WEBVTT

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 Well, we've noted a number of times through our study of the Gospel of Mark that Mark's

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 Gospel presents the life of Jesus in a mosaic form.

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 And so rather than narrating the events of Jesus' life in a strictly chronological way,

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 Mark, under God's guiding hand, is choosing to write in a sort of topical way.

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 As we go through his Gospel, we see that he's really given us these snapshots of various things about Jesus

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 rather than giving us a clear timeline exactly of how Jesus went about his life.

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 And his desire, of course, as we have said over and over, was to persuade the reader

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 that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah and the Son of God.

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 And so he accomplishes that by giving us these snapshots, persuading us not just to be entertained by the stories,

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 but to actually come to a point of faith in the person of Jesus and to believe in his work,

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 ultimately in his death and resurrection.

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 And though there are various moments of Jesus' teaching that are expressed and explained throughout the book,

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 there's really only two places that Mark deals specifically with the content of Jesus' teaching.

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 Mark is focused on the Lord's use of parables,

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 and he collected just a handful of them,

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 and he linked them together to help us understand the message of Christ,

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 the Gospel of Christ,

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 as well as the message of the kingdom and these comparisons to the kingdom.

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 So, one thing that we don't have in this chapter is,

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 it's not a random assortment of stories that Jesus told.

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 It's not that Mark just grabbed a few of his favorites and threw them in here.

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 We know that Mark is keeping a very succinct and systematic approach to his teaching about Jesus.

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 And so, what he has collected here in chapter 4 are the parables that, in his estimation,

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 are most important for his Roman audience, his early Roman audience, to understand.

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 And so, when we come to these parables, we don't come just saying,

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 okay, Jesus told this really nice story here about the four soils,

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 and then he told this really nice story about a lamp,

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 and then he told this really nice story about casting seed and things eventually growing,

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 and then ultimately wraps it up with just another nice story about the mustard seed

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 and how it grows into a big bush.

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 It's not just that Mark thought, these are all my favorites.

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 I want people to hear these favorite stories of mine.

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 No, there's a very intentional purpose to what Mark is doing.

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 These are all linked together.

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 There's a purpose to what he is giving us here,

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 and we need to come to it understanding that purpose.

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 Now, remember at the beginning of the chapter,

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 we saw that Jesus was teaching a massive crowd on the shore of the Lake of Galilee.

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 And after that time of public teaching,

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 when he gave this parable of the four soils,

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 he has some time privately with a few of his disciples

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 and some of his other followers as well.

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 They were inquiring the meaning of the parables that he had been teaching,

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 but they were also trying to figure out

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 exactly why he was all of a sudden beginning to teach in stories.

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 That's not what Jesus had done up to this point.

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 Up to this point in the Gospel of Mark,

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 he's actually had a very consistent message.

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 The consistent message we see is summarized in chapter 1

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 as the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 It is near.

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 Repent and believe the Gospel.

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 Repent and believe the good news.

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 And so for two years now,

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 Jesus has been teaching this message.

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 He has been preaching the message of the Gospel.

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 Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.

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 Demonstrating that in his works.

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 And now he's all of a sudden making this switch

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 to where he's telling stories.

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 And so they ask,

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 why are you teaching in parables?

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 They don't seem to be as clear as you were before.

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 Why are you doing that?

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 And so Jesus gives that answer in verses 10 through 12.

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 Now, though the text doesn't explicitly state this,

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 it is reasonable for us to conclude that verses 21 to 25,

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 what we just read,

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 are a part of Jesus' private teaching to his disciples.

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 So that very first section,

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 that was the public crowd on the Lake of Galilee.

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 He tells the story.

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 And then there's the private setting

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 in which Jesus gives the explanation of the story,

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 the explanation for why he was teaching in parables.

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 Well, verses 21 to 25 are tied into this private teaching.

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 We haven't left that scene yet.

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 We're going to in verse 26,

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 but we haven't quite left that scene yet.

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 And there's a few reasons that I've come to this conclusion.

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 Maybe I can persuade you that this is it

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 through these four things.

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 The first note that I notice here

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 is that while verses 21 and 24

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 indicate Jesus addressing a specific group,

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 verses 26 and verse 30,

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 the other two parables,

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 they do not do that.

