Amen okay so Mark chapter 4 and just quickly we're just going to go over it
again the parable of the sower so from verse 1 he began again to teach by the
seaside and there was gathered unto him a great multitude so that he entered into
a ship and sat in the sea and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land and
he taught them many things by parables and said unto them in his doctrine
Harken behold there went out a sower to sow and it came to pass he sowed some
fell by the wayside and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up and some fell
and on stony ground when it had not much earth and immediately it sprang up
because it had no depth of earth and when the sun was up it was scorched and
because it had no root it withered away and some fell among thorns and the
thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no fruit and other fell on good
ground and he'd yield fruit and sprang up and increased and brought forth some
thirty and some sixty and some an hundred and he said unto them he that
hath ears to hear let him hear and when he was alone they that were about him
with the twelve arse of him the parable and he said unto them unto you it is
given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but unto them that are without
all these things are done in parables that seeing they may see and not
perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand lest at any time they
should be converted and their sin should be forgiven them he said unto them no
you're not this parable and how then will you know all parables the sower
soweth the word and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown but
when they have heard Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word
that was sown in their hearts and these are they likewise which are sown on
stony ground who when they have heard the word immediately receive it with
gladness have no root in themselves and so endure for a time after it when
affliction or persecution arises for the word state immediately they're offended
and these are they which are signed among thorns such as hear the word and
the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of
other things entering in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful and these are
they which are sown on good ground such as hear the word sorry such as hear the
word and receive it and bring forth fruit some thirtyfold some sixty and
some and hundred okay obviously this is known as the parable of the sower the
title of my sermon today is a parable of the soul winner the parable of the soul
winner which is clearly what this is talking about and from verse three it
says hearken behold there went out a sower to sow and let's go straight into
point number one is there was a sower there was a sower wasn't there there has
to be a sower there has to be a soul winner doesn't there there has to be
without that sower that seed isn't getting sown okay without that sower
that seed isn't getting sown you know that that seeds not just jumping out of
of wherever it's kept and sowing itself into the ground there has to be a sower
there has to be a soul winner and if churches around this world just looked
at the first verse of this parable the first part of this parable well what a
difference what a difference the world would be okay if they actually realize
that there has to be someone going out and sowing the seed the seed doesn't sow
itself does it it doesn't sow itself we know that as a soul winner we know that
we have to go out and so there has to be a sower turn to Romans 10 14 Romans
chapter 10 verse 14 how then shall they call on him in call on him in whom they
have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not
heard and how shall they hear without a preacher okay basically it's not
happening is it it's not happening without someone preach the word there
has to be a sower there was a sower in this parable but what an honor what of a
responsibility a what a responsibility we have as Christians that have the Word
of God that know our responsibility no one I don't think anyone here anyway
but no one after this sermon is gonna say well I don't know if I'm really
meant to be doing that no the Christian has to go out there has to be a sower
there have has to be a soul winner 2nd Corinthians 4 3 says but if our gospel
be hid it is hid to them that are lost it's a massive responsibility isn't it
massive because what you know what's the price where they going they're going
to hell and it's it's down to us it's down to every single person in this room
Turner's 2nd Corinthians 5 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and from verse
18 and all things of God who have reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ
and have given to us a ministry of reconciliation to wit that God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses
unto them and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation now then we are
ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ
said be ye reconciled to God okay look at verse 18 there it says here that but
that and all things of God who had recognized sold us to himself by Jesus
Christ and have given to us a ministry of reconciliation we are all every
single one of us is given the ministry of reconciliation and that's from enmity
with God to salvation and then fellowship with God that's the
reconciliation that we that we've been given to do in verse 19 it says to wit
that God was in Christ have reconciled the world unto himself not imputed their
trespasses unto him and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation it's
committed to us verse 20 now then we are ambassadors for Christ as our God did
beseech you by us we pray in Christ said be ye reconciled to God we're the
ambassadors we're ambassadors for Christ and it's pretty simple isn't it you
would think that's pretty simple it's pretty clear isn't it throughout the
throughout the New Testament it's clear as day that that for us our job our role
is to go out and preach the gospel but how often do we hear that well God does
the saving well you know you don't you don't want to be weird don't want to put
them off don't want to put them off don't want to harass people or don't
want to come across like a Jehovah's Witness or any of the rest of it but
it's so clear isn't it and it's so clear with the parable that so clearly the
soul-winning parable the very first part of it from verse verse 3 right at the
beginning what does he says Harker behold there went out a sower to sow
which leads me on a point to the sower went out to sow didn't he the sower went
out to sow in Matthew 13 3 it said a sower went forth to sow and in Luke 8 5
a sower went out to sow a seed unless if you're not aware this parable is in
three Gospels three out of four Gospels have this parable and whenever you see
obviously something that's repeated in three different places you know it's an
important parable don't you but on top of that you know that you want to look
