WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.660 Three men walked into a bar, one ducked. 00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:07.339 Holly got it. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:15.519 Three men walked into a bar, one ducked. 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:23.339 There's a dawning around the room, people are slowly getting it. 00:00:23.379 --> 00:00:24.060 Who hasn't got it yet? 00:00:24.539 --> 00:00:25.780 Don't embarrass yourself, it's okay. 00:00:25.780 --> 00:00:28.920 I never got it the first time I heard it. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.679 Your dad tells it too, oh well. 00:00:37.780 --> 00:00:40.039 I know where I got it but I didn't get it from your dad. 00:00:45.519 --> 00:00:47.799 It's great actually because you say something like that 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:50.900 and you just get this laugh and nobody else is laughing 00:00:50.900 --> 00:00:51.939 because nobody else gets it. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:55.019 And then you say it again and maybe a few more get it 00:00:55.019 --> 00:00:58.140 and if you haven't got it yet, somebody can explain it to you 00:00:58.140 --> 00:00:59.500 after church tonight. 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:05.480 But you heard the same words, everybody heard the same words 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:10.260 and some of you understood them, some of you didn't 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:15.859 and those on the inside, sorry, some of you, 00:01:15.980 --> 00:01:18.000 I'm going to adjust that because I can't see. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:21.040 That's my glasses. 00:01:21.379 --> 00:01:22.620 Brian Rose not hidden, is he? 00:01:28.900 --> 00:01:31.060 Some of you heard those words in a totally wrong way 00:01:31.060 --> 00:01:32.000 and others got the secret. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:36.760 The way parables work, Jesus says something 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:39.960 and some people get it and there are those on the inside 00:01:39.960 --> 00:01:43.280 so they get what he says and everybody else is on the outside 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.439 in a sense they're excluded from what he says 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:47.799 because they don't just get what he's trying to say. 00:01:48.939 --> 00:01:51.120 We're working through Mark's gospel at present. 00:01:51.219 --> 00:01:52.540 We've been there the last few weeks. 00:01:52.980 --> 00:01:54.760 It's not really a biography of Jesus. 00:01:54.939 --> 00:01:57.060 Sometimes we talk about the gospels being a biography 00:01:57.060 --> 00:01:59.680 but the more we've done Mark's gospel the last few weeks, 00:02:00.180 --> 00:02:03.140 I've seen and for me that this is fast-paced preaching. 00:02:03.939 --> 00:02:06.799 This is Mark telling us about Jesus quite rapidly 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:09.719 and making a whole number of points as he goes along. 00:02:09.879 --> 00:02:12.080 It's a gospel that can be read in an hour. 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:13.860 Mark's a preacher. 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:14.960 He's on about Jesus. 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:18.979 He's throwing out a life-saving message that anyone can hear 00:02:18.979 --> 00:02:22.819 and he knows that telling people about Jesus is going to get a response. 00:02:23.300 --> 00:02:25.080 It will be heard or it will be not heard. 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:26.979 It will be accepted or it will be rejected 00:02:26.979 --> 00:02:31.319 and you don't have to be clever, hate him or love him. 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:35.280 These words are powerful enough to bring people to a real faith 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:36.819 in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:39.979 One of you took up my challenge the other week. 00:02:40.019 --> 00:02:41.340 I was terribly encouraged by this 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:44.379 but one of you took the Mark's gospel from Morning Church the other week, 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:48.259 took it home and offered it to somebody in your family 00:02:48.259 --> 00:02:50.900 and said, would you think about reading this 00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:54.799 and writing any questions you've got in it as you go 00:02:54.799 --> 00:02:59.280 and would you meet with me again sometime after you've done it 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:02.400 and we'll talk about whatever questions you've got coming out of it. 00:03:02.659 --> 00:03:04.419 Now, I haven't heard the end of that story yet 00:03:04.419 --> 00:03:06.879 but I'm really interested to hear the end of that story. 00:03:08.060 --> 00:03:11.539 Today we come to a brand new area in this Sermon of Jesus 00:03:11.539 --> 00:03:14.199 and it begins at chapter 4, verse 1 00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:18.120 and I'd really like you to have your Bibles open as I speak. 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:21.939 Jesus began to teach by the lake 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:24.680 and the crowd that gathered around him was so large 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:29.340 that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake. 00:03:30.099 --> 00:03:33.099 While all the people were along the shore at the water's edge, 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:35.319 he taught them many things by parable. 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:38.980 So what Mark's actually saying to us 00:03:38.980 --> 00:03:41.259 is he's introducing this new idea 00:03:41.259 --> 00:03:44.540 that Jesus used stories as a way of communicating. 00:03:45.040 --> 00:03:45.960 He used parables. 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.840 He spoke in a way, he told a story to make a point. 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:52.439 Stories that draw us in emotionally 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:54.200 and then catch us unexpectedly 00:03:54.200 --> 00:03:56.280 with a sledgehammer between the eyes. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:00.700 Jesus uses stories which get under our guard. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.000 We listen to a good story with delight. 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:05.379 The story gets past our defences, 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:06.819 it plays with our emotions 00:04:06.819 --> 00:04:09.300 and then it drives the point home. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:14.080 One of the most famous examples of a story like this in the Bible 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:17.379 is in the Old Testament in 2 Samuel chapter 12. 00:04:18.580 --> 00:04:20.180 David is God's king 00:04:20.180 --> 00:04:23.040 and David has angered God 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:25.960 by sleeping with Uriah's wife Bathsheba. 00:04:27.400 --> 00:04:30.100 She is a drop-dead gorgeous woman 00:04:30.100 --> 00:04:31.639 that he has drooled over 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:33.319 as he looked down from his roof 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:34.819 and saw her taking a bath. 00:04:34.819 --> 00:04:38.019 She was straight out of a Jerusalem men's magazine. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:41.659 She got pregnant 00:04:41.659 --> 00:04:44.579 and David stepped in 00:04:44.579 --> 00:04:46.659 and he didn't do the modern thing and kill the baby, 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:48.120 he killed the husband instead. 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:52.399 It's a really sordid tale 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:56.680 and the king who is described as a man after God's own heart 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:59.779 sins in a high-handed way 00:04:59.779 --> 00:05:02.560 that he really seems to have got away with 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:04.079 and he can even look pretty cocky 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:06.420 because he can look like the man 00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:09.079 who's taken this beautiful woman into his own family 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:12.780 after her husband's been unfortunately killed on the battlefield. 00:05:13.019 --> 00:05:13.540 What a man. 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:19.000 Not many people know the secret 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:20.100 but God does 00:05:20.100 --> 00:05:21.819 and he confronts him. 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:25.079 And he sends his prophet, Nathan, 00:05:25.220 --> 00:05:27.399 to tell the king that he's under judgment. 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:30.120 It's a really dangerous thing 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:31.920 bringing the word of God to people 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:33.360 who might not want to hear it. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:37.639 And Nathan tells David a story. 00:05:37.899 --> 00:05:39.160 He tells him a parable. 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:40.939 He says, 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:42.540 there's two men in a town, king. 00:05:42.620 --> 00:05:42.939 He says, 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:43.819 one of them's rich 00:05:43.819 --> 00:05:44.980 and one of them's poor 00:05:44.980 --> 00:05:46.199 and the rich man, 00:05:46.280 --> 00:05:48.319 well, he had a vast herd of animals 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:50.879 and the poor man, 00:05:50.939 --> 00:05:52.680 well, he had one little lamb 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:53.459 that he nurtured 00:05:53.459 --> 00:05:54.360 and he cared for 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:55.680 like one of his own family. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:00.220 The rich man had unexpected visitors 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:02.500 and instead of using his own sheep to feed them, 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:04.900 he kills the poor man's lamb to feed them. 00:06:07.060 --> 00:06:09.040 And David hears the story 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.980 and he's absolutely fired up by the injustice of it 00:06:11.980 --> 00:06:13.360 and so in 2 Samuel 12, 00:06:13.460 --> 00:06:13.740 it says, 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:16.079 David burned with anger against the man 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:16.980 and he said to Nathan, 00:06:17.280 --> 00:06:18.780 as surely as the Lord lives, 00:06:18.860 --> 00:06:21.800 the man who did this deserves to die 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:23.800 and he must pay for that lamb 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:24.740 four times over 00:06:24.740 --> 00:06:26.139 because he did such a thing 00:06:26.139 --> 00:06:27.480 and had no pity. 00:06:29.620 --> 00:06:32.060 So David's anger and his passion 00:06:32.060 --> 00:06:34.800 is aroused at a story of terrible injustice 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:37.780 and Nathan plunges the sword in 00:06:37.780 --> 00:06:39.019 at home with the words, 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:40.259 you are the man. 00:06:45.379 --> 00:06:46.960 Now, I don't know if you realise it, 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:47.980 I see it with older people, 00:06:48.100 --> 00:06:50.139 but we have this amazing capacity 00:06:50.139 --> 00:06:52.219 for seeing injustice and failure 00:06:52.219 --> 00:06:53.519 in the lives of other people, 00:06:53.620 --> 00:06:54.199 not us, 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:56.779 and being completely blind to ourselves. 00:06:58.779 --> 00:07:00.419 We see everything else that's wrong 00:07:00.419 --> 00:07:01.599 in the world except us. 00:07:03.620 --> 00:07:05.199 And it's a great story 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:06.719 because this is a story 00:07:06.719 --> 00:07:08.539 that gets past our defences, 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:10.620 it captures our emotions 00:07:10.620 --> 00:07:12.959 and it makes us hunger for what is right 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:14.419 and it drives its point home. 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:15.659 That's what a parable does. 