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 So look at it with me.

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 Verse 21, the very first phrase,

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 and he said unto them.

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 It's referencing a very specific group

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 of people that he's teaching.

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 And then if you look down in verse 24,

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 same thing.

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 And he said to them,

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 to them,

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 a specific group tying it back

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 to this private time of teaching.

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 But when we get to verses 26

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 and verses 30,

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 we don't have that same phrasing.

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 It is just simply that Jesus said.

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 And so it is reasonable for us to conclude,

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 and I could be wrong,

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 but it's reasonable for us to conclude

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 that those last two parables are just,

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 that it didn't happen at this particular time,

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 didn't necessarily happen in this particular place,

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 but it mattered to the point

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 that Mark was making in this chapter.

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 But verses 21 to 25

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 is more of the explanation

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 for why he's teaching in parables,

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 and it's certainly tying into

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 the parable of the soils as well.

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 So that's the first thing that I noted

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 that makes me think that way.

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 The second thing that I noted

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 is that the teaching of verses 21 to 25

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 is better understood as a companion piece

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 to the story of the soils

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 and to the story or the explanation

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 of verses 10 through 12.

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 We're gonna come back to this

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 throughout our study this morning.

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 But if you think about it,

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 if you just take verses 21 to 25,

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 apart from 10 through 20,

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 it is a very confusing passage.

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 I mean, there's some weird language

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 that he's using here.

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 It's not very easy just to grab it and understand.

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 But when we set it within the context

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 of verses 10 through 20,

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 we begin to understand,

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 okay, he's just explaining further.

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 He's unpacking further what he was trying

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 to explain to them before.

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 And then here's the other thing.

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 Like the parable of the soils,

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 the last two stories are agricultural in nature.

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 They come back to this casting seed,

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 this growth of plants.

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 They're all kind of on the same theme.

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 But this section 21 to 25 is not on that theme.

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 So it seems reasonable that Mark,

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 after explaining the parable of the soils,

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 does this other thing

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 in this private teaching with Jesus.

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 Then he circles back around

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 to deal with the explanation of the kingdom

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 in these agricultural terms,

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 which would have made sense

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 to his Roman audience.

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 They would have understood that clearly.

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 And so it just makes sense

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 that maybe there's a separation here.

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 And then the last thing,

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 if you notice the conclusion

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 of the whole section in verse 33,

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 Mark writes,

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 this is Mark narrating now,

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 is writing and he says,

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 and with many such parables

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 spake he the word unto them

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 as they were able to hear it.

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 But without a parable

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 spake he not unto them.

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 All right.

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 Well, we know that he spoke

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 to the disciples at times

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 without parables.

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 So that can't be necessarily applying

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 to this private time of teaching.

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 That's got to be applying

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 more to the general audiences

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 that he was teaching

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 when he would include these parables

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 and what they were doing.

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 So the content of verses 21 to 25

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 need to be linked really

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 with the content of verses 10 through 20

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 and especially verses 10 through 12.

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 Now there, Jesus explained

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 why he was teaching in parables.

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 And the summary is this.

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 For those who were believing on him,

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 the parables brought gospel clarity

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 to their mind.

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 But for the unbelieving,

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 the parables had a hardening effect.

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 And we've used that common phrase,

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 the same sun that melts the ice

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 hardens the clay.

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 And the parables had that effect.

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 For those who had believing hearts,

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 their hearts were melted further.

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 They became more believing people.

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 But for those who had hardened

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 their hearts to the Lord,

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 the parables further hardened

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 their hearts to him.

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 And it had this hardening effect.

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 It's not that Jesus's stories

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 were difficult to understand.

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 That's not what this is about.

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 It's just that their spiritual meaning

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 was lost for those

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 who did not believe Christ in faith.

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 And so Jesus unpacks this thought further

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 in 21 to 25.

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 And he first brings some clarification.

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 Some clarification,

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 lest someone read verses 10 through 12

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 and think that Jesus actually

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 was trying to conceal the gospel,

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 that he was trying to hide it

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 because he didn't want certain people

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 to be saved.

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 That's not what he's saying in this.

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 And so the first thing he does

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 in verse 21

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 is he brings some clarification to that.

