If you have your Bibles this morning, I want you to turn to Luke chapter 8.
Luke chapter 8.
It is a joy to be back.
I had a wedding that I had already planned and was in Mississippi doing that last weekend.
Missed being here.
Missed being in my spot.
But I'm thankful for the opportunity to go back.
And I did my part.
Now they've got to work out the rest of it.
But I was able to do that.
Glad to have Dawn here this morning.
We realized on this move that this would be a summer of transition.
We didn't know all that would be entailed in it.
And everything is glorious except the fact that we're trying to sell and trying to buy.
And so just to give you an understanding, yesterday during our picnic together, I was waiting to get a word on whether a property was for sale.
And also having to make a decision of whether I was going to, we were going to buy a house on a deadline by 3 p.m.
So I was trying to get across to the person who may know about the property and find out about that.
At the same time, I had the real estate agent telling me, you're running out of time.
You're running out of time.
You know?
And here I am greeting people, not only in our church, but throughout our community.
It was kind of chaotic, quite honestly.
But we paused a moment because I don't think God's the God of chaos.
And we're going to trust him either today or tomorrow or whenever it comes to work those things out.
So are you all praying?
I just thought I'd remind you and give you a little update in case you ask.
Sometimes when people ask them, I share kind of where we're at.
And then somebody else asks, and I share again where we're at.
And then somebody else asks.
Anyway.
I don't know about you, but I love a good story.
I don't know anybody that don't love a good story.
And I realize everybody's not a reader.
I do read.
I go through seasons of it especially.
And I read stories.
I listen to stories.
When I walk, I listen to stories.
I also watch stories.
Now, when I say I watch stories, I'm not talking about soap operas, okay?
I guess they're almost gone now.
But I used to hear ladies talk about watching their stories.
And if you ever went and visited somebody in their home or in a nursing home in the afternoon,
you better be careful because you might interrupt a story.
They always want to be respectful of the preacher.
But, man, they sure didn't want to miss out on what was ever happening to Luke and Laura or Bo and Hope
or some of them people.
Somebody knows who I'm talking about.
I can tell.
But anyway, soap operas made daytime television become synonymous with bad television.
You know, they really did.
And now the craving calls for Netflix and Prime Video and we love our stories.
But whether it's a secret love of soap operas
or the one that reads Amish love stories that fill up too big a part of too many church libraries,
everybody loves a good story.
And more than almost any story, I love front porch stories from old wise men
who talk about the way it used to be, I guess.
I thank God for those lessons along the way.
But I will tell you that the greatest stories are those that are shared by the Lord Jesus.
He is the master teacher.
And he taught in a variety of ways.
And one of the ways that he taught was to throw in little stories along the way.
They're called parables.
That term is used 48 times in the New Testament in reference to the stories that Jesus told.
That word parable literally means to be thrown aside or to be placed alongside.
And that's exactly what he did.
As he shared biblical truths, scriptural truths with folks,
he would tell them a story that would meet them right where they were.
For instance, this morning we're going to look at an agrarian story.
It was an agrarian society in which he lived in.
There were a lot of farmers that he dealt with.
And therefore he related to them just the way they understood it.
I'm thankful that we serve a God that meets us where we are,
speaks to us in a way that we can understand.
We just have to respond in obedience.
So for most of the several upcoming weeks,
when I say most, I know that Father's Day is coming up.
And I bless ladies on Mother's Day.
And I beat up men on Father's Day.
That's what you're supposed to do, I think.
And then I believe that we have an independence in this country
that we ought to thank God for and we ought to do something to protect.
And so we'll take some time to talk about what our role is as Christians
in the America in which we live.
But besides those matters, we'll spend a lot of this summer
talking about the parables of Jesus out of the gospel of Luke.
There are no parables in the gospel of John.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the synoptic gospels.
Easy for me to say.
Meaning that they share a lot of the same stories along the way.
And nobody retells these stories with more color or detail than Luke.
A physician by trade, he gets to the nitty-gritty details on matters and shares with us.
And we begin with a very popular parable, one you're probably familiar with.
But I picked this one in the midst of the other stories because in the midst of this story
and in the explanation of the story,
Jesus shares why he uses parables.
