WEBVTT

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 If you have your Bibles this morning, I want you to turn to Luke chapter 8.

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 Luke chapter 8.

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 It is a joy to be back.

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 I had a wedding that I had already planned and was in Mississippi doing that last weekend.

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 Missed being here.

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 Missed being in my spot.

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 But I'm thankful for the opportunity to go back.

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 And I did my part.

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 Now they've got to work out the rest of it.

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 But I was able to do that.

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 Glad to have Dawn here this morning.

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 We realized on this move that this would be a summer of transition.

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 We didn't know all that would be entailed in it.

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 And everything is glorious except the fact that we're trying to sell and trying to buy.

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 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.

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 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.

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 So I was trying to get across to the person who may know about the property and find out about that.

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 At the same time, I had the real estate agent telling me, you're running out of time.

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 You're running out of time.

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 You know?

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 And here I am greeting people, not only in our church, but throughout our community.

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 It was kind of chaotic, quite honestly.

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 But we paused a moment because I don't think God's the God of chaos.

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 And we're going to trust him either today or tomorrow or whenever it comes to work those things out.

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 So are you all praying?

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 I just thought I'd remind you and give you a little update in case you ask.

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 Sometimes when people ask them, I share kind of where we're at.

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 And then somebody else asks, and I share again where we're at.

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 And then somebody else asks.

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 Anyway.

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 I don't know about you, but I love a good story.

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 I don't know anybody that don't love a good story.

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 And I realize everybody's not a reader.

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 I do read.

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 I go through seasons of it especially.

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 And I read stories.

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 I listen to stories.

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 When I walk, I listen to stories.

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 I also watch stories.

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 Now, when I say I watch stories, I'm not talking about soap operas, okay?

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 I guess they're almost gone now.

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 But I used to hear ladies talk about watching their stories.

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 And if you ever went and visited somebody in their home or in a nursing home in the afternoon,

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 you better be careful because you might interrupt a story.

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 They always want to be respectful of the preacher.

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 But, man, they sure didn't want to miss out on what was ever happening to Luke and Laura or Bo and Hope

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 or some of them people.

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 Somebody knows who I'm talking about.

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 I can tell.

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 But anyway, soap operas made daytime television become synonymous with bad television.

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 You know, they really did.

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 And now the craving calls for Netflix and Prime Video and we love our stories.

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 But whether it's a secret love of soap operas

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 or the one that reads Amish love stories that fill up too big a part of too many church libraries,

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 everybody loves a good story.

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 And more than almost any story, I love front porch stories from old wise men

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 who talk about the way it used to be, I guess.

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 I thank God for those lessons along the way.

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 But I will tell you that the greatest stories are those that are shared by the Lord Jesus.

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 He is the master teacher.

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 And he taught in a variety of ways.

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 And one of the ways that he taught was to throw in little stories along the way.

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 They're called parables.

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 That term is used 48 times in the New Testament in reference to the stories that Jesus told.

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 That word parable literally means to be thrown aside or to be placed alongside.

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 And that's exactly what he did.

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 As he shared biblical truths, scriptural truths with folks,

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 he would tell them a story that would meet them right where they were.

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 For instance, this morning we're going to look at an agrarian story.

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 It was an agrarian society in which he lived in.

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 There were a lot of farmers that he dealt with.

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 And therefore he related to them just the way they understood it.

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 I'm thankful that we serve a God that meets us where we are,

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 speaks to us in a way that we can understand.

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 We just have to respond in obedience.

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 So for most of the several upcoming weeks,

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 when I say most, I know that Father's Day is coming up.

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 And I bless ladies on Mother's Day.

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 And I beat up men on Father's Day.

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 That's what you're supposed to do, I think.

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 And then I believe that we have an independence in this country

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 that we ought to thank God for and we ought to do something to protect.

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 And so we'll take some time to talk about what our role is as Christians

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 in the America in which we live.

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 But besides those matters, we'll spend a lot of this summer

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 talking about the parables of Jesus out of the gospel of Luke.

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 There are no parables in the gospel of John.

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 Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the synoptic gospels.

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 Easy for me to say.

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 Meaning that they share a lot of the same stories along the way.

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 And nobody retells these stories with more color or detail than Luke.

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 A physician by trade, he gets to the nitty-gritty details on matters and shares with us.

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 And we begin with a very popular parable, one you're probably familiar with.

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 But I picked this one in the midst of the other stories because in the midst of this story

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 and in the explanation of the story,

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 Jesus shares why he uses parables.

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 Why do we even need to study them to start with?

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 Why was he using them?

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 So I want to begin by us seeing the story.

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 And then here in this passage, he gives us the explanation for the story

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 and then tells us why he'd use the stories anyway.

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 Pretty unique passage.

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 Luke chapter 8, beginning in verse 4, it says this.

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 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him,

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 he said in a parable, a sower went out to sow his seed.

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 And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot,

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 and the birds of the air devoured it.

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 And some fell on the rock and it grew up and withered away because it had no moisture.

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 And some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.

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 And some fell into good seed and grew and yielded a hundredfold.

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 And as he said these things, he called out,

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 he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

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 Let's pray together.

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 Lord Jesus, it is my prayer today that you will give us the spiritual ears we need

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 to hear what you would have to say to us.

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 Lord, we know that the soil of our souls are different.

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 Some days, different than others.

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 But your seed is the same.

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 So God, as you give us the seed of your word today,

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 help us, Lord, to be receptive, to be obedient,

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 to allow you to speak to our hearts and lives.

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 I particularly am burdened this morning for one who may be here,

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 who's never acknowledged you as personal Lord and Savior.

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 May today be the day of salvation, O Lord.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 A good question for us to focus on when we look at this passage is,

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 is the emphasis on the sower, because it's often called the parable of the sower,

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 is the emphasis on the one slinging the seed,

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 or is it on the seed, or is it on the soil?

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 And it really depends on where you put your focus,

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 because if you want to speak of the faithfulness of the worker,

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 you speak of the sower.

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 And if you want to speak of the power of the product,

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 you mention the seed.

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 And if you want to speak of the one who receives it,

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 you speak of the soil,

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 because there's different spoils respond in different ways,

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 and some fail to respond to the seed in different ways.

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 But Jesus goes on immediately and explains the meaning of this story

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 when he says in verse 11,

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 now, the parable is this,

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 the seed is the word of God,

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 the one along the path are those who've heard,

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 then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts,

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 so that they may not believe and be saved.

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 And the one on the rock are those who,

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 when they hear the word, receive it with joy,

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 but they have no root,

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 they believe for a while,

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 and in time of testing fall away.

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 And as for what fell among the thorns,

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 there are those who hear,

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 but as they go on their way,

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 they're choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life,

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 and their fruit does not mature.

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 As for those in the good soil,

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 there are those who,

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 hearing the word,

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 hold it fast,

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 in an honest and good heart,

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 and bear fruit with patience.

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 Therefore, there are three important parts to this story that we ought to get.

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 The one is the throwing of the seed,

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 slinging seed.

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 The seed is the word of God.

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 It is the gospel message of Christ,

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 and no one will hear it or have a chance to personally respond to it

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 if it's not thrown out before them.

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 If the seed of the word of God has changed your life,

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 listen to me, Christian.

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 You have a responsibility.

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 We have a responsibility to throw some seed ourselves.

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 We don't just rely on the preacher to do it on Sunday.

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 We throw some seed ourselves.

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 I don't pick that up from this story, honestly.

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 I pick it up from what Jesus said in so many other places.

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 I pick it up in what the Apostle Paul said often.

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 I pick it up in what John taught us.

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 I pick it up in what Peter said,

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 and what each one of them did with such a passion.

