 --> 30:54.580 Because you can't overcome sin. 30:54.580 --> 30:57.260 Your body is sinful. 30:57.260 --> 31:02.220 Your spirit is encapsulated in this sinful body. 31:02.220 --> 31:04.780 And the apostle Paul said, for in me that is in my flesh, 31:04.780 --> 31:06.380 dwelleth no good thing. 31:06.380 --> 31:08.740 For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which 31:08.740 --> 31:09.860 is good I find not. 31:09.860 --> 31:10.700 That's what he said. 31:11.200 --> 31:15.620 So you know you don't have to overcome sin to be saved you need the forgiveness of sins to be saved 31:15.800 --> 31:22.080 Which comes when you place your faith in Christ what you have to overcome is what you're trusting in for salvation 31:22.500 --> 31:30.340 The false religion that you're trusting in for salvation the false ideology the false gospel that has built a stronghold in your mind 31:30.660 --> 31:32.820 That has deceived you into believing that that's the truth 31:32.820 --> 31:35.460 That's what you have to overcome in order to be saved 31:35.460 --> 31:40.940 Which is why it says who is he that overcome at the world, but he that believe it that Jesus is the son of God 31:41.700 --> 31:44.300 So how do we know if someone has overcome false religion 31:44.300 --> 31:44.980 in their mind? 31:44.980 --> 31:46.860 If they've placed their faith exclusively 31:46.860 --> 31:50.340 upon Christ for salvation, this person has overcome the world. 31:50.340 --> 31:54.420 Because the world is filled with false ideologies, 31:54.420 --> 31:55.740 false religion. 31:55.740 --> 31:58.980 It's filled with false doctrine, heresies, all these things 31:58.980 --> 32:02.460 that are meant to pull the unregenerated away 32:02.460 --> 32:04.980 from the truth further and further and further, 32:04.980 --> 32:06.500 carrying them on the wayside. 32:06.800 --> 32:08.040 And this is important to note. 32:08.040 --> 32:10.480 When we sow the seed on the wayside, 32:10.480 --> 32:12.000 don't be discouraged. 32:12.000 --> 32:13.460 Because sometimes it's like, man, I 32:13.460 --> 32:15.360 feel like people aren't receiving this. 32:15.360 --> 32:18.660 Well, it could be that this person is just heavily saturated 32:18.660 --> 32:19.960 within false religion. 32:19.960 --> 32:22.340 And it could be difficult for them to make it out of that. 32:22.340 --> 32:24.200 Some of you are related to people like that. 32:24.300 --> 32:27.900 Or you're related to someone who's just like duped by false religion. 32:27.900 --> 32:30.420 They're so blinded by it. 32:30.420 --> 32:33.220 And the solution to that is just keep sowing those seeds. 32:33.220 --> 32:34.700 Keep sowing those seeds. 32:34.700 --> 32:35.700 Pray for that person. 32:35.700 --> 32:40.120 Cultivate that soil so that one day they could come to the saving knowledge of Christ. 32:40.120 --> 32:43.300 The light of the glorious gospel of Christ can shine into them. 32:43.300 --> 32:45.420 Go back to Luke chapter 8. 32:45.420 --> 32:46.420 Point number 2 here. 32:46.420 --> 32:48.500 So we looked at the seed that fell upon the wayside. 32:48.500 --> 32:50.300 This person did not get saved. 32:50.400 --> 32:57.160 Satan comes and he snatches it out of their heart lest they should believe and be saved. They don't understand the Word of God 32:57.520 --> 33:00.560 Okay, and let me make one more point in that regard 33:00.760 --> 33:06.540 This is why it's important for people to give the gospel to other people face to face, right? 33:07.120 --> 33:12.800 Video to video or whatever face to face meaning that a person needs to explain the gospel to someone 33:13.600 --> 33:18.400 Because the way they understand it is by a person breaking it down for them. 33:18.900 --> 33:36.900 This is why at our church we do emphasize the importance of soul winning, meaning that a person should be equipped to learn how to preach the gospel, to explain the verses, to explain these biblical concepts, to put the cookie on the bottom shelf so to speak, so the person can understand it. 33:36.900 --> 33:41.900 Point number two is that the seed, we're going to talk about the seed that fell on stony places. 33:41.900 --> 33:46.180 Now, I mentioned in the beginning that these four seeds fall on four grounds. 33:46.600 --> 33:49.520 Out of the four, only three get saved. 33:49.520 --> 33:52.200 And then out of the three, only one produces fruit, 33:52.200 --> 33:53.880 which is the very last one. 33:53.880 --> 33:55.420 So from here on out, we're going to look 33:55.420 --> 33:57.560 at people who did receive the word of God 33:57.560 --> 33:59.880 and they did get saved. 33:59.880 --> 34:01.720 So this is the seed that fell on stony places. 34:01.720 --> 34:05.600 This seed actually germinates, but its growth is hindered. 34:05.600 --> 34:07.200 Look at verse 13 of Luke 8. 34:08.200 --> 34:11.640 It says, they on the rock are they, which when they hear, 34:11.640 --> 34:14.280 receive the word with joy. 34:14.280 --> 34:15.700 And I do want to mention that. 34:16.000 --> 34:22.140 In the Bible, especially in the New Testament, when the Bible talks about receiving the Word with gladness, 34:22.140 --> 34:26.480 receiving the Word with joy, this is often synonymous with salvation. 34:26.480 --> 34:27.220 Okay? 34:27.220 --> 34:29.820 Basically means that they received it and they believed on it. 34:29.820 --> 34:36.080 We actually see this in Acts chapter 2, where people receive the Word with gladness and then they're baptized. 34:36.080 --> 34:36.740 Okay? 34:36.740 --> 34:39.280 Why? Because baptism comes after salvation. 34:39.400 --> 34:41.400 So based upon that, we understand 34:41.400 --> 34:43.400 that receiving the word of God with gladness 34:43.400 --> 34:45.720 equates to salvation, as noted by the fact 34:45.720 --> 34:48.800 that the person gets baptized thereafter. 34:48.800 --> 34:51.440 So here we see that this person receives the word of a joy. 34:51.440 --> 34:52.640 They get saved. 34:52.640 --> 34:54.520 They call upon the name of the Lord. 34:54.520 --> 34:56.480 They believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 34:56.480 --> 34:58.120 It's great, right? 34:58.120 --> 34:59.560 But look what it says. 34:59.560 --> 35:02.600 And these have no root. 35:02.600 --> 35:02.800 Thanks for watching! 35:03.400 --> 35:09.160 which for a while believe in a time of temptation fall away. 35:09.160 --> 35:13.960 So we see here that we sow a seed on this stony ground. 35:13.960 --> 35:16.320 Person gets saved, but they don't have a root. 35:16.320 --> 35:18.600 And it says here that they believe for a while. 35:18.600 --> 35:20.440 And a lot of people get confused about that. 35:20.440 --> 35:23.560 Is this saying that they can stop believing in salvation? 35:23.560 --> 35:25.520 They can stop believing on Jesus Christ? 35:25.520 --> 35:27.020 Well, that's why it's important that we 35:27.020 --> 35:29.520 address all of the parallel passages when 35:29.520 --> 35:30.600 it comes to this parable. 35:30.700 --> 35:32.780 Because not all the parables that 35:32.780 --> 35:35.240 are found in regards to this particular story 35:35.240 --> 35:36.600 are written exactly the same. 35:36.600 --> 35:38.780 And some give a little more information than others. 35:38.780 --> 35:42.540 Go to Mark chapter 4, if you would, Mark chapter 4. 35:42.540 --> 35:45.460 So in Luke 8, we see that they had no root. 35:45.460 --> 35:48.560 They believe for a while. 35:48.560 --> 35:52.580 And when temptation comes, what is another word for temptation? 35:52.580 --> 35:53.980 Trial? 35:53.980 --> 35:56.140 Tribulation? 35:56.140 --> 35:57.500 Some sort of hardship? 35:57.800 --> 36:00.600 It says that they fall away. 36:00.600 --> 36:02.180 Look at Mark chapter 4, verse 16, 36:02.180 --> 36:04.180 in order to get a little more clarification 36:04.180 --> 36:05.540 on this meaning here. 36:05.540 --> 36:08.700 Verse 16 says, and these are they likewise, 36:08.700 --> 36:12.380 which are sown on stony ground, who when they have heard 36:12.380 --> 36:16.260 the word, immediately receive it with gladness. 36:16.260 --> 36:19.980 They get saved and have no root in themselves. 36:19.980 --> 36:21.020 And look what it says here. 36:21.020 --> 36:23.420 And so endure but for a time. 36:23.900 --> 36:27.400 afterward, when affliction or persecution 36:27.400 --> 36:32.300 ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 36:32.300 --> 36:34.700 So now we have a replacement of phrases here. 36:34.700 --> 36:37.600 In Luke chapter 8 it says that for a while they believe. 