at every version of the parable because it's all going to piece together and
it's great how that works in the Bible isn't it that we have different
perspectives on things to just make that one one ultimate truth and it and it's a
great great thing to be able to study in different places because you'll find
little things that are maybe not in one of the versions of it which helped you
to understand it fully but the sower went out to sow that's clear as day he
went forth to sow he went out to sow his seed there was some effort from the
sower wasn't there there was some effort from the sower the sower didn't sit in
his house and wait for the ground or soil to get delivered to him did he no
he didn't sit there and wait for it he didn't make the the house attractive to
soil maybe with a few irrigation pipes here and there hoping that they just
come in that somehow the soil would just turn up at his house he didn't do that
did he he went out to sow and in the same way as a sowing and we need to go
out don't we to sow the Word of God we need to go out and sow in but the so
that the sower got about a bit didn't he it says there was wayside which is
basically the road isn't it the wayside stony ground thorns and good ground okay
so he got about he went out he put some effort in didn't he he definitely put
some effort in and we're sowing his need to put some effort in because we can
easily can't we just think well I'm I'm going out I'm doing my ten minutes
half hour whatever it is once a week but no the sower went out and he seemed to
get about by the looks of it Matthew 28 19 you don't have to turn this is go ye
therefore and teach all nations baptize them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Ghost mark 16 15 and he said unto them go ye into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature Luke 24 47 and that repentance
and remission of sins shall be preached his name among all nations beginning at
Jerusalem and John 20 21 then said Jesus them again peace be unto you as my
father sent me even so send I you it's clear isn't it that we're to go out and
preach the gospel how clear is it you would think and yet again how many
churches around the world think that they're going to come to them to be have
to have the gospel preached to them how many churches I mean it's unbelievable
isn't it or at the least we're going to just give an invite then they're going
to come in and get the gospel be but the Bible's clear it's clear to go and
preach the gospel go out and preach gospel to all nations now again it
might sound pretty simple it was it's no news to you guys here but as the church
grows as our church grows and we start getting a because we're going to start
knocking every door when we move buildings we're going to knock every
single door in our area and we're just going to keep spreading from our church
over a year then the following year we'll start again it will spread further
and further but at the end of that year at the end of that year there's going to
be a bit of bit of journeying to make the bigger we get when we're up to 300
400 and I don't see why not we're the only church in this country that
preaches the gospel the only church in this country that that is trying to
trying to preach the whole Word of God aren't we and and for that reason we're
going to grow we're going to get big and that means people are going to have to
go out follow aren't they to preach the gospel and they're gonna have to put
some effort in they're gonna have to be willing to drive out willing to get
public transport willing to get out there willing to put the effort in
willing to put the time in okay and that's and and as soul winners we have
to have that in our mind it ain't enough that we just preach it we need to be
putting the effort in going out preaching the Word of God number three
and same verse three the sower sowed the seed didn't he the sower sowed the seed
so it says here behold there went out a sower to sow but what was he sowing what
was he sowing there had to be a sower the sower had to go out but without a
real seed what would have happened absolutely nothing he could have thrown
all sorts of things around on the ground all sorts of stuff all sorts of bits of
fruit and cut up bits of corn or whatever it was but nothing would have
happened nothing would have grown would it he had to sow the seed in verse 14
obviously Jesus expands on it and he says the sower soweth the word the sower
soweth the word Matthew 30 19 refers to it as a word of the kingdom and Luke 8
11 says that the seed is the Word of God that's clear what it is isn't it I don't
think anyone's in any doubt there what he was saying the Word of God but
without the Word of God we ain't getting no one saved are we we're not getting
anyone saved without the Word of God now you can explain salvation all you like
and I've done this badly for many years when I was first saved I was gonna show
them how God's real show them about creation evolution and you know debate
after debate these long-winded explanations I didn't get a person
saved not one saved and and sadly I think in a way I've kind of used up
some of my some of my lives with some of my family because they don't seem as
willing to listen now is when I was first saved and what a shame that when I
was first saved the first church I went to didn't just show me exactly how to
get people saved didn't encourage me to get people safe didn't have a load of
people going out and getting people say that I could have gone and learn and who
knows whether maybe things could have been different with family and friends
of people I was in front of but I wasted a lot of time without the Word of God
not understanding that part of it and trying to persuade people and explain to
them that God is real that Jesus Christ is away but but it was rubbish and
something to consider for us here anyway is about that importance of the Word of
God and and I don't think like there are some great here like a lot of guys I've
been someone with a few guys here recently and there's some great
analogies explanations pictures of salvation everything else but we've got
to just remember as we go on with that it's easy for the pride to get up there
and you start to do a bit less of the Word of God and a bit more of your own
personal illustrations don't forget the Word don't ever forget the Word okay
it's a Word of God which saves I could give the best illustration in the world
if I haven't got enough of the Word of God then I ain't getting saved okay it's a
Word of God yes it needs explaining don't we it does need explaining we saw
in security is 519 when you were there it said to wit that God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto him and
has committed unto us the word of reconciliation it's a word which
reconciles okay we're part of that but it's a word that's needed to see that
needs to be sown Romans 10 17 says so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God faith comes by hearing the Word of God faith comes by