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 And then he emphasizes

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 the necessity of being fruitful

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 hearers of the word.

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 And so that's really the object

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 of our study today.

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 We want to understand

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 the clarification that Jesus brings.

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 And then we certainly want to see

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 the emphasis of being fruitful hearers.

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 And just for my help,

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 I've broken this down into three words.

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 If you want to write these down

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 in your margins,

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 maybe it'll be helpful to you as well.

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 First, I have clarification.

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 Then I have exhortation.

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 And then explanation.

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 Clarification, exhortation, explanation.

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 And we'll work our way through

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 those three words this morning, okay?

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 First, let's look at clarification.

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 Look with me again at verse 21.

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 And he said to them,

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 Is a lamp brought in

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 to be put under a basket

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 or under a bed

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 and not on a stand?

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 That's an interesting way

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 to kick things off here, isn't it?

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 It's just another parable.

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 It's another story.

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 And it's almost humorous

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 what Jesus is saying here.

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 It's a ridiculous notion

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 that he's pointing his finger to here.

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 The lamp that Jesus is referring to

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 is the lamps that would have been

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 small clay vessels

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 that they would have had

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 scattered throughout their homes

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 in ancient Palestine.

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 It's difficult for us

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 to now think about this.

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 It's difficult for us

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 to relate to a time

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 when there's no electricity,

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 when there's no electric power, right?

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 But that's certainly the time

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 that they lived in.

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 Now imagine your house, Clementine,

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 is this stone house

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 in Israel 2,000 years ago.

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 But there's no light switches.

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 There's no lights in the house.

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 There you have windows.

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 They're just holes

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 that are cut out in the wall,

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 but there's no glass

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 because they wouldn't have had glass

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 for their windows.

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 Even the glass that they had,

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 that was really for more

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 of the wealthy people at that point.

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 And it wasn't very clear glass

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 like we would have

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 in these mirrors here

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 in this room today.

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 They didn't have what we have now.

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 So in the evenings

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 when it was time

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 to shut the shutters

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 to the windows

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 for safety or for privacy

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 or for whatever it was,

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 the rooms in the house

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 would be especially dark.

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 There's no light coming in.

00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:28.740
 And so they had

00:12:28.740 --> 00:12:30.560
 these small clay vessels

00:12:30.560 --> 00:12:32.720
 that had kind of a large opening

00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:33.560
 right in the middle

00:12:33.560 --> 00:12:34.440
 and then maybe it would have

00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:35.780
 had a spout on one side

00:12:35.780 --> 00:12:36.360
 or maybe it would have

00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:37.820
 just been the hole.

00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:39.139
 They fill it up with oil.

00:12:39.480 --> 00:12:40.660
 They light one end of it

00:12:40.660 --> 00:12:41.600
 and then they set it up

00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:42.200
 on a shelf

00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:43.019
 or on a table

00:12:43.019 --> 00:12:44.500
 or on a particular stand

00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:45.879
 and it gives light

00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:46.540
 to the house.

00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:47.700
 They can now see

00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:48.480
 what otherwise

00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:49.840
 would be hidden

00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:51.420
 by the darkness.

00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:54.019
 And so you can visit

00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:56.019
 museums even today.

00:12:56.019 --> 00:12:57.639
 Julie and I have had

00:12:57.639 --> 00:12:58.460
 an opportunity

00:12:58.460 --> 00:12:59.279
 to go to the Museum

00:12:59.279 --> 00:12:59.860
 of the Bible

00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:01.240
 in Washington, D.C.

00:13:01.779 --> 00:13:02.620
 And this is just

00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:04.659
 this is not a paid advertisement.

00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:06.039
 This is just a by the way.

00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:07.259
 If you ever get

00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:08.460
 an opportunity to go,

00:13:09.079 --> 00:13:09.500
 go.

00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.539
 It is really, really fantastic.

00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:12.519
 I think you'll enjoy it.

00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:13.299
 But in there

00:13:13.299 --> 00:13:13.980
 they have

00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:15.240
 they have

00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:16.079
 a collection

00:13:16.079 --> 00:13:17.319
 of lamps

00:13:17.319 --> 00:13:18.319
 that are about

00:13:18.319 --> 00:13:19.620
 2,000 years old

00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:21.019
 from Israel,

00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:22.159
 Iraq, Iran

00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:23.039
 from that area.