36:37.600 --> 36:41.700 In Mark chapter 4 it says that for a while they endure. 36:41.900 --> 36:46.280 And then in Luke chapter 8, it says, when temptation comes, 36:46.280 --> 36:47.160 they fall away. 36:47.160 --> 36:49.800 Here it says, when affliction or persecution 36:49.800 --> 36:53.160 comes because of the word, they are offended. 36:53.160 --> 36:54.960 So what does it mean to fall away? 36:54.960 --> 36:58.120 It doesn't mean to apostatize in this context. 36:58.120 --> 37:00.320 It actually means that they're offended. 37:00.320 --> 37:04.640 And being offended in the Bible is to stumble. 37:04.640 --> 37:06.520 When it talks about the stumbling block, 37:06.520 --> 37:06.700 Thanks for watching! 37:07.100 --> 37:09.100 That's what it's referring to when it talks about being offended. 37:09.100 --> 37:11.540 In other words, they kind of trip up a little bit. 37:11.540 --> 37:13.060 They compromise. 37:13.060 --> 37:13.940 They get out of church. 37:13.940 --> 37:17.020 They fall away from congregating with the people of God. 37:17.020 --> 37:18.700 They fall away from the Bible. 37:18.700 --> 37:20.100 They fall away from serving God. 37:20.100 --> 37:23.260 They basically do what Peter did when he 37:23.260 --> 37:25.700 was confronted with persecution. 37:25.700 --> 37:26.820 He ran away. 37:26.820 --> 37:27.700 He denied the Lord. 37:27.700 --> 37:29.300 And by the way, when he denied the Lord, 37:29.300 --> 37:30.620 he's not denying that he's saved. 37:31.400 --> 37:35.840 He's just like, I don't want to suffer persecution. 37:35.840 --> 37:37.640 And then he just gets away. 37:37.640 --> 37:38.140 Why? 37:38.140 --> 37:39.060 Because he's offended. 37:39.060 --> 37:42.360 He stumbled at the stumbling stone. 37:42.360 --> 37:44.200 Make no mistake about it, Christians do this, 37:44.200 --> 37:47.960 unfortunately, where when the pressure's on, 37:47.960 --> 37:50.240 they start denying that they believe certain things. 37:50.240 --> 37:53.000 Or they start denying, oh, no, I just go to that church. 37:53.000 --> 37:55.720 Or I'm just looking into that, or whatever, 37:55.720 --> 37:57.440 because they're afraid to take a stance. 37:57.440 --> 37:57.800 Right. 37:58.100 --> 38:02.740 So why? Because you know affliction comes, persecution comes. People start pressing them 38:02.740 --> 38:07.780 over their beliefs and because they don't have a root in themselves then they get out of church 38:07.780 --> 38:12.660 or they deny that they believe something or they just become offended, they stumble, and they become 38:12.660 --> 38:16.980 displeasing unto the Lord. Now what is the main issue here? They're not rooted. 38:17.800 --> 38:21.880 It doesn't mean that they don't believe in these things. 38:21.880 --> 38:25.760 It means that they're not rooted in their beliefs. 38:25.760 --> 38:29.480 You say, well, explain to me why it says here 38:29.480 --> 38:32.200 that for a while they believe. 38:32.200 --> 38:34.520 Well, you have to understand something about the word believe. 38:34.520 --> 38:36.560 Obviously, in the New Testament, throughout the Bible, 38:36.560 --> 38:38.400 but specifically in the New Testament, 38:38.400 --> 38:41.320 the main interpretation of believe 38:41.320 --> 38:43.280 is often used in the context of salvation. 38:44.100 --> 38:47.060 But there's other instances where it's not. 38:47.060 --> 38:50.060 Other instances, it's referring to just having faith 38:50.060 --> 38:55.820 or trusting in God for provision, for protection, 38:55.820 --> 38:58.980 for things outside of salvation. 38:58.980 --> 39:00.500 And here's the thing is that someone 39:00.500 --> 39:02.580 can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, 39:02.580 --> 39:04.420 but they still lack faith in God that God's 39:04.420 --> 39:07.340 going to protect them, or that God loves them, 39:07.340 --> 39:09.460 or that God is going to see them through a trial. 39:09.460 --> 39:10.580 That happens all the time. 39:11.100 --> 39:22.500 And the way a person can avoid being that type of individual that questions whether God is going to protect them, provide for them, you fill in the blank, is by getting rooted in the Christian faith. 39:22.500 --> 39:23.500 Okay? 39:23.500 --> 39:30.700 Digging your roots down deep in the Christian faith so that you're not moved when afflictions come upon you. 39:30.700 --> 39:36.700 Because here's the thing, folks, is that, you know, we must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God. 39:37.200 --> 39:40.200 You know, it's God's will for us to suffer for his name sake. 39:40.500 --> 39:41.760 We're going to go through trials. 39:41.760 --> 39:43.160 We're going to go through tribulations. 39:43.160 --> 39:48.080 And the Bible tells us that if you're not rooted, you will get out of church. 39:48.460 --> 39:50.160 You will get involved in sin. 39:50.160 --> 39:51.720 You will get out of your Bible. 39:51.720 --> 39:53.380 You will stop preaching the word of God. 39:53.380 --> 39:58.340 You will stop living a godly Christian life if you're not rooted in the things of God. 39:58.640 --> 40:01.560 Now, you say, well, pastor, explain to me how that how does that look 40:01.880 --> 40:04.020 to get rooted in the Christian faith? 40:04.020 --> 40:05.200 Well, here's a good way to explain. 40:05.200 --> 40:10.200 It means to internalize the convictions of the Bible. 40:10.200 --> 40:14.200 Like you have to know why you're coming to church. 40:14.200 --> 40:19.200 You have to know why you need to be serving God all the days of your life. 40:19.200 --> 40:21.200 It's not for me. 40:21.600 --> 40:23.240 It's not for your wife. 40:23.240 --> 40:25.000 It's not for your husband. 40:25.000 --> 40:26.720 It's not for your children. 40:26.720 --> 40:29.880 It's not for your boyfriend. 40:29.880 --> 40:32.600 It's not for your girlfriend. 40:32.600 --> 40:35.880 There has to be some substance to your Christian faith. 40:35.880 --> 40:37.240 Not for salvation. 40:37.240 --> 40:39.960 I'm talking about for the practicality of Christian 40:39.960 --> 40:44.040 living, meaning you should be doing it as unto the Lord. 40:44.040 --> 40:44.520 Why? 40:44.520 --> 40:46.200 Because people fail us. 40:48.300 --> 40:53.140 Our parents fail us, spouses fail us, brothers in Christ fail us. 40:53.140 --> 40:54.420 It's going to happen. 40:54.420 --> 40:57.580 And so if you're always relying upon this person 40:57.580 --> 41:00.260 to just hold you down and help you 41:00.260 --> 41:01.800 throughout the Christian faith, well, what 41:01.800 --> 41:03.620 happens if they fall by the wayside? 41:03.620 --> 41:05.260 What happens if they backslide? 41:05.260 --> 41:06.660 What happens if they fail? 41:06.660 --> 41:08.580 What happens if they become a bad example? 41:08.580 --> 41:10.500 Does that mean you fall away too? 41:10.500 --> 41:12.340 For a lot of Christians, that does happen. 41:13.700 --> 41:18.100 where their favorite person ends up going by the wayside. 41:18.100 --> 41:18.900 They backslide. 41:18.900 --> 41:19.980 They got out of church. 41:19.980 --> 41:21.580 They're no longer pastoring or whatever. 41:21.580 --> 41:23.460 And it's just like, oh, I can't do this either. 41:23.460 --> 41:24.180 And they get offended. 41:24.180 --> 41:24.340 Why? 41:24.340 --> 41:28.140 Because they're not rooted in the Christian faith. 41:28.140 --> 41:30.300 And look, it starts with the basics, 41:30.300 --> 41:31.980 meaning that I need to get rooted 41:31.980 --> 41:35.180 and make sure that I understand why I need to be in church. 41:35.180 --> 41:37.300 You know you have to go to church. 41:37.300 --> 41:39.140 But do you know how to explain? 41:39.140 --> 41:40.980 You know why that is from the Bible? 41:41.600 --> 41:45.920 Can you provide verses from the Word of God where you can point to and say, 41:45.920 --> 41:51.440 I go to church every single week because this is what the Bible says about my church attendance. 41:52.400 --> 41:54.320 If you don't, then you're not rooted in that area. 41:55.360 --> 41:58.480 And quite frankly, once a trial hits you, you're going to be out of church because you don't have 41:58.480 --> 42:01.280 the conviction to go to church consistently, no matter what happens. 42:02.480 --> 42:08.320 You see, convictions help us. They aid us in serving God when the going gets tough. 42:08.900 --> 42:12.740 When the stuff hits the fan, you won't be moved. 42:12.740 --> 42:13.240 Why? 42:13.240 --> 42:15.020 Because this is just who you are. 42:15.020 --> 42:17.460 If you're going through a trial or tribulation 42:17.460 --> 42:19.460 and you're not rooted in why you read the word of God 42:19.460 --> 42:21.740 every single day, you're going to stop reading the Bible. 