Why do we even need to study them to start with?
Why was he using them?
So I want to begin by us seeing the story.
And then here in this passage, he gives us the explanation for the story
and then tells us why he'd use the stories anyway.
Pretty unique passage.
Luke chapter 8, beginning in verse 4, it says this.
And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him,
he said in a parable, a sower went out to sow his seed.
And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot,
and the birds of the air devoured it.
And some fell on the rock and it grew up and withered away because it had no moisture.
And some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.
And some fell into good seed and grew and yielded a hundredfold.
And as he said these things, he called out,
he who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Let's pray together.
Lord Jesus, it is my prayer today that you will give us the spiritual ears we need
to hear what you would have to say to us.
Lord, we know that the soil of our souls are different.
Some days, different than others.
But your seed is the same.
So God, as you give us the seed of your word today,
help us, Lord, to be receptive, to be obedient,
to allow you to speak to our hearts and lives.
I particularly am burdened this morning for one who may be here,
who's never acknowledged you as personal Lord and Savior.
May today be the day of salvation, O Lord.
In Jesus' name, amen.
A good question for us to focus on when we look at this passage is,
is the emphasis on the sower, because it's often called the parable of the sower,
is the emphasis on the one slinging the seed,
or is it on the seed, or is it on the soil?
And it really depends on where you put your focus,
because if you want to speak of the faithfulness of the worker,
you speak of the sower.
And if you want to speak of the power of the product,
you mention the seed.
And if you want to speak of the one who receives it,
you speak of the soil,
because there's different spoils respond in different ways,
and some fail to respond to the seed in different ways.
But Jesus goes on immediately and explains the meaning of this story
when he says in verse 11,
now, the parable is this,
the seed is the word of God,
the one along the path are those who've heard,
then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts,
so that they may not believe and be saved.
And the one on the rock are those who,
when they hear the word, receive it with joy,
but they have no root,
they believe for a while,
and in time of testing fall away.
And as for what fell among the thorns,
there are those who hear,
but as they go on their way,
they're choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life,
and their fruit does not mature.
As for those in the good soil,
there are those who,
hearing the word,
hold it fast,
in an honest and good heart,
and bear fruit with patience.
Therefore, there are three important parts to this story that we ought to get.
The one is the throwing of the seed,
slinging seed.
The seed is the word of God.
It is the gospel message of Christ,
and no one will hear it or have a chance to personally respond to it
if it's not thrown out before them.
If the seed of the word of God has changed your life,
listen to me, Christian.
You have a responsibility.
We have a responsibility to throw some seed ourselves.
We don't just rely on the preacher to do it on Sunday.
We throw some seed ourselves.
I don't pick that up from this story, honestly.
I pick it up from what Jesus said in so many other places.
I pick it up in what the Apostle Paul said often.
I pick it up in what John taught us.
I pick it up in what Peter said,
and what each one of them did with such a passion.
They gave their lives for the message that changed their lives.
And so if your life has been changed by the gospel,
you gave your life to Christ.
It's no longer yours.
Sow seed with it.
Share with somebody what God has done in your life.
There's the throwing of the seed.
There's also the potential of the seed.
A farmer does not know how successful the seed will be
when he throws it on the ground.
He does not know.
There are predictors along the way,
but farmers tell me that you never know what will happen
from the time the seed is thrown to the harvest time.
You pray for the best.
For the last 15 years, I pastored a church
that was surrounded by soybean fields and sweet potato fields.
Vardaman, Mississippi, eight miles from the sweet potato capital of the world.
Self-diagnosed.
But anyway, that's what they did.
And they were taxed when I left
because fertilizer is high and it ain't raining enough
and all those things.
I was, when I was looking at this passage of scripture one time,
I text one of my farmers.
I said, is there any way you know?
You know.
He said, well, we get hints.
But there's no way we can know the success of the product
unless we put it in the ground and trust God to see what happens.
You pray for the best.
And even with their concerns, they still throw in seed.
When circumstances run them late, they start late.
They stay up late, but they still plant the seed.