hearing the Word of God they have to hear the Word of God turn to Acts 8 30
Acts 8 and verse 30 okay and Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the
prophet as a Zayas and said understandest thou what thou readest and he
said how can I accept some man should guide me and he desired Philip that he
would come up and sit with him it needs explaining doesn't it so we sow the seed
but it clearly needs explaining the Word of God needs explain no one's getting
saved by looking at something or just hearing hearing verses of the Bible okay
it has to be explained but look at verse 35 then Philip opened his mouth and
began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus he began at the same
scripture he he he didn't just stand up and go right you've read some Bible now
let me show you how to get saved he began at the same scripture he explained
he had to explain it ain't learning it without the natural man receiveth not
does he they need he need to explain but he began at the same scripture and he
used the Word of God and we've got to remember that we've got to use the Word
of God there has to be a seed now there are also many counterfeit seeds out
there aren't there there are many counterfeit seeds there are many what
what you could call maybe genetically modified seeds out there aren't they a
few names of some of them the NIV the ESV the RSV the ASV they're all V's
aren't they they're all versions or perversions the NKJV but but they ain't
getting no one saved are they they're not getting anyone saved and you get
these stupid debates that they're well what if they just you know a particular
verse or anything else just just obviously get rid of them we don't want
them anywhere near us they should be burned now I would say that those
genetically modified seeds I reckon the fowls leave them don't they the fowls
leave them alone I reckon if you went out of this church with an NIV and
started trying to preach the gospel with it you wouldn't get any distractions you
wouldn't have any problems at all you'd be welcomed in with open arms when no
one's getting saved the fowls leave the GM seeds they know don't they they know
what's going to happen with them and I also believe I believe that that a lot
of these often produce tears instead of corn don't they they they produce a fake
Christians and they produce I think ultimately a lot of the time the problem
people don't they first Peter 1 23 says being born again not of corruptible seed
but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever if the
word lives and abides forever and it's incorruptible seed it can't be one of
these 400 versions in English can it and we all know that I'm not going to preach
the choir on that that's that's for another sermon but it has to be the Word
of God doesn't it we have to go out and preach the Word of God okay now let's go
forward verse 4 verse 4 and it came to pass as he sowed some fell by the
wayside and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up okay and point number
4 on the parable of the soul winner is the sower didn't always succeed the
sower didn't always succeed now these are unsuccessful seeds but not to be
confused with places where the seed didn't get sown okay this isn't to get
confused with places where the seed didn't get sown I'm sure there's plenty
of ground where the sower didn't or couldn't go there plenty of places where
the door didn't get opened where where the gate to the field didn't get opened
or wherever it was he's going okay but these are seeds which were unsuccessful
okay maybe with those places another soul will go to in the future but this
is ground where the seed has gone forth and been unsuccessful okay now just
here quickly don't confuse some fell as if it was just a spillage some fell by
the wayside but on verse 5 some fell on stony ground in verse 6 some fell among
thorns verse 7 some fell on good ground okay they're getting sown in fact when
Jesus explains it in verse 15 jump to verse 15 and these are they by the
wayside where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan cometh immediately
had take the word that was sown the heart so the word the word is clearly
sown there isn't it the word is clearly sown they heard it in fact it was sown
in their hearts the word is powerful isn't it and penetrates to the heart but
Matthew 13 19 and if you want to have fingers and knees you can I'll read them
out anyway these are the other the other accounts of this parable Matthew 13 19
says when anyone heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then
cometh the wicked one and catcheth the way that which was sown in his heart
this is he which received seed by the wayside they haven't understood it now
maybe they haven't heard enough to make it clear brother John preached a little
bit on a couple of these verses the other day and and you know that's an
interesting point there a lot of the time they haven't heard enough of this
they haven't heard enough of the Word of God Luke 8 12 says those by the
wayside are they that here then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out
of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved so the devil's purpose is
that they don't believe and get saved isn't it okay that's clear that's his
purpose there so how does Satan come immediately how does Satan come
immediately and we saw that in in in sorry just quickly mark 4 15 he said
Satan cometh immediately and take the word out of someone's heart how does
Satan do that well verse 4 it says that the fowls of the air came and devoured
it up so devoured is eaten swallowed with greediness consumed destroyed
wasted slain now one obvious way is those distractions isn't it one obvious
ways it weighs those distractions and we've all been on the receiving end
anyone here that's done any amount of soul winning has had distractions come
up and some of them it's it's wicked isn't it how it how it works out it's
unbelievable you could be right at the end of a gospel presentation and in
just some wicked a lot of the time obvious reprobate you know the least
someone who clearly has a real issue just comes and just just distracted gone
and I mean I've had some terrible ones I was talking to someone the other day
about I remember a one with a with a girl who was so so receptive literally
got to the end of Revelation 21 a I'd even said to her just whatever you do
don't go at this point she was going no no no I really want to hear got to the
end of Revelation 21 8 she understood clearly yeah no I get it I'm going to
hell and I said don't shut the door dad just came shut the door it's Wow you
know and we've all probably got story after story you know shouting in the
background recently I had you know kids quite interested someone just starts
it's a load of you know you can imagine the terminology door gets slammed we had
a kid recently I was with brother brother gloate is about 16 I'd say got