42:21.740 --> 42:23.300 Because you don't have that conviction. 42:23.300 --> 42:25.140 Like, I can, you know. 42:25.140 --> 42:26.900 You know, some of you have the conviction 42:26.900 --> 42:30.100 of brushing your teeth in the morning, hopefully. 42:30.100 --> 42:32.700 You have the conviction of showering daily. 42:32.700 --> 42:33.800 Maybe some of you don't. 42:33.900 --> 42:37.020 You know, you have the conviction of going to work. 42:37.020 --> 42:39.600 You have all these convictions of things you just 42:39.600 --> 42:42.260 do by muscle memory. 42:42.260 --> 42:45.020 It's things that you don't even question in your life. 42:45.020 --> 42:47.540 Some of you have the conviction of going to the gym. 42:47.540 --> 42:49.380 You're like, well, that's just what I do. 42:49.380 --> 42:49.880 I lift. 42:49.880 --> 42:51.460 I work out. 42:51.460 --> 42:54.420 I do my steps. 42:54.420 --> 42:56.340 I lift heavy weights. 42:56.340 --> 42:57.140 I go to the gym. 42:57.140 --> 42:57.940 That's my conviction. 42:57.940 --> 43:00.260 I just never miss that. 43:00.260 --> 43:01.660 That's just part of who you are. 43:02.000 --> 43:05.440 Well, that's kind of how God wants like the things of God to be in your life too. 43:06.960 --> 43:09.280 You better not be in the gym more than you're in church, right? 43:10.000 --> 43:13.200 Or be more consistent to the gym than you are to church, okay? 43:14.320 --> 43:16.800 And so, you know, and that goes with anything else. 43:17.440 --> 43:22.240 Point that I'm making here is that being rooted in the Christian life requires for you 43:22.240 --> 43:27.200 to make these convictions that we talk about what the Bible says like a part of your identity. 43:27.600 --> 43:30.000 Part of like your spiritual DNA. 43:30.000 --> 43:31.000 Okay? 43:31.000 --> 43:34.300 Should be no question like, oh should I go to church today? 43:34.300 --> 43:35.300 You know? 43:35.300 --> 43:36.300 It's just like, are we going to church today? 43:36.300 --> 43:40.020 I don't know, I don't really feel, I don't know if I feel like going to church today. 43:40.020 --> 43:41.500 Well there's a problem. 43:41.500 --> 43:44.540 What do you mean what you feel like doing? 43:44.540 --> 43:47.900 Since when do we just do the things that we feel like doing? 43:47.900 --> 43:51.700 As Christians we should be people of conviction that says, yeah of course, why are you asking 43:51.700 --> 43:52.700 that? 43:52.700 --> 43:53.700 I'm offended that you would ask that. 43:54.100 --> 43:56.100 And what I'm going to church and that because that's just something we do 43:56.980 --> 44:01.460 That's just what believers do forsake not the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is 44:02.020 --> 44:04.900 But exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching 44:05.220 --> 44:09.460 This is my biblical conviction and this is what we do as believers 44:09.940 --> 44:15.080 Get rooted because here's the thing is that once you believe the the newness wears off 44:16.300 --> 44:20.780 You know, oh, it's all excited in the beginning, great preaching, he's talking about Jews. 44:20.780 --> 44:25.660 You know, he said fag in the other sermon and this is great, it's just awesome. 44:25.660 --> 44:28.460 And then, you know, you're enduring for a while. 44:29.580 --> 44:34.700 But then when it starts getting hot and heavy, the preaching starts calling out your sin, 44:34.700 --> 44:38.460 start ripping on your things and the things that you do, 44:38.460 --> 44:41.260 it starts getting difficult, you start experiencing trials, 44:41.260 --> 44:43.340 then you're going to start getting moved a little bit. 44:44.000 --> 44:44.500 Why? 44:44.500 --> 44:47.420 Because you need to invest this time 44:47.420 --> 44:49.540 into getting rooted in your faith 44:49.540 --> 44:51.500 and making sure you know why it is that you believe 44:51.500 --> 44:52.780 the things that you believe. 44:52.780 --> 44:56.560 And it's easy to take a stance when you have 44:56.560 --> 44:59.360 no pressure or persecution. 44:59.360 --> 45:01.500 It's different when you start getting pushback. 45:02.300 --> 45:05.700 from those around you, from people online, 45:05.700 --> 45:07.660 from maybe even your neighbors. 45:07.660 --> 45:09.120 Then you start feeling the pressure. 45:09.120 --> 45:09.900 You're like, oh, man, I don't know 45:09.900 --> 45:12.140 if I should be as open about this as before. 45:12.140 --> 45:14.700 Oh, so that's not really your conviction then. 45:14.700 --> 45:16.020 Because the conviction is this. 45:16.020 --> 45:19.020 I believe this at any, you can wake me up 45:19.020 --> 45:21.700 at 1 o'clock in the morning. 45:21.700 --> 45:23.420 And I'll believe this. 45:23.420 --> 45:24.980 You can wake me up at 3 AM. 45:24.980 --> 45:29.700 And yes, I still hold to these grumpy butt, you know? 45:30.300 --> 45:33.180 angry that you woke me up, but these are the things that I believe. 45:34.060 --> 45:40.300 You know, you're not just some like seasonal conviction Christian where it's just like, 45:40.300 --> 45:42.540 well I just believe it if everyone's on board with it. 45:43.340 --> 45:47.580 Or what if no one believed it? What if no one took a stance on it, right? 45:48.600 --> 45:52.280 And so it's important for us to realize the importance of getting rooted. 45:52.280 --> 45:56.760 It says here they endure for a time, but then affliction, persecution arises, 45:56.760 --> 46:01.160 and then they're offended. They get out of church. Okay. Now I commend our church because we 46:01.160 --> 46:06.040 experienced a severe form of persecution, I don't know, it was like five years ago or something like 46:06.040 --> 46:11.080 that, where our church was blown up and we didn't lose a single member. Not a single one. 46:11.700 --> 46:13.740 Because people were asking me, like, oh, man, the people like, 46:13.740 --> 46:15.340 oh, man, I can't handle this. 46:15.340 --> 46:16.740 This is too much. 46:16.740 --> 46:19.220 Being associated with this church is just too much. 46:19.220 --> 46:21.340 I can't do this. 46:21.340 --> 46:23.700 I'll call you guys back in like nine months once the smoke 46:23.700 --> 46:24.660 settles or whatever. 46:24.660 --> 46:26.580 Not a single one. 46:26.580 --> 46:30.220 There's not a single person who broke rank during that time. 46:31.000 --> 46:35.000 You know, we met at Chevy's house under the tent for a couple weeks. 46:35.000 --> 46:39.000 We met at different locations because we didn't have a building and people were in their spot. 46:39.000 --> 46:43.000 They were in church. They were listening to the word of God. They were preaching the gospel. 46:43.000 --> 46:47.000 No one flinched! Praise God for that! 46:47.000 --> 46:51.000 That's how it should be. But you know, that's not the only trial that our church is going to experience. 46:51.000 --> 46:55.000 We still have a lot to go. There's many 46:55.000 --> 46:59.000 decades to come and you know what? You better make sure that you're rooted in your faith. 46:59.200 --> 47:02.720 You better make sure that you know why you believe the things that you believe, 47:02.720 --> 47:07.440 that you can give an answer to them who ask it to you of the reason of the faith that is in you with 47:07.440 --> 47:12.400 meekness and fear. You better know like, okay, this is what I believe I'm going to do, especially if 47:12.400 --> 47:13.400 you're parents. 47:13.800 --> 47:17.400 because we need to teach our kids these convictions as well. 47:17.400 --> 47:19.600 And I want my kids to be in church all the days 47:19.600 --> 47:21.080 of their life. 47:21.080 --> 47:23.520 A day in that courts is better than 1,000. 47:23.520 --> 47:25.240 To be a doorkeeper in the house of my God 47:25.240 --> 47:27.200 rather than to dwell in the tents of wickedness, 47:27.200 --> 47:30.120 we want to make sure that we give those convictions 47:30.120 --> 47:32.320 to those who come after us. 47:32.320 --> 47:35.360 Point being here is that a seed is sown into stony ground. 47:36.000 --> 47:41.840 People endure for about six months the preaching is great for six months serving God is great for six months 47:41.840 --> 47:45.860 But then a trial comes just like you know I think I'm gonna take a break. There is no break from the Christian life 47:46.920 --> 47:50.420 So it's this thing. It's not like you can put it the game on pause 47:51.540 --> 47:56.600 Okay, you can't put the game on pause. You can't put the movie on pause 47:57.200 --> 48:00.740 It's either you're in or you're out, okay? 48:01.600 --> 48:09.600 That's just the way it works. The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter three, go back to Luke chapter eight if you would. 