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 They gave their lives for the message that changed their lives.

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 And so if your life has been changed by the gospel,

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 you gave your life to Christ.

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 It's no longer yours.

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 Sow seed with it.

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 Share with somebody what God has done in your life.

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 There's the throwing of the seed.

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 There's also the potential of the seed.

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 A farmer does not know how successful the seed will be

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 when he throws it on the ground.

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 He does not know.

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 There are predictors along the way,

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 but farmers tell me that you never know what will happen

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 from the time the seed is thrown to the harvest time.

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 You pray for the best.

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 For the last 15 years, I pastored a church

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 that was surrounded by soybean fields and sweet potato fields.

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 Vardaman, Mississippi, eight miles from the sweet potato capital of the world.

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 Self-diagnosed.

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 But anyway, that's what they did.

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 And they were taxed when I left

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 because fertilizer is high and it ain't raining enough

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 and all those things.

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 I was, when I was looking at this passage of scripture one time,

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 I text one of my farmers.

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 I said, is there any way you know?

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 You know.

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 He said, well, we get hints.

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 But there's no way we can know the success of the product

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 unless we put it in the ground and trust God to see what happens.

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 You pray for the best.

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 And even with their concerns, they still throw in seed.

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 When circumstances run them late, they start late.

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 They stay up late, but they still plant the seed.

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 And if the seed is the gospel here, which it is,

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 and there will be no gospel spread

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 unless it is thrown out by those

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 who God has not only commissioned

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 but empowered to do that,

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 then we need to get busy throwing it out.

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 W.A. Criswell pastored First Baptist Dallas for 50 years.

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 He's a legendary pastor.

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 And he's known to have preached through the whole Bible,

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 verse by verse, during those 50 years

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 when he would get up and preach.

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 But one Sunday he stood up

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 and he merely read over the proposed budget.

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 Now, I will tell you that the proposed budget

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 of First Baptist Dallas, there's nothing merely about it, okay?

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 But he stood up and read over the proposed budget.

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 He talked about the ministry

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 ministry that came through each line item

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 and how the money that went into that line item

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 would be used for ministry.

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 He talked about the missions

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 that were supported through that ministry.

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 He talked about the day-to-day responsibilities

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 and obligations in the facility itself.

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 He talked about the importance of faithful tithing,

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 faithful giving.

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 And when he came to the end,

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 he gave the invitation.

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 And a dozen people came down the aisle

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 and got saved.

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 How?

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 Why?

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 It had little to do to nothing to do

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 with what he said that Sunday morning.

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 The people in the pew had scattered seed

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 all week long.

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 One people to the Lord,

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 brought them to church with them

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 and let them come down

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 and be recognized publicly

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 for the decision they made privately

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 in their heart and life.

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 Don't ever be mistaken, folks.

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 What happens on Sunday during worship

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 has as much, if not more,

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 to do with what happened in our lives

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 during the week

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 than it does what happens

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 in this very hour.

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 We influence this hour

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 by how we respond to it

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 throughout the week.

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 However,

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 when we've grown in the Lord,

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 when we've scattered some seed

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 of the gospel,

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 when we've invited folks to be here,

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 when we've been prayed up

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 before we come

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 and we ask God to work

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 and we move in our midst,

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 God inhabits the praise of his people.

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 He honors a people

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 that is hungry and pursuant.

00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:17.799
 And it's not that we deserve it.

00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.919
 It's not that somehow we can earn it.

00:15:20.180 --> 00:15:21.919
 It's not that somehow he's required

00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.360
 to do something in response

00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:24.340
 to what we do.

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:27.139
 simply God honors it.

00:15:27.940 --> 00:15:29.460
 He honors people

00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:32.320
 who are willing to stand boldly

00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:34.399
 and proclaim his message.

00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.300
 You say, well, preacher, you know,

00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:39.340
 I don't know that's something

00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:40.100
 y'all talk about.

00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:43.720
 I think about a college football game.

00:15:44.200 --> 00:15:45.399
 Y'all probably know something about that.

00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:49.620
 Put those outlandish stickers on your car.

00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:53.399
 You got stuff hanging out the trunk

00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:55.340
 headed down the highway.

00:15:56.919 --> 00:15:59.480
 The prep for tailgate

00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:02.919
 is quite amazing, quite honestly.

00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:04.659
 The work that goes into that.

00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:08.519
 We dress like everybody else.

00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:10.919
 Go to those ball games

00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:12.519
 and everybody matches, you know.

00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:13.819
 You go to church

00:16:13.819 --> 00:16:15.199
 and somebody has the same outfit on you,

00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:15.919
 do it, kills you.

00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:16.879
 But you go to a ball game,

00:16:16.939 --> 00:16:18.139
 everybody's got the same outfit on you.

00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:18.860
 You love it, you know.

00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:22.000
 It just fires you up that much more, you know.

00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:25.480
 Can you imagine

00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:27.579
 if God's people

00:16:27.579 --> 00:16:29.799
 got that fired up

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:31.740
 about worshiping the Lord Jesus?

00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:35.539
 I mean, I know that's a preacher comment.

00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:36.360
 I know it is.

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.519
 But I mean, think about that.

00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:39.439
 Think about how you anticipate.

00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:39.640
 You anticipate.

00:16:40.420 --> 00:16:41.500
 You anticipate

00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:42.680
 and look forward to

00:16:42.680 --> 00:16:44.240
 watching what's going to happen

00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:45.100
 in that ball game.

00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:47.540
 Watching your team succeed

00:16:47.540 --> 00:16:49.200
 and get excited about that

00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:50.720
 and do all kinds of that.

00:16:51.260 --> 00:16:52.080
 The reality is,

00:16:52.260 --> 00:16:52.880
 can you imagine

00:16:52.880 --> 00:16:53.480
 if God's people

00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:54.420
 got that fired up

00:16:54.420 --> 00:16:55.520
 about worshiping the Lord Jesus?

00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.460
 Brian, I'll tell you,

00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:57.180
 they'd sing different,

00:16:57.280 --> 00:16:57.600
 wouldn't they?

00:16:58.140 --> 00:16:58.420
 You know?

00:16:59.380 --> 00:17:01.000
 If you ever get a glimpse

00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:01.900
 of the power

00:17:01.900 --> 00:17:02.720
 of the seed

00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:03.480
 of the gospel,

00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:05.519
 not only will it change your lives,

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:07.259
 but God's going to allow you

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:08.640
 to see lives changed

00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:09.799
 right before you

00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:12.460
 as you share it faithfully.

00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:14.460
 And that brings you

00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:15.599
 not only to the potential seed,

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:17.299
 but the response to the seed.

00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:20.839
 Because the soil represents

00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:21.859
 the different stages

00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:22.960
 of people's mind,

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.200
 the different stages

00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.019
 of people's heart,

00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:26.359
 and the heart of those

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.700
 that hear it

00:17:27.700 --> 00:17:29.619
 and how they respond to it.

00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:31.339
 There are those

00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:31.819
 that hear it

00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:33.160
 with a closed mind.

00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:34.680
 That's that seed

00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:36.140
 that falls along the path

00:17:36.140 --> 00:17:36.920
 and are trampled

00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.580
 or eaten by birds.

00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:39.680
 That hard soil

00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:41.560
 represents those

00:17:41.560 --> 00:17:42.960
 who hear God's word

00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:43.880
 and they choose

00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:45.160
 not to understand it.

00:17:45.820 --> 00:17:46.340
 They choose

00:17:46.340 --> 00:17:47.560
 not to respond to it.

00:17:48.060 --> 00:17:48.900
 Some people

00:17:48.900 --> 00:17:50.120
 that you share with,

00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.320
 you'll do it

00:17:51.320 --> 00:17:53.180
 with closed ears.