to write to Romans 10 9 the end of the presentation he just every single bit
he's ready to get saved and then his dad just literally had a wrestling match
with him at the door slam the door while I'm shouting through the door just call
on the name of the Lord it was it's terrible though isn't it and and this
guy he's got just meat hanging out his mouth we're eating dinner he's fuming
he's slamming the door and they're the fowls aren't they circling we've had it
with wives distracting husbands husbands with wives just just the amount
of them and you could all I could come up with story after story and I'm sure
everyone had and it's not gonna be anything new to you but do you sometimes
wonder what was said afterwards after that distraction you sometimes wonder
what probably off that door slam what was said behind those doors so Luke 8 5
says a soul went out sow seed and as he sowed some fell by the wayside and it
was trodden down and the fowls of the air divided the trodden down indicates a
sort of like that's like trampling on the word it's an abuse of it isn't it I
think it could also indicate a sort of willful rejection as well getting
trodden down and yeah that could be by that distraction couldn't it that
distract her that that you know whether or not it's it's a full-on child of
Satan or whether or not it's just someone that's just been manipulated
thoughts put in their head whatever they've just been so entrenched in the
world that they're just so anti God I don't know it's all of the devil anyway
but what about that person that just won't accept that clearly clearly
understands it I mean you made it clear we had one the other day I mean it was
clear as day from some sort of Pentecostal background as far as she was
concerned it's an ongoing process and I mean brother John couldn't have made it
clearer to her and I kind of saw I believe there was just this shift once
it was really clear she did understand then she wasn't interested in the
discussion really anymore then it was like no that's it and added that I
believe there I believe she's trampling on the Word of God then there she's
trampling on the Word of God because because the devil who's taken out of her
heart has already got got to her through through false religion I believe she's
already been got to through full and that's it shit once she understand
that's it she's trampling on the Word of God I don't care I'm sticking to my
religion and we get that with pride don't you pride a lot they understand it
they get it but the pride stops them the false religion obviously the football is
starting I've had quite quite a lot of that on a Sunday yeah and it's maybe
that's somehow that's you know you know indirectly the devil as well there
someone who's understanding but now the football starting I don't want it the
love of their sin the love of sin and like I said he's a god of this world
isn't he so maybe that works that way as well well okay so it's not always
successful is it it's not always successful and they're people that
you've actually had a chance to explain the Word of God to but now let's go to
verse 5 of mark 4 and from 5 to 7 and some fell on stony ground where it had
not much earth and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth when
the sun was up it was scorched and because it had no root it withered away
and some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it and it
yielded no fruit and point number five the parable of the soul the parable of
the soul winner is the sowers job was sowing the sowers job was sewing yeah
pretty clear wasn't it that was his job he was a sower that was what he's
described as he went forth to sow and when the sowers out sowing seeds he's
not inspecting every bit of ground he's not digging it up and putting in the old
soil tester and everything else in it he's just out sowing on mass his job is
to get the seed out isn't it his jobs to get the seed out and now there's nothing
wrong with him taking a second job watering plants maybe caring for those
plants that's a good job you know that's a needed job as well but what's his
first job his first job is sowing the seed okay and same with the Word of God
our first goal is to plant that seed so that it springs to life so that it
springs to life and we've got to remember that because we all get
attacked from many angles won't we trying to suggest that people that don't
come to church were never saved in the first place and they weren't saved and
they're not saved out of here we've got four examples of people that hear the
gospel and have the Word of God sowed and only one of them is what is a
fruitful Christian and and that's not to say that one out of four is going to be
like that is it and I would say it depends probably a lot on where you're
sowing and at what time you are and everything else and maybe the state of
that nation as well could be a big part of that now like I said we're not trying
to work out who will be the best Christian are we when we're sowing
Caesar some churches are like that they just want to get the people in the
affluent people the people that are going to tithe a lot and everything else
well we're not interested in that are we we're out to sow the seed our first goal
is to plant that seed so it springs to life in fact a lot of the time the most
receptive you could argue and maybe the what those that wither away the quickest
or maybe the most receptive amongst the most thorns I don't know but I to be
honest it doesn't really matter it doesn't really matter as long as we're
going out and sowing the seed I have no doubt that both of these seeds represent
the saved okay so they're both of these grounds so we represent the same let's
look at the stony ground quickly on that because people attack this okay verse
16 and these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground who when they
have heard the word immediately notice these words receive it with gladness
okay and have no root in themselves and so endure but for a time after when
affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake immediately they're offended
right turn to Acts chapter 2 Acts chapter 2 and verse 41 Acts chapter 2
verse 41 then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day
there were added unto them about 3,000 souls okay that saved people okay look
at that again they received his word they gladly received his word they were
then baptized they were added to the church okay and we just saw in mark 4
16 they receive it with gladness okay they're clearly saved I don't think
there's any doubt there they're clearly saved people will try and attack that
but they're clearly saved when you when you look at that they've received it
they've received his word I mean a lot of us will quote John 1 12 on the doors
but as many as received him to about Jesus Christ the Word of God to them
gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his name
okay what's the affliction or persecution in Matthew 13 21 it's