00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:23.819
 And they have

00:13:23.819 --> 00:13:24.339
 this collection

00:13:24.339 --> 00:13:24.860
 where you can go in

00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:25.099
 and see.

00:13:25.299 --> 00:13:26.079
 And they're very small.

00:13:26.339 --> 00:13:26.980
 They're very small

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:28.019
 and it's just displayed

00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:29.199
 and you can get a picture

00:13:29.199 --> 00:13:29.980
 of what it was

00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:31.360
 that Jesus is referring

00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:31.879
 to here.

00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:32.459
 Now,

00:13:32.740 --> 00:13:33.980
 what does he mean

00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:34.539
 by this?

00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:35.839
 Well, his question

00:13:35.839 --> 00:13:37.139
 was somewhat silly.

00:13:37.439 --> 00:13:38.399
 It was somewhat

00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:39.599
 humorous

00:13:39.599 --> 00:13:40.799
 as the thought

00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.339
 of hiding that light

00:13:42.339 --> 00:13:43.959
 is really ridiculous

00:13:43.959 --> 00:13:46.360
 because who does that?

00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:47.099
 Right?

00:13:47.319 --> 00:13:48.219
 Who goes into

00:13:48.219 --> 00:13:49.339
 their dark house,

00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.659
 lights a lamp

00:13:50.659 --> 00:13:51.599
 so that they can have light

00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:52.720
 and only to take it

00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.300
 to the kitchen

00:13:53.300 --> 00:13:54.340
 and cover it up

00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:54.920
 with a basket

00:13:54.920 --> 00:13:56.139
 or to take it

00:13:56.139 --> 00:13:56.800
 to the bedroom

00:13:56.800 --> 00:13:57.820
 and slide it

00:13:57.820 --> 00:13:59.080
 underneath the bed

00:13:59.080 --> 00:13:59.980
 that completely

00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:01.379
 defeats the purpose

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:02.060
 of the lamp?

00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:03.300
 Who would do that?

00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:04.980
 It's a ridiculous notion

00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:05.940
 and that's really

00:14:05.940 --> 00:14:07.580
 what Jesus is saying here.

00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:08.720
 Jesus,

00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:10.620
 in the same way,

00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:12.139
 wasn't trying

00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:13.779
 to hide the gospel

00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:14.720
 through his use

00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:15.340
 of parables.

00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:16.440
 That's not what

00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:17.340
 the parables were doing.

00:14:17.540 --> 00:14:18.360
 They weren't hiding

00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:18.820
 anything.

00:14:19.660 --> 00:14:20.980
 It wouldn't make sense

00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:21.980
 for God

00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:23.180
 to bring the kingdom

00:14:23.180 --> 00:14:24.399
 near as was

00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:25.320
 Jesus' message.

00:14:25.539 --> 00:14:26.500
 It wouldn't make sense

00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:26.920
 for God

00:14:26.920 --> 00:14:27.720
 to bring the kingdom

00:14:27.720 --> 00:14:28.480
 near to them

00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.420
 only to conceal Jesus.

00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:32.120
 That wouldn't make

00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:32.960
 any sense at all.

00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:34.379
 So the fact

00:14:34.379 --> 00:14:35.200
 of Jesus'

00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.379
 constant traveling

00:14:37.379 --> 00:14:38.920
 and his accommodation

00:14:38.920 --> 00:14:41.580
 of these massive crowds

00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:43.019
 only contributes

00:14:43.019 --> 00:14:44.420
 to the understanding

00:14:44.420 --> 00:14:45.240
 that Jesus

00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:46.539
 wanted to be known.

00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:48.440
 He did not desire

00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:49.519
 to live in an obscurity.

00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:50.659
 Think about it.

00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:51.339
 He could have.

00:14:51.719 --> 00:14:52.539
 He could have found

00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:53.439
 a place where nobody

00:14:53.439 --> 00:14:54.179
 could find him.