00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:55.740
 They've attended church

00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:57.259
 with a closed mind.

00:17:58.060 --> 00:17:58.920
 They are determined

00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:00.800
 not to do anything

00:18:00.800 --> 00:18:01.840
 no matter what God

00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:02.860
 says for them to do

00:18:02.860 --> 00:18:03.940
 before they ever

00:18:03.940 --> 00:18:05.000
 have a conversation,

00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:06.640
 before they ever

00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.220
 enter into a church building.

00:18:08.539 --> 00:18:09.359
 Their minds

00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:10.359
 are closed

00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:12.000
 to any suggestion

00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.440
 that they don't

00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.039
 want to follow.

00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:16.160
 And when our minds

00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:17.220
 are closed

00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:18.680
 to whatever,

00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:20.940
 if you've never

00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:22.920
 given your heart

00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:23.259
 and life

00:18:23.259 --> 00:18:24.420
 to the Lord Jesus Christ

00:18:24.420 --> 00:18:25.680
 or if you are

00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:26.819
 a Christian

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:27.740
 and know beyond

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:28.119
 a shadow of it,

00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.019
 I want you to hear me

00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:29.460
 this morning.

00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:31.759
 if your mind

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.940
 is closed

00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:34.539
 to any suggestion

00:18:34.539 --> 00:18:35.680
 that God would have

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.740
 for you today,

00:18:37.340 --> 00:18:37.940
 that anything

00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:39.259
 God would tell you today,

00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:41.519
 Satan can easily

00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:43.059
 snatch a truth

00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:44.860
 and allow you

00:18:44.860 --> 00:18:46.100
 to miss that truth

00:18:46.100 --> 00:18:47.240
 because you had

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:47.980
 a closed mind

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:48.519
 coming in.

00:18:49.940 --> 00:18:50.620
 And there are those

00:18:50.620 --> 00:18:51.660
 with a cloudy mind.

00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:53.600
 Some seeds

00:18:53.600 --> 00:18:54.140
 of the gospel

00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:55.440
 fall on rocky soil

00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:56.019
 and they may

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:57.700
 shoot up quick,

00:18:57.700 --> 00:19:00.059
 but they fade

00:19:00.059 --> 00:19:01.000
 just as fast.

00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:03.480
 Maybe they get

00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:04.420
 caught up in the emotion

00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:04.819
 of it

00:19:04.819 --> 00:19:06.539
 and don't really mean it

00:19:06.539 --> 00:19:07.680
 or maybe tragedy

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.840
 strikes their life.

00:19:09.860 --> 00:19:10.940
 The rug is ripped out

00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:11.740
 from under them

00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:12.900
 or maybe sin

00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:14.360
 catches up with them

00:19:14.360 --> 00:19:16.620
 and they get a thrill

00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:17.180
 and a chill

00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:18.480
 from personal change

00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:18.900
 to come

00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:20.660
 but when the worship

00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:21.620
 hour is over,

00:19:22.100 --> 00:19:22.799
 so is their

00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:24.000
 religious experience.

00:19:25.259 --> 00:19:26.140
 A lot of folks

00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:27.019
 that walk down the aisle

00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:27.720
 in the Baptist church

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.200
 get baptized

00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:28.859
 but they never

00:19:28.859 --> 00:19:29.759
 get saved.

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:32.099
 And that's why

00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:32.660
 you'll notice

00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:33.539
 that sometimes

00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:35.559
 you might see

00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:36.240
 somebody come down

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:36.500
 the aisle,

00:19:36.579 --> 00:19:36.900
 you might see

00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:37.420
 somebody baptized,

00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:38.019
 you may never

00:19:38.019 --> 00:19:38.839
 see them again.

00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:40.519
 There's probably

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:41.339
 people on the roll

00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:42.099
 of the church

00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:44.839
 that have hardly

00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:45.779
 darkened the doors

00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:46.619
 of the church

00:19:46.619 --> 00:19:48.180
 since they ever

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:49.079
 joined the church.

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.619
 Why is that?

00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.220
 Well, I'll tell you

00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:51.680
 why some,

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:52.400
 I can't tell you

00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:54.019
 particularly each individual

00:19:54.019 --> 00:19:54.700
 but I can tell you

00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.019
 this,

00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:56.559
 there's some folks

00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.140
 on a membership

00:19:57.140 --> 00:19:57.779
 in a local

00:19:57.779 --> 00:19:58.519
 Baptist church

00:19:58.519 --> 00:19:59.539
 that are lost

00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:00.400
 without Christ.

00:20:01.360 --> 00:20:02.559
 They never truly

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.539
 surrendered their life

00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:04.900
 to the Lord.

00:20:06.120 --> 00:20:07.259
 They're confused

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:08.360
 about the circumstances,

00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:09.920
 clouded by the world

00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:10.819
 in which around them

00:20:10.819 --> 00:20:11.640
 and as soon as

00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:12.380
 Monday comes,

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:12.700
 you know,

00:20:12.779 --> 00:20:13.380
 the trial,

00:20:14.220 --> 00:20:15.400
 that they fall apart

00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:16.259
 and fall away

00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:16.860
 because they don't

00:20:16.860 --> 00:20:17.600
 know Christ

00:20:17.600 --> 00:20:20.200
 or who they could

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:20.960
 be in Him.

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.200
 real salvation

00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:24.120
 does not roll off

00:20:24.120 --> 00:20:24.840
 you like a duck's

00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:25.000
 back.

00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:26.240
 It is not in one ear

00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:26.940
 and out the other.

00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:28.360
 Some miss it

00:20:28.360 --> 00:20:29.539
 due to a cloudy mind.

00:20:29.620 --> 00:20:30.220
 Then there's others

00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:30.759
 who miss it

00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:31.779
 because of a cluttered

00:20:31.779 --> 00:20:32.140
 mind.

00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:34.059
 They don't follow

00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:34.840
 the Lord in their life

00:20:34.840 --> 00:20:35.279
 because they've got

00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:35.960
 a cluttered mind.

00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:36.559
 The world's full

00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:37.200
 of distractions

00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:38.240
 and all those

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.360
 distractions can choke

00:20:39.360 --> 00:20:40.680
 out the Word of God.

00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:42.680
 The world promises

00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:44.340
 a lot but provides

00:20:44.340 --> 00:20:45.559
 nothing that really

00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:48.000
 lasts and people

00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:48.840
 place too much value

00:20:48.840 --> 00:20:49.539
 on stuff.

00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:51.859
 stuff that will

00:20:51.859 --> 00:20:52.500
 not last

00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:53.799
 and it takes

00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:54.659
 over their lives.

00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:56.700
 Jesus said

00:20:56.700 --> 00:20:57.619
 you cannot serve

00:20:57.619 --> 00:20:58.339
 both God

00:20:58.339 --> 00:20:59.379
 and money

00:20:59.379 --> 00:21:00.960
 and it's true

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:02.440
 about the things

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:03.159
 you spend money

00:21:03.159 --> 00:21:04.000
 on as well

00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.940
 and when the mind

00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:06.539
 is cluttered

00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:08.000
 the thorns

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.399
 of the soil

00:21:09.399 --> 00:21:10.339
 will snuff

00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:11.460
 the seed

00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:13.119
 of His promises.

00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:17.440
 And then sometimes

00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:18.139
 the seed

00:21:18.140 --> 00:21:19.940
 falls

00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:21.500
 on those

00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:22.600
 with a committed

00:21:22.600 --> 00:21:23.160
 mind.

00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:24.860
 That soil

00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:25.520
 is fruitful

00:21:25.520 --> 00:21:27.140
 because it

00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:28.120
 receives the seed

00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:28.960
 and lets the message

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.160
 grow and take root

00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:31.500
 in their lives.