48:09.600 --> 48:23.600 The Bible tells us in Ephesians 3.16 that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that ye may be rooted and grounded in love, the Bible says. 48:24.400 --> 48:30.400 And one of the most practical ways to get rooted is just make sure that you're reading the Bible every single day. 48:30.400 --> 48:32.400 Internalizing the scriptures every single day. 48:32.400 --> 48:44.400 And let me clarify, not a devotional, not a verse of the day, not a calendar verse, not a psalm of the day, not a proverb of the day. 48:44.400 --> 48:45.400 Be a student of the Bible. 48:46.300 --> 48:49.160 Folks, we have enough biblically illiterate Christians 48:49.160 --> 48:51.240 out there who want to act like they know the Bible, 48:51.240 --> 48:54.240 but they don't know the Bible because they don't read the Bible at all. 48:54.240 --> 48:57.960 They claim, oh, I'm a Christian, and I believe the Bible. 48:57.960 --> 48:59.920 When have you read it? 48:59.920 --> 49:03.920 You go to their house and just like, whew. 49:03.920 --> 49:05.240 Read the Bible. 49:05.240 --> 49:10.240 And if you have trouble reading, like if you're like, oh, man, 49:10.240 --> 49:11.800 I'm just not really good at reading. 49:11.900 --> 49:13.740 Which I'm actually shocked about this. 49:13.740 --> 49:16.120 I just saw a video on this where this guy, he 49:16.120 --> 49:18.420 goes with this 3 by 5. 49:18.420 --> 49:21.580 And he goes around asking people to read. 49:21.580 --> 49:25.420 And people just can't read. 49:25.420 --> 49:28.340 Now given it's a certain demographic, I get it. 49:28.340 --> 49:29.980 But there's other people involved 49:29.980 --> 49:32.940 in that particular science project 49:32.940 --> 49:34.420 or whatever that they're doing. 49:34.420 --> 49:36.700 And then they give people cursive writing. 49:37.000 --> 49:39.800 And they're just like, prash it up. 49:39.800 --> 49:40.960 They're like, I can't read cursive. 49:40.960 --> 49:41.800 I don't know what this is. 49:41.800 --> 49:43.320 They're just like, what? 49:43.320 --> 49:44.120 How do you guys not read? 49:44.120 --> 49:45.040 You guys don't read? 49:45.040 --> 49:46.640 What in the world? 49:46.640 --> 49:48.000 Or they'll give a person a clock, 49:48.000 --> 49:49.800 like tell me the time, like an analog clock. 49:49.800 --> 49:52.240 And they're just like, I don't know. 49:52.240 --> 49:54.840 What is that? 49:54.840 --> 49:57.080 It's like, what in the world? 49:57.080 --> 49:59.320 Or people in our church are just like, what time is it? 49:59.320 --> 50:01.400 And they have like an analog watch. 50:01.400 --> 50:03.240 And they pull out their phone. 50:03.240 --> 50:04.000 It's a. 50:06.700 --> 50:09.900 Bro just does it for the aura. 50:09.900 --> 50:13.060 He's just wearing the watch. 50:13.060 --> 50:14.700 But a lot of people just can't read. 50:14.700 --> 50:17.900 But if that's you, you don't have the luxury 50:17.900 --> 50:19.700 to stay that way. 50:19.700 --> 50:23.860 Because in order for you to be a good Christian, you have to read. 50:23.860 --> 50:25.300 Give attendance to. 50:25.500 --> 50:31.980 Reading to exhortation to doctrine the Bible says you know we have to read the word of God all the days of our life 50:31.980 --> 50:36.900 And if you struggle reading then you know may the Bible be the motivation why you get into it 50:38.580 --> 50:44.440 Like oh, man, I just struggle reading. I'm just gonna start reading dr. Seuss or something start start real basic. You know I mean 50:45.200 --> 50:47.440 No, just open up the Bible. 50:47.440 --> 50:50.440 And no, you don't need a modern version, something 50:50.440 --> 50:52.600 that's easier to read. 50:52.600 --> 50:56.800 Just read the Word of God and read it out loud. 50:56.800 --> 50:59.280 And look, if you feel like that's a lot, 50:59.280 --> 51:01.080 well, then read a chapter of the Bible 51:01.080 --> 51:03.720 and then listen to the Bible on audio. 51:03.720 --> 51:05.680 Because obviously, Bible consumption is just 51:05.680 --> 51:06.900 that much more important. 51:07.000 --> 51:10.520 You'll become a better reader as the time goes by or whatever 51:10.700 --> 51:15.280 You know, it's just important for you to do that. Don't be this person is just like well, you know 51:15.280 --> 51:21.000 I hear about the Bible or I read a devotion. I have a calendar 51:21.000 --> 51:26.460 I have this book that expounds upon this particular verse just read the Bible 51:27.700 --> 51:36.700 And it's crazy to think that Christians have just gotten so far removed from the discipline of literally opening up a physical book. 51:36.700 --> 51:41.700 And if you have it on your phone, okay, that's fine, but let's just be honest, you're checking the notifications too. 51:41.700 --> 51:45.700 You're slipping on Instagram as well. You're going onto Facebook for your boomers. 51:45.700 --> 51:51.700 You know, you're going on Twitter for you racists. You know, you're going on all these apps, whatever. 51:51.700 --> 51:53.700 You know, why don't you just get a physical Bible? 51:54.700 --> 51:57.260 Open it up and read it. Okay, and 51:58.180 --> 52:01.320 That's one of the best ways to internalize the truths of God's Word 52:02.020 --> 52:09.660 Spend time reading it meditating upon it getting rooted in your faith. So you're not just some mushroom Christian 52:09.660 --> 52:14.420 We want to be like palm tree Christians redwood Christians that when the trials come we don't move 52:14.980 --> 52:18.660 The leaves might blow the branches might break off, but we just stay right there 52:19.400 --> 52:23.200 Mushroom creatures like you grow overnight and they just knocked over as soon as someone just 52:23.440 --> 52:29.140 Assume that the first gust of wind comes the first person comes over and kicks it over. They're just they have no conviction 52:29.140 --> 52:35.200 They're not rooted. They endure for a while, but when persecution and affliction arises, they are removed 52:35.200 --> 52:38.880 You know the Apostle Paul said the love of Christ constrained with me 52:40.000 --> 52:46.640 Okay, and you want to get to that point where you're like, you know, if all goes just straight down the toilet 52:47.300 --> 52:51.100 And you know, everyone turns on me and I don't have anything. 52:51.100 --> 52:53.420 I know that I have the Lord. 52:53.420 --> 52:57.340 And this is all worth it because I'm doing it as unto the Lord. 52:57.340 --> 52:59.380 You're like, man, my marriage is just really bad. 52:59.380 --> 53:01.260 Do it as unto the Lord. 53:01.260 --> 53:03.260 Like, oh, man, my relationship with my kids is bad. 53:03.260 --> 53:05.700 Do it as unto the Lord. 53:05.700 --> 53:07.580 And if you do it as unto the Lord, 53:07.580 --> 53:09.460 you will endure until the end. 53:09.460 --> 53:11.340 OK. 53:11.340 --> 53:13.060 Let me read you a couple more verses here. 53:13.500 --> 53:16.060 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 3 says this, 53:16.060 --> 53:19.620 that no man should be moved by these afflictions. 53:19.620 --> 53:23.460 For yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 53:23.460 --> 53:25.100 For verily, when we were with you, 53:25.100 --> 53:27.620 we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, 53:27.620 --> 53:29.740 even as it came to pass, and ye know. 53:29.740 --> 53:31.500 So it's like, hey, when you go through trials, 53:31.500 --> 53:33.780 don't act surprised. 53:33.780 --> 53:34.660 And let me say this. 53:34.660 --> 53:36.540 No one better act surprised than the next couple of ones 53:36.540 --> 53:37.960 if you guys go through a tribulation. 53:37.960 --> 53:39.100 I told you it would happen. 53:39.300 --> 53:44.500 Told you now. I'm not gonna say that six months from now. You know if you're coming to me with the trial 53:44.500 --> 53:47.340 I'm like I'm going through hard. I'm not gonna be like told you I told you 53:48.020 --> 53:50.020 But I'm doing that right now though 53:50.420 --> 53:53.540 Because I want you to prepare yourself for that trial 53:53.540 --> 53:58.380 I want you to prepare yourself for that difficulty, and you know what just because you're going through a hard time 53:58.980 --> 54:04.100 One let me say this part of getting rooted is also getting rooted in the love of God 54:05.000 --> 54:10.220 Meaning that you understand that God's love is present whether your circumstances say it say it is or not 54:10.640 --> 54:12.860 Because trust can often cause us to question that right? 