tribulation or persecution Luke 8 13 it's temptation being a test okay so at
the lowest lowest level this can be a family member mocking carnet because we
can get a bit confused can't we sometimes you've just got someone saved
and they seem so zealous you spent some time with them afterwards you're
thinking they're coming to church they are they have promised you they're
coming to church they know where it is they've got it planned they've got it
booked in and then what happens just disappeared aren't they and and what
very rarely do you see them and not and those aren't the ones who are maybe it's
a bit long these are the ones that are promising you they're coming to church
and but they're a safe Christian why aren't they coming well again here it
says it says here that that obviously and this might they might be the thorny
ground but here this they're sown on stony ground who when they have heard
the word immediately receive it with gladness and have no root in themselves
and so endure but for a time now what's that time that time could just literally
be a few days that time could be a few years it doesn't make it clear does it
so like I say that could be the family member mocking straight after that could
be the risk of losing friends that could be probably many many many versions of
it but like I said they endure for a time and let's hope let's hope because
it doesn't actually talk about whether or not they're fruitful in that time
let's hope that none of us here are stony grand Christians some of us here
could be stony grand Christians can we some of us have endured for a time you
can you can endure for 15 years it's still a time isn't it there's no mention
of whether or not they bring forth fruit we don't know that okay now maybe they
do maybe they don't maybe they wither too quickly I don't know maybe it's just
when the persecution comes that that's when we know but you could look at
churches churches that we know that when the when the the heat started coming on
them when the protests started coming from by all accounts they were losing
some members weren't they well I heard some some pastor my here's church
recently lost some pastor Anderson's lost quite a lot when that happened you
know pastor Jimenez when he had all of that going on they've all lost people I
know pastor Thompson did it sure foundation they've all lost people when
the protest started when the pressure started coming on and some of those
people might be going to that church for a while now I'll talk about that in a
minute but now the stony grand Christian would be accused of being unsaved by the
Calvinist wouldn't they they didn't put they didn't persevere to the end they
are and they are unsaved will say the Calvinist or currently unsaved by the
continual work salvationists won't they at this point in time the withering away
time like we had the other day they're currently not saved okay but they have a
chance to get resaved now some like to point to Luke 8 13 so let's not avoid
Luke 8 13 okay turn to Luke 8 13 but keep a finger obviously in mark and
don't forget here that we've just seen that they receive it with gladness and
this is a different perspective of the same the same parable and don't forget
what acts 2 41 said about those that had gladly received the word getting
baptized in and adding to the church 3 000 souls okay luke 8 13 says they on
the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have
no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away anyone
heard that ever used before yeah okay so there they will say see they stop
believing you can stop believing you can lose your salvation okay but jump back a
verse to luke 8 12 because these guys never like to actually read passages
today it's always a verse those by the wayside are they they're here then
cometh the devil and take away the word out of their hearts lest they should
believe and be saved so what did it take to get saved believe believe and
get saved you know like the countless verses in the bible that make that really
clear you know like literally the whole gospel of john that makes it really
clear that whosoever believeth okay it's pretty clear isn't it um so in luke 8 13
i believe those on the rock having received the word then start living for
god maybe believing many of the other promises of god before falling away or
becoming offended by tribulation that's how i see that so they're continuing for
god for a time we don't know how long that time is um and a continuing god you
have to have some belief of the rest of the bible because it only takes believe
in the gospel to get saved does it not do we teach people the whole bible how
to live for god how to go forward how to soul win
we don't do that do we we teach them the gospel and many people believe the
gospel and we we talk to save christians believe the gospel but they don't believe
leviticus 2013 they don't believe romans one they don't believe many other places
in the bible do they but they're still saved aren't they
it didn't say whosoever believeth in me and then also believe
every single doctrine in the bible to get saved no it's believing that jesus
christ died for your sins yeah and rose again um okay so
obviously then it lines up with matthew 13 20 where it says here if the word and
a nun with joy receiveth it they received it
obviously mark that we've read and the rest of the bible that makes it really
clear doesn't it what it takes to be saved
okay but regardless our job is to sow because once that seed germinates
the second that seed germinates the result is eternal isn't it
the result is eternal okay without first sowing though you can't attempt the
watering can you so we've got to sow before we try and
water the seed surely we've got to sow before the
watering you're not just going to go out with a watering can and start watering
earth that hasn't hasn't had anything sown in it well you might do but you'd
look like a bit of a nutter and okay but this is the same obviously
with the thorny ground as well so have a look at verse seven now mark
four and verse seven it says and some fell among thorns and
the thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded
no fruit but it germinated didn't it did it not germinate it just yielded no
fruit turn to luke eight seven again uh luke
chapter eight and verse seven this time
and luke eight seven says and some fell among thorns
and the thorn sprang up with it and choked it okay it clearly sprang up
the word didn't just get sown and nothing happened
the thorn sprang up with it with it okay and of course in verse 18 of mark
four jesus says this and these are they which
are sown among thorns such as hear the word
and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of
other things entering in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful
okay now in case again you've had or you've heard or you're thinking well
wait a second has the word become a thumb fruitful did it get so well
matthew 13 21 says that he become a thumb fruitful he