00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:32.440
 They're the human

00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:33.580
 blessings of the church

00:21:33.580 --> 00:21:34.259
 quite honestly.

00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:35.220
 They're the ones

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:35.840
 that encourage

00:21:35.840 --> 00:21:36.380
 other people.

00:21:36.520 --> 00:21:36.880
 They're the ones

00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:37.560
 that witness

00:21:37.560 --> 00:21:38.320
 for the Lord Jesus.

00:21:38.580 --> 00:21:39.040
 They're the ones

00:21:39.040 --> 00:21:39.759
 that do the work

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.460
 of the church.

00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:41.600
 They are faithful

00:21:41.600 --> 00:21:42.900
 to gather for worship.

00:21:43.320 --> 00:21:44.020
 They are faithful

00:21:44.020 --> 00:21:45.440
 to grow in the Lord.

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.460
 They are faithful

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.980
 to share as they go.

00:21:48.100 --> 00:21:48.740
 They are faithful

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:50.160
 to give as God

00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:51.160
 gives them opportunity.

00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:52.640
 These are the ones

00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:53.420
 that make the church

00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:53.940
 strong.

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.319
 These are the ones

00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:56.360
 that grow this church.

00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:57.360
 These are the ones

00:21:57.360 --> 00:21:58.319
 that change the world

00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:59.440
 for the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:01.019
 Their mind is committed.

00:22:01.380 --> 00:22:01.539
 God,

00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:02.319
 whatever

00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:03.319
 your seed

00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:04.100
 you want to place

00:22:04.100 --> 00:22:05.299
 in my life today,

00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:07.059
 I'm ready to receive it.

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:08.640
 I'm ready to respond

00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:09.600
 to what you would

00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.220
 have me to do.

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:11.740
 Oh, how I thank God

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:13.160
 for the committed minds

00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:13.640
 and hearts

00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:14.200
 and lives

00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:14.740
 in the church

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.740
 of Jesus Christ.

00:22:15.840 --> 00:22:17.120
 It's kind of amazing

00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:17.660
 to me,

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.440
 quite honestly,

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:20.880
 to have lived

00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:21.559
 in this area

00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:22.400
 and then been gone

00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.480
 15 years

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:24.620
 and come back

00:22:24.620 --> 00:22:26.340
 and there's a vague

00:22:26.340 --> 00:22:26.960
 acquaintance.

00:22:27.180 --> 00:22:27.700
 Some of us

00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:28.580
 knew each other.

00:22:28.860 --> 00:22:29.380
 There's a vague

00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:30.080
 acquaintance

00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:31.460
 with some others.

00:22:31.620 --> 00:22:32.559
 Some I don't know.

00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:33.420
 Some of you have come

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:34.840
 within the last 15 years

00:22:34.840 --> 00:22:36.340
 or we vaguely saw

00:22:36.340 --> 00:22:37.279
 or you avoided me

00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:38.000
 when I was here before.

00:22:38.080 --> 00:22:38.460
 Whatever,

00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:39.120
 you know.

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:43.100
 What's amazing to me

00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:46.240
 to see how God

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.039
 is working

00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:48.740
 and moving

00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:49.500
 in the hearts

00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:50.259
 and lives

00:22:50.259 --> 00:22:50.899
 of folks

00:22:50.899 --> 00:22:51.740
 that I'm just

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.679
 getting acquainted

00:22:52.679 --> 00:22:53.639
 with and knowing

00:22:53.639 --> 00:22:54.799
 and watching

00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:55.579
 that that same

00:22:55.579 --> 00:22:56.559
 spirit of God

00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.879
 stirred me

00:22:58.879 --> 00:22:59.439
 to be a part

00:22:59.439 --> 00:22:59.779
 of this

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:00.599
 is the same

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.159
 spirit of God

00:23:01.159 --> 00:23:01.699
 that's stirring

00:23:01.699 --> 00:23:02.399
 in the hearts

00:23:02.399 --> 00:23:03.599
 of those

00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:04.480
 who are committed.

00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:05.279
 Their minds

00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:05.819
 are set.

00:23:06.639 --> 00:23:07.339
 We're going to do

00:23:07.339 --> 00:23:08.199
 what God wants us

00:23:08.199 --> 00:23:08.599
 to do.

00:23:09.699 --> 00:23:10.379
 I don't know about you

00:23:10.379 --> 00:23:11.139
 but that's exciting

00:23:11.139 --> 00:23:11.639
 for me.

00:23:13.099 --> 00:23:13.799
 To know that I don't

00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:14.539
 understand everything

00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:15.459
 about God's plan

00:23:15.459 --> 00:23:15.980
 and I got some

00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:17.019
 questions along the way

00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:17.480
 that me and him

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.399
 take up every morning

00:23:18.399 --> 00:23:21.819
 but to know

00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:23.980
 that before

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:25.019
 the foundations

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.679
 of the earth

00:23:25.679 --> 00:23:26.919
 God knew

00:23:26.919 --> 00:23:27.639
 there'd be a divine

00:23:27.639 --> 00:23:28.079
 appointment

00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:29.459
 of this time

00:23:29.459 --> 00:23:30.319
 in our lives

00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:31.519
 where people

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.899
 would be joined

00:23:32.899 --> 00:23:33.359
 together

00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:34.139
 and be committed

00:23:34.139 --> 00:23:35.119
 to do a work

00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:36.339
 of the Lord

00:23:36.339 --> 00:23:37.139
 and allow him

00:23:37.139 --> 00:23:37.899
 to do whatever

00:23:37.899 --> 00:23:38.799
 he wants to do

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:39.480
 in our midst

00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:40.419
 and to get on

00:23:40.420 --> 00:23:42.200
 that page

00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:42.779
 together

00:23:42.779 --> 00:23:43.620
 and to watch

00:23:43.620 --> 00:23:44.980
 how he's prepared

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.800
 that before

00:23:45.800 --> 00:23:46.860
 I ever got here

00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:48.080
 and how he prepared

00:23:48.080 --> 00:23:48.680
 my heart

00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:49.140
 for it before

00:23:49.140 --> 00:23:50.259
 that's exciting

00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:50.620
 to me

00:23:50.620 --> 00:23:51.180
 because that's

00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:52.779
 how he plants

00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.480
 seeds

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:55.180
 and the soil

00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:56.700
 takes it in

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:58.680
 receives it

00:23:58.680 --> 00:23:59.800
 commits to it

00:23:59.800 --> 00:24:01.180
 I'm thankful

00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:03.220
 for committed lives

00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:03.680
 and hearts

00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:04.279
 and minds

00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:05.360
 in the church

00:24:05.360 --> 00:24:06.220
 of Jesus Christ.

