The scripture reading comes from the book of Matthew, chapter 13.
Please follow along on the bulletin or your own Bible.
Starting in verse 1, we read,
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down.
And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
And he told them many things in parables, saying,
A sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path.
And the birds came and devoured them.
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil.
And immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil.
But when the sun rose, they were scorched.
And since they had no root, they withered away.
Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain.
Some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
He who has ears, let him hear.
Then the disciples came and said to him,
Why do you speak to them in parables?
And he answered them,
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.
But to them it has not been given.
For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance.
But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables.
Because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Indeed, in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says,
You will indeed hear, but never understand.
And you will indeed see, but never perceive.
For the people's heart has grown dull.
And with their ears, they can barely hear.
And their eyes they have closed.
Lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears.
And understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see,
and did not see it.
And to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Hear then the parable of the sower.
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it,
the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.
This is what was sown along the path.
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word,
and immediately receives it with joy.
Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while,
and then tribulation or persecution arises.
On account of the word, immediately he falls away.
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word,
but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
and it proves unfruitful.
As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word,
and understands it.
He indeed bears fruit and yields,
in one case a hundredfold,
in another sixty,
and in another thirty.
This is the word of God.
Thank you so much, Betty.
Let me just again say,
what an exciting thing to be eleven years in.
You know, this is the first day where we've actually had ten, ten,
in the date,
and we started on ten, ten, ten.
So if you want to know how old watermark is,
just always remember it's ten, ten, ten.
So it's just a great thing,
and as great as we're going to be looking at the parable of the sower,
which is a lot about the faithfulness of God,
just to say God has been so faithful to us.
Actually, who was here,
was anyone here right like 2010?
Is it any?
Okay, let's have a round of applause.
Woo!
That's great.
Well, those of us who are newer,
you can go and actually chat to the old veterans
and find out what it was like back in the old days.
But let me just pray for us,
and as we get into God's word now.
Father, you are faithful.
Lord, I thank you even as we look back over 11 years of our time as watermark,
you've taken us through many seasons,
many journeys,
many ups,
many downs,
and yet you have been faithful.
You have been faithful.
Because you are always faithful.
And your word is true,
and your word is powerful.
Lord, I just thank you for the way that the gospel is at work in so many of our hearts
and so many of our lives,
and I just see the fruitfulness in people over this time.
Lord, we want to give you all the glory,
because that's nothing to do with us.
And so, Father, I pray even this morning,
as we come and speak your word,
and Lord, we pray that actually we would continue to be people who have hearts which are soft to you,
where we are a church of good soil,
where we're a church that really bears fruit,
because your word is going so deep into our lives,
Lord,
whatever season we're in.
And I pray for those of us here right now who are just in a tough season,
I pray, Lord,
that your word would come and comfort and strengthen them.
I pray for those of us who are in a wandering season,
I pray that your word would come and challenge us,
and would draw us back to yourself.
And I pray for those of us who are just in a good season,
Lord,
I pray that we would be filled with thankfulness
for your gracious goodness and kindness to us,
both individually and as a church.
So, Lord,
please speak to us this morning,
we pray,
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Great.
So,
we've been looking at the book of Matthew,
and talking a lot about some of the responses to Jesus
that have been coming through this book.
And I was chatting to a cafe owner just this last week,
and she said to me,
I think Jesus just kind of appears to people in different ways.
She said,
I think in China,
it's like he appears in Ganyam.
I think in India,
it's maybe like Shiva.
She said,
as long as he makes you feel better,
and he makes you like a good person,
Jesus can be who you want him to be.
And I thought,
that's really interesting.
Because,
if you said that to your boss,
like,
hey,
I'll just take you how I want to take you,
and what you say how I want to take it,
I think you're going to get fired pretty quickly.
Because even though it's trying to sound very tolerant,
what she's actually saying is,
I don't want to take Jesus for who he says he is.
I don't want to live under his authority.
And so,
the book of Matthew is actually calling us to responses,
and not just to kind of go,
oh,
let me just kind of park you on one side.
But actually,
it's saying Jesus is the authoritative king,
who is bringing in his kingdom,
and he's calling people to follow him,
as the only way to God.