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:18.560 So Mark 4, 00:07:19.620 --> 00:07:21.020 Jesus tells a story, 00:07:21.140 --> 00:07:21.600 a parable, 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:22.200 verse 3, 00:07:22.280 --> 00:07:22.780 it begins, 00:07:22.880 --> 00:07:23.220 listen, 00:07:24.300 --> 00:07:26.200 a farmer went out to sow his seed 00:07:26.200 --> 00:07:29.040 and as he was scattering the seed, 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:30.300 some fell along the path 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:31.700 and the birds came and ate it up, 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:33.760 some fell on rocky places 00:07:33.760 --> 00:07:35.280 where it did not have much soil, 00:07:35.940 --> 00:07:36.920 it sprang up quickly 00:07:36.920 --> 00:07:38.200 because the soil was shallow, 00:07:39.300 --> 00:07:40.500 but when the sun came up, 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:41.600 the plants were scorched 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:42.240 and they withered 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:43.500 because they had no root. 00:07:43.500 --> 00:07:46.360 Other seed fell among the thorns 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:47.120 which grew up 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.079 and choked the plants 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:49.740 so that they did not bear grain 00:07:49.740 --> 00:07:51.720 and still other seed 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:52.639 fell on good soil, 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:53.300 it came up, 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:54.600 it grew and produced the crop 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:56.000 multiplying 30, 00:07:56.379 --> 00:07:58.420 60 or even 100 times. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:01.480 So there's a farmer 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:03.980 and the farmer goes out 00:08:03.980 --> 00:08:04.819 to plant a crop. 00:08:06.060 --> 00:08:07.060 I used to live in 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:08.459 north-western New South Wales 00:08:08.459 --> 00:08:12.480 and that is big crop growing country, 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:13.439 flat ground, 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:14.680 big crop growing country. 00:08:15.700 --> 00:08:17.180 And when it comes close to planting, 00:08:17.280 --> 00:08:18.900 the farmers start to get really edgy 00:08:18.900 --> 00:08:19.600 and excited 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:21.420 because they really want to get going 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:22.660 but they've got to wait 00:08:22.660 --> 00:08:24.220 for the timing to be just right 00:08:24.220 --> 00:08:25.860 when they plant their seeds 00:08:25.860 --> 00:08:27.280 because they want to give themselves 00:08:27.280 --> 00:08:28.860 the very best opportunity 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:30.819 of growing the very best crop 00:08:30.819 --> 00:08:31.500 that they can. 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:34.860 They're looking for results. 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:37.139 So when a farmer puts a seed 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:38.779 in the ground today or tomorrow, 00:08:39.019 --> 00:08:40.600 he's not just thinking 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:41.480 today or tomorrow, 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:43.420 he is thinking five months 00:08:43.420 --> 00:08:44.180 into the future 00:08:44.180 --> 00:08:45.240 when he's going to be bringing 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:45.879 in his harvest 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:46.820 from what he's planted. 00:08:51.580 --> 00:08:53.340 One of the funny things I saw 00:08:53.340 --> 00:08:55.019 in the country 00:08:55.019 --> 00:08:56.220 was the competitiveness 00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:57.320 of farmers. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:00.420 The farmers would be watching 00:09:00.420 --> 00:09:01.000 one another 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:02.300 to see who'd go first. 00:09:03.180 --> 00:09:04.220 When's the time right? 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:05.340 Who's going to start planting? 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:08.019 And I knew one bloke 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:11.360 who lived in this farm. 00:09:11.460 --> 00:09:12.220 They're huge farms, 00:09:12.340 --> 00:09:13.160 5,000 acres 00:09:13.160 --> 00:09:14.960 and this bit of a laneway 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.040 that ran between them. 00:09:17.139 --> 00:09:19.000 And just before planting time 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:20.000 was really ready, 00:09:20.160 --> 00:09:21.180 he'd go into his shed 00:09:21.180 --> 00:09:22.300 and he'd pull out 00:09:22.300 --> 00:09:23.220 his planting machine 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:24.680 behind a giant tractor, 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:26.160 fire it up 00:09:26.160 --> 00:09:27.240 and he'd drive the tractor 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:27.820 up and down 00:09:27.820 --> 00:09:28.759 through his whole field 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:29.960 without any seed in it. 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:31.680 Because he'd look 00:09:31.680 --> 00:09:32.680 into trick his neighbours 00:09:32.680 --> 00:09:33.560 because his neighbours 00:09:33.560 --> 00:09:34.540 would see what he was doing 00:09:34.540 --> 00:09:35.580 and they'd go into their sheds 00:09:35.580 --> 00:09:36.360 and get their planters 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:37.460 and come out and plant too. 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:39.280 He thought it was a great joke 00:09:39.280 --> 00:09:40.000 and I think it was. 00:09:42.060 --> 00:09:43.019 In Jesus' day, 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:44.340 farming was a lot lower tech. 00:09:45.139 --> 00:09:46.080 The farmer worked 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:46.720 through the fields 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:47.900 throwing out handfuls 00:09:47.900 --> 00:09:48.320 of grain 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:49.400 and it spread around. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:50.740 The seeds seemed good. 00:09:51.540 --> 00:09:52.800 Nothing wrong with the seed 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:54.019 but where it lands 00:09:54.019 --> 00:09:55.679 determines how it grows. 00:09:55.819 --> 00:09:57.459 That's what this parable's about. 00:09:58.479 --> 00:09:59.219 And he tells us 00:09:59.219 --> 00:10:00.759 that some of the seed 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:01.659 lands on a path, 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:02.579 never gets a chance 00:10:02.579 --> 00:10:03.740 to put down its roots. 00:10:04.199 --> 00:10:05.179 The birds fly in 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:06.019 and they have a feed. 00:10:07.099 --> 00:10:08.759 Some lands on rocky soil. 00:10:09.059 --> 00:10:10.019 It starts to grow 00:10:10.019 --> 00:10:11.639 but as soon as the sun gets hot 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:13.099 it dries the roots, 00:10:13.219 --> 00:10:14.259 they wither and they die 00:10:14.259 --> 00:10:15.579 because they haven't gone down 00:10:15.579 --> 00:10:16.539 deep into moisture. 00:10:18.059 --> 00:10:19.240 There's other seed 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:20.899 which grew with weeds 00:10:20.899 --> 00:10:21.879 that choked the plant 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:22.539 and stopped it 00:10:22.539 --> 00:10:23.759 bearing any fruit at all. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:25.820 But the other seed 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:27.039 landed in good soil. 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:28.519 It grew and multiplied 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:30.659 even as much as 100 times 00:10:30.659 --> 00:10:32.000 which was a great return. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:33.679 Now I need you 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:34.500 to help me out with this. 00:10:34.580 --> 00:10:35.539 I think Andrew's going to 00:10:35.539 --> 00:10:36.080 push a button 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:37.379 on that PowerPoint. 00:10:38.620 --> 00:10:39.299 I want you to have 00:10:39.299 --> 00:10:40.200 your Bibles open 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:40.919 and tell me 00:10:40.919 --> 00:10:42.240 what the responses are 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:42.820 when you read 00:10:42.820 --> 00:10:43.620 through this parable 00:10:43.620 --> 00:10:44.360 especially in the 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:45.200 second half of it. 00:10:46.460 --> 00:10:47.940 So when Jesus explains it 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:49.580 he says there's some seed 00:10:49.580 --> 00:10:51.159 that lands on a path 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:52.339 and I want to know 00:10:52.339 --> 00:10:54.139 from the text 00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:55.799 do they hear? 00:10:56.319 --> 00:10:57.360 The seed that goes out 00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:58.059 to the path 00:10:58.059 --> 00:10:59.439 is the message heard? 00:10:59.539 --> 00:11:00.980 If the seed is the word of God 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:01.919 is it heard? 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:04.600 Yes. 00:11:05.319 --> 00:11:06.039 Is it received? 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:09.039 Help me out faster. 00:11:09.659 --> 00:11:09.980 No. 00:11:10.659 --> 00:11:11.600 Is there joy? 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:12.259 No. 00:11:12.899 --> 00:11:13.919 Does it get roots? 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:14.539 No. 00:11:15.079 --> 00:11:16.000 Is there fruit? 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:16.480 No. 00:11:17.740 --> 00:11:18.620 The second one's 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:19.360 the rocky place 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:20.620 the short root type stuff 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:21.519 it withers and dies 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:22.340 but is it heard? 00:11:22.980 --> 00:11:23.460 Yes. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:24.840 Is it received? 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:26.320 Yes. 00:11:26.659 --> 00:11:27.580 Is there joy? 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:29.840 Is that in the text? 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:31.379 It is. 00:11:31.460 --> 00:11:31.820 You're right. 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:33.600 Does it get roots? 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:34.960 No. 00:11:35.019 --> 00:11:35.779 It doesn't get roots 00:11:35.779 --> 00:11:36.519 and is there fruit? 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:37.700 No. 00:11:38.460 --> 00:11:38.720 Fourth, 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:39.480 the third one 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:40.100 the thorns 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:41.080 does it 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:42.780 is the word heard? 00:11:43.560 --> 00:11:44.139 Yes. 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:45.540 Is it received? 00:11:46.139 --> 00:11:46.720 Yes. 00:11:47.259 --> 00:11:48.420 Is it with joy? 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:52.780 Come on. 00:11:54.020 --> 00:11:55.080 What's in the Bible? 00:11:58.560 --> 00:11:59.160 No. 00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:01.340 No, there's no joy. 00:12:02.040 --> 00:12:03.180 Does it get roots? 00:12:06.940 --> 00:12:08.280 Come on, be brave. 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:10.460 Yes, it does get roots 00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:11.680 and is there fruit? 00:12:12.560 --> 00:12:12.960 No. 00:12:13.780 --> 00:12:14.460 Last one 00:12:14.460 --> 00:12:15.500 is it heard? 00:12:16.160 --> 00:12:16.560 Yes. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:17.840 Is it received? 00:12:18.460 --> 00:12:18.860 Yes. 00:12:18.940 --> 00:12:19.680 Is it with joy? 