00:24:06.220 --> 00:24:08.220
 now in the midst

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:08.839
 of this story

00:24:08.839 --> 00:24:10.180
 and this explanation

00:24:10.180 --> 00:24:11.220
 there's an excursion

00:24:11.220 --> 00:24:14.420
 Jesus tells us

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:14.799
 in the midst

00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:15.220
 of this story

00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:15.960
 why he uses

00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:16.440
 parables

00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:17.259
 and what their

00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:18.019
 purpose is

00:24:18.019 --> 00:24:19.360
 and it's not easy

00:24:19.360 --> 00:24:19.900
 to understand

00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:20.759
 but we need to

00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:22.500
 because he says

00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:23.620
 in verse 9 and 10

00:24:23.620 --> 00:24:24.059
 he says

00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:25.019
 and when his disciples

00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:25.720
 asked him

00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:26.980
 what this parable

00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:27.480
 meant

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:28.900
 he said

00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:30.779
 to you

00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:32.480
 it has been

00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:32.880
 given

00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:34.160
 to know

00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:35.039
 the secrets

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.839
 of the kingdom

00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:36.740
 of God

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:38.779
 but for others

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:41.799
 they are

00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:42.359
 in the parable

00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.519
 so that seeing

00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:45.299
 they may not see

00:24:45.299 --> 00:24:46.940
 and hearing

00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:48.639
 they may not

00:24:48.639 --> 00:24:49.339
 understand

00:24:49.339 --> 00:24:51.740
 now that last

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.440
 phrase there

00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:53.119
 in verse 10

00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:55.399
 is from Isaiah

00:24:55.399 --> 00:24:56.180
 when the prophet

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:57.720
 is led by God

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.579
 in that awesome

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.559
 worship time

00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:01.599
 in Isaiah chapter 6

00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:03.680
 and the message

00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.879
 is this

00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.720
 that the parables

00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.620
 as did

00:25:08.620 --> 00:25:09.520
 the prophetic

00:25:09.520 --> 00:25:10.100
 word

00:25:10.100 --> 00:25:10.940
 in Isaiah

00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:12.900
 serves two capacities

00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:13.640
 one is

00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:15.140
 they encourage

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:15.740
 the believer

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:18.000
 he mentions here

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:18.480
 the secrets

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.040
 of the kingdom

00:25:19.040 --> 00:25:20.700
 the secret

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.260
 of the kingdom

00:25:21.260 --> 00:25:22.120
 is that as much

00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:22.720
 as I share

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.160
 with you

00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:24.020
 what Jesus

00:25:24.020 --> 00:25:24.800
 means to me

00:25:24.800 --> 00:25:25.380
 and how he's

00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:26.200
 changed my life

00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.360
 you'll never

00:25:27.360 --> 00:25:28.420
 know what I'm

00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:29.100
 talking about

00:25:29.100 --> 00:25:29.740
 until you

00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:30.680
 experience it

00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:34.160
 if you jump

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.960
 out of planes

00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:36.060
 where you're

00:25:36.060 --> 00:25:36.460
 nuts

00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:37.100
 number one

00:25:37.100 --> 00:25:38.580
 but if you

00:25:38.580 --> 00:25:39.420
 jump out of planes

00:25:39.420 --> 00:25:40.160
 you can try

00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:41.480
 to explain to me

00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:43.180
 what that's like

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:44.900
 and I am not

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.840
 going to get it

00:25:45.840 --> 00:25:46.420
 okay

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:48.680
 I mean

00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:50.820
 the only way

00:25:50.820 --> 00:25:51.340
 you can really

00:25:51.340 --> 00:25:52.000
 know that

00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:53.940
 is to strap

00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:54.440
 a backpack

00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:55.400
 on your back

00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:56.320
 and jump out

00:25:56.320 --> 00:25:56.880
 of a perfectly

00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:57.580
 good plane

00:25:57.580 --> 00:25:59.360
 and hope

00:25:59.360 --> 00:26:00.019
 everything works

00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:00.519
 out on the way

00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:00.860
 down

00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:03.740
 that's either

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.539
 faith or something

00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:04.940
 else

00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.600
 but whatever

00:26:05.600 --> 00:26:08.039
 there's no way

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:08.720
 I can experience

00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:09.140
 that

00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:11.060
 unless I do

00:26:11.060 --> 00:26:11.299
 it

00:26:11.299 --> 00:26:13.799
 and the reality

00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:14.340
 is

00:26:14.340 --> 00:26:16.039
 living for the

00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:16.600
 Lord Jesus

00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.399
 and surrendering

00:26:17.399 --> 00:26:17.919
 your life

00:26:17.919 --> 00:26:18.279
 to him

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:18.639
 and giving

00:26:18.639 --> 00:26:19.079
 your life

00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:19.599
 to Christ

00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:20.719
 is the greatest

00:26:20.719 --> 00:26:21.519
 decision that

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:21.980
 you'll ever

00:26:21.980 --> 00:26:22.419
 make

00:26:22.419 --> 00:26:23.740
 but you'll never

00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.719
 realize that

00:26:24.719 --> 00:26:25.339
 until you truly

00:26:25.339 --> 00:26:26.299
 do it

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:28.339
 you'll never be

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:29.000
 able to grasp

00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:29.639
 it unless you

00:26:29.639 --> 00:26:29.939
 do it

00:26:29.939 --> 00:26:30.679
 and the mystery

00:26:30.679 --> 00:26:31.740
 of how God

00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:32.899
 works and moves

00:26:32.899 --> 00:26:33.579
 in lives

00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:34.240
 is hard to

00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:34.819
 explain

00:26:34.819 --> 00:26:36.019
 but it's pretty

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:36.619
 wonderful to

00:26:36.619 --> 00:26:37.139
 experience

00:26:37.139 --> 00:26:37.819
 and those are

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.599
 the secrets

00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:39.759
 are the mysteries

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.779
 that word

00:26:40.779 --> 00:26:41.819
 the apostle Paul

00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:42.539
 uses the word

00:26:42.539 --> 00:26:43.539
 mystery a lot

00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:43.839
 when he talks

00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:44.480
 about the mystery

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.480
 of the gospel

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:47.339
 and literally

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:48.120
 in that language

00:26:48.120 --> 00:26:48.740
 not in our language

00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:49.480
 but in that language

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.960
 it means the same

00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:51.900
 thing as a secret

00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:52.900
 in other words

00:26:52.900 --> 00:26:54.059
 there are mysteries

00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:55.019
 or secrets

00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:55.700
 the gospel

00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:56.819
 there are matters

00:26:56.819 --> 00:26:57.819
 of our relationship

00:26:57.819 --> 00:26:58.240
 with the Lord

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.099
 that you'll never

00:26:59.099 --> 00:26:59.980
 get until you

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.860
 surrender your life

00:27:00.860 --> 00:27:01.900
 to follow him

00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:02.599
 and trust him

00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:03.440
 the mystery

00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:04.019
 of how God

00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:04.779
 works and moves

00:27:04.779 --> 00:27:05.259
 in our lives

00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:06.000
 it's hard to

00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.500
 explain

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:07.660
 but it's pretty

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.200
 wonderful to

00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:08.519
 experience

00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:09.099
 and those are

00:27:09.099 --> 00:27:09.559
 the secrets

00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:10.059
 of the mysteries

00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:10.799
 we're not

00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:11.440
 keeping them

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:12.000
 from you

00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.940
 if you don't

00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:14.299
 know the Lord

00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:14.819
 you're missing

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.099
 them

00:27:15.099 --> 00:27:15.639
 because you

00:27:15.639 --> 00:27:15.960
 don't have

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:16.359
 Jesus

00:27:16.359 --> 00:27:17.659
 and these

00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:18.119
 stories

00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:19.059
 just back

00:27:19.059 --> 00:27:19.559
 all those

00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:20.379
 truths up

00:27:20.379 --> 00:27:22.000
 they help us

00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:22.819
 better understand