54:12.860 --> 54:18.420 We're just like man is God like mad at me is he pleased with me like is he angry does not love me 54:18.460 --> 54:20.840 But you know, that's an immature way of thinking though 54:22.040 --> 54:26.000 Because the mature Christian realizes God commended his love toward us 54:26.700 --> 54:28.940 And that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 54:28.940 --> 54:31.380 Oh, behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, 54:31.380 --> 54:33.620 that we should be called the children of God. 54:33.620 --> 54:37.340 Like, God loves me regardless of whatever situation changes, 54:37.340 --> 54:38.900 regardless of the circumstances. 54:38.900 --> 54:39.400 Why? 54:39.400 --> 54:42.020 Because Romans 8 tells us that nothing can separate us 54:42.020 --> 54:44.180 from the love of God. 54:44.180 --> 54:48.660 No trial, no tribulation, no perils, no nakedness, no nothing 54:48.660 --> 54:50.820 can separate us from God's love. 54:50.820 --> 54:53.260 But you won't know that if you're not rooted in that. 54:54.100 --> 54:58.660 If you're constantly interpreting the love of God through circumstances and situations, 54:58.660 --> 55:01.300 yeah, you're going to think that God has forsaken you when you go through a trial. 55:02.180 --> 55:06.500 But if you get rude and recognize, I know the Lord never leave me nor forsake me. 55:06.500 --> 55:10.660 I know that nothing shall separate me from the love of God. I know God loves me regardless of 55:10.660 --> 55:15.220 the situations and the circumstances, and that's not going to change. Then guess what? You will 55:15.220 --> 55:18.340 not be moved when those afflictions arise. Okay. 55:19.700 --> 55:21.460 There's a lot of verses I want to go over, 55:21.460 --> 55:22.880 but we need to continue on here. 55:22.880 --> 55:25.020 You are in Luke chapter 8. 55:25.020 --> 55:28.980 So we saw the first seed is by the wayside, false religion, 55:28.980 --> 55:32.620 a path that is not a biblical path. 55:32.620 --> 55:34.660 The bird comes, snatches it out of their hearts, 55:34.660 --> 55:36.200 lest they should believe and be saved. 55:36.200 --> 55:38.980 The second one, of course, is the stony ground, 55:38.980 --> 55:41.980 where the person does believe, but they're surrounded by stones. 55:41.980 --> 55:44.220 It's not ground that is conducive. 55:44.220 --> 55:44.400 you 55:44.500 --> 55:47.300 to growth, and so they end up falling away. 55:47.300 --> 55:48.660 They don't get rooted. 55:48.660 --> 55:52.900 They don't have the proper root systems underneath the soil 55:52.900 --> 55:55.100 in order to grow properly, and they're kind of rooted up. 55:55.100 --> 55:56.220 They're destroyed. 55:56.220 --> 55:57.220 They fall away. 55:57.220 --> 56:00.220 The third ground is that which falls, the seed 56:00.220 --> 56:02.620 that falls amongst thorns. 56:02.620 --> 56:09.700 This also germinates and grows, but is stunted by the thorns. 56:09.700 --> 56:11.100 Look at Luke chapter 8, verse 14. 56:11.900 --> 56:18.860 And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard, go forth and are choked, 56:18.860 --> 56:26.220 listen to this, with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit 56:26.220 --> 56:29.980 to perfection. Go to Mark chapter 4. Mark chapter 4, if you would. 56:33.400 --> 56:36.760 Mark chapter 4, verse 18, it says, 56:36.760 --> 56:39.080 these are they which are sown among thorns, 56:39.080 --> 56:43.480 such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, 56:43.480 --> 56:47.440 and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things 56:47.440 --> 56:50.520 entering in choke the word, and it becomeeth unfruitful. 56:50.520 --> 56:53.440 So the second seed that fell into the ground 56:53.440 --> 56:55.240 upon stony places, he's just not rooted. 56:55.900 --> 56:57.380 He's not rooted. 56:57.380 --> 56:59.760 A trial comes, and he's just knocked over. 56:59.760 --> 57:02.300 This person seems to be rooted. 57:02.300 --> 57:06.500 However, he didn't account for the thorns of life. 57:06.500 --> 57:09.580 So we could say this person remains in church. 57:09.580 --> 57:12.820 They do the basics. 57:12.820 --> 57:16.300 But unfortunately, they're being compassed about with, 57:16.300 --> 57:20.180 listen to this, the deceitfulness of riches, 57:20.180 --> 57:22.300 meaning that this individual is getting 57:22.300 --> 57:23.700 caught up in covetousness. 57:24.100 --> 57:25.940 greed, right? 57:25.940 --> 57:30.140 They are essentially producing the love of money. 57:30.140 --> 57:32.700 And along with that, it says the lust of other things 57:32.700 --> 57:33.460 entering in. 57:33.460 --> 57:37.620 So other desires begin to take form and shape 57:37.620 --> 57:38.980 in this person's life. 57:38.980 --> 57:39.820 And what does it do? 57:39.820 --> 57:41.900 It's removing the word of God out of their hearts. 57:41.900 --> 57:44.420 It's choking it out so that they only 57:44.420 --> 57:48.620 think about their investments while they're in church. 57:48.620 --> 57:50.300 They only think about their bank account. 57:50.500 --> 57:54.500 They have a hard time actually listening to the preaching of God's word 57:54.500 --> 57:58.180 because the lust of other things are entering in. 57:58.180 --> 58:02.100 And it's blocking the message of the word of God. 58:02.100 --> 58:02.900 You understand? 58:02.900 --> 58:06.020 So this person is being prevented from growing, 58:06.020 --> 58:09.540 not because they're not in church, not because they're not reading the Bible, 58:09.540 --> 58:14.500 but they're kind of going through the motions and covetousness, greed, 58:14.500 --> 58:17.940 the cares of this life, the pleasures of this life. 58:18.800 --> 58:22.800 are kind of just blocking the receptors there. 58:22.800 --> 58:24.800 So they're not getting the word of God. 58:24.800 --> 58:27.300 And look, folks, it takes discipline to be in church. 58:27.300 --> 58:28.100 But may I say this? 58:28.100 --> 58:31.100 It takes more discipline to listen 58:31.100 --> 58:32.300 while you're in church, though. 58:32.300 --> 58:34.800 Amen. 58:34.800 --> 58:37.000 When Brother John is up here and he says, 58:37.000 --> 58:38.500 like, give us spirit-filled ears, 58:38.500 --> 58:40.800 I think he's the one who says that, 58:40.800 --> 58:42.500 that's a legit prayer right there. 58:44.100 --> 58:47.380 Because he's saying, help us to listen to what the word of God 58:47.380 --> 58:48.380 is saying today. 58:48.380 --> 58:50.060 Because let's just be honest. 58:50.060 --> 58:52.700 Some of you are thinking about food right now. 58:52.700 --> 58:55.620 Those of you who just laughed. 58:55.620 --> 58:57.700 Some of you are thinking about that boring game 58:57.700 --> 59:01.060 going on right now. 59:01.060 --> 59:04.900 Soccer, not football, soccer. 59:04.900 --> 59:07.660 Some of you just got problems too. 59:07.660 --> 59:09.220 The cares of this world are just kind 59:09.220 --> 59:10.400 of like in the back of your mind. 59:10.600 --> 59:13.000 You're just constantly thinking about those things. 59:13.000 --> 59:15.360 Some of you is just the pleasures of this life. 59:15.360 --> 59:17.920 You have maybe a lot of financial freedom. 59:17.920 --> 59:20.520 And so because of that, you're able to have a lot of fun. 59:20.520 --> 59:23.200 And quite frankly, that's kind of overcoming your desire 59:23.200 --> 59:25.200 to hear the word of God. 59:25.200 --> 59:28.080 So this is one of the ways that Satan seeks 59:28.080 --> 59:30.520 to immobilize you spiritually. 59:30.520 --> 59:31.840 If he can't get you out of church, 59:31.840 --> 59:33.680 then he'll fill your life with things 59:33.680 --> 59:35.840 that can choke the word out of your life 59:35.840 --> 59:37.300 so that you don't become fruitful. 59:38.200 --> 59:41.880 This is why the Bible says be slow to speak but be swift to hear 59:42.400 --> 59:48.640 Meaning we need to like discipline ourselves to pay attention when we're reading the Bible and look parents know this is hard 59:49.120 --> 59:51.100 Okay, I'll testify to that 59:51.200 --> 59:53.200 Sometimes, you know, we're eating breakfast, 59:53.200 --> 59:56.680 and after I'm done, all my kids are there, 59:56.680 --> 59:57.920 and I'm opening up the Bible. 59:57.920 --> 59:59.160 I'm reading the Bible. 59:59.160 --> 01:00:02.120 And I got Bruce telling me about history. 