And if the seed is the gospel here, which it is,
and there will be no gospel spread
unless it is thrown out by those
who God has not only commissioned
but empowered to do that,
then we need to get busy throwing it out.
W.A. Criswell pastored First Baptist Dallas for 50 years.
He's a legendary pastor.
And he's known to have preached through the whole Bible,
verse by verse, during those 50 years
when he would get up and preach.
But one Sunday he stood up
and he merely read over the proposed budget.
Now, I will tell you that the proposed budget
of First Baptist Dallas, there's nothing merely about it, okay?
But he stood up and read over the proposed budget.
He talked about the ministry
ministry that came through each line item
and how the money that went into that line item
would be used for ministry.
He talked about the missions
that were supported through that ministry.
He talked about the day-to-day responsibilities
and obligations in the facility itself.
He talked about the importance of faithful tithing,
faithful giving.
And when he came to the end,
he gave the invitation.
And a dozen people came down the aisle
and got saved.
How?
Why?
It had little to do to nothing to do
with what he said that Sunday morning.
The people in the pew had scattered seed
all week long.
One people to the Lord,
brought them to church with them
and let them come down
and be recognized publicly
for the decision they made privately
in their heart and life.
Don't ever be mistaken, folks.
What happens on Sunday during worship
has as much, if not more,
to do with what happened in our lives
during the week
than it does what happens
in this very hour.
We influence this hour
by how we respond to it
throughout the week.
However,
when we've grown in the Lord,
when we've scattered some seed
of the gospel,
when we've invited folks to be here,
when we've been prayed up
before we come
and we ask God to work
and we move in our midst,
God inhabits the praise of his people.
He honors a people
that is hungry and pursuant.
And it's not that we deserve it.
It's not that somehow we can earn it.
It's not that somehow he's required
to do something in response
to what we do.
simply God honors it.
He honors people
who are willing to stand boldly
and proclaim his message.
You say, well, preacher, you know,
I don't know that's something
y'all talk about.
I think about a college football game.
Y'all probably know something about that.
Put those outlandish stickers on your car.
You got stuff hanging out the trunk
headed down the highway.
The prep for tailgate
is quite amazing, quite honestly.
The work that goes into that.
We dress like everybody else.
Go to those ball games
and everybody matches, you know.
You go to church
and somebody has the same outfit on you,
do it, kills you.
But you go to a ball game,
everybody's got the same outfit on you.
You love it, you know.
It just fires you up that much more, you know.
Can you imagine
if God's people
got that fired up
about worshiping the Lord Jesus?
I mean, I know that's a preacher comment.
I know it is.
But I mean, think about that.
Think about how you anticipate.
You anticipate.
You anticipate
and look forward to
watching what's going to happen
in that ball game.
Watching your team succeed
and get excited about that
and do all kinds of that.
The reality is,
can you imagine
if God's people
got that fired up
about worshiping the Lord Jesus?
Brian, I'll tell you,
they'd sing different,
wouldn't they?
You know?
If you ever get a glimpse
of the power
of the seed
of the gospel,
not only will it change your lives,
but God's going to allow you
to see lives changed
right before you
as you share it faithfully.
And that brings you
not only to the potential seed,
but the response to the seed.
Because the soil represents
the different stages
of people's mind,
the different stages
of people's heart,
and the heart of those
that hear it
and how they respond to it.
There are those
that hear it
with a closed mind.
That's that seed
that falls along the path
and are trampled
or eaten by birds.
That hard soil
represents those
who hear God's word
and they choose
not to understand it.
They choose
not to respond to it.
Some people
that you share with,
you'll do it
with closed ears.
They've attended church
with a closed mind.
They are determined
not to do anything
no matter what God
says for them to do
before they ever
have a conversation,
before they ever
enter into a church building.
Their minds
are closed
to any suggestion
that they don't
want to follow.
And when our minds
are closed
to whatever,
if you've never
given your heart
and life
to the Lord Jesus Christ
or if you are
a Christian
and know beyond
a shadow of it,
I want you to hear me
this morning.
if your mind
is closed
to any suggestion
that God would have
for you today,
that anything
God would tell you today,
Satan can easily
snatch a truth
and allow you
to miss that truth
because you had
a closed mind
coming in.