become a thumb fruitful and that's the the the the seed that's just been
sown he's he's elaborating on the person on
the person that's the one sown among thorns
he become a thumb fruitful he's not producing fruit
but he's still saved okay and the thorns think how brambles wrap
around the plant now if any of you've done any gardening
before and prevent it growing and the thorns here could could talk about many
different species of these sorts of weeds
but think we're here we have native a lot of us know what a bramble is yeah
and how they grow and they wrap around plants
they prevent it growing properly they prevent light getting to it don't they
but the plant is still alive isn't it the plant's still alive it's just a
useless plant it doesn't produce any fruit
it's choked it's not getting light to it it's not being able to grow because
it's getting tugged down by these brambles but
it's still alive it's still alive okay so these are those that get saved
and then they ignore the things of god don't they they they ignore the things
of god they focus instead on money possessions
family sports lazy sundays job ambition all of those things
now notice how jesus called it the deceitfulness of riches because it is
deceitful isn't it riches are deceitful it's
not that well yeah you just got to work out
which one's better yeah you need a bit no the riches are deceitful you start
focusing on money it's it's deceiving you you're getting
deceived okay that's not what you should be focusing on in life and it will
deceive you and it will it will ruin your life
it will ruin your life because like like uh a brother said to me yesterday
we only get one chance at life get one chance at life don't we
and we're living this who are we living this life for for god
okay let's do the best we can this life because then the rewards are eternal
aren't they um okay luke 8 14 says the cares
riches and pleasures of this life and that's the thing to remember here
um i think again another brother here was talking about this recently
that many of these things are pleasurable for people
and it's easy to sometimes forget that or to just
put it to one side just all sin is wicked and everything no it can be
pleasurable can't it sin can sadly be pleasurable for many
you don't have to turn them in hebrews 11 25 talking of moses says choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of god than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season and some and that season can vary in
length but it's for a time there is some pleasure and yeah
there are repercussions to sin and are you kids this thing don't start thinking
oh i don't mind trying it out no because really all satan's apples have
worms is the old saying isn't it and and but for a time there is there is
there can be pleasure for people and this can be the reality of the
choice of people when we get them saved so we're getting people saved
and and they're for them that choice of coming to church of getting involved
and don't don't forget as well they've had you come and knock on their door
give them the gospel with the bible there's a benchmark already that they're
looking at there now because they're looking at that going
that's what a real christian is and that is amen isn't it
that's what a real christian should be doing going out knocking on people's
doors getting people saved but they're looking at that and then
they're looking at the sitting down doing nothing all day
the the alcohol the whatever drugs it is or whatever pleasures whatever
everything else is that they do and for them
the pleasures of sin they don't for them they're not looking at it as a season
are they and they're thinking i don't know if i
want to get involved and sadly they make that choice
but they're still saved amen they're still saved
and they're still not going to to hell they're still not going to hell and
that's something we really need to remember because it can it can be
frustrating and i think as things get worse and worse in this
country and i think the further we pull away from the bible in every part of
life and the more immoral it gets the harder
it will be to get a newly saved person along to
church i do believe that i believe that um but
we're still going to go and get them saved hey we sure are okay
have a look at verse eight mark four verse eight
another fell on good ground and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased
and brought forth some 30 and some 60 and some 100
and these are they which are sown on good ground such as hear the word and
receive it and bring forth fruit some 30 fold some 60
and some and hundred and that's all of us in here right isn't it
good ground christians yeah maybe we should get some caps good ground
christian yeah okay but is it as simple as that is it
as simple as that point number six the sown ground can
change the sown ground can change because it's
really i've i've looked at this parable so many times
and it's so easy to look at and just pigeonhole everyone isn't it
well i'm a good ground christian you probably think you're good ground
christian the christians that just read it
they're reading their bible probably when you first read it maybe you're not
even at church or even out sony you just say yeah i must be a good ground
christian reading my bible love the things of
god fruitful you know doing doing the right stuff here and i pray
yeah i've tried to stop a certain sin or whatever else and it's really simple
it's really easy to to do that isn't it maybe they're soul winning and they're
actually yielding proper fruit maybe they've understood what that fruit is
now okay and that fruit wasn't just being
kind to people that fruit wasn't stopping blaspheming
but the fruit was actually going out and soul winning
in a year i'm so winning yeah but what makes some yield
30 fold and some 100 and again you can look at this and just think well that's
just natural that's just the person i am the calvinist
you know would say well it just depends you know what god has made that
particular person to be you know just the way it is praise god god to god be
the glory well no some of 30 fold some 100
well what if the sower so what if the sower planted
a seed in some good ground he has to say he went out he planted some seed in some
good ground it's it springs up it's yielding fruit
okay so it's not that he's just planted it and then and then that's it it's
yielding fruit okay and whatever that is whatever that
crop is it's yielding its fruit okay but he ignores those little weeds
starting to pop up he ignores those he's like nah you know i
can't be bothered to weed today maybe next week i'm a bit busy got a few
things on right now next thing you know those bramble roots
get deep don't they they get deep and some different weeds i don't know what
the weeds called they're somewhere when you try and pull them up
it's like you have to dig down about a foot don't you and you otherwise you're
just kind of cutting that root and then it just comes up again