And he's saying,
through his miracles,
through his healings,
and even through the way that he loves people,
and cares for people,
he's saying,
listen,
come to me,
but you don't,
but take me for who I say I am.
Because you can reject the claims of who I am,
or you can accept them,
but you can't say,
I accept Jesus,
but I want to take you on my terms.
That's not an option.
And this is what Matthew has been bringing to us,
all over these number of weeks.
And we've come now to chapter 13,
which is actually a shift in the book of Matthew.
And it's,
Jesus tells seven parables,
in the chapter 13.
And we don't tend to use parables a lot these days,
but a parable is a story,
or illustration,
which is providing a mirror on reality.
Okay?
It's using everyday imagery to bring a window into your heart,
and what God and his purposes are like.
You know,
I had someone recently ask me,
why didn't all the first century Jews follow Jesus?
It's a good question,
if he was so great.
And in this chapter,
Jesus is using the parables,
and he's going to use this first parable,
the parable of the sower,
to begin to explain
why people are not all responding to him
and following him.
He's using this parable
to interpret every,
actually,
other parable that he's going to tell us.
Okay?
Coming up.
Because this parable both explains people's responses,
but it also predicts
how Jesus will continue to polarize people
between those who,
all the way to the cross,
to the early church,
and even today,
to what are you going to do with him?
Because you can't just park him on the side.
You can accept him or reject him,
but take him for who he is.
And so,
we're going to look today,
and if you've got your bulletin,
please kind of follow through with the parable.
This is a very famous one.
And we're going to look at three different things.
We're going to look at varieties of soil.
We're going to look at testing the soil.
And then we're going to look at
how are we responding to this.
Okay?
So that's where we're going.
And so,
the parable
is an agricultural one.
Okay?
Very fitting for Hong Kong.
You know,
it's about four soils.
The path,
the rocky soil,
the thorny soil,
the good soil,
where this farmer is going out,
scattering his seed.
And the fact that
only one of these soils,
the good soils,
in the end,
bears long-term fruit.
And because this parable,
I think actually,
many of us are familiar with it,
but in Hong Kong,
if Jesus was here,
I don't think he'd say
exactly the same today.
I think he might use something like this.
I think he might say,
there was an investor
who was putting seed capital
into a series of startups.
And the first set of companies
he invested in
went bankrupt
within a short time.
And then the second
started really well
until COVID hit.
And then they collapsed
as the owners
just kind of cut their losses
and ran.
And then the third
seemed a good investment
for a while,
but there were underlying
structural issues,
mismanagement,
poor investments,
which eventually surfaced
and the cash reserves
just drained away
until it collapsed.
But the final set of startups
had good management.
They persevered
through several economic crises
and eventually produced
a healthy profit.
Even the weakest performer
was far more profitable
than the market
could have predicted.
That's the parable
of the sower.
And what is Jesus
actually talking about?
Okay,
these companies,
these soils,
and I'll use soils
from now on,
but you get the picture.
He's talking about
the soils,
he's talking about
the hearts of people.
And into which
the seed of the gospel
is sown,
the message of Jesus
is put into our hearts
and he's talking about
what is the key issue?
When you see
friends and family
who are not responding
to the gospel,
the issue,
just like with Jesus,
the issue isn't
the sower
because he's generous,
generously scattering
his seed.
The issue isn't
the seed
because the seed,
the gospel message,
is powerful.
It's always powerful.
He's saying
the issue
is the soil
of people's hearts.
And you know,
this parable
actually shouldn't be called
the parable of the sower.
It should be called
the parable
of the soils
because that's what
Jesus is talking about.
And so Jesus'
explanation for this
in verses 18 to 23
actually in context
matches on
to the very people
he has been engaging with
over this time.
So let's kind of
walk through these
just a little bit.
You see,
the first soil
is like the Pharisees
who have grown hostile
to Jesus.
so hostile to him
that Jesus can't
any longer
preach in their
synagogues.
He's actually got to
go out to the seaside
in the open air
because the hostility
is so great.
These were the
religious people.
And the point is
that they,
like we,
can hear sermon
after sermon.
They can be engaging
in God's word.