00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:55.659
 He could just grab

00:14:55.659 --> 00:14:56.620
 the 12 disciples

00:14:56.620 --> 00:14:57.659
 and maybe a few others,

00:14:57.959 --> 00:14:58.519
 bring them in

00:14:58.519 --> 00:14:59.179
 and he could spend

00:14:59.179 --> 00:14:59.699
 his three years

00:14:59.699 --> 00:15:00.199
 doing that

00:15:00.199 --> 00:15:01.139
 and then make his way

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:01.819
 to Jerusalem

00:15:01.819 --> 00:15:03.759
 to provide redemption.

00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:04.299
 But that's not

00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:05.339
 what Jesus did at all.

00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:06.879
 He went from village

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:07.339
 to village

00:15:07.339 --> 00:15:08.199
 and town to town.

00:15:08.259 --> 00:15:09.079
 He accommodated

00:15:09.079 --> 00:15:09.779
 the crowds,

00:15:09.939 --> 00:15:11.339
 even the unbelieving crowds.

00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:12.620
 He accommodated them.

00:15:12.860 --> 00:15:13.299
 Why?

00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:14.379
 Because Jesus

00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:15.199
 didn't desire

00:15:15.199 --> 00:15:16.220
 to live in obscurity.

00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:17.539
 He didn't come

00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:18.799
 just to be concealed.

00:15:19.099 --> 00:15:21.339
 He came to be revealed.

00:15:21.819 --> 00:15:22.860
 And so his parables,

00:15:23.019 --> 00:15:23.799
 they weren't about

00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:25.079
 hiding the gospel.

00:15:25.819 --> 00:15:26.539
 They weren't about

00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:27.539
 doing that at all.

00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:28.620
 That wouldn't make

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.879
 any sense.

00:15:29.959 --> 00:15:31.759
 He was actually here

00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.399
 bringing clarity

00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:35.240
 to what the gospel

00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:37.000
 meant in the parables.

00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:38.459
 And we just reminded

00:15:38.459 --> 00:15:39.779
 about Luke chapter 19.

00:15:40.319 --> 00:15:41.079
 The son of man

00:15:41.079 --> 00:15:41.899
 came to do what?

00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:44.279
 to seek and to save

00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:46.199
 that which was lost.

00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:48.299
 He didn't come

00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:49.699
 to hide

00:15:49.699 --> 00:15:50.879
 and just hope

00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:52.019
 that you figure it out.

00:15:52.199 --> 00:15:53.459
 That's not what Jesus

00:15:53.459 --> 00:15:54.480
 was doing with the parables

00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:55.179
 and he brought

00:15:55.179 --> 00:15:56.120
 some clarification to that.

00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:57.179
 Now look at verse 22.

00:15:58.179 --> 00:15:59.559
 For nothing is hidden

00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:02.120
 except to be made manifest,

00:16:02.579 --> 00:16:04.159
 nor is anything secret

00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:05.919
 except to come

00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:07.139
 to light.

00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:09.240
 Now the reference

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:09.960
 to secrets

00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:11.720
 and things hidden here

00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:14.000
 connects back to

00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:15.440
 what Jesus said

00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:16.300
 is the mystery

00:16:16.300 --> 00:16:17.779
 of the kingdom of God

00:16:17.779 --> 00:16:18.500
 in verse 11.

00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:19.480
 Let's look back up

00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:20.500
 to verse 11 with me.

00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:21.800
 And he said unto them,

00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:22.740
 unto you,

00:16:22.800 --> 00:16:23.700
 this is to his disciples,

00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:25.220
 unto you it is given

00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:26.040
 to know what?

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.279
 The mystery

00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.000
 of the kingdom of God.

00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:30.560
 Well when he gets here

00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:31.080
 and he's talking

00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:32.200
 about things hidden

00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:33.420
 and he's talking

00:16:33.420 --> 00:16:34.940
 about secret things,

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.340
 it's a reflection

00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:39.120
 on what is said

00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:39.879
 to be the mysteries

00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:40.980
 of the kingdom of God.

00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:43.240
 So just as one

00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:44.019
 uses a lamp

00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:45.220
 to reveal what is hidden

00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:45.920
 in his house,

00:16:46.180 --> 00:16:47.700
 so does God intend

00:16:47.700 --> 00:16:48.960
 to reveal the mysteries

00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:50.580
 of the Old Testament

00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:52.320
 through the person

00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.279
 of Jesus.