okay and those bramble roots they start going deep and then the bramble starts
spreading don't they they start spreading but it was good ground
but it was good ground wasn't it but will it always stay good ground
anyone who's ever tilled over ground and we did a
plot for vegetables or whatever else when you leave it how frustrating is that
when you've done it and you're like i'm gonna plant some stuff and then whatever
happens and then that ground just deteriorates doesn't it
it deteriorates quickly and and it's the same with us isn't it it's the same with
us because a little leaven leaven the whole lover i know you can look at that
with a with a picture of a church or something else but it can be with the
individual as well can't it that little bit of sin just just can
really start to overwhelm you with time and verse 19
have a look at verse 19 in chapter 4 it says and the cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things
entering in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful
and that can still happen to what you consider to be a good ground christian
turn to first timothy 6 first timothy chapter 6
and from verse 6 but godliness with contentment is great
gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry
nothing out and having food and raiment let us be
there with content that they sorry but they that will be rich
fall into temptation and a snare and in the many foolish and hurtful lusts which
drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all
evil which while some coveted after they have
erred from the faith and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows
but thou oh man of god flee these things and follow after righteousness
godliness faith love patience meekness okay
have a look at verse six again there but godliness with contentment
is great gain so the gain is the godliness with contentment isn't it
that's what we should be seeking towards that's what the gain is verse eight it
said having food and raiment let us be there
with content that's content with having food and clothing and we
everyone here has food and clothing we should be content with that we should
be content shouldn't we it said let us be content let us be
there with content verse nine it said but they that will be
rich fall into temptation and a snare seeking wealth is a trap isn't it it is
they that will be rich they're people seeking riches it's a trap
it's a snare because you just end up focusing on that and the rest of
all the things that god just go don't they with time
they do go because it's never enough i've never met one person that seeks
money one person that seeks wealth that
that says yeah i've got enough now i've got enough
and i've met some rich people in the world i'm sure you'll probably have as
well i've met some really rich people and they it's never enough i met rich
people who have problems because the husband
is working so long hours and could have retired
at 40 years old and gone and done voluntary work and lived a life of bliss
by the world standards yet they still want more and more and more and it's
just never enough it's never enough and they'll see the person
you know they've got they've got the yacht but the other one's got the jumbo
jet and it's never enough and it's a snare isn't it it's a snare
and look what he says here he says and into many foolish and hurtful lusts in
verse 9 there first timothy 6 which drown men in destruction and
perdition okay so the wealth is a trap and the
drowning in destruction utter loss it's kind of like the choking of the plant
isn't it now think of that choking of the plant
with the with the care of this world with the riches the deceitfulness of
riches and look at verse 10 for the love of
money is a root of all evil okay it's not money is a root of all evil
and there's so many popular songs that have come out over the years saying
money is the root of all evil it's not it's the love of money is the
root of all evil we have to turn in some sort of communist utopia
it's the love of money is the root of all evil and
and why is that well it says here which while some coveted after
they have erred from the faith and pierce themselves through with many
sorrows so coveting it results in an erring
from the faith and and then many sorrows and many
sorrows and and what a warning that is for that
what a warning that is about money in verse 11 finally it says but thou a man
of god flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness
faith love patience meekness okay oh man of god this is a man of god
so it's not necessarily a thorny ground new believer is it
are they saying but thou o new believer on in the thorny ground who was always
destined to be choked and was never going to bring fruit to perfection no
this is a man of god oh man of god flee these things and
follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness
okay and thinking about patience there so think about patience
okay the ground can be good can't it the ground could be good you're keeping on
top of the weeds okay you're keeping on top of the weeds
the ground's good you're pulling them up as they come up
okay but as the plant grows more and more fruit is yielded
the roots need to grow don't they don't the roots need to grow to deal with
deal with the dry times yeah for sure a bigger plant needs more roots
and then when it has those dry times it doesn't have more roots that that
that plant is going to get affected isn't it okay and as we grow as soul
winning christians and do more for god that we should all be aiming to do the
persecution or dry times are likely going to get worse aren't
they yeah when we get the persecution it's going to be worse because
you know again god will not tempt us above that which we are able
so it's easy isn't it to think well i can deal with it it's
you know you're going to get tempted with more you're going to go through
more you're going to get more okay but that's not something to be
scared of it's not something to be worried
about because we have the law don't we but you could have a great plant there
yeah you can have a great plant but what if this what if the ground surrounding
the soil is stony ground so you plant it in good ground but as
it grows it gets bigger and it's yielding more fruit
around it you didn't till all of it though did you
you didn't continue to till the ground and in fact around it just slabs of
concrete slabs it where are those roots going to
go they're not are they so are those then is that plant going to be able to
deal with it when the persecution comes now that if in luke 8 6 you don't have
to turn it but the roots it said need to grow so they
don't lack moisture and i think if we if we're to avoid being offended in
persecution we need to grow don't we we need to grow because the persecution
will get worse and that means the likelihood of us
getting offended is going to get worse so on one side obviously
clearly one one way you can apply that is we don't want to be