You can even tell us
the main points back
verbatim
from what was said.
But actually in your mind
be thinking,
I hope my spouse
hears this.
Or this is for
somebody else.
And somewhere between
the benediction
and the car park,
Satan comes and
snatches the word
away from you.
And it's just kind of
bounced off your heart
like a hard path.
That's the first soil.
The second soil
really are like the crowds
who are around Jesus.
You know,
a couple of chapters
earlier in Matthew,
some of these,
the crowd have come up
to Jesus and says,
Jesus,
we really want to
follow you.
And it sounds amazing.
It looks great.
But Jesus says to them,
foxes have holes,
the birds of the air
have nests,
but the Son of Man
has nowhere to lay
his head.
In other words,
are you prepared
for the cost
of what's coming up?
Because in other words,
Jesus has thousands
of people coming to him,
crowds of people,
and we would get dazzled
by the numbers.
We'd think his ministry
was super successful,
but Jesus doesn't
get dazzled by them.
In fact,
in John 2,
he says this,
he says,
many believed in him,
but he didn't entrust
himself to them,
for he knew
what was in a man.
You see,
what he's saying
is actually,
the people who are
coming to him
in the crowds
are coming just
to get something
from him.
It's kind of
Santa Claus Jesus.
They want some
inspiration from him.
They want him
to fix a problem
in their lives.
They want a healing.
They want something
from him,
but they don't
actually want him.
And I hear many people
actually go,
you know,
we had this amazing
Alpha Course
Christianity Explored,
and a hundred people
came to faith,
and it was amazing,
or some others say,
hey,
this person,
they prayed the sinner's prayer,
and now they're a believer,
and it's amazing.
And I want to go,
when I hear that,
I want to go,
yes,
let's celebrate.
There's more joy
in heaven
over one sinner
who repents
than over a hundred
righteous.
That's true.
But I also want to go,
let's see.
Let's pray that actually
they get rooted
in deep soil,
not just superficial soil.
Let's pray they're not
users of Jesus,
but they're lovers
of Jesus.
Let's pray they love
Jesus in the long haul,
because that's what
Jesus is talking about
with the second soil.
That's the rocky soil.
Then the third soil,
the thorny soil,
actually,
by the way,
the rocky soil,
what happens is then
when things just,
the pressure starts hitting,
the things that they
really wanted
start getting on the line
because you're following
Jesus.
What they choose to do
is say,
hey,
I prefer my career
rather than actually
really the cost
of following Jesus.
I prefer actually
just to have a
comfortable life
rather than actually
really facing the
challenges of following
him.
And so they back down
because they've got
no roots.
That's the second soil.
The third soil,
the thorny soil,
are people like Judas,
who is actually
one of the disciples.
He's right there.
He's super involved
in church.
He's doing all the stuff.
He's doing mission trips
with Jesus.
He even gets personally
served communion
by Jesus.
That's so close
to Jesus.
But his heart
is thorny,
gripped
by money
and greed
or by worries
or by ambition
for his own self.
You know,
he steals from
the communal purse
of Jesus
and he betrays Jesus
because of greed.
And the point is
that actually
the idols
in our hearts
which in one sense
are always there
can take time
for them to come up
and the thorns
can just choke them
in time
and choke the seed.
They're a dangerous group.
But then the fourth,
the fourth ones
are the true disciples.
They're actually
not just the twelve.
There are a whole load
of followers
who are around Jesus
as well
that Mark 4 tells us.
And they are not
perfect superstar Christians.
Okay?
Jesus has to go to them.
How is it
that you don't understand
what I'm talking about?
He goes,
oh you guys
of little faith
at times.
Jesus does get
a little frustrated
with them.
But even though
they haven't got it
all together,
they are those
who actually
do respond to Jesus.
They do want Jesus.
They want to be with him.
They keep coming back
in repentance
to him again
and again
and again.
And he says,
in the long haul
what happens?
There is this harvest
that is born
in their lives.
There's a harvest
that's born
in their lives.
And so the point
of this
is quite simple.
Just as the skin
of an apple
may look beautiful
on the outside
but it be rotten
on the inside.
So a Christian
is not one
who simply professes
faith in Christ.