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:21.259 We presume so. 00:12:21.400 --> 00:12:22.180 Does it get roots? 00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:23.220 Yes. 00:12:23.340 --> 00:12:24.259 And is there fruit? 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:25.160 Yes. 00:12:25.300 --> 00:12:26.100 See what it shows us? 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:29.160 There's only one of these settings 00:12:29.160 --> 00:12:31.800 where there is a result 00:12:31.800 --> 00:12:32.940 where there is fruit 00:12:32.940 --> 00:12:34.480 where the word of God goes out 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:35.280 and there is fruit. 00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:36.519 Now it's a great story 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:37.019 you've got to ask 00:12:37.019 --> 00:12:37.820 what does it mean? 00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:39.379 And at first telling 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:40.180 no one gets it 00:12:40.179 --> 00:12:41.479 not even Jesus' disciples. 00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:43.679 So in verse 10 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.019 it says, 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:44.740 when he was alone 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:45.720 the twelve and the others 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:47.360 around him asked about the parables 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:49.000 and he told them 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:50.579 the secret of the kingdom of God 00:12:50.579 --> 00:12:51.960 has been given to you 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:53.899 but to those on the outside 00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:55.559 everything is said in parables 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:57.620 so that they may be ever seeing 00:12:57.620 --> 00:12:58.759 but never perceiving 00:12:58.759 --> 00:13:00.439 ever hearing 00:13:00.439 --> 00:13:01.699 but never understanding 00:13:01.699 --> 00:13:04.019 otherwise they might turn 00:13:04.019 --> 00:13:04.799 and be forgiven. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:07.539 And then Jesus said to them 00:13:07.539 --> 00:13:09.299 don't you understand this parable? 00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:10.919 How then will you understand 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:11.679 any parable? 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:15.139 So Jesus very clearly says 00:13:15.139 --> 00:13:16.360 some people get it 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:17.679 and some people won't. 00:13:19.319 --> 00:13:20.139 And he says 00:13:20.139 --> 00:13:21.419 you guys will get it 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:24.479 because God has made you one. 00:13:26.059 --> 00:13:27.120 I'm going to do something. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:31.740 My fault. 00:13:31.819 --> 00:13:32.639 Guess what I did tonight? 00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:35.059 I turned the fans up to full bore 00:13:35.059 --> 00:13:36.219 and guess what's happening here? 00:13:37.040 --> 00:13:38.540 My paper's blowing everywhere. 00:13:38.680 --> 00:13:39.879 Now I can use both my hands 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:40.800 and I can look properly. 00:13:42.920 --> 00:13:43.759 Jesus says 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:44.899 you guys will get it 00:13:44.899 --> 00:13:46.779 because the secret of the kingdom of God 00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:48.019 has been given to you. 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:50.879 The disciples are not smart enough 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.080 to work it out for themselves. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.460 They become insiders 00:13:53.460 --> 00:13:54.800 because God gives them 00:13:54.800 --> 00:13:56.720 what they need to become insiders. 00:13:57.860 --> 00:13:59.000 So if you're a Christian 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:02.180 it is because God has made you one. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:04.320 Faith is God's gift to you. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:07.480 There are no self-made men or women 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:08.480 in the kingdom of heaven. 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:09.780 We don't get ourselves there. 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:11.220 God brings us into his family 00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:12.140 and into his kingdom 00:14:12.140 --> 00:14:13.260 and we are there 00:14:13.260 --> 00:14:15.040 because of his incredibly gracious 00:14:15.040 --> 00:14:16.300 kindness and love. 00:14:19.760 --> 00:14:21.760 Jesus quotes Isaiah 6 00:14:21.760 --> 00:14:22.700 from the Old Testament 00:14:22.700 --> 00:14:25.760 and Isaiah is being commissioned by God 00:14:25.760 --> 00:14:27.280 to tell people about God 00:14:27.280 --> 00:14:28.400 and his coming judgment. 00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:31.240 And it's a really interesting passage 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:33.419 because God knows most people 00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:35.379 will not respond to the prophet's message. 00:14:36.019 --> 00:14:37.180 He knows in advance 00:14:37.180 --> 00:14:38.759 that most will come to judgment 00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:39.919 and nevertheless 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:41.539 he sends his prophet out 00:14:41.539 --> 00:14:44.200 in a very unpopular role 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:45.639 to a group of people 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:47.039 who mostly won't listen. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:51.039 The word of God will be veiled to them. 00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.860 They may be ever seeing 00:14:53.860 --> 00:14:54.919 but never perceiving 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:56.019 and ever hearing 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:57.279 but never understanding 00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:59.100 otherwise they might turn 00:14:59.100 --> 00:14:59.759 and be forgiven. 00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:02.240 They see, 00:15:02.800 --> 00:15:03.820 they hear, 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.720 they don't understand. 00:15:07.019 --> 00:15:07.860 So you can be sitting 00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:08.899 in church tonight 00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:10.740 and see and hear 00:15:10.740 --> 00:15:12.820 and not understand. 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:16.360 But the point is 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:17.980 if they listen properly 00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:19.120 to the word of God 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:20.340 they might turn around 00:15:20.340 --> 00:15:21.080 and repent 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:22.120 and be saved. 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:26.340 So in the parable of the sower 00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:28.639 the very first word 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:29.419 in this parable 00:15:29.419 --> 00:15:31.279 is probably the most important. 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:33.200 Listen. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:35.460 It's Jesus speaking. 00:15:36.500 --> 00:15:36.899 Listen. 00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:40.080 It's very emphatic. 00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:40.899 Listen. 00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:44.100 He's saying hear this right. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.500 Jesus is not mincing word. 00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:46.039 He is saying 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:47.519 it is imperative to listen. 00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:49.299 You've got to hear 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:50.279 and understand 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:51.899 what I am about to say. 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:55.360 Now the disciples 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.820 do not understand it all 00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:57.620 and Jesus needs 00:15:57.620 --> 00:15:58.700 to explain it to them. 00:15:58.779 --> 00:15:59.639 So Jesus takes 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:00.840 his disciples aside 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:01.879 and gives them 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:02.799 a ball by ball 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.779 description 00:16:03.779 --> 00:16:05.279 of what this parable means. 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:06.659 He unpacks it 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:07.580 for his followers 00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:08.919 who want to understand. 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:11.940 So verse 14 00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:12.500 the farmer 00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:13.659 sows the word. 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:16.080 The seed 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:17.120 is the word of God. 00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:18.799 And so 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:19.799 in a story 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:20.539 which begins 00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:21.240 with this really 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:21.919 urgent appeal 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:22.539 to listen 00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:24.039 Jesus now explains 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:24.659 that they must 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:25.500 listen to him. 00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:26.860 He is the word of God. 00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:29.440 And once you've been 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:30.279 shown the secret 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:30.759 it's like 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:31.720 aha now I see 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:32.279 I understand 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:32.940 what this parable 00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:33.399 is about. 00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:36.480 And the story 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:36.879 is about 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.000 four different ways 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:38.700 that people 00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:41.120 listen to Jesus. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:41.919 It describes 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:43.580 how his word 00:16:43.580 --> 00:16:44.419 impacts us. 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:45.560 And so 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:47.240 this is a parable 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:48.060 this is a story 00:16:48.060 --> 00:16:48.720 which is about 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:49.060 us. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:51.720 The parable 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:52.399 explains 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:53.000 where every 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:53.560 person 00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:54.899 sitting here 00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:55.399 in church 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:55.980 tonight 00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:58.519 it explains 00:16:58.519 --> 00:16:59.360 where we sit 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.019 with regard 00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:00.720 to Jesus. 