00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:23.099
 it

00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:24.119
 but then he

00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:24.799
 also says

00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:25.000
 here

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:25.619
 that these

00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:26.079
 stories are

00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:26.379
 also

00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:27.220
 they're missed

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:28.159
 by the stubborn

00:27:28.159 --> 00:27:29.879
 it's a hard

00:27:29.879 --> 00:27:30.599
 truth but it's

00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:30.879
 real

00:27:30.879 --> 00:27:31.399
 some people

00:27:31.399 --> 00:27:31.679
 ain't gonna

00:27:31.679 --> 00:27:32.359
 get it

00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:33.700
 you can scatter

00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:34.179
 all the seed

00:27:34.179 --> 00:27:34.720
 you want to

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:35.359
 they're not

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:36.399
 gonna get it

00:27:36.399 --> 00:27:38.519
 and a lack

00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.000
 of belief

00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:39.779
 can be stubborn

00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:40.240
 it can be

00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:40.679
 deliberate

00:27:40.679 --> 00:27:41.359
 and at times

00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:41.799
 it can be

00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:42.399
 unchanging

00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.380
 when people

00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:44.940
 hear the word

00:27:44.940 --> 00:27:45.280
 of God

00:27:45.280 --> 00:27:45.920
 they're accountable

00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:46.400
 to it

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:46.840
 and when they

00:27:46.840 --> 00:27:47.240
 miss it

00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:47.720
 they're not

00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:48.220
 and God

00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:48.940
 in his mercy

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:50.180
 let some

00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:50.540
 not even

00:27:50.540 --> 00:27:51.500
 get the parable

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.060
 so that their

00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:52.620
 hearts would not

00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.400
 grow more stubborn

00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:53.820
 through their

00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.360
 rejection

00:27:54.360 --> 00:27:55.560
 because to whom

00:27:55.560 --> 00:27:56.800
 much is given

00:27:56.800 --> 00:27:58.620
 much is required

00:27:58.620 --> 00:28:00.160
 if you don't

00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:00.820
 understand these

00:28:00.820 --> 00:28:01.320
 stories you're not

00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:02.019
 responsible for

00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:02.120
 them

00:28:02.120 --> 00:28:03.000
 their curiosity

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:03.960
 may be aroused

00:28:03.960 --> 00:28:06.040
 but they may

00:28:06.040 --> 00:28:06.540
 follow him

00:28:06.540 --> 00:28:07.019
 and want to know

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:07.500
 more but they

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.120
 will not fully

00:28:08.120 --> 00:28:08.759
 grasp what he's

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.120
 saying through

00:28:09.120 --> 00:28:09.820
 these stories

00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:10.519
 and now that

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.159
 is tough to

00:28:11.159 --> 00:28:11.639
 understand

00:28:11.639 --> 00:28:12.439
 but that's what

00:28:12.439 --> 00:28:13.359
 Christ is saying

00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:14.619
 he's saying

00:28:14.619 --> 00:28:15.519
 everybody's not

00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:16.419
 gonna get it

00:28:16.419 --> 00:28:18.619
 so what does that

00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:19.319
 mean for us

00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:20.980
 because I'll tell you

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:21.720
 there's a tendency

00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:23.919
 there's a tendency

00:28:23.919 --> 00:28:24.839
 not among us

00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:25.659
 but among other

00:28:25.659 --> 00:28:26.000
 people

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:28.200
 that because some

00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:28.599
 people aren't

00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:29.200
 gonna get it

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:30.200
 and because it's

00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:30.759
 not gonna be

00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:31.359
 welcomed by

00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:31.779
 everybody

00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:32.700
 let's just not

00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:33.319
 bother sharing

00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:33.980
 it a whole lot

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:35.960
 I mean we want

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.599
 the church to

00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:37.299
 stand strong

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:37.859
 and testify

00:28:37.859 --> 00:28:39.139
 and be known

00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:39.560
 for that

00:28:39.560 --> 00:28:40.000
 but on a

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:41.080
 personal basis

00:28:41.080 --> 00:28:44.160
 if I'm gonna

00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:45.080
 risk a friendship

00:28:45.080 --> 00:28:45.900
 with somebody

00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:46.720
 by approaching

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.800
 their spirituality

00:28:47.800 --> 00:28:49.420
 I just

00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:50.040
 soon just

00:28:50.040 --> 00:28:52.920
 just what

00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:56.660
 just what

00:28:56.660 --> 00:28:59.100
 how important

00:28:59.100 --> 00:28:59.720
 is your friendship

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:04.980
 how much does

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:05.400
 that matter

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:05.920
 and how good

00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.380
 a friend are

00:29:06.380 --> 00:29:06.620
 you

00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:09.159
 let me tell you

00:29:09.159 --> 00:29:09.419
 something

00:29:09.419 --> 00:29:11.279
 if I ever do

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:11.659
 get home

00:29:11.659 --> 00:29:12.179
 in Pickens

00:29:12.179 --> 00:29:13.819
 and you ride

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:14.699
 by and there's

00:29:14.699 --> 00:29:15.699
 flames coming

00:29:15.699 --> 00:29:16.119
 out of the

00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:16.559
 windows

00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:18.679
 at two o'clock

00:29:18.679 --> 00:29:19.199
 in the morning

00:29:19.199 --> 00:29:20.919
 please don't be

00:29:20.919 --> 00:29:21.599
 bothered by waking

00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:22.139
 me up

00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:23.099
 you know

00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:23.899
 just go ahead

00:29:23.899 --> 00:29:24.359
 and knock on

00:29:24.359 --> 00:29:24.739
 the door

00:29:24.739 --> 00:29:26.599
 just go ahead

00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:27.500
 and let me

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:27.919
 know

00:29:27.919 --> 00:29:29.879
 please

00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:34.420
 when people's

00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:35.160
 lives are in

00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:35.780
 the balance

00:29:35.780 --> 00:29:37.700
 sometimes we

00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:38.300
 have to step

00:29:38.300 --> 00:29:39.180
 out and trust

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:41.080
 the God that

00:29:41.080 --> 00:29:41.800
 gave us the

00:29:41.800 --> 00:29:42.540
 seed is the

00:29:42.540 --> 00:29:43.340
 same God that

00:29:43.340 --> 00:29:44.900
 has put me in

00:29:44.900 --> 00:29:45.680
 this spot

00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:48.480
 to share this

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.280
 truth with this

00:29:49.280 --> 00:29:49.720
 person

00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:51.900
 and I've got to

00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:52.600
 trust him for the