And there are those
with a cloudy mind.
Some seeds
of the gospel
fall on rocky soil
and they may
shoot up quick,
but they fade
just as fast.
Maybe they get
caught up in the emotion
of it
and don't really mean it
or maybe tragedy
strikes their life.
The rug is ripped out
from under them
or maybe sin
catches up with them
and they get a thrill
and a chill
from personal change
to come
but when the worship
hour is over,
so is their
religious experience.
A lot of folks
that walk down the aisle
in the Baptist church
get baptized
but they never
get saved.
And that's why
you'll notice
that sometimes
you might see
somebody come down
the aisle,
you might see
somebody baptized,
you may never
see them again.
There's probably
people on the roll
of the church
that have hardly
darkened the doors
of the church
since they ever
joined the church.
Why is that?
Well, I'll tell you
why some,
I can't tell you
particularly each individual
but I can tell you
this,
there's some folks
on a membership
in a local
Baptist church
that are lost
without Christ.
They never truly
surrendered their life
to the Lord.
They're confused
about the circumstances,
clouded by the world
in which around them
and as soon as
Monday comes,
you know,
the trial,
that they fall apart
and fall away
because they don't
know Christ
or who they could
be in Him.
real salvation
does not roll off
you like a duck's
back.
It is not in one ear
and out the other.
Some miss it
due to a cloudy mind.
Then there's others
who miss it
because of a cluttered
mind.
They don't follow
the Lord in their life
because they've got
a cluttered mind.
The world's full
of distractions
and all those
distractions can choke
out the Word of God.
The world promises
a lot but provides
nothing that really
lasts and people
place too much value
on stuff.
stuff that will
not last
and it takes
over their lives.
Jesus said
you cannot serve
both God
and money
and it's true
about the things
you spend money
on as well
and when the mind
is cluttered
the thorns
of the soil
will snuff
the seed
of His promises.
And then sometimes
the seed
falls
on those
with a committed
mind.
That soil
is fruitful
because it
receives the seed
and lets the message
grow and take root
in their lives.
They're the human
blessings of the church
quite honestly.
They're the ones
that encourage
other people.
They're the ones
that witness
for the Lord Jesus.
They're the ones
that do the work
of the church.
They are faithful
to gather for worship.
They are faithful
to grow in the Lord.
They are faithful
to share as they go.
They are faithful
to give as God
gives them opportunity.
These are the ones
that make the church
strong.
These are the ones
that grow this church.
These are the ones
that change the world
for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their mind is committed.
God,
whatever
your seed
you want to place
in my life today,
I'm ready to receive it.
I'm ready to respond
to what you would
have me to do.
Oh, how I thank God
for the committed minds
and hearts
and lives
in the church
of Jesus Christ.
It's kind of amazing
to me,
quite honestly,
to have lived
in this area
and then been gone
15 years
and come back
and there's a vague
acquaintance.
Some of us
knew each other.
There's a vague
acquaintance
with some others.
Some I don't know.
Some of you have come
within the last 15 years
or we vaguely saw
or you avoided me
when I was here before.
Whatever,
you know.
What's amazing to me
to see how God
is working
and moving
in the hearts
and lives
of folks
that I'm just
getting acquainted
with and knowing
and watching
that that same
spirit of God
stirred me
to be a part
of this
is the same
spirit of God
that's stirring
in the hearts
of those
who are committed.
Their minds
are set.
We're going to do
what God wants us
to do.
I don't know about you
but that's exciting
for me.