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:02.799 No exception 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:03.659 I'm in this 00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:04.000 parable 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:04.420 and you're 00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:04.740 in this 00:17:04.740 --> 00:17:05.140 parable. 00:17:07.620 --> 00:17:08.460 The seed 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:08.940 is good 00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:09.339 Jesus 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:10.019 is good 00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:11.039 his word 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.579 is good 00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:13.700 it's powerful 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.299 in its own 00:17:14.299 --> 00:17:14.680 right. 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:16.360 John tells 00:17:16.360 --> 00:17:16.700 us that 00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:17.060 the word 00:17:17.060 --> 00:17:17.820 became flesh 00:17:17.820 --> 00:17:18.360 and camped 00:17:18.360 --> 00:17:19.019 amongst us. 00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:19.519 The writer 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.000 of Hebrews 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:20.560 says the 00:17:20.560 --> 00:17:21.140 word of God 00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:21.640 is living 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:22.340 and active 00:17:22.340 --> 00:17:23.680 stronger than 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:24.519 any double 00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.240 edged sword 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:26.519 it penetrates 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:27.140 even to 00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:28.039 dividing soul 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:28.660 and spirit 00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:29.620 joints and 00:17:29.620 --> 00:17:29.940 marrow 00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:30.940 it judges 00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:31.519 the thoughts 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.140 and attitudes 00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:32.799 of the heart. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:35.039 And so 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:35.740 Jesus says 00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:35.960 to us 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:36.340 we've got to 00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:37.039 listen to him 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:38.299 and he's 00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:38.779 really saying 00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:39.019 to us 00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:39.660 we must pay 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:40.500 very careful 00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:41.580 attention to him 00:17:41.580 --> 00:17:42.120 and what he 00:17:42.120 --> 00:17:42.840 has to say. 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:46.420 And he's 00:17:46.420 --> 00:17:46.840 saying that 00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:47.259 how we 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:48.019 respond to 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:49.360 him is 00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:50.019 how God 00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:50.779 will determine 00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:51.560 how fruitful 00:17:51.560 --> 00:17:52.259 your life 00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:53.299 is from 00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:53.700 God's 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.080 point of 00:17:54.080 --> 00:17:54.259 view. 00:17:56.460 --> 00:17:56.720 See 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.080 God 00:17:57.080 --> 00:17:57.400 views 00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:57.960 success 00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:58.200 and 00:17:58.200 --> 00:17:58.740 fruitfulness 00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.220 in a 00:17:59.220 --> 00:17:59.400 very 00:17:59.400 --> 00:17:59.759 different 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.039 way 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:00.180 than 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:00.320 the 00:18:00.320 --> 00:18:00.560 world. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:01.039 He's 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:01.220 not 00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:01.580 looking 00:18:01.580 --> 00:18:01.840 for 00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:02.160 long 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:02.380 and 00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:02.840 impressive 00:18:02.840 --> 00:18:03.759 CVs 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:04.940 and 00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:05.940 PhDs 00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:07.340 and big 00:18:07.340 --> 00:18:07.620 bank 00:18:07.620 --> 00:18:08.140 balances 00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:08.900 and property 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:09.900 portfolios 00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:10.200 and 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:10.820 legacies. 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:12.360 God 00:18:12.360 --> 00:18:12.600 might 00:18:12.600 --> 00:18:13.019 allow us 00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:13.299 to have 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:13.620 some of 00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:14.159 those things 00:18:14.159 --> 00:18:14.519 as we 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:15.039 age and 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:15.359 mature 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:15.679 or whatever 00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:16.059 it is 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:16.359 but 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:19.019 fruitfulness 00:18:19.019 --> 00:18:19.459 will be 00:18:19.459 --> 00:18:19.799 seen 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:20.779 in a 00:18:20.779 --> 00:18:21.119 life 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:21.559 which is 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:21.899 rich 00:18:21.899 --> 00:18:22.359 in walking 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:22.979 with Jesus 00:18:22.979 --> 00:18:24.019 and trusting 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:24.379 him. 00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:26.339 A life 00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:26.799 of faith 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:27.239 a life 00:18:27.239 --> 00:18:27.579 where he 00:18:27.579 --> 00:18:28.000 impacts 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.439 who we 00:18:28.439 --> 00:18:28.699 are 00:18:28.699 --> 00:18:29.000 and 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:29.339 everything 00:18:29.339 --> 00:18:29.639 we 00:18:29.639 --> 00:18:30.000 do. 00:18:31.639 --> 00:18:32.159 People 00:18:32.159 --> 00:18:33.019 who are 00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:33.479 impacted 00:18:33.479 --> 00:18:34.139 by Jesus 00:18:34.139 --> 00:18:34.599 Christ 00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:35.019 to our 00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:35.359 core. 00:18:38.679 --> 00:18:39.459 So what 00:18:39.459 --> 00:18:39.739 are the 00:18:39.739 --> 00:18:40.399 four responses 00:18:40.399 --> 00:18:40.839 to the 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:41.159 spoken 00:18:41.159 --> 00:18:41.639 word of 00:18:41.639 --> 00:18:41.899 God? 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:42.759 Verse 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:43.359 15 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:45.079 some 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:45.539 people 00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.199 are like 00:18:46.199 --> 00:18:46.679 seed 00:18:46.679 --> 00:18:46.959 along 00:18:46.959 --> 00:18:47.139 the 00:18:47.139 --> 00:18:47.559 path 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:47.819 where 00:18:47.819 --> 00:18:47.959 the 00:18:47.959 --> 00:18:48.159 word 00:18:48.159 --> 00:18:48.379 is 00:18:48.379 --> 00:18:48.740 sown 00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:50.399 and 00:18:50.399 --> 00:18:50.579 as 00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:50.759 soon 00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:50.939 as 00:18:50.939 --> 00:18:51.159 they 00:18:51.159 --> 00:18:51.479 hear 00:18:51.479 --> 00:18:51.659 it 00:18:51.659 --> 00:18:52.059 Satan 00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:52.519 comes 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:52.740 and 00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:53.000 takes 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.279 away 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:53.459 the 00:18:53.459 --> 00:18:53.699 word 00:18:53.699 --> 00:18:53.959 that 00:18:53.959 --> 00:18:54.099 was 00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:54.339 sown 00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:54.519 in 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:54.699 them. 00:18:56.179 --> 00:18:56.459 He's 00:18:56.459 --> 00:18:56.659 really 00:18:56.659 --> 00:18:57.000 saying 00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:57.259 to us 00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:57.559 that 00:18:57.559 --> 00:18:58.299 some 00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:58.759 people 00:18:58.759 --> 00:18:59.159 are 00:18:59.159 --> 00:18:59.579 hard 00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:00.219 paths 00:19:00.219 --> 00:19:01.059 with 00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:01.479 hard 00:19:01.479 --> 00:19:02.000 hearts. 00:19:03.719 --> 00:19:04.259 They 00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:04.500 hear 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:04.679 the 00:19:04.679 --> 00:19:04.939 word. 00:19:06.159 --> 00:19:06.479 There's 00:19:06.479 --> 00:19:06.679 no 00:19:06.679 --> 00:19:07.359 response. 00:19:07.819 --> 00:19:08.039 There's 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:08.279 no 00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:08.799 interest. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:10.319 It's 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:10.679 like a 00:19:10.679 --> 00:19:11.099 male in 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:11.279 our 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:11.619 family. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:11.779 You 00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:11.919 know, 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:13.419 me or 00:19:13.419 --> 00:19:14.200 my son 00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:15.000 or one 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:15.339 of us 00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:16.740 sitting in 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.139 the lounge 00:19:17.139 --> 00:19:17.460 room with 00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:17.859 the remote 00:19:17.859 --> 00:19:18.519 control in 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:18.960 our hand 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:20.319 and Kerry's 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:20.819 calling us 00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:21.220 to dinner 00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:23.000 and the 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:23.639 word goes 00:19:23.639 --> 00:19:24.939 out and 00:19:24.939 --> 00:19:25.200 nothing 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:25.759 happens in 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:26.220 response. 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:29.700 It's 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.200 ignored. 