00:29:52.600 --> 00:29:53.020
 results

00:29:53.020 --> 00:29:53.960
 you know the

00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:54.760
 cool thing about

00:29:54.760 --> 00:29:55.160
 it is

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:56.060
 is I'm not

00:29:56.060 --> 00:29:56.780
 responsible for

00:29:56.780 --> 00:29:57.460
 the results

00:29:57.460 --> 00:29:59.579
 I'm responsible

00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:00.120
 for the

00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:00.940
 faithfulness of

00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:01.860
 sharing the

00:30:01.860 --> 00:30:02.360
 testimony

00:30:02.360 --> 00:30:04.059
 of scattering

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:04.579
 the seed

00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.860
 of throwing it

00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:06.140
 out

00:30:06.140 --> 00:30:06.940
 I can't control

00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.460
 the soil

00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:08.559
 man I can

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:08.960
 sure throw

00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:09.559
 some seed

00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:12.880
 the truth of

00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:13.559
 the matter is

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:15.500
 they'll be

00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:16.240
 missed by the

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.539
 stubborn

00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:18.259
 so what does

00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:18.840
 all this mean

00:30:18.840 --> 00:30:19.059
 for us

00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.600
 how does this

00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:20.340
 play out

00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:21.299
 what does it

00:30:21.299 --> 00:30:21.920
 really mean

00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:24.019
 get this and

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:24.559
 we'll close

00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:26.279
 food trucks

00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:26.640
 waiting

00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:31.340
 scatter some

00:30:31.340 --> 00:30:31.780
 seed

00:30:31.780 --> 00:30:34.940
 Christians

00:30:34.940 --> 00:30:35.500
 share your

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:35.900
 faith

00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:38.380
 the world's

00:30:38.380 --> 00:30:38.860
 coming to an

00:30:38.860 --> 00:30:39.140
 end

00:30:39.140 --> 00:30:41.280
 and we need

00:30:41.280 --> 00:30:42.660
 to get up

00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.080
 off our

00:30:43.080 --> 00:30:43.680
 worshipful

00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:44.140
 premises

00:30:44.140 --> 00:30:45.880
 and get out

00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:46.300
 and share the

00:30:46.300 --> 00:30:47.000
 love of Christ

00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:48.960
 with a world

00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:50.080
 that desperately

00:30:50.080 --> 00:30:50.980
 needs Christ

00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:51.820
 don't you think

00:30:51.820 --> 00:30:52.240
 this world

00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:52.880
 needs Christ

00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:54.560
 I mean is that

00:30:54.560 --> 00:30:55.259
 not obvious

00:30:55.259 --> 00:30:56.340
 that it's dark

00:30:56.339 --> 00:30:58.199
 man a little

00:30:58.199 --> 00:30:58.859
 light will change

00:30:58.859 --> 00:30:59.519
 the whole room

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.679
 really will

00:31:00.679 --> 00:31:01.259
 you got to

00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:01.599
 trust the

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:01.959
 message

00:31:01.959 --> 00:31:03.259
 you got to

00:31:03.259 --> 00:31:03.579
 trust the

00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:03.980
 God of the

00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:04.319
 message

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:05.539
 scatter some

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:05.859
 seed

00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:07.019
 and then

00:31:07.019 --> 00:31:07.659
 trust the

00:31:07.659 --> 00:31:08.079
 Lord of the

00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:08.559
 harvest

00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:10.639
 trust him

00:31:10.639 --> 00:31:12.019
 the seed

00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:12.559
 will bring

00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:13.259
 forth fruit

00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:15.399
 you cannot

00:31:15.399 --> 00:31:16.000
 read the

00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:16.399
 soil

00:31:16.399 --> 00:31:19.059
 do you hear

00:31:19.059 --> 00:31:19.279
 me

00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:21.339
 you can't

00:31:21.339 --> 00:31:21.720
 read the

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:22.099
 soil

00:31:22.099 --> 00:31:25.279
 God

00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:26.039
 honors the

00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:26.819
 process

00:31:26.819 --> 00:31:29.240
 share your

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:29.799
 faith and

00:31:29.799 --> 00:31:30.799
 watch God

00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.339
 move

00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:32.519
 throw some

00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:33.359
 seed on

00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:34.139
 some hard

00:31:34.139 --> 00:31:34.819
 ground and

00:31:34.819 --> 00:31:35.159
 see what

00:31:35.159 --> 00:31:35.740
 happens

00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:36.379
 may not be

00:31:36.379 --> 00:31:36.779
 as hard as

00:31:36.779 --> 00:31:37.079
 you think

00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:37.959
 it is

00:31:37.959 --> 00:31:41.359
 and third

00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:41.759
 don't be

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.139
 stubborn

00:31:42.139 --> 00:31:43.939
 don't be

00:31:43.939 --> 00:31:44.339
 stubborn

00:31:44.339 --> 00:31:46.480
 if you don't

00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:46.759
 know the

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.259
 Lord Jesus

00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:47.779
 today

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.759
 don't be

00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.119
 stubborn

00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:51.779
 listen to

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.119
 what he's

00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:52.599
 saying to

00:31:52.599 --> 00:31:52.859
 you

00:31:52.859 --> 00:31:54.519
 listen to

00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:54.819
 how the

00:31:54.819 --> 00:31:55.259
 Holy Spirit

00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:55.719
 speaks to

00:31:55.719 --> 00:31:56.079
 your life

00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:56.319
 and you

00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:56.659
 come to

00:31:56.659 --> 00:31:57.139
 him today

00:31:57.139 --> 00:31:58.079
 don't let

00:31:58.079 --> 00:31:58.819
 your crusty

00:31:58.819 --> 00:31:59.319
 heart grow

00:31:59.319 --> 00:32:00.539
 harder from

00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:01.379
 hearing the

00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:02.579
 gospel and

00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:04.319
 not responding

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:05.399
 because that's

00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:06.099
 exactly what

00:32:06.099 --> 00:32:06.619
 happens

00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.699
 that's what he

00:32:07.699 --> 00:32:08.099
 told us

00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:08.579
 that happened

00:32:08.579 --> 00:32:11.059
 come to

00:32:11.059 --> 00:32:11.419
 Jesus

00:32:11.419 --> 00:32:13.179
 I am

00:32:13.179 --> 00:32:13.619
 thankful

00:32:13.619 --> 00:32:14.719
 that any

00:32:14.719 --> 00:32:15.399
 time I

00:32:15.399 --> 00:32:15.859
 stand up

00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:16.679
 here and

00:32:16.679 --> 00:32:17.219
 share with

00:32:17.219 --> 00:32:18.099
 you that I

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:18.759
 can say with

00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:19.319
 confidence

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:20.680
 that today

00:32:20.680 --> 00:32:22.119
 is the day

00:32:22.119 --> 00:32:23.379
 of salvation

00:32:23.379 --> 00:32:24.160
 same God

00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:26.779
 scattered seed

00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.839
 told stories

00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:29.119
 changed people's

00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:29.619
 lives

00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:31.480
 almost 2,000

00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:32.039
 years ago

00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:32.579
 the other week

00:32:32.579 --> 00:32:33.299
 I said over

00:32:33.299 --> 00:32:34.059
 2,000 years

00:32:34.059 --> 00:32:34.339
 ago

00:32:34.339 --> 00:32:35.759
 that was

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.640
 that's not

00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:36.960
 true

00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:39.119
 but almost

00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:40.160
 2,000 years

00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:40.480
 ago

00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:42.240
 the same

00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:42.680
 God

00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:44.379
 did that

00:32:44.379 --> 00:32:45.940
 the same

00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:46.279
 God that

00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:46.579
 will use

00:32:46.579 --> 00:32:47.079
 you today

00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:49.619
 and allow

00:32:49.619 --> 00:32:49.879
 you to

00:32:49.879 --> 00:32:50.220
 impact

00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:50.879
 lives

00:32:50.879 --> 00:32:52.960
 greater

00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:53.480
 than your

00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:54.019