01:00:02.120 --> 01:00:04.000 I got this person telling me about this. 01:00:04.000 --> 01:00:07.760 I got the babies just screaming at the top of her lungs. 01:00:07.760 --> 01:00:11.640 And I'm just like, and it came to pass afterward. 01:00:11.640 --> 01:00:13.080 I'm just trying to like, listen. 01:00:13.080 --> 01:00:16.200 I'm like, I got to like lock in here. 01:00:16.200 --> 01:00:18.680 It's hard to lock in sometimes. 01:00:18.680 --> 01:00:19.200 Right? 01:00:19.800 --> 01:00:21.640 It's very difficult. 01:00:21.640 --> 01:00:23.560 But let me explain to you why it's difficult. 01:00:23.560 --> 01:00:26.000 It's because it's worth it. 01:00:26.000 --> 01:00:27.600 So because it's difficult, that means 01:00:27.600 --> 01:00:29.240 you have to put in that much more effort 01:00:29.240 --> 01:00:32.200 to try to get as much as you can out of the Word of God 01:00:32.200 --> 01:00:33.240 and to pay attention to it. 01:00:33.240 --> 01:00:34.200 Don't just read it. 01:00:34.200 --> 01:00:35.740 Pay attention to what you're reading. 01:00:35.740 --> 01:00:38.040 But also, hey, you spent all that gas money 01:00:38.040 --> 01:00:40.240 to come to church. 01:00:40.240 --> 01:00:41.440 You put on the dress. 01:00:41.440 --> 01:00:42.520 You put on the tie. 01:00:42.520 --> 01:00:44.440 You actually combed your hair. 01:00:44.440 --> 01:00:46.440 You're making this a, you know. 01:00:46.440 --> 01:00:46.600 you 01:00:46.700 --> 01:00:50.100 actually pay attention to the preaching of God's work. 01:00:50.100 --> 01:00:50.940 And may I say this? 01:00:50.940 --> 01:00:53.300 You know, get a good night's sleep before you come, 01:00:53.300 --> 01:00:54.900 not before you come, like last night. 01:00:54.900 --> 01:00:57.180 Get a good night's sleep on Saturday night 01:00:57.180 --> 01:00:58.300 so that you're not... 01:01:01.800 --> 01:01:04.260 You know, it's just like, I'm preaching hellfire. 01:01:04.260 --> 01:01:05.100 You're just like. 01:01:07.900 --> 01:01:09.500 What's the point of even coming? 01:01:09.500 --> 01:01:10.300 Yeah. 01:01:10.300 --> 01:01:13.420 You could be nodding off like that at home. 01:01:13.420 --> 01:01:14.700 And I don't have to point it out. 01:01:14.700 --> 01:01:15.740 Amen. 01:01:15.740 --> 01:01:19.100 You could do it within the comforts of your home. 01:01:19.100 --> 01:01:21.980 What's the point of even coming and just to sit there, 01:01:21.980 --> 01:01:24.700 not listening to the preaching of God's Word, 01:01:24.700 --> 01:01:26.380 and just be on your third dream or whatever? 01:01:26.380 --> 01:01:27.000 You know? 01:01:29.500 --> 01:01:32.660 It's important for us to discipline ourselves to listen, right? 01:01:32.660 --> 01:01:34.820 And then you're like, oh, I'm just really tired. 01:01:34.820 --> 01:01:36.940 Get rest. 01:01:36.940 --> 01:01:38.940 Get exercise. 01:01:38.940 --> 01:01:41.540 Get some red meat in you. 01:01:41.540 --> 01:01:45.060 Do everything you can to optimize your ability 01:01:45.060 --> 01:01:49.220 to pay attention to the preaching of God's word. 01:01:49.220 --> 01:01:49.820 Because here's the thing. 01:01:49.820 --> 01:01:52.020 It's just like, man, I've been praying for this one situation. 01:01:52.020 --> 01:01:54.780 Yeah, but the answer already came, but you're already asleep, bro. 01:01:57.100 --> 01:02:03.100 God already gave me the answer, but you're just being the exorcist over here. 01:02:03.100 --> 01:02:05.100 You know what I mean? 01:02:05.100 --> 01:02:13.100 The point being here is that sometimes things, sometimes it's not even bad things, sometimes it's just the cares of this world can choke the word of God out. 01:02:13.100 --> 01:02:24.100 And you know, I remember even before I was a pastor being in church and praying before and just thinking like, Lord help me to pay attention as much as possible. 01:02:25.400 --> 01:02:27.060 I'm going to be filled with the Spirit. 01:02:27.060 --> 01:02:28.400 Fill the pastor with your Spirit, 01:02:28.400 --> 01:02:30.500 but fill me with your Spirit. 01:02:30.500 --> 01:02:33.060 Because we rejoice in the Word of God 01:02:33.060 --> 01:02:35.400 after the inward man, the Bible says. 01:02:35.400 --> 01:02:37.280 So the inward man wants to hear the Word of God. 01:02:37.280 --> 01:02:39.780 He wants to get what God has to say. 01:02:39.780 --> 01:02:41.600 It's just the flesh is weak, though. 01:02:42.600 --> 01:02:47.720 So it requires a level of discipline to you know block out all those things 01:02:47.860 --> 01:02:53.240 You know, you just got in a fight with your spouse on the way over here, you know, get right with God 01:02:53.840 --> 01:02:58.520 Apologize, you know ask for forgiveness and come and say, you know, we're here to hear the Word of God 01:02:58.980 --> 01:03:02.980 We're here to get the things of God to be perfected in our faith 01:03:03.560 --> 01:03:06.680 But let me say this go to first Timothy chapter 6 first Timothy chapter 6 01:03:08.100 --> 01:03:13.980 One of the things that really causes people to disregard, 01:03:13.980 --> 01:03:16.480 not necessarily intentionally, but disregard the word of God, 01:03:16.480 --> 01:03:18.020 I'm going to tell you right now, is 01:03:18.020 --> 01:03:20.860 the deceitfulness of riches. 01:03:20.860 --> 01:03:25.980 Covetousness can often choke the word like that. 01:03:25.980 --> 01:03:27.980 Money can have a stronghold in a person's life. 01:03:27.980 --> 01:03:29.020 And money's not bad. 01:03:29.020 --> 01:03:32.260 The verse does not say money is the root of all evil. 01:03:32.260 --> 01:03:33.700 It's not a real verse in the Bible. 01:03:34.000 --> 01:03:36.000 It's the love of money. 01:03:36.000 --> 01:03:37.000 Amen. 01:03:37.000 --> 01:03:39.000 Because we all need money. 01:03:39.000 --> 01:03:44.000 We all need to eat, pay bills, and even have a little bit on top to enjoy life with our family. 01:03:44.000 --> 01:03:49.000 But the problem is that when it begins to consume us to the point where we can no longer, 01:03:49.000 --> 01:03:52.000 the receptors of the Word of God are no longer there. 01:03:52.000 --> 01:03:53.000 They're not working. 01:03:53.000 --> 01:03:55.000 They're not gaining the truth. 01:03:55.400 --> 01:04:00.920 Because you're too busy thinking about, you know, whatever, all this finances gold or 01:04:00.920 --> 01:04:04.440 I don't even know if Bitcoin is still around or whatever, you know, things of that nature. 01:04:04.440 --> 01:04:09.280 First Timothy 6 verse 9 says this, but they that will be rich fall into temptation and 01:04:09.280 --> 01:04:15.800 a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lust, which drown men in destruction and perdition 01:04:15.800 --> 01:04:21.080 for the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after they have erred 01:04:21.080 --> 01:04:21.720 from the faith. 01:04:22.200 --> 01:04:25.800 and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows," 01:04:25.800 --> 01:04:26.600 the Bible says. 01:04:26.600 --> 01:04:27.360 Let me say this. 01:04:27.360 --> 01:04:31.760 If you're in church, don't take a business call during church. 01:04:31.760 --> 01:04:33.160 I've got to take this wrong. 01:04:33.160 --> 01:04:37.760 Someone miss out on $50 or something like that. 01:04:37.760 --> 01:04:40.760 Miss out. 01:04:40.760 --> 01:04:43.280 Miss out. 01:04:43.280 --> 01:04:47.960 Put your phone on airplane mode and turn off the ringer, please. 01:04:47.960 --> 01:04:48.460 Amen. 01:04:49.100 --> 01:04:55.580 So we're not listening to your worldly ringtone, okay, during the middle of the service, you know. 01:04:55.580 --> 01:05:00.940 Turn off your phone, put it away from you, open up the Bible, and say, for this hour, 01:05:01.660 --> 01:05:06.540 I'm giving my attention to the Word of God because I want to be perfected in my faith. 01:05:06.540 --> 01:05:09.420 And so, and if you're like, if you're worried, like, well, you know. 01:05:10.400 --> 01:05:14.160 Just have to work and I got to do these things and then you know 01:05:14.160 --> 01:05:17.000 You're working a little too much and you don't have enough faith to realize that God 01:05:17.120 --> 01:05:21.560 Can make up the difference if you are sacrificing some time to be in the house of God 01:05:23.080 --> 01:05:26.600 To hear the preaching of God's Word to invest time in the spiritual things 01:05:26.600 --> 01:05:32.160 The Bible tells us seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and these things shall be added unto you. That's a promise 01:05:32.840 --> 01:05:33.800 Okay 01:05:34.400 --> 01:05:37.840 And I get it, sometimes on Sunday people have to work, their schedules change or whatever, 01:05:37.840 --> 01:05:38.840 whatever. 