00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:32.679 And it's 00:19:32.679 --> 00:19:33.000 saying to 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:33.259 us that 00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:33.819 people like 00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:34.159 that have 00:19:34.159 --> 00:19:34.659 no reason 00:19:34.659 --> 00:19:35.079 to even 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:35.480 think that 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:35.799 there's a 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:36.099 God that 00:19:36.099 --> 00:19:36.460 they need 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:37.039 to respond 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:37.299 to. 00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:38.680 There 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:38.940 can be 00:19:38.940 --> 00:19:39.240 people 00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:39.619 talking 00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:39.919 around 00:19:39.919 --> 00:19:40.259 them all 00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:40.599 the time 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:40.899 about 00:19:40.899 --> 00:19:41.299 God and 00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:41.599 who he 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:41.859 is and 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:42.159 what they 00:19:42.159 --> 00:19:42.779 believe about 00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:43.039 him but 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.419 they don't 00:19:43.419 --> 00:19:44.000 even notice 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:44.579 because they 00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:44.859 are not 00:19:44.859 --> 00:19:45.559 even prepared 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:46.659 to go to 00:19:46.659 --> 00:19:47.279 first base. 00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:49.500 And 00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:49.819 Jesus 00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:50.700 describes them 00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.119 as the 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:51.740 ones from 00:19:51.740 --> 00:19:52.379 whom Satan 00:19:52.379 --> 00:19:53.099 comes and 00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:53.759 snatches it 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:55.299 away and 00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:55.720 God's 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.379 judgment day 00:19:56.379 --> 00:19:57.379 will come and 00:19:57.379 --> 00:19:57.919 they will be 00:19:57.919 --> 00:19:58.240 like, 00:19:59.819 --> 00:20:00.339 oh did you 00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:01.019 say something? 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:01.879 Why didn't 00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:02.279 you warn 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:02.519 me? 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:05.740 In 00:20:05.740 --> 00:20:06.339 2 Corinthians 00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:07.059 chapter 4 00:20:07.059 --> 00:20:07.419 it says 00:20:07.419 --> 00:20:07.839 the God 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.179 of this 00:20:08.179 --> 00:20:08.679 age has 00:20:08.679 --> 00:20:09.319 blinded the 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:09.779 minds of 00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:10.440 unbelievers 00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:10.879 so that 00:20:10.879 --> 00:20:11.399 they cannot 00:20:11.399 --> 00:20:11.960 see the 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:12.359 light of 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:12.899 the gospel 00:20:12.899 --> 00:20:13.779 of the 00:20:13.779 --> 00:20:14.299 glory of 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:14.859 Christ who 00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:15.159 is the 00:20:15.159 --> 00:20:15.599 image of 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:15.879 God. 00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:17.480 They are 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:18.359 deaf and 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:19.539 blind to 00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:19.960 God's 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:20.460 saving 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:20.980 truth. 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:24.519 The 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:24.859 second 00:20:24.859 --> 00:20:25.379 group of 00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.240 verse 16 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:27.419 others like 00:20:27.419 --> 00:20:28.279 seeds sown on 00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:29.039 rocky places 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:29.539 hear the 00:20:29.539 --> 00:20:30.139 word and at 00:20:30.139 --> 00:20:30.980 once receive 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:31.319 it with 00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:33.319 joy but 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:33.819 since they 00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.240 have no 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:34.919 root they 00:20:34.919 --> 00:20:35.659 only last a 00:20:35.659 --> 00:20:36.419 short time and 00:20:36.419 --> 00:20:36.940 when trouble 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:37.600 or persecution 00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:39.180 comes because 00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.900 of the word 00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:41.259 they quickly 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:42.059 fall away. 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:44.240 These are 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:44.640 people they 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.299 make a great 00:20:45.299 --> 00:20:45.980 beginning but 00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:46.620 they don't go 00:20:46.620 --> 00:20:47.019 anywhere. 00:20:49.080 --> 00:20:49.799 They come to 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:50.279 church, they 00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:50.840 come to youth 00:20:50.840 --> 00:20:51.220 group, they 00:20:51.220 --> 00:20:51.840 get involved in 00:20:51.840 --> 00:20:52.299 a group or 00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:52.840 a small group 00:20:52.840 --> 00:20:53.259 or a bible 00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:53.920 study, something 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:54.519 like that and 00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:55.180 they say oh 00:20:55.180 --> 00:20:56.059 how fantastic 00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:57.400 everything is and 00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:58.019 they are even 00:20:58.019 --> 00:20:58.940 joyful about 00:20:58.940 --> 00:21:00.140 what they have 00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:00.660 begun to 00:21:00.660 --> 00:21:01.500 experience. 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:03.700 they seem 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:04.059 like they 00:21:04.059 --> 00:21:04.480 want to get 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.339 involved and 00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:06.019 then they're 00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:06.680 just gone. 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.140 And it's 00:21:09.140 --> 00:21:09.759 almost as 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.039 though they 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:10.380 were never 00:21:10.380 --> 00:21:10.660 here. 00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:11.079 It worked 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:11.440 for a 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:11.759 while, it 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.019 was a 00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:12.240 great 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.000 experience for 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:13.559 a time and 00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:13.940 then they 00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:14.740 just moved 00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:15.039 on. 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:18.720 People 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:19.180 encounter 00:21:19.180 --> 00:21:19.859 Jesus, they 00:21:19.859 --> 00:21:20.259 hear his 00:21:20.259 --> 00:21:20.700 word, they 00:21:20.700 --> 00:21:21.799 become convinced 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:22.460 of the truth 00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:23.539 of it, they 00:21:23.539 --> 00:21:23.880 want to 00:21:23.880 --> 00:21:24.619 respond and 00:21:24.619 --> 00:21:24.940 then the 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:25.539 implications 00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:26.180 start to 00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:26.660 weigh really 00:21:26.660 --> 00:21:27.000 heavily. 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:27.480 it might 00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:27.880 make a 00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:29.319 difference to 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:29.799 my living 00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:30.660 arrangements or 00:21:30.660 --> 00:21:31.539 my relationships. 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:33.599 They can 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:34.119 see that it 00:21:34.119 --> 00:21:34.920 might impact 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:35.660 Sunday or 00:21:35.660 --> 00:21:36.380 discretionary 00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:36.819 time it 00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.180 has. 00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:38.960 In some 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:40.019 places they 00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:40.599 might think 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:41.140 it's going to 00:21:41.140 --> 00:21:41.660 lead me into 00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:42.519 persecution, I'm 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:42.960 going to be in 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.700 strife at work, 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:44.240 I'm going to 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:45.099 lose opportunity 00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:45.940 for advancement. 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:48.279 And what they 00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:49.140 start to see is 00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:49.759 that God is 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:50.319 getting in the 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:50.960 way of the 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.619 life that they 00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:52.339 have mapped out 00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:53.000 for themselves 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:55.039 and they just 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:55.500 fizzle. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:57.880 They are not 00:21:57.880 --> 00:21:58.460 prepared to 00:21:58.460 --> 00:21:58.759 bear the 00:21:58.759 --> 00:21:59.160 cost. 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:01.279 But the 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:01.960 third group of 00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:02.559 hearers are the 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.319 most disturbing 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:04.000 from a local 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:04.799 church point of 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:05.200 view and I 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:05.779 guess for us 00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.180 tonight. 