 ability

00:32:54.019 --> 00:32:55.939
 beyond

00:32:55.939 --> 00:32:56.399
 your

00:32:56.399 --> 00:32:57.099
 perspective

00:32:57.099 --> 00:32:59.480
 beyond

00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:00.000
 what you

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:00.579
 can imagine

00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:02.579
 I don't

00:33:02.579 --> 00:33:02.919
 know about

00:33:02.919 --> 00:33:03.139
 you

00:33:03.139 --> 00:33:04.439
 but I

00:33:04.439 --> 00:33:04.720
 don't want

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.000
 to be a

00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:05.279
 part of

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:05.500
 something

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.019
 that we

00:33:06.019 --> 00:33:06.399
 can come

00:33:06.399 --> 00:33:06.819
 up with

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:08.559
 I want

00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:08.819
 to be a

00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:09.119
 part of

00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.419
 something

00:33:09.419 --> 00:33:10.740
 that God

00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:11.099
 gets in

00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:11.339
 the middle

00:33:11.339 --> 00:33:11.599
 of

00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:13.419
 of people

00:33:13.419 --> 00:33:14.019
 who just

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:14.819
 scatter seed

00:33:14.819 --> 00:33:15.439
 and trusted

00:33:15.439 --> 00:33:16.519
 for the

00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:17.059
 results

00:33:17.059 --> 00:33:18.819
 may God

00:33:18.819 --> 00:33:19.240
 touch our

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:19.599
 heart

00:33:19.599 --> 00:33:20.639
 may we

00:33:20.639 --> 00:33:21.099
 respond

00:33:21.099 --> 00:33:21.299
 with

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:21.719
 obedience

00:33:21.719 --> 00:33:23.279
 and may

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:23.740
 he honor

00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:25.019
 our efforts

00:33:25.019 --> 00:33:27.079
 with every

00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:27.959
 head bowed

00:33:27.959 --> 00:33:28.579
 and every

00:33:28.579 --> 00:33:29.359
 eye closed

00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:31.059
 my burden

00:33:31.059 --> 00:33:31.779
 is always

00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:32.759
 that there's

00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:33.359
 a possibility

00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:33.819
 somebody

00:33:33.819 --> 00:33:35.159
 may be in

00:33:35.159 --> 00:33:35.819
 this place

00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:37.019
 who's never

00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:37.519
 given their

00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:37.799
 heart and

00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:38.099
 life to the

00:33:38.099 --> 00:33:38.399
 Lord Jesus

00:33:38.399 --> 00:33:38.599
 Christ

00:33:38.599 --> 00:33:39.079
 maybe

00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:39.599
 everybody

00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:40.240
 around you

00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:40.679
 thinks you

00:33:40.679 --> 00:33:41.439
 have but

00:33:41.439 --> 00:33:41.859
 the reality

00:33:41.859 --> 00:33:42.519
 is in

00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:43.019
 your heart

00:33:43.019 --> 00:33:44.039
 you never

00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:46.879
 have I

00:33:46.879 --> 00:33:47.399
 encourage you

00:33:47.399 --> 00:33:47.719
 to come

00:33:47.719 --> 00:33:48.319
 right now

00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:50.099
 come and

00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:50.699
 let God

00:33:50.699 --> 00:33:52.259
 change your

00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:52.879
 life we'd

00:33:52.879 --> 00:33:53.339
 love to

00:33:53.339 --> 00:33:53.959
 guide you

00:33:53.959 --> 00:33:54.859
 in that

00:33:54.859 --> 00:33:55.459
 process I

00:33:55.459 --> 00:33:56.099
 promise you

00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:56.459
 we got

00:33:56.459 --> 00:33:58.119
 time I

00:33:58.119 --> 00:33:58.679
 promise you

00:33:58.679 --> 00:33:59.139
 we'll take

00:33:59.139 --> 00:33:59.719
 the time

00:33:59.719 --> 00:34:03.339
 maybe you're

00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:03.639
 here this

00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:03.980
 morning and

00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:04.259
 you know

00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:04.639
 you're a

00:34:04.639 --> 00:34:05.000
 Christian but

00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:05.399
 the reality

00:34:05.399 --> 00:34:06.579
 is man

00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:07.059
 your seeds

00:34:07.059 --> 00:34:07.339
 in your

00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:07.740
 pocket

00:34:07.740 --> 00:34:09.159
 you're

00:34:09.159 --> 00:34:09.579
 scattering

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.139
 anything

00:34:10.139 --> 00:34:12.500
 possibly not

00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:12.799
 even being

00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.239
 much of a

00:34:13.239 --> 00:34:13.719
 blessing to

00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:14.219
 folks around

00:34:14.219 --> 00:34:15.339
 you they

00:34:15.339 --> 00:34:15.699
 wouldn't want

00:34:15.699 --> 00:34:16.079
 to listen to

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:16.500
 you anyway

00:34:16.500 --> 00:34:18.960
 maybe today's

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.299
 the day of

00:34:19.299 --> 00:34:19.699
 renewal

00:34:19.699 --> 00:34:21.759
 Lord will you

00:34:21.759 --> 00:34:22.339
 change me will

00:34:22.339 --> 00:34:22.839
 you change my

00:34:22.839 --> 00:34:23.699
 heart will you

00:34:23.699 --> 00:34:24.059
 give me

00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:24.819
 opportunity

00:34:24.819 --> 00:34:26.460
 God as you

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:26.779
 give me

00:34:26.779 --> 00:34:27.500
 opportunity will

00:34:27.500 --> 00:34:27.839
 you give me

00:34:27.839 --> 00:34:28.519
 the boldness

00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:29.199
 and the words

00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:30.920
 to walk through

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:31.279
 those doors

00:34:31.279 --> 00:34:31.559
 of opportunity

00:34:31.559 --> 00:34:32.000
 God I'm

00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:32.899
 thankful that

00:34:32.899 --> 00:34:33.219
 I'm not

00:34:33.219 --> 00:34:33.980
 responsible for

00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.480
 what happens

00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:34.839
 without I'm

00:34:34.839 --> 00:34:35.259
 just responsible

00:34:35.259 --> 00:34:35.619
 for what I

00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.239
 do with it

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:37.859
 so help me to

00:34:37.859 --> 00:34:38.399
 be faithful

00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:39.660
 maybe God's

00:34:39.660 --> 00:34:40.280
 drawing you

00:34:40.280 --> 00:34:41.280
 to be a part

00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:41.700
 of Pickens

00:34:41.700 --> 00:34:42.660
 First what a

00:34:42.660 --> 00:34:43.200
 blessing that

00:34:43.200 --> 00:34:44.099
 would be for

00:34:44.099 --> 00:34:44.720
 you to join

00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:46.000
 us in the

00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:47.079
 journey you

00:34:47.079 --> 00:34:47.660
 ain't perfect

00:34:47.660 --> 00:34:48.320
 neither are we

00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:48.960
 we're gonna do

00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.079
 it together until

00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:51.559
 Jesus comes and

00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:52.480
 so I encourage

00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:54.079
 you to just

00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:55.800
 simply obey God

00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:57.539
 and follow his

00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:58.480
 lead maybe you're

00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:59.539
 made a private

00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:00.500
 decision for God

00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:01.559
 but you've never

00:35:01.559 --> 00:35:02.440
 made it public

00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:06.660
 baptism the lack

00:35:06.660 --> 00:35:07.680
 of baptism in a

00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:08.339
 believer's life

00:35:08.339 --> 00:35:09.079
 is a hindrance

00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:09.619
 in their walk

00:35:09.619 --> 00:35:10.039
 with God

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:11.419
 and it's also

00:35:11.419 --> 00:35:12.000
 a powerful

00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:13.099
 testimony that

00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.739
 changes other

00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:14.500
 people's lives

00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:15.579
 if you've never

00:35:15.579 --> 00:35:16.399
 been baptized as

00:35:16.399 --> 00:35:16.899
 a believer

00:35:16.899 --> 00:35:18.179
 then you come

00:35:18.179 --> 00:35:19.099
 let's work that

00:35:19.099 --> 00:35:20.399
 out we'll plan

00:35:20.399 --> 00:35:21.299
 for that together

00:35:21.299 --> 00:35:22.399
 Lord Jesus I

00:35:22.399 --> 00:35:22.859
 don't know what

00:35:22.859 --> 00:35:23.399
 you're speaking to

00:35:23.399 --> 00:35:23.879
 our hearts and

00:35:23.879 --> 00:35:24.319
 lives but I know

00:35:24.319 --> 00:35:24.639
 you're speaking

00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:25.919
 mine and so

00:35:25.919 --> 00:35:26.759
 God I ask this

00:35:26.759 --> 00:35:27.579
 morning Father that

00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:28.399
 you will work and

00:35:28.399 --> 00:35:29.219
 move in our midst

00:35:29.219 --> 00:35:30.139
 that we'll just

00:35:30.139 --> 00:35:31.119
 simply obey you

00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:31.859
 and trust you with

00:35:31.859 --> 00:35:32.919
 the results dear God

00:35:32.919 --> 00:35:34.779
 lead us right now I

00:35:34.779 --> 00:35:36.019
 pray in Jesus

00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:36.799
 precious name

00:35:36.800 --> 00:35:37.600
 amen