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:54.740
 That's the point.

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:55.279
 That's the point

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.120
 of the parable here.

00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:58.379
 Now mystery is used

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:59.580
 often in the New Testament.

00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:01.700
 It's almost exclusively used

00:17:01.700 --> 00:17:03.460
 to refer to things

00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:04.920
 that were at one time

00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:05.299
 hidden

00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:07.559
 but have now been revealed

00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:08.400
 in the gospel.

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.559
 They have now been revealed

00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:10.720
 in Christ.

00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:12.539
 And so Paul uses

00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:13.720
 this word often.

00:17:14.659 --> 00:17:16.319
 Paul even refers

00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:17.139
 to these mysteries

00:17:17.139 --> 00:17:18.659
 as shadows.

00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:20.659
 But God's intention

00:17:20.659 --> 00:17:23.159
 was always to bring

00:17:23.159 --> 00:17:24.240
 to light

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:26.159
 the things that were hidden

00:17:26.159 --> 00:17:27.659
 in the Old Testament,

00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:28.379
 in the law

00:17:28.379 --> 00:17:29.059
 and the prophets.

00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:31.299
 And in his time,

00:17:31.740 --> 00:17:33.339
 he brought a lamp

00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:36.119
 to manifest those things.

00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:37.919
 And that lamp

00:17:37.919 --> 00:17:39.659
 is Jesus.

00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:41.919
 He is the lamp.

00:17:42.979 --> 00:17:44.439
 So when Jesus says,

00:17:44.639 --> 00:17:45.819
 who lights a lamp

00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:46.639
 and hides it under

00:17:46.639 --> 00:17:47.659
 a basket or a bed,

00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:49.439
 he's referring to himself.

00:17:50.459 --> 00:17:51.099
 He's saying,

00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:52.299
 I did not come

00:17:52.299 --> 00:17:53.239
 to be hidden.

00:17:53.959 --> 00:17:54.319
 In fact,

00:17:54.379 --> 00:17:54.899
 think about it.

00:17:54.959 --> 00:17:56.239
 John chapter 1.

00:17:56.959 --> 00:17:58.339
 In him was life

00:17:58.339 --> 00:17:59.579
 and the life

00:17:59.579 --> 00:18:00.799
 was the light of men.

00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.199
 The light shines

00:18:03.199 --> 00:18:04.039
 in darkness

00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:05.519
 and the darkness

00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:07.180
 has not overcome it.

00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.879
 What was John saying?

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:10.480
 Jesus himself

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.700
 is the light.

00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:14.500
 He is the lamp.

00:18:14.859 --> 00:18:16.299
 Jesus himself said this.

00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:17.399
 John chapter 8

00:18:17.399 --> 00:18:18.159
 in verse 12.

00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:18.899
 Again,

00:18:19.420 --> 00:18:20.480
 Jesus spoke to them

00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:20.920
 saying,

00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:22.779
 I am the light

00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:23.480
 of the world.

00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:25.500
 Whoever follows me

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:26.460
 will not walk

00:18:26.460 --> 00:18:27.339
 in darkness

00:18:27.339 --> 00:18:29.000
 but will have

00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.480
 the light of life.

00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:31.200
 What's the light

00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.019
 he's referring to?

00:18:32.180 --> 00:18:33.599
 He's referring to a lamp.

00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:34.939
 Same thing he's referring

00:18:34.939 --> 00:18:36.099
 to in Mark chapter 4.

00:18:36.219 --> 00:18:37.099
 So we come to this.

00:18:37.179 --> 00:18:38.599
 We're not just talking

00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:40.980
 about a theological belief

00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:41.859
 or a set of doctrines.

00:18:41.939 --> 00:18:42.579
 We're talking about

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:43.259
 a person.

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:45.159
 The lamp is Christ.

00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:46.419
 And when we go back

00:18:46.419 --> 00:18:47.240
 to the Old Testament

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:47.980
 we start trying

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:48.799
 to sift through

00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:49.719
 all the things there.

00:18:49.819 --> 00:18:50.939
 What is all of this about?

00:18:51.079 --> 00:18:52.519
 What is this system

00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:53.859
 of sacrifices about?