00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:10.980 It says in 00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.619 verse 18, 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:12.319 still others 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:13.079 like seeds 00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:13.579 sown among 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:14.339 thorns hear 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:15.759 the word but 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:16.440 the worries of 00:22:16.440 --> 00:22:17.220 this life, the 00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:18.200 deceitfulness of 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:18.920 wealth and the 00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:20.039 desires for other 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:21.000 things come in 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:22.339 and choke the 00:22:22.339 --> 00:22:23.200 word making it 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:23.960 unfruitful. 00:22:25.259 --> 00:22:26.220 And this is the 00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:26.980 really sad one 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:28.019 because if you 00:22:28.019 --> 00:22:28.819 could just strip 00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:29.660 away the weeds 00:22:29.660 --> 00:22:30.380 and strip away 00:22:30.380 --> 00:22:31.360 the thorn plants, 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:32.819 these plants look 00:22:32.819 --> 00:22:33.380 pretty good. 00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.360 I said this 00:22:34.360 --> 00:22:34.799 morning they 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.599 look really good 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:36.120 and they're quite 00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:37.099 magnificent but I 00:22:37.099 --> 00:22:37.779 actually think I'm 00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:38.579 probably wrong. 00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:39.700 They look pretty 00:22:39.700 --> 00:22:40.339 green and they 00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:41.200 look okay but 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.700 they're not as 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:42.160 good as what 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:42.799 they could be. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:44.920 They're lush, 00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:45.500 they're well 00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:46.480 cultivated, they're 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.299 fed, they're very 00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:48.220 fine botanical 00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:48.799 specimens. 00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:50.759 And whether it's 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.640 an individual or 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:52.140 whether it's a 00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:52.759 whole church, 00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:53.940 these people can 00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:54.559 look pretty good. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:55.360 This church can 00:22:55.360 --> 00:22:56.599 look pretty good if 00:22:56.599 --> 00:22:57.079 it's full of 00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:58.019 people like this. 00:23:02.439 --> 00:23:03.339 But they're 00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:04.359 massively flawed. 00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:06.899 They don't 00:23:06.899 --> 00:23:07.359 reproduce. 00:23:08.879 --> 00:23:09.599 There is no 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:09.939 fruit. 00:23:13.939 --> 00:23:14.919 These people 00:23:14.919 --> 00:23:15.980 grew, they 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:17.639 choked, they 00:23:17.639 --> 00:23:18.279 don't come to 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:19.139 fruitful maturity 00:23:19.139 --> 00:23:19.839 because they're 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:20.539 choked out by 00:23:20.539 --> 00:23:21.059 weeds and 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.439 thorns. 00:23:22.939 --> 00:23:23.599 Get this, they 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:24.339 understood the 00:23:24.339 --> 00:23:25.019 word of Jesus, 00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:26.859 it began to 00:23:26.859 --> 00:23:27.579 change them, 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:29.139 other things 00:23:29.139 --> 00:23:29.799 took over, 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:30.339 look at what 00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:30.680 they got 00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.160 choked by, 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:31.500 they got 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:31.980 choked by 00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:32.579 worries of 00:23:32.579 --> 00:23:34.160 life, deceitfulness 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:34.759 of wealth, 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.559 desire for 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:36.299 other things. 00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:37.879 And they 00:23:37.879 --> 00:23:38.559 didn't suddenly 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:39.220 get choked, 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:40.119 weeds and 00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:40.700 thorns grew 00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:42.019 amongst the 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.720 good plants. 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:44.879 In another 00:23:44.879 --> 00:23:45.559 place Jesus 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:46.359 told a different 00:23:46.359 --> 00:23:46.980 parable where 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:47.539 an enemy of 00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:47.940 the farmer 00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:48.639 came along and 00:23:48.639 --> 00:23:49.400 he sowed weeds 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:49.920 into a good 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:50.720 crop, he 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.279 intentionally 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:51.899 tried to 00:23:51.899 --> 00:23:52.339 ruin it. 00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:56.039 I don't 00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:56.559 think most 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:56.960 of us 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:57.539 intentionally 00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:58.279 try to 00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.019 ruin our 00:23:59.019 --> 00:23:59.660 response to 00:23:59.660 --> 00:23:59.940 Jesus' 00:24:00.139 --> 00:24:00.579 command to 00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:00.879 listen. 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:03.119 We just 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:03.539 try to 00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:03.960 listen to 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:04.480 too many 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.079 different 00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:05.720 voices at 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.079 the same 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:06.480 time. 00:24:08.660 --> 00:24:09.319 We want 00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:09.799 to prosper 00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:10.139 in our 00:24:10.139 --> 00:24:10.619 work, that's 00:24:10.619 --> 00:24:10.920 a good 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:11.480 thing, we'd 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:11.980 like to be 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:12.740 successful in 00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:13.399 business, that's 00:24:13.399 --> 00:24:13.960 a good thing, 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:14.519 we want our 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:14.879 kids to 00:24:14.879 --> 00:24:15.420 achieve at 00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:16.019 school, that's 00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:16.700 a good thing, 00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:17.619 but it 00:24:17.619 --> 00:24:18.200 becomes a 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:18.819 two masters 00:24:18.819 --> 00:24:19.480 sort of thing 00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.500 because, and 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:21.299 Jesus says to 00:24:21.299 --> 00:24:21.900 us things like 00:24:21.900 --> 00:24:22.660 no one can 00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:23.160 serve two 00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:23.860 masters, he'll 00:24:23.860 --> 00:24:24.420 love one and 00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:25.079 hate the other 00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:25.920 or vice versa. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:28.460 And so we 00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:29.839 tell kids, some 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:30.279 of us as 00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:30.839 parents have 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:31.519 told our kids 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:32.120 things like, 00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:32.500 well you've 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:32.960 got to listen 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:33.559 to that voice 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:33.960 at school 00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:34.620 because school 00:24:34.620 --> 00:24:34.940 is what's 00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:35.440 going to open 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.140 up opportunity 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:36.660 into the 00:24:36.660 --> 00:24:38.339 future and 00:24:38.339 --> 00:24:38.700 that will 00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:39.299 unlock the 00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:39.779 keys to 00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:40.660 career and 00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:41.759 therefore income 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:42.339 and wealth 00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:43.019 and wellbeing. 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.700 And if you 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.220 do the thing 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:45.819 properly at 00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:46.360 school through 00:24:46.360 --> 00:24:46.940 the week, then 00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:47.500 I just might 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:48.079 let you go to 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:48.700 youth group on 00:24:48.700 --> 00:24:49.400 Friday night. 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:54.360 I have a 00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:55.039 wealthy friend 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:55.799 really interested 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:56.620 in Jesus as 00:24:56.620 --> 00:24:57.279 a young adult. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:58.720 His dad always 00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.220 had great 00:24:59.220 --> 00:24:59.960 ambition for 00:24:59.960 --> 00:25:00.180 him. 00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:02.079 He lived to 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:02.660 please his 00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:03.460 earthly father 00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:04.200 and himself. 00:25:05.220 --> 00:25:05.720 He went 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.339 after money, 00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:06.940 he got it, 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:08.599 he's felt its 00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:09.339 power and he's 00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:10.360 used its power 00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:11.120 to intimidate 00:25:11.120 --> 00:25:11.720 other people. 