To know that I don't
understand everything
about God's plan
and I got some
questions along the way
that me and him
take up every morning
but to know
that before
the foundations
of the earth
God knew
there'd be a divine
appointment
of this time
in our lives
where people
would be joined
together
and be committed
to do a work
of the Lord
and allow him
to do whatever
he wants to do
in our midst
and to get on
that page
together
and to watch
how he's prepared
that before
I ever got here
and how he prepared
my heart
for it before
that's exciting
to me
because that's
how he plants
seeds
and the soil
takes it in
receives it
commits to it
I'm thankful
for committed lives
and hearts
and minds
in the church
of Jesus Christ.
now in the midst
of this story
and this explanation
there's an excursion
Jesus tells us
in the midst
of this story
why he uses
parables
and what their
purpose is
and it's not easy
to understand
but we need to
because he says
in verse 9 and 10
he says
and when his disciples
asked him
what this parable
meant
he said
to you
it has been
given
to know
the secrets
of the kingdom
of God
but for others
they are
in the parable
so that seeing
they may not see
and hearing
they may not
understand
now that last
phrase there
in verse 10
is from Isaiah
when the prophet
is led by God
in that awesome
worship time
in Isaiah chapter 6
and the message
is this
that the parables
as did
the prophetic
word
in Isaiah
serves two capacities
one is
they encourage
the believer
he mentions here
the secrets
of the kingdom
the secret
of the kingdom
is that as much
as I share
with you
what Jesus
means to me
and how he's
changed my life
you'll never
know what I'm
talking about
until you
experience it
if you jump
out of planes
where you're
nuts
number one
but if you
jump out of planes
you can try
to explain to me
what that's like
and I am not
going to get it
okay
I mean
the only way
you can really
know that
is to strap
a backpack
on your back
and jump out
of a perfectly
good plane
and hope
everything works
out on the way
down
that's either
faith or something
else
but whatever
there's no way
I can experience
that
unless I do
it
and the reality
is
living for the
Lord Jesus
and surrendering
your life
to him
and giving
your life
to Christ
is the greatest
decision that
you'll ever
make
but you'll never
realize that
until you truly
do it
you'll never be
able to grasp
it unless you
do it
and the mystery
of how God
works and moves
in lives
is hard to
explain
but it's pretty
wonderful to
experience
and those are
the secrets
are the mysteries
that word
the apostle Paul
uses the word
mystery a lot
when he talks
about the mystery
of the gospel
and literally
in that language
not in our language
but in that language
it means the same
thing as a secret
in other words
there are mysteries
or secrets
the gospel
there are matters
of our relationship
with the Lord
that you'll never
get until you
surrender your life
to follow him
and trust him
the mystery
of how God
works and moves
in our lives
it's hard to
explain
but it's pretty
wonderful to
experience
and those are
the secrets
of the mysteries
we're not
keeping them
from you
if you don't
know the Lord
you're missing
them
because you
don't have
Jesus
and these
stories
just back
all those
truths up
they help us
better understand
it
but then he
also says
here
that these
stories are
also
they're missed
by the stubborn
it's a hard
truth but it's
real
some people
ain't gonna
get it
you can scatter
all the seed
you want to
they're not
gonna get it
and a lack
of belief
can be stubborn
it can be
deliberate
and at times
it can be
unchanging
when people
hear the word
of God
they're accountable
to it
and when they
miss it
they're not
and God
in his mercy
let some
not even
get the parable
so that their
hearts would not
grow more stubborn
through their
rejection
because to whom
much is given
much is required
if you don't
understand these
stories you're not
responsible for
them
their curiosity
may be aroused
but they may
follow him
and want to know
more but they
will not fully
grasp what he's
saying through
these stories
and now that
is tough to
understand
but that's what
Christ is saying
he's saying
everybody's not
gonna get it
so what does that
mean for us
because I'll tell you
there's a tendency
not among us
but among other
people
that because some
people aren't
gonna get it
and because it's
not gonna be
welcomed by
everybody
let's just not
bother sharing
it a whole lot
I mean we want
the church to
stand strong
and testify
and be known
for that
but on a
personal basis
if I'm gonna
risk a friendship
with somebody
by approaching
their spirituality
I just
soon just
just what
how important
is your friendship
how much does
that matter
and how good
a friend are
you
let me tell you