That's not someone
who's simply active
in church.
It's not someone
who simply accepts
the doctrine.
It's one who
in their hearts
wants Christ
above all
and who will
need to persevere
in faith
in the long haul.
That's what a Christian
is.
And that's the point.
That's the varieties
of soil
that Jesus says
every single one
of us
will fit into.
How are we doing?
Good.
Second point.
Testing of the soil.
Because right in between
this parable
and then the explanation
Matthew puts
this little bit
in between
where he kind of
steps back
and has the disciples
asking a question
to Jesus
of why do you
actually speak
in parables?
And what he's doing
is he's actually
coming to show us
and like
how do you know
given this parable
how do you know
what kind of soil
you are?
That's the point
of this.
And the disciples
are going
hey can't you
just kind of
speak to us
like really directly
we're a bit dumb
okay we're a bit stupid
but like
give it to us
clearly please
and we need
to kind of
figure this out
and come and ask you.
And some people
have argued
well Jesus tells parables
because he just likes
to kind of
illustrate things
just like
you know
like a stand up comedian
takes everyday life
to kind of
make it kind of
relevant
but that's not
why Jesus says
he's bringing
these parables
not making it
totally easy
spoon feeding them
in terms of
giving them
the main point.
Here's what he says
he says
to you
the disciples
has been given
to know the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven
that's God's
deepest heart
and God's ways
in the gospel
but to them
the Pharisees
the crowds
the others
it has not been
given to them
to the one
who has
like you disciples
who've understood
something about me
and my kingdom
more will be given
you're going to get
to know me even more
it's not just head knowledge
it's heart knowledge
and my ways
and you'll have
an abundance
of knowing me
but from he
who does not have
those who don't want me
those who are not
willing to
engage me
even what he has
will be taken away
that is why
I speak to them
in parables
what's he talking
about
here's a couple
of things
that Jesus is doing
in his teaching
technique here
the first thing
he's doing
is that parables
are ways
to reveal
your heart
okay
Michael Green
says this
parables
revealed
truth
to those
who are hungry
and concealed
it
from those
who are too
lazy to look
for it
or too
blinded
by hatred
and prejudice
to discern it
in other words
what he's saying
is they're a filter
system
giving you
enough
information
to draw you
to Jesus
if you're interested
but not
passively
spoon feeding
you
so you can
just sit
on your sofa
and go
oh that's
great
you see
it's a bit
like this
it's a bit
like if I go
listen
I know
the key
to your
entire future
so meet me
a cafe
at 8pm
and I'll tell you
if your heart
is hungry
and you're opening
yeah I want
that
what are you
going to do
you'll be there
you'll cancel
your appointments
you'll say
I've got to be there
tell me
like that
and as you go
there
and then
you hear
the message
so you'll be
satisfied
and you'll keep
coming back
for more
that's a good
soil
coming to
Jesus
but if you
just kind of
you want
Jesus on your
own terms
like the
rocky soil
you'll go
oh that
sounds great
I want to
go
I'll be there
but then it's
like raining
outside
and there's a lot
of traffic
on the roads
and you're like
oh
and you'll
kind of die
you'll just
back out
at the last
minute
that's the
rocky soil
but then
the thorny
soil
will go
okay
now just
tell me
right now
what it is
because I've
got a job
interview later
and I'm super
busy at the
moment
so could you
just kind of
fit me in
like right
now
and the
path will
say hey
I know
what I'm
doing with
my life
thanks
I actually
I don't
need
from you
right now
and so
just like
the airport
immigration
you know
filters you
into different
lanes
when you
hear the
word
your own
response
and your
heart
will filter
you into
where your
heart really
lies in
relation to
Jesus
they reveal
your heart
the second
thing they do
is they reveal
your destiny
because
here
Jesus quotes
Isaiah 6
this is
verse 14
and 15
and he
quotes
Isaiah 6
where God
commissions
Isaiah to
keep calling
the people
to repent
but he
says
every time
that you
hear
you'll hear
but you'll
never
understand
you'll see
but you'll
never
perceive
they're so
deaf
that actually
you'll say
stuff to
them but
it just
kind of