surrounded do we by sort of stony ground christians
these sort of snowflake types that just lose faith in every single struggle
they're just constantly questioning their you know god and how
could he let this happen every time one thing goes wrong every time there's a
problem in their life that will make that hard won't it
because you're surrounded by that stony ground and that does affect you
doesn't it i think yeah some work can deal with that but again we don't want
to be surrounded by people like that and i
we want to make sure we're not that person in a church which is constantly
complaining and questioning and having a problem and
losing their faith and getting offended but i believe that the root lacking in
mark 4 verse 6 let's have a quick look at it
mark 4 verse 6 says when the sun was up it was scorching because it had no
root it withered away so i think that root is also the word of god
jesus christ and for a couple of reasons you turn to isiah 53 revelation 22 16
while you're turning there revelation 22 16 says i jesus have sent
mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches
i am the root and the offspring of david and the bright and morning star
isiah 11 10 says it in that day there shall be a root of jesse which shall
stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the gentiles
seek and his rest shall be glorious and isiah 53 2 says for he shall grow up
before him as a tender plant and as a root out of
a dry ground he had no form nor comeliness
and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him and
they're just a few places of many in the bible ways described as a root
when we're immersed in the word we have a root in ourselves and i think
then affliction and persecution is is is expected isn't it if you're immersed in
the word of god if you're reading the word of god
verses like second timothy 3 12 it says yea and all
all that will live godly in christ jesus shall
suffer persecution are you going to be shocked when you go through persecution
if you're immersed in the word of god you're reading the word of god
you're in it every day i think you'll then have more root in yourself to be
able to deal with that um there's no reason to be offended is
there is there a reason to be offended as a christian should we be offended
when we're being persecuted if anything it should strengthen our
faith in the word shouldn't it shouldn't we what during that persecution
be going yeah the bible told me that would happen i am living more
righteously i am living more right see and yeah i am
suffering persecution amen every single word of this bible is
true isn't it those promises are true but instead
people do get offended they do find it hard they do start questioning god they
do forget that the bible says it will happen
but we're still happier for it aren't we we're still happy that we're saved and
we're living for god because you wouldn't go back to your old life i hope
no one here would be wanting to go back to the slum that
they came out the pits that they were in before
i don't know if any of you were but i tell you i don't want to go back to
where i was i hope everyone else is the same here because it doesn't matter
bring on the persecution because god god god will god will help us through
it all won't he and you wouldn't change it psalm 119 165
says great peace have they which love thy law
and nothing shall offend them nothing shall offend
them great peace if you love the law of god but you've got to know it
to love it don't you how can i love the law of god and i barely even read it
i love the law of god but maybe i haven't even read it through once
i love the law of god but i've read it a few times now but i kind of slowed it
down now i just read it every now and again
i love it i'm going to read it every day and if i love it then
nothing shall offend me nothing shall offend me what a great benchmark to get
to nothing will offend you and that would
include then peace in tribulation and why not because romans 5 3 you
don't have to turn this is and not only so but we glory in tribulations also
knowing that tribulation worketh patience
okay and glorying in tribulation because that's what we need the patience
now look at just the parallel of this look at eight luke 8 15 now
luke 8 verse 15 and it says but that on the good ground
are they which in an honest and good heart
having heard the word keep it and bring forth
fruit with patience okay if we want to keep that good ground
we need to avoid the cares of this world don't we
we need to avoid the deceitfulness of riches
the lusts of other things and keep the word in an honest and good heart
amen remember first timothy 6 11 said to follow after righteousness godliness
faith love patience meekness that's an honest and good heart
that's the honest and good heart isn't it
and instead of being offended romans 5 3 said to glory
glory in tribulation we will then bring forth fruit with patience
okay when we when we have that patience then we're going to bring forth the
fruit in the long term aren't we and we're not going to
have our ground changed yeah and something yeah just when i've read that
read that parable so many times i've read that parable
and i've looked at it and just kind of pigeon-holed well who's
is this one a thorny ground is this one a a stony ground is this one
you know is this one a good ground but no the ground changes
the ground does and can and will change and we need to make sure the ground
doesn't change with us yeah okay so point number one there was a
sower okay there must be a soul winner point
number two the sower went out to sow the soul winner has to go forth point
number three the sower sowed the seed the soul winner needs to preach the
word of god yeah point number four the sower didn't
always succeed okay the soul winner won't always save
point number five the sower's job was sowing the soul winner goes to save
souls yeah and point number six the sown ground
can change and even the soul winner can fall
okay let's not be that that that one that's fallen away
on that let's pray
emily father i thank you for your word i thank you for for explaining that
parable to us so clearly as well and i thank you for for all the different
accounts of it and just to help us really get get to grips with it and
to put away the false doctrine that people have tried to attach us to many
of those verses out of the parable of the sorrow and
um i thank you that everyone here would would hopefully describe themselves a
good ground christian and i hope that that you'll help us to maintain that
ground to to keep like that but also not to be disheartened when we do sow
seeds amongst those with the thorny ground and the stony
ground and those by the wayside and i pray that you just help us to just
keep keep persevering on keep spreading the word of god and um and starting with
this afternoon um pray that we'll just have a great day
a fruitful day and we'll go out and and germinate some ground in jesus name we
pray amen