01:05:38.840 --> 01:05:45.640 But you shouldn't be characterized by that or choose to work on Sundays. 01:05:45.640 --> 01:05:52.480 You're choosing to work on Sundays and essentially putting money before God. 01:05:52.480 --> 01:05:55.960 The Bible tells us that man cannot serve two masters. 01:05:57.400 --> 01:06:04.100 Bible says that in Matthew chapter 6 no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else 01:06:04.100 --> 01:06:09.060 He will hold to the one despise the other ye cannot serve God and mammon mammon is referring to money 01:06:10.400 --> 01:06:14.740 Therefore I say to you take no thought for your life or what you shall eat or what you shall drink nor yet for your 01:06:14.740 --> 01:06:19.540 Own body what you shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body than 01:06:20.240 --> 01:06:26.880 Raymond Jesus said take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he 01:06:27.320 --> 01:06:29.320 Possess it go back to Luke chapter 8 01:06:30.120 --> 01:06:32.120 Here's the last seed 01:06:32.560 --> 01:06:37.040 What's the point the point is this is that you may have survived the stony ground? 01:06:38.300 --> 01:06:39.840 But make no mistake about it, the thorns 01:06:39.840 --> 01:06:42.960 are seeking to kind of squelch the word of God 01:06:42.960 --> 01:06:45.000 that you're receiving. 01:06:45.000 --> 01:06:48.340 It's looking to quench the truths of God's word 01:06:48.340 --> 01:06:50.300 that God's trying to give you when you're reading 01:06:50.300 --> 01:06:52.740 the Bible on a daily basis. 01:06:52.740 --> 01:06:54.420 And it's hard. 01:06:54.420 --> 01:06:55.960 It's hard, especially if you're a parent. 01:06:55.960 --> 01:06:57.900 You've got a lot of kids. 01:06:57.900 --> 01:07:00.380 We have to be creative in how we read the Bible sometimes. 01:07:02.200 --> 01:07:04.400 And so you have a single guy that's like, I don't know why 01:07:04.400 --> 01:07:06.360 it's so hard for people to read the Bible. 01:07:06.360 --> 01:07:08.160 Why is it so hard for parents to read the Bible? 01:07:08.160 --> 01:07:08.880 It's super easy. 01:07:08.880 --> 01:07:09.600 Just read it. 01:07:09.600 --> 01:07:10.120 Love it. 01:07:10.120 --> 01:07:11.920 Memorize it. 01:07:11.920 --> 01:07:14.920 Yeah, but once you have about six, seven kids, 01:07:14.920 --> 01:07:18.640 it can get a little wild in the household. 01:07:18.640 --> 01:07:19.300 OK? 01:07:19.500 --> 01:07:21.460 And at that point, we have to be creative. 01:07:21.460 --> 01:07:23.340 Moms have to be creative. 01:07:23.340 --> 01:07:26.140 We need to make sure we prioritize the word of God 01:07:26.140 --> 01:07:29.060 and not make excuses as to why we don't read it. 01:07:29.060 --> 01:07:29.580 Why? 01:07:29.580 --> 01:07:31.740 Because Satan is constantly trying to quench that. 01:07:31.740 --> 01:07:32.620 Here's the last seed. 01:07:32.620 --> 01:07:35.620 And this is the most optimal ground, which is good ground. 01:07:35.620 --> 01:07:37.280 The seed that is sown on good ground. 01:07:37.280 --> 01:07:38.660 Look at verse 15. 01:07:38.660 --> 01:07:39.160 But. 01:07:39.160 --> 01:07:39.200 you 01:07:39.400 --> 01:07:41.760 that on the good ground are they, 01:07:41.760 --> 01:07:43.900 which in an honest and good heart, 01:07:43.900 --> 01:07:46.200 having heard the word, keep it, 01:07:46.200 --> 01:07:49.240 and bring forth fruit with patience. 01:07:49.240 --> 01:07:50.980 Go to Matthew 13, Matthew 13. 01:07:52.700 --> 01:07:58.980 Matthew 13 verse 23 says but he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and 01:07:59.820 --> 01:08:07.740 Understandeth it which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth some and hundredfold some sixty and some thirty 01:08:08.380 --> 01:08:12.860 So folks the goal is not to just not be on stony ground 01:08:13.900 --> 01:08:19.180 The goal is not for you to just avoid the thorns. Here's the goal to bear fruit 01:08:21.000 --> 01:08:23.700 You know, I'm glad if you're getting the word of God. 01:08:23.700 --> 01:08:26.180 I'm happy to hear that you're understanding it. 01:08:26.180 --> 01:08:27.700 You're applying it. 01:08:27.700 --> 01:08:29.500 It's not being quenched. 01:08:29.500 --> 01:08:30.940 It's not being blocked. 01:08:30.940 --> 01:08:34.620 But now it's time for you to produce some fruit in your life. 01:08:34.620 --> 01:08:35.820 And what do I mean by fruit? 01:08:35.820 --> 01:08:40.200 Other Christians, soul winning, preaching the gospel. 01:08:40.600 --> 01:08:46.680 Way, you need to be able to quantify the way you actually get people saved so you know what this month 01:08:46.680 --> 01:08:53.040 I witness to this many people this year. I got a goal of reaching this many people you know have a goal for yourself of 01:08:53.920 --> 01:08:59.680 Getting people saved and don't rely upon well my church already does it yet. We know that we do do yes 01:08:59.680 --> 01:09:01.680 We want you to be a part of that though 01:09:01.920 --> 01:09:07.160 We want you to join us in that in this endeavor to produce fruit in your life 01:09:07.600 --> 01:09:10.040 You're like, yeah, but I'm already old though. 01:09:10.040 --> 01:09:11.360 We know that. 01:09:11.360 --> 01:09:14.720 But does it mean you can't produce fruit? 01:09:14.720 --> 01:09:17.840 You can still produce fruit in your old age. 01:09:17.840 --> 01:09:19.240 You can still produce. 01:09:19.240 --> 01:09:21.000 You can still get people saved. 01:09:21.000 --> 01:09:22.880 You can still preach the gospel. 01:09:22.880 --> 01:09:25.000 There's plenty of, I'm not going to look at anybody, older 01:09:25.000 --> 01:09:28.360 people in our church who get a lot of people saved. 01:09:29.300 --> 01:09:31.260 There's people who go on missions trips. 01:09:31.260 --> 01:09:32.860 They go so many every week. 01:09:32.860 --> 01:09:34.520 And they're constantly perfecting their gospel 01:09:34.520 --> 01:09:35.340 presentation. 01:09:35.340 --> 01:09:36.060 And I get it. 01:09:36.060 --> 01:09:38.060 It could be a little intimidating at first. 01:09:38.060 --> 01:09:39.540 Like, oh, man. 01:09:39.540 --> 01:09:42.420 Like, explain to someone from the Bible how to get saved. 01:09:42.420 --> 01:09:44.660 And that's just like, that seems kind of hard. 01:09:44.660 --> 01:09:46.660 Yeah, it is a little challenging. 01:09:46.660 --> 01:09:52.740 But don't you want to produce 30, 60, some 100-fold 01:09:52.740 --> 01:09:53.820 in your life? 01:09:53.820 --> 01:09:55.400 God wants you to be a fruitful Christian. 01:09:55.800 --> 01:09:56.560 And you know what? 01:09:56.560 --> 01:09:57.880 You don't want to look back at your life, 01:09:57.880 --> 01:09:59.580 especially already in the millennial reign, 01:09:59.580 --> 01:10:02.400 and think to yourself, like, I got nobody saved. 01:10:02.400 --> 01:10:04.680 Like, I never went out to actually preach the gospel. 01:10:04.680 --> 01:10:06.240 I went to church. 01:10:06.240 --> 01:10:08.080 I stayed away from the thorns. 01:10:08.080 --> 01:10:10.000 I stayed away from the stony ground. 01:10:10.000 --> 01:10:11.360 I got rooted. 01:10:11.360 --> 01:10:13.600 I made sure that I paid attention in church. 01:10:13.600 --> 01:10:17.080 But I actually never quite learned how to effectively 01:10:17.080 --> 01:10:18.640 preach the gospel. 01:10:18.640 --> 01:10:20.040 That would be a sad ending there. 01:10:20.040 --> 01:10:20.200 you 01:10:21.200 --> 01:10:24.200 Because it's God's will for all of us to learn how to actually do that. 01:10:24.200 --> 01:10:30.200 And you know what, there's just nothing like being able to go to a complete stranger with word of God in hand and say, 01:10:30.200 --> 01:10:34.200 Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're going to heaven when you die? No. Can I show you? Sure. 01:10:34.200 --> 01:10:39.200 And you're able to just open up the Bible and show them and have them call upon the name of the Lord in faith. 01:10:39.200 --> 01:10:42.200 It's a great feeling. It's great. 01:10:42.200 --> 01:10:46.200 You may think to yourself like, oh, I'm never going to be a pastor, but you need to be a soul in here though. 01:10:46.800 --> 01:10:50.800 I'm never going to be a deacon, but you need to be a preacher of the gospel. 01:10:50.800 --> 01:10:52.440 I'm a woman, I'm never going to be a pastor. 