goes in
one ear
and out
the other
and actually
it says
here
this
people's
heart
has grown
dull
literally
the words
are in
Greek
their hearts
have grown
fat
and their
ears
listen
heavily
and their
eyes
are closing
like husbands
with their
wives
sometimes
you know
actually
the image
is of a
doctor
who knows
that his
long term
patient
let's call
him Frank
doesn't
listen to
him
but for
the 20th
time
he tells
him
listen
Frank
your
cholesterol
level
is so
high
that unless
you stop
eating
three Big
Macs a
day
you're
going to
have a
heart
attack
listen
to me
and the
guy's
going
yeah
anything
else
doctor
and he
just kind
of carries
on
and the
doctor
knows
because he
cares for
him
that he's
going to
keep
telling
him
but every
single
time that
he speaks
to him
Frank's
heart
is both
literally
and
metaphorically
hardening
you see
and as
he does
it
his fate
is being
sealed
you see
the doctor
knows
one day
he's
going to
get a
call
Frank's
in
hospital
this time
I don't
think he's
going to
make it
that's what
verse 15
is all
about
lest they
should see
with their
ears
eyes
hear
with their
ears
understand
with their
heart
and turn
and I
would heal
them
that is
God's
desire
because
Jesus
is the
great
physician
of our
hearts
who
every
time
he
speaks
to
us
is
sowing
seed
into
our
lives
of
the
gospel
he's
offering
it
to
you
and
he's
saying
listen
I
want
you
to
turn
back
to
me
why
because
I
want
to
heal
you
I
want
to
bring
you
life
this
is
what
I'm
about
and
Jesus
could
just
go
hey
you
guys
you
just
such
a
waste
of
time
let
me
not
even
have
an
appointment
with
you
not
even
speak
to
you
but
he
doesn't
because
he's
so
gracious
he's
so
patient
that
he
keeps
coming
again
and
again
to
each
one
of
us
saying
will
you
hear
me
you
know
Jesus
can
soften
the
hardest
of
hearts
he's
sovereign
in
salvation
but
we
also
have
to
choose
how
to
respond
to
him
and
God's
sovereignty
doesn't
override
our
responsibility
to
respond
I
don't
get
how
it
works
but
that's
what
scripture
teaches
us
so
Jesus
is
not
just
actually
speaking
a
parable
to
us
that's
what
he
spoke
to
them
but
actually
he's
speaking
his
word
to
us
today
and
you
know
his
word
always
requires
active
reflection
to
take
it
from
here
down
to
here
you
can't
just
actually
say
oh
I've
just
heard
it
now
I
can
just
go
off
and
carry
on
with
my
life
it
always
requires
some
kind
of
action
to
respond
to
it
you
see
every
time
you
hear
a
sermon
about
Jesus
every
time
you
read
your
Bible
every
time
a
believer
speaks
God's
word
into
your
life
in
some
way
it's
actually
a
sorting
a
filtering
moment
like
in
the
immigration
lanes
because
here
Jesus
says
blessed
are
you
who
hear
if
you're
a
Christian
when you
hear
the gospel
message
when you
hear
God's
word
I don't
know
do you
see that
as a
privilege
the longer
you're in
church
you can
just get
so familiar
with it
that you
miss the
privilege
because he
says it's
this grace
because even
the greatest
prophets
like Moses
and Isaiah
and Jeremiah
they didn't
hear what
you guys
hear
they didn't
know the
full extent
of the
mercies of
God that
are found
in Christ
because they
didn't know
Jesus at
that point
but we
do
and so
every
Sunday
during the
week
we get a
chance to
hear of the
incredible
love of
God for
us who
takes
stubborn
deaf
unrepentant
unteachable
people
and he
keeps chasing
you and
me down
every single
day
to the
point that
he would
even bring
his ultimate
word which
is Jesus
to us
because that's
how much he
wants us to
get the
message of
his love
for us
his death
for us
speaks the
loudest
message of
his grace
of his
good purposes
to draw
you to
himself
he's not
a kill
joy
he's not
there to
ruin your
life
he's there
to heal
us and
restore us
and it's
grace
but you know
it's also
not just a
privilege and
grace to
hear God's
word
it's also
dangerous
I don't
know if
you've
thought of
this
because if
you've been
in church
for a
while
and this
is challenging
I find this
challenging
you can
actually end
up going
yeah
I know
that Jesus
stuff
eyes glaze
over let
me just
check my
Instagram
or you
hear God
say hey
you need
to forgive
that person
or stop
sleeping with
your girlfriend
or apologize
to your
spouse
or cut
out all
of that
activity
and spend
time with
me
and we
do nothing
and we
just carry
on busily
chasing after
our own
desires
and we
go hey
it's just
a season
I'm in
once I
get through
this
then you
know
then I'll
listen
but you