something
if I ever do
get home
in Pickens
and you ride
by and there's
flames coming
out of the
windows
at two o'clock
in the morning
please don't be
bothered by waking
me up
you know
just go ahead
and knock on
the door
just go ahead
and let me
know
please
when people's
lives are in
the balance
sometimes we
have to step
out and trust
the God that
gave us the
seed is the
same God that
has put me in
this spot
to share this
truth with this
person
and I've got to
trust him for the
results
you know the
cool thing about
it is
is I'm not
responsible for
the results
I'm responsible
for the
faithfulness of
sharing the
testimony
of scattering
the seed
of throwing it
out
I can't control
the soil
man I can
sure throw
some seed
the truth of
the matter is
they'll be
missed by the
stubborn
so what does
all this mean
for us
how does this
play out
what does it
really mean
get this and
we'll close
food trucks
waiting
scatter some
seed
Christians
share your
faith
the world's
coming to an
end
and we need
to get up
off our
worshipful
premises
and get out
and share the
love of Christ
with a world
that desperately
needs Christ
don't you think
this world
needs Christ
I mean is that
not obvious
that it's dark
man a little
light will change
the whole room
really will
you got to
trust the
message
you got to
trust the
God of the
message
scatter some
seed
and then
trust the
Lord of the
harvest
trust him
the seed
will bring
forth fruit
you cannot
read the
soil
do you hear
me
you can't
read the
soil
God
honors the
process
share your
faith and
watch God
move
throw some
seed on
some hard
ground and
see what
happens
may not be
as hard as
you think
it is
and third
don't be
stubborn
don't be
stubborn
if you don't
know the
Lord Jesus
today
don't be
stubborn
listen to
what he's
saying to
you
listen to
how the
Holy Spirit
speaks to
your life
and you
come to
him today
don't let
your crusty
heart grow
harder from
hearing the
gospel and
not responding
because that's
exactly what
happens
that's what he
told us
that happened
come to
Jesus
I am
thankful
that any
time I
stand up
here and
share with
you that I
can say with
confidence
that today
is the day
of salvation
same God
scattered seed
told stories
changed people's
lives
almost 2,000
years ago
the other week
I said over
2,000 years
ago
that was
that's not
true
but almost
2,000 years
ago
the same
God
did that
the same
God that
will use
you today
and allow
you to
impact
lives
greater
than your
ability
beyond
your
perspective
beyond
what you
can imagine
I don't
know about
you
but I
don't want
to be a
part of
something
that we
can come
up with
I want
to be a
part of
something
that God
gets in
the middle
of
of people
who just
scatter seed
and trusted
for the
results
may God
touch our
heart
may we
respond
with
obedience
and may
he honor
our efforts
with every
head bowed
and every
eye closed
my burden
is always
that there's
a possibility
somebody
may be in
this place
who's never
given their
heart and
life to the
Lord Jesus
Christ
maybe
everybody
around you
thinks you
have but
the reality
is in
your heart
you never
have I
encourage you
to come
right now
come and
let God
change your
life we'd
love to
guide you
in that
process I
promise you
we got
time I
promise you
we'll take
the time
maybe you're
here this
morning and
you know
you're a
Christian but
the reality
is man
your seeds
in your
pocket
you're
scattering
anything
possibly not
even being
much of a
blessing to
folks around
you they
wouldn't want
to listen to
you anyway
maybe today's
the day of
renewal
Lord will you
change me will
you change my
heart will you
give me
opportunity
God as you
give me
opportunity will
you give me
the boldness
and the words
to walk through
those doors
of opportunity
God I'm
thankful that
I'm not
responsible for
what happens
without I'm
just responsible
for what I
do with it
so help me to
be faithful
maybe God's
drawing you
to be a part
of Pickens
First what a
blessing that
would be for
you to join
us in the
journey you
ain't perfect
neither are we
we're gonna do
it together until
Jesus comes and
so I encourage
you to just
simply obey God
and follow his
lead maybe you're
made a private
decision for God
but you've never
made it public
baptism the lack
of baptism in a
believer's life
is a hindrance
in their walk
with God
and it's also
a powerful
testimony that
changes other
people's lives
if you've never
been baptized as
a believer
then you come
let's work that
out we'll plan
for that together
Lord Jesus I
don't know what
you're speaking to
our hearts and
lives but I know
you're speaking
mine and so
God I ask this
morning Father that
you will work and
move in our midst
that we'll just
simply obey you
and trust you with
the results dear God
lead us right now I
pray in Jesus
precious name
amen