00:25:12.860 --> 00:25:13.519 He went 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:14.259 after sex, 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:14.960 he got it, 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:16.339 had choked 00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:17.160 his relationship 00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:17.720 with the Lord 00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:18.460 Jesus and 00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:19.380 he has been 00:25:19.380 --> 00:25:20.240 fruitless in 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.700 terms of 00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.259 God's kingdom 00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:21.700 and its 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:22.299 values ever 00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:22.759 since. 00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:26.460 Churches can 00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:26.980 be full of 00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:27.539 people who 00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:28.140 have choked, 00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:29.160 churches are 00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:29.799 full of people 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:30.400 who profess 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:31.000 faith in 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:32.720 Christ and 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:33.259 bear very 00:25:33.259 --> 00:25:33.839 little fruit 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:34.980 for it. 00:25:36.140 --> 00:25:37.160 I had quite a 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:37.440 wonderful 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.700 conversation after 00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.259 church this 00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:39.680 morning, a 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:40.319 man came to 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:40.779 me and he 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:42.079 said, don't 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:42.839 just tell people 00:25:42.839 --> 00:25:43.400 the negatives, 00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:44.100 tell people the 00:25:44.100 --> 00:25:44.839 positives about 00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:45.240 this, he 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.319 said, I was 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:46.779 a man who 00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:47.259 had choked. 00:25:48.419 --> 00:25:49.179 He came from 00:25:49.179 --> 00:25:49.740 a church up 00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.199 the north shore 00:25:50.199 --> 00:25:51.879 of Sydney, he 00:25:51.879 --> 00:25:53.119 said, I was 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:54.599 wealthy, I was 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:55.399 successful in my 00:25:55.399 --> 00:25:56.220 business, I was 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:56.879 starting to think 00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:57.619 about the Audi 00:25:57.619 --> 00:25:58.319 that I deserved 00:25:58.319 --> 00:25:59.279 to drive. 00:26:00.220 --> 00:26:01.000 He said, I'd 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:01.539 walk down the 00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:02.139 street and look 00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:02.519 in the real 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:04.079 estate agent's 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:04.939 windows at the 00:26:04.939 --> 00:26:05.720 next house that 00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:06.339 I might move 00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:06.639 to. 00:26:07.639 --> 00:26:08.319 I had a 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:09.000 Christian heart, 00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:09.519 my Christian 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.079 heart I wanted 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.519 to be a 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:10.859 Christian 00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:11.659 philanthropist, 00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:11.899 you know, 00:26:11.959 --> 00:26:12.240 that means 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:12.579 somebody who 00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:12.879 gives away 00:26:12.879 --> 00:26:13.459 lots of money. 00:26:13.460 --> 00:26:14.180 And he 00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.539 said, my 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:15.279 plan was to 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:15.640 make the 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:16.240 first two or 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:16.740 three million 00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.559 for myself to 00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.519 set myself up 00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:19.120 and then 00:26:19.120 --> 00:26:19.759 everything else 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.340 that came in 00:26:20.340 --> 00:26:20.920 later I'd just 00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:21.380 give to the 00:26:21.380 --> 00:26:21.579 Lord. 00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:24.079 And he 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:24.779 said, I 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.660 had no 00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:28.880 joy in 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:29.420 the thorns, 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.340 no joy. 00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:32.140 And he 00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:32.559 said, God 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:33.120 brought me to 00:26:33.120 --> 00:26:33.759 a point where 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.220 I had to 00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:35.799 acknowledge that 00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.340 I was living 00:26:36.340 --> 00:26:37.059 for me and 00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:37.740 not for him 00:26:37.740 --> 00:26:39.100 and I had to 00:26:39.100 --> 00:26:39.840 relinquish some 00:26:39.840 --> 00:26:40.440 of my dreams 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:41.039 and ambitions. 00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:41.400 And he 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:41.759 said, guess 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:42.319 what I got? 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:42.759 joy. 00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:43.939 I got joy 00:26:43.939 --> 00:26:45.339 and my life 00:26:45.339 --> 00:26:45.919 started to 00:26:45.919 --> 00:26:46.679 become fruitful 00:26:46.679 --> 00:26:47.259 for the Lord 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:47.619 Jesus. 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:48.919 And he told me 00:26:48.919 --> 00:26:49.599 this morning that 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:50.500 he now works as 00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:51.279 a lay minister in 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:51.879 his church, not 00:26:51.879 --> 00:26:52.500 that everybody's 00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:52.899 got to do 00:26:52.899 --> 00:26:53.200 that. 00:26:54.839 --> 00:26:55.460 But he said, 00:26:56.119 --> 00:26:57.960 to say to 00:26:57.960 --> 00:26:58.559 people, if I 00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.399 preach this again, 00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:00.099 to say that 00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:01.759 when we give up, 00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:02.480 we give up our 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:03.659 idols because God 00:27:03.659 --> 00:27:04.740 gives us something 00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.480 much better. 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:06.639 That's the 00:27:06.639 --> 00:27:07.179 motivator. 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:08.180 God gives us 00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:09.779 joy when we 00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:10.620 submit to him 00:27:10.620 --> 00:27:11.360 and yield to 00:27:11.360 --> 00:27:12.019 him in terms 00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:12.320 of his 00:27:12.320 --> 00:27:12.820 purposes. 00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.560 I went to a 00:27:14.560 --> 00:27:15.120 conference the 00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:16.160 other day and 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:18.019 the speaker said 00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:18.640 that we have 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:19.640 churches full of 00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:20.180 consumers. 00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.060 And I don't 00:27:21.060 --> 00:27:21.860 think I'm talking 00:27:21.860 --> 00:27:22.940 to you like that 00:27:22.940 --> 00:27:24.400 tonight, but I'm 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:25.080 using it as an 00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:25.519 example. 00:27:26.600 --> 00:27:27.200 He said, 00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:27.960 sometimes in 00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:28.700 churches people 00:27:28.700 --> 00:27:29.620 are like Russian 00:27:29.620 --> 00:27:30.400 ice skating 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:30.960 judges. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:33.060 They hold up 00:27:33.060 --> 00:27:33.960 scorecards. 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:37.079 So let's 00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:38.120 give Nick and 00:27:38.120 --> 00:27:39.660 the Musos an 00:27:39.660 --> 00:27:40.340 eight for the 00:27:40.340 --> 00:27:41.200 music tonight. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.319 But if it 00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:43.920 drops below 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:44.900 five or six, 00:27:45.100 --> 00:27:45.700 we're out of 00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:45.920 here. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.600 We're going to 00:27:46.600 --> 00:27:47.340 another church. 00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:49.880 Maybe the 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.480 preaching's a 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:51.660 7.5, but we 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:52.380 really expect 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:53.319 nine in this 00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:53.759 church. 00:27:54.200 --> 00:27:55.039 Our preaching's 00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:55.880 good preaching. 00:27:58.660 --> 00:27:59.340 And the 00:27:59.340 --> 00:27:59.940 speaker was 00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:00.840 urging us to 00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:01.480 listen to the 00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:02.019 voice of the 00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:02.799 Lord Jesus and 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:03.460 to act on what 00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:03.940 he said to 00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.559 us and to 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.279 move us into 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.200 mission mode and 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:06.960 to bear fruit. 