know
every day
that you
refuse to
turn to
Christ
and allow
him to
heal you
your
altar
is a
hardening
that's
challenging
isn't
that
it's a
responsibility
to hear
God's
word
well
and so
then with
the varieties
of soil
we've
looked at
and the
testing of
soil that
God brings
as he
speaks his
word to
you
the final
thing is
how do
we respond
to this
how should
we respond
and I've
got two
things that
I think
we should
respond with
the first
is we
need to
take a
hearing test
Jesus
says he
who has
ears let
him hear
like what
is actually
God saying
to you at
the moment
in your
life and
how are you
responding to
him you
know when I
was young I
had to have
I had the
hearing test and
my ears were
blocked and
I had to
have like a
special like
operation to
help my
ears come
unblocked
some of us
are in that
situation
some of us
you don't
realize the
danger you're
in you know
God is calling
you to surrender
in an area of
your life but
you're going
yeah yeah just
another day
you come to
church regularly
but you actually
don't want to
hear and God
says he appeals
to you today
if you hear my
voice don't
harden your
hearts don't
tune out of
my voice today
because do you
know what if
you tune out
today tomorrow
you will be so
deaf that you
won't even hear
me so repent
whatever I'm
calling you to
do like stop
right now and
you've got to
take it seriously
because you don't
want to get a
heart attack
some of us you
may be seekers
maybe you
wouldn't call
yourself a
Christian and
the message
that Jesus
wants to speak
to you today
is not that
Jesus is here
just to give
you a bit of
peace just to
give you a bit
of wisdom just
to give you a
few things to
kind of fix
your life he
can do all of
that
Jesus doesn't
want you to
take him on
your terms
because he's
the one who
loves you the
most but he's
also the one
who demands the
highest allegiance
in your heart
and that's how
you'll enjoy
him so that my
encouragement to
you is to look
into the claims
of Christ
let him be the
God of your
life I encourage
you to join the
explore course on
the 25th of
October to
actually ask
questions and
actually take the
opportunity as
someone who's
hungry for more
to go and seek
to satisfy your
hunger with who
Jesus really is
but for some
of us the
danger isn't
just that we're
the first soil
or maybe even
the second soil
the danger is
the third soil
that many of us
get choked and
distracted
you know in
in in Mark
six it says
even Jesus
closest disciples
so people who
are actually the
fourth soil
at one point
they didn't
understand him
because their
hearts were
hardened
in other words
what it's saying
is it's possible
for someone to be
a true follower
of Jesus but
have seasons where
actually you may be
more like the
path or more like
the rocky soil or
more like the
thorny soil than
the good soil
and so you may
have worries about
your work you
may have worries
about your kids
about whether
you're going to
be single all of
your life you
may have desires
in your heart
for promotion
for getting into
that school
for financial
security to be
light to be in
control to be
whatever it is
that you're
chasing after
they can be
really good
things but if
they begin to
choke you
what you'll see
is when you
come to church
on Sunday
when you come
to your CG
when you spend
time with your
other believers
you should be
thinking what is
it that I really
want at this
moment
like this morning
what do you
want
do you
actually want
Jesus for who
Jesus says he
is or do you
want to just go
through the motions
so you can get
back to doing the
things that you're
actually really
interested in
you know
his challenges
me
like do we
make space
to hear Jesus
maybe coming a
few minutes early
on Sunday
I know Kevin
mentioned that
before
or even just
every day in
your week
or is your
heart so busy
and so crowded
so rushing from
one thing to the
next thing to build
your own empire
that actually you
just love Jesus
just to tweet his
word to you
because that'd be so
much like amidst
your busy schedule
that's all you can
cope with
but actually he
comes to you and
says take a
hearing test
how are you
hearing me
do you want
me
that's the first
thing
this is challenging
right
it's challenging
but the second
thing
of actually
how should we
respond
is this
don't just
take a hearing
test
also aim
and have a
vision for the
long haul
you know
grain
was sown
in the autumn
and then it