01:10:52.440 --> 01:10:52.800 Amen. 01:10:55.300 --> 01:10:57.300 Neither should you ever be amen 01:10:59.140 --> 01:11:02.220 You know I'm gonna be in the kitchen all the days my man 01:11:04.020 --> 01:11:06.020 But go preach the gospel too 01:11:06.460 --> 01:11:11.280 Gotta learn that and look folks. I'm not just saying this just because like oh, this is something we do 01:11:11.280 --> 01:11:14.920 I mean don't you have friends and family that you love that you would love to be able to witness to? 01:11:16.380 --> 01:11:18.380 Isn't that one of the most helpless feelings to have? 01:11:19.300 --> 01:11:25.300 To know that you have salvation, but you don't necessarily know how to communicate that to someone that you love and care for. 01:11:25.300 --> 01:11:30.300 You understand that people are between one step, they're like one step away from death? 01:11:30.300 --> 01:11:39.300 You want to be able to actually go to your cousins, your sisters, your brothers, and yes even complete strangers, and show them from the Bible how they can be saved. 01:11:40.100 --> 01:11:44.660 You know God's will is for you to bear 30, some 60, some 100 fold. 01:11:44.660 --> 01:11:47.140 Not in a lifetime, even in a year. 01:11:47.140 --> 01:11:49.140 It can be done. 01:11:49.140 --> 01:11:51.940 But it needs to be on good ground. 01:11:51.940 --> 01:11:54.500 And may I say this? First works Baptist Church is good ground. 01:11:54.500 --> 01:11:57.540 Because it will train you how to do so. 01:11:57.540 --> 01:12:03.060 It really just requires your willingness to participate though. 01:12:03.060 --> 01:12:07.300 Because the atmosphere is conducive to producing soul winners. 01:12:07.400 --> 01:12:13.800 We have people who just got saved this year, they got saved late last year, and they're already preaching the gospel. 01:12:13.800 --> 01:12:17.160 They're already getting people saved, they're already producing fruit in their lives. 01:12:17.160 --> 01:12:19.560 So the soil here is great. 01:12:19.560 --> 01:12:24.840 Soil is just, it's ripe, it's good dirt, amen. It's good manure, amen. 01:12:27.400 --> 01:12:29.400 Look at Matthew 13 again. 01:12:29.400 --> 01:12:34.900 The point being here is that we need to make sure that we find ourselves on good ground. 01:12:34.900 --> 01:12:37.400 Now let me just give you the main interpretation real quick and we're done. 01:12:37.400 --> 01:12:40.400 This is not going to be long at all. Just give me like a minute, okay? 01:12:40.400 --> 01:12:45.400 Here Jesus was communicating to the multitude, specifically in Israel, 01:12:45.400 --> 01:12:48.900 that they had become the wayside listeners, okay? 01:12:49.300 --> 01:12:53.500 And little by little, he was actually removing the knowledge of the Word of God from them. 01:12:53.500 --> 01:12:56.100 Look at verse number 9 of chapter 13. 01:12:56.100 --> 01:12:56.600 It says, 01:12:56.600 --> 01:12:58.100 Who hath ears to hear? Let them hear. 01:12:58.100 --> 01:12:59.600 The disciples came and said unto him, 01:12:59.600 --> 01:13:01.600 Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 01:13:01.600 --> 01:13:04.600 Them is referring to Jews, Israel. 01:13:04.800 --> 01:13:08.440 He answered his tenant to them, because it is given unto you 01:13:08.440 --> 01:13:10.400 to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, 01:13:10.400 --> 01:13:12.280 but to them it is not given. 01:13:12.280 --> 01:13:13.600 So let me explain what that means. 01:13:13.600 --> 01:13:15.320 He's saying, the reason I'm explaining this 01:13:15.320 --> 01:13:17.560 in a dark parable is because I don't want him to understand 01:13:17.560 --> 01:13:19.080 what I'm saying. 01:13:19.080 --> 01:13:21.240 I want you guys to understand, because you guys are saved. 01:13:21.240 --> 01:13:23.040 But these guys, uh-uh, they're not 01:13:23.040 --> 01:13:25.760 going to understand any of it. 01:13:25.760 --> 01:13:27.240 What would Jesus do? 01:13:27.240 --> 01:13:29.120 He's doing it. 01:13:29.120 --> 01:13:32.560 Verse 12, for whosoever hath, to him shall be given. 01:13:33.200 --> 01:13:39.640 He shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not for him shall be taken even taken away even that which he hath 01:13:39.640 --> 01:13:43.680 What is the same? You know because you guys have received the Word of God. I'm gonna give you more 01:13:44.360 --> 01:13:48.680 Right, but these people referring to the Israelites 01:13:49.280 --> 01:13:54.280 They don't have because they refuse to understand therefore the knowledge is going to be taken from them 01:13:55.400 --> 01:13:56.680 He goes on to say in verse 13, 01:13:56.680 --> 01:13:58.080 therefore speak I to them in parables 01:13:58.080 --> 01:13:59.880 because they see and see not, 01:13:59.880 --> 01:14:02.960 and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 01:14:02.960 --> 01:14:04.960 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, 01:14:04.960 --> 01:14:08.760 which said, by hearing you shall hear, shall not understand, 01:14:08.760 --> 01:14:11.600 and seeing you shall see and shall not perceive, 01:14:11.600 --> 01:14:14.640 for this people's heart is waxed gross, 01:14:14.640 --> 01:14:16.720 and their ears are dull of hearing, 01:14:16.720 --> 01:14:18.560 and their eyes they have closed, 01:14:18.560 --> 01:14:20.840 lest at any time they should see with their eyes 01:14:20.840 --> 01:14:22.040 and hear with their ears, 01:14:22.040 --> 01:14:23.400 and should understand with their heart. 01:14:23.400 --> 01:14:26.660 and should be converted and I should heal them. 01:14:26.660 --> 01:14:30.540 So the parable follows up in verse 18 and he starts off with 01:14:30.540 --> 01:14:35.520 Satan removing the seed out of their hearts. What he's telling them here is this 01:14:35.520 --> 01:14:38.960 Israelites the reason they didn't understand the word of God is because God 01:14:38.960 --> 01:14:42.760 allowed Satan to come and snatch the word out of their hearts because he doesn't want them to understand. 01:14:42.760 --> 01:14:46.400 Now why did he want them to understand? Because they rejected it in the first place. 01:14:46.400 --> 01:14:49.200 Their dole of hearing. 01:14:49.400 --> 01:14:52.000 Their hard head wax gross. 01:14:52.000 --> 01:14:54.440 Now, the way we can apply that is this. 01:14:54.440 --> 01:14:58.440 Don't ever allow the word of God to become dull unto you. 01:14:58.440 --> 01:15:00.400 And as much knowledge as you have, 01:15:00.400 --> 01:15:01.960 God can take it away from you. 01:15:01.960 --> 01:15:06.120 If you don't esteem the word of God, like these Jews, 01:15:06.120 --> 01:15:09.000 like the Israelites, guess what? 01:15:09.000 --> 01:15:10.200 It can be taken from you too. 01:15:10.700 --> 01:15:12.940 The knowledge of God's word can be taken from you. 01:15:12.940 --> 01:15:14.400 And there's plenty of churches out there 01:15:14.400 --> 01:15:17.180 that knew the word of God, but little by little, 01:15:17.180 --> 01:15:20.100 because they don't stand on it, they don't read it, 01:15:20.100 --> 01:15:20.940 they don't esteem it. 01:15:20.940 --> 01:15:21.440 Guess what? 01:15:21.440 --> 01:15:25.960 Knowledge is being removed from them as well. 01:15:25.960 --> 01:15:27.700 What's the sermon this morning? 01:15:27.700 --> 01:15:29.480 The seat is good. 01:15:29.480 --> 01:15:31.000 It just really depends on the ground. 01:15:31.600 --> 01:15:38.480 And we need to make sure that we on a weekly basis daily basis are cultivating good ground in our hearts 01:15:39.040 --> 01:15:41.600 To receive the word of god. Let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word 01:15:42.080 --> 01:15:47.360 And thank you for the seed of the bible lord that germinates within our hearts and produces 01:15:47.920 --> 01:15:52.560 Uh life. I pray that lord you would help us to continue to water the seeds 01:15:53.360 --> 01:15:55.360 and uh cultivate the ground 01:15:56.100 --> 01:16:01.940 And we obviously know that sometimes something can sprout out of the ground, but still not produce fruit. 01:16:02.660 --> 01:16:12.100 And I pray that that would not be the case with us, Lord, that something would sprout from the seed that was sown, but that we would also produce an abundance of fruit in our personal lives. 01:16:12.300 --> 01:16:13.220 May you bless our church. 01:16:13.220 --> 01:16:15.740 May we see more people save this coming year, Lord. 01:16:16.060 --> 01:16:17.700 And bless our church as we go on our way. 01:16:17.700 --> 01:16:18.060 We love you. 01:16:18.060 --> 01:16:18.540 We thank you. 01:16:18.540 --> 01:16:19.700 Pray this thing's in Jesus name. 01:16:19.820 --> 01:16:20.140 Amen. 01:16:25.700 --> 01:16:29.700 Please turn your songbooks to song number 437. 01:16:33.200 --> 01:16:35.880 Song number 437.