00:28:08.320 --> 00:28:09.200 The last word 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:09.680 that the Lord 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.500 Jesus spoke to 00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.059 his disciples 00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:11.700 before he went 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.120 back into 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:12.600 heaven, he 00:28:12.600 --> 00:28:13.860 said, all 00:28:13.860 --> 00:28:14.680 authority in 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:15.120 heaven on 00:28:15.120 --> 00:28:15.740 earth has been 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.420 given to me. 00:28:16.600 --> 00:28:17.480 Go into all 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:18.140 the world and 00:28:18.140 --> 00:28:18.960 make disciples, 00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:20.019 baptising them 00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:20.980 in the name of 00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:21.620 the Father and 00:28:21.620 --> 00:28:22.320 the Son and 00:28:22.320 --> 00:28:22.880 of the Holy 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:24.200 Spirit, and I 00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:24.799 am with you 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.660 always to the 00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:26.200 very end of 00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:26.759 the age. 00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:28.240 Now the man 00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.039 speaking to us 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.620 the other day 00:28:29.620 --> 00:28:30.140 was not a 00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:30.720 young man or 00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:31.340 a hot gun or 00:28:31.340 --> 00:28:31.940 anything like 00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:32.140 that. 00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:33.039 He was 70 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:33.900 years old, 00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.700 and he 00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.320 said to us 00:28:35.320 --> 00:28:36.279 very plainly 00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:36.920 that he is, 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:37.519 and I quote, 00:28:37.620 --> 00:28:38.140 this is his 00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:38.500 quote, 00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:39.740 damned angry 00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:40.539 with people 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.220 and churches 00:28:41.220 --> 00:28:42.420 that do not 00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:43.140 give a damn 00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:43.900 about people 00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:44.259 who are 00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:45.080 currently damned 00:28:45.080 --> 00:28:45.700 by God. 00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:49.160 He said that 00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:49.620 with some 00:28:49.620 --> 00:28:50.059 feeling. 00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:55.379 The last place 00:28:55.379 --> 00:28:56.000 the word is 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:56.879 planted is in 00:28:56.879 --> 00:28:57.559 good soil. 00:28:57.740 --> 00:28:58.319 Verse 20, 00:28:58.679 --> 00:28:59.339 others like 00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:00.220 seed sown on 00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:01.440 good soil hear 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:01.899 the word, 00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:02.559 accept it, 00:29:02.639 --> 00:29:03.319 and produce a 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:03.919 crop 30, 00:29:04.059 --> 00:29:04.740 60, or even 00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:06.119 100 times what 00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:06.599 was sown. 00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:08.759 Jesus is 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.519 fruitful in the 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:10.240 lives of people 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:10.980 who don't just 00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:11.899 hear his word, 00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:12.960 but also take it 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.500 to heart and 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:14.159 accept it. 00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:14.980 And I think 00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:15.419 when I think 00:29:15.419 --> 00:29:16.240 about fruitfulness, 00:29:16.399 --> 00:29:16.839 I'm thinking 00:29:16.839 --> 00:29:17.740 broad acceptance, 00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:18.720 broad change, 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:19.779 broad fruitfulness, 00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:20.980 lives which 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:21.720 overflow with 00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:22.240 the fruit of 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:22.880 God's spirit, 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:23.839 love, joy, 00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:25.400 peace, patience, 00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:26.039 kindness, 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:26.720 gentleness, 00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.700 self-control, 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:28.839 lives which 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:31.759 have mission-hearted 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.799 care and concern 00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:33.759 for people that 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.339 we know who 00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:34.880 don't know the 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.440 Lord Jesus. 00:29:36.620 --> 00:29:37.360 People who are 00:29:37.360 --> 00:29:38.079 unashamed to 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:38.839 go to school or 00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:39.600 to go to uni or 00:29:39.600 --> 00:29:40.420 to go to work and 00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:41.000 say, yes, I 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:41.759 believe in Jesus 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.680 Christ as Lord. 00:29:43.120 --> 00:29:43.779 Not necessarily 00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.460 like that, but 00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:44.860 however is 00:29:44.860 --> 00:29:45.500 appropriate in a 00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:45.900 place that you 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:46.500 find yourself. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:47.740 Churches full of 00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.299 people who are 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:49.200 impacting others 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:50.059 with the very 00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:50.779 good word of 00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.359 the very good 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:51.859 Lord Jesus 00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:52.359 Christ. 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.839 I'm not sure 00:29:55.839 --> 00:29:56.419 how you judge 00:29:56.419 --> 00:29:57.139 yourself tonight, 00:29:58.200 --> 00:29:59.079 where you fit in 00:29:59.079 --> 00:29:59.919 this spectrum of 00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:00.779 responses to 00:30:00.779 --> 00:30:01.559 Jesus' word, 00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:03.200 and I want you to 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:03.779 judge yourself, 00:30:03.879 --> 00:30:04.359 I don't want you 00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.119 to judge others, 00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:07.259 because in telling 00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.859 this story, 00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.720 Jesus makes it 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:09.440 very clear that 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.279 there is only one 00:30:10.279 --> 00:30:11.099 response that he's 00:30:11.099 --> 00:30:11.740 looking for, 00:30:11.899 --> 00:30:12.859 and it's the 00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:13.659 response which 00:30:13.659 --> 00:30:14.559 bears lots of 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.359 fruit joyfully. 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:17.659 And he says, 00:30:17.939 --> 00:30:19.219 listen intently 00:30:19.219 --> 00:30:20.019 to him. 00:30:21.899 --> 00:30:22.719 And I think I 00:30:22.719 --> 00:30:23.279 want to say to 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:23.759 you tonight that 00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:24.579 if you haven't 00:30:24.579 --> 00:30:25.519 been listening or 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:26.139 you haven't known 00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:26.899 how to listen, 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:28.000 you can change. 00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:30.459 You can move from 00:30:30.459 --> 00:30:31.639 a wrong response to 00:30:31.639 --> 00:30:32.579 the right one very 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:33.500 simply, really. 00:30:35.699 --> 00:30:36.299 Haven't been 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:37.099 listening at all, 00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:40.019 been excited, but 00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:40.699 that was a long 00:30:40.699 --> 00:30:41.379 time ago. 00:30:42.959 --> 00:30:43.839 Got stale in 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:44.539 church with too 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.259 many competing 00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:46.000 voices, too 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.779 many masters. 00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.720 Jesus invites us 00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:50.659 to begin again 00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:53.599 today to listen 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.619 very intently to 00:30:54.619 --> 00:30:56.559 his voice, to 00:30:56.559 --> 00:30:57.439 seek after his 00:30:57.439 --> 00:30:59.000 kingdom, to 00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.720 pursue his 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:01.599 righteousness, to 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.299 become very 00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:03.419 fruitful in God's 00:31:03.419 --> 00:31:04.119 hands in a way 00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:04.799 which will bring 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:05.839 him much glory 00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:06.779 and bring you 00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:08.059 much joy. 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:10.259 If that's 00:31:10.259 --> 00:31:10.779 something that 00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:11.579 you would like to 00:31:11.579 --> 00:31:13.619 begin afresh today, 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:15.759 tonight, then I'm 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.480 saying to you I'm 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:17.199 going to stay down 00:31:17.199 --> 00:31:17.899 here with one or 00:31:17.899 --> 00:31:18.679 two others at the 00:31:18.679 --> 00:31:19.439 end of the service 00:31:19.439 --> 00:31:20.959 and I would love to 00:31:20.959 --> 00:31:22.799 pray with you in 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:23.759 making that sort of 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:24.480 commitment and 00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:25.779 beginning again with 00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:26.439 the Lord Jesus. 00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:27.659 Amen.