was harvested
in the early
summer of the
next year
in other words
in between
there would be
these seasons
of plowing
there would be
rains
there would be
storms
there would be
waiting
there would be
all kinds of
seasons that went
in between
before the harvest
arrived
you know
I listened to a
great podcast
which talked about
just the different
stages of life
and they talked
about how the
person in their
50s and 60s
is actually
bearing the fruit
of what they did
in their 20s
and 30s
that's scary
because
now if you're not
a believer in
your 20s or 30s
you know
God redeems
and he can yield
a harvest
at any stage
he's amazing
like that
but it's true
that if you're
in your 20s
now you're
discovering yourself
you're trying to
try out stuff
trying to find
what you're good
at what you're
not good at
but here's what
I've seen in
Watermark over
the last 10 or
11 years
I've seen
that those people
who in their
20s
and in their
30s
but their
20s
who actually
knew how to
put deep roots
into God
through regular
scripture reading
through prayer
through confession
through actually
bringing people
into their lives
to help them
walk with Christ
those are people
who I've seen
in general
be able to
weather and get
through the 30s
and the 40s
well
but those who
didn't do that
who didn't have
the roots
but were super
active
super busy
in church
they really
struggled
in getting
choked
in their
30s
and their
40s
because you
know when
you're in
your 30s
those of you
who are in
your 30s
and I think
it goes into
your 40s
I'm in my
40s
and I still
feel this
but there's
so many
responsibilities
there's
busyness
there's
screaming
kids
there's
promotions
and extra
meetings
and even
if you
were on
fire
in your
20s
just when
you get
to your
30s
you have
to have
new
creativity
because the
rhythms you
had back
then
you just
can't do
the same
and you
just got
to be
intentional
at getting
other people
in your
life
and getting
God's
word in
your life
so that
you're going
to be
someone who
walks through
this busy
crazy season
to get
to the
place
where you're
going to
have
a harvest
in your
life that
others
will experience
and bear
fruit
in their
lives
so how
are we
doing
with that
if you're
in your
30s
if you're
in your
20s
how are we
doing
if you're
in your
40s
or your
50s
or your
60s
or your
70s
I'm not
sure we've
got anyone
in your
80s
no one
in your
80s
yet
Leo
don't put
up your
hand
you're
not in
your
80s
yet
who have
you got
actively
alongside
you to
help you
to pursue
Jesus
to help
you get
God's
word into
your
marriage
into your
parenting
into your
work
because
sometimes
we can
just have
friends
who are
chasing
all kind
of other
ambitions
and they
pull us
away
but Jesus
wants to
come to
us today
he's
speaking to
each one
of us
he's not
speaking to
condemn us
he's not
speaking to
shame us
and if you're
going oh
I've just
wasted a
whole lot
of time
in my
20s
and 30s
today
is the
start
of a
new
day
God's
word
always
bears
fruit
when we
respond
to it
he's not
coming to
disillusion
you
he's not
coming to
say like
beat you
up
but he's
coming to
say
will you
respond to
me today
because I
want and I
hope you
want as
well
if God
gets me
to 70
if God
gets me
to 80
I want
to be
like some
guys that
I know
who have
this legacy
of just
faithfulness
fruitfulness
they're not
spectacular
they've
made plenty
of mistakes
but you
know what
I've seen
in their
lives
I've seen
this
that they
have discovered
that they are
more sinful
than they thought
they were
when they were
20
but they've
discovered
that Jesus
is more
beautiful
and a more
gracious
saviour to
them
now in
their 70s
or 80s
than they
ever thought
was possible
and they've
seen that he's
so faithful
through every
single season
that there
is no regrets
with him
and he has
been
and is
and will
be
enough
for you
in every
single
season
of your
life
whatever
you're
going
through
right now
so what
is he
saying
to you
and how
are you
responding
to him
this is
the parable
of the
soils
I want
you to
take a
minute
and actually
if you've
got your
bulletin
with you
I want
to do
something
that maybe
we
I'm not
sure
whether we've
done it
much before
but I
want you
to actually
take a
minute
and if
you've
got a
pen
and if
you haven't
got a
pen
I'd like
you to
raise your
hand
I don't
know
Karen
have we
got some
pens
around
if you
haven't
I'd
actually
like you
to take
a minute
just you
and Jesus
to actually
write down
what is
God saying
to me
right now
in the
season
that I'm
in
do I
know
what he's
saying
to me
I want
you to
write it
down
because that
clarifies
it for
you
and then
I want
you to
think
how am
I
responding
to this
his word
is grace
to us
it's not
condemnation
it's to
heal us
how are
we responding
to it
and I want
you to
write that
down
and just
take some
time to
pray
I'm going
to ask
the band
just to
kind of
come up
and play
we're going
to take
communion
in a
minute
but
before we
do that
I want
us to
just
really
take
this
time
for you
to
pray
and you
to
just
reflect
Jesus
doesn't
want you
to go
away
from here
light the
path
so just
come before
God
what are you
saying to
me right
now
what are
you speaking
to me
in my
life
how am
I hearing
you
am I
setting my
stall for
the long
haul of
what you've
called me
to or
am I
chasing
after
temporary
things
and let
God just
minister to
you
yeah
drink
you
Thank you.
Maybe you want to think, what are the things that actually choke me or distract me?
What do I have to surrender to Jesus right now?
Amen.
Jesus says those who seek me will find me.
It's not hard to find.
But he wants your heart.
Jesus says those who seek me will find me.
Let's go.
but at communion we discover
that actually the one who speaks to us
is the one who is the great physician
the one who comes to people no matter where their hearts have been
and comes again with an offer of forgiveness
of grace
of healing
of life
of strength
of energy
of relationship with him
communion is a time for people who
who maybe you know that you're one of the first three soils
but your heart wants to be that fourth soil
your heart that's willing to say
God I yeah the things that have been choking me
Lord I want to lay them down
forgive me
I want you more than anything else
change my heart
that's a prayer
God loves to answer
communion is a place
for those
who know that only because of Jesus
can they stand
not because they've been great
but because he is great
so if you know that actually your heart is just not in a place with with God and you just need to take
longer to deal with him don't take communion now to just take more time
to really wrestle where you are with God
if you're not a believer again we ask you not to take it
because this is a meal table
which expresses
the welcome of the king
but also expresses our desire that we would be welcomed by him
that we would be his
and so when you're ready and you've just taken time to process
I encourage you to come up and take the elements
and then go back to your seats
and then we will take them all together
but do this as a sign of saying
Jesus yeah I want you
and Jesus
thank you
thank you that you never stop loving us
so
and
Thank you.
The amazing thing about communion is that actually this is a word that God speaks to us.
It's a visual word.
It's a word that says, because of what I've done, what you have done is not the determining factor of the fruitfulness of your life.
It's a word to you saying, I am enough for you.
The body of Christ broken for you.
And Jesus, even though at that meal table, he had Judas there.
He had a whole load of disciples who were messy.
And yet he looked at each one of them and he still said, this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you.
I keep coming with my word of forgiveness, no matter where you've been.
The blood of Jesus shed for us.
Father, I thank you that when you speak a word, you speak a better word than the blood of Abel, which condemns.
You speak a better word than the word of everybody else around us, which always makes us feel like we're not enough or we've got to work harder or we've got to try harder.
But when your word comes to us, it is a word of grace that calls us to the one who is enough for us.
I pray, Father, for our hearts, that we would see that, not just in our heads, but in the very trenches of our lives this week.
That we would see and have ears that see that both you are who you say you are, and we are willing to surrender to you.
And you are good and gracious, so we joyfully obey you and live for you.
Give us the courage and the strength to do that this week, knowing that you never give up on us, and you are the one whose word in our lives will bear abundant fruit.
Thank you for your kindness to us.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.