00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:56.879
 What is this whole issue

00:18:56.879 --> 00:18:57.779
 about the kingdom

00:18:57.779 --> 00:18:58.539
 that the prophets

00:18:58.539 --> 00:18:59.899
 are getting on about

00:18:59.899 --> 00:19:00.579
 in the Old Testament?

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:03.019
 What is this all about

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:03.779
 about David

00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:04.439
 and lineage

00:19:04.439 --> 00:19:05.339
 and all these kinds

00:19:05.339 --> 00:19:05.740
 of things?

00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:07.259
 All of those things

00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:07.960
 are revealed

00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:08.859
 and answered

00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:10.579
 in the person

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:11.619
 of Jesus.

00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:13.879
 He is the lamp

00:19:13.879 --> 00:19:15.199
 and he came

00:19:15.199 --> 00:19:16.519
 to cast light

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.599
 on the darkness

00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:18.419
 of this world

00:19:18.419 --> 00:19:19.439
 and on the mysteries

00:19:19.439 --> 00:19:21.539
 of the Old Testament.

00:19:22.619 --> 00:19:23.379
 And so it wasn't

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:23.919
 his goal

00:19:23.919 --> 00:19:25.379
 to conceal the gospel

00:19:25.379 --> 00:19:27.500
 but his very presence

00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:28.419
 demonstrated

00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:29.759
 his intention

00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:30.460
 actually

00:19:30.460 --> 00:19:32.000
 to display

00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.740
 the gospel.

00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:34.560
 And think about

00:19:34.560 --> 00:19:35.120
 that message

00:19:35.120 --> 00:19:36.180
 that he had been preaching.

00:19:37.340 --> 00:19:38.860
 He was the representative

00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.640
 of the kingdom.

00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:41.560
 When Jesus said

00:19:41.560 --> 00:19:42.539
 the kingdom is near

00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:44.400
 he meant himself

00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.440
 as representative

00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:47.700
 of the coming kingdom

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.279
 of God

00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:49.480
 I am near

00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:50.640
 spatially.

00:19:51.180 --> 00:19:51.700
 Spatially.

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:52.100
 He's not talking

00:19:52.100 --> 00:19:52.440
 about time

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.160
 but space.

00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.660
 I am near you

00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:55.519
 look to me

00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:56.859
 and all who heard

00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:58.000
 the good news

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.799
 were commanded

00:19:58.799 --> 00:19:59.759
 to repent

00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.819
 and believe.

00:20:02.639 --> 00:20:03.559
 And so what's

00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:03.980
 the point

00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:05.019
 of this parable

00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:05.539
 of the lamp?

00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:07.259
 Jesus is the light.

00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:09.660
 He is the representative

00:20:09.660 --> 00:20:10.379
 of the kingdom.

00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:12.720
 Now that you know

00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:14.039
 repent

00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:15.720
 and believe.

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.000
 And for all

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.000
 who will not repent

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:19.579
 and believe

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.559
 they will only be

00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:21.519
 hardened further

00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.579
 as they come

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:23.319
 to these stories

00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:23.980
 and as they come

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:24.680
 to these parables

00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:25.299
 and as they come

00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:25.880
 to this truth

00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:27.460
 time and time

00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:28.519
 again.

00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:30.100
 James Edwards

00:20:30.100 --> 00:20:31.060
 said the lamp

00:20:31.060 --> 00:20:32.120
 coupled with

00:20:32.120 --> 00:20:32.640
 the theme

00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:33.519
 of disclosure

00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:34.759
 testify

00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:36.640
 that God's purpose

00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:38.240
 in Jesus

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.600
 is to

00:20:39.600 --> 00:20:40.460
 enlighten

00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:42.360
 and reveal.

00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:45.140
 He is the lamp.

00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:45.900
 So he brings

00:20:45.900 --> 00:20:46.440
 clarification.

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:47.240
 Secondly

00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:48.100
 we see

00:20:48.100 --> 00:20:49.259
 exhortation.

00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:50.039
 We've seen

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:50.640
 clarification

00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:52.140
 now we see

00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:53.600
 exhortation.

00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:54.400
 Now look with me

00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:55.240
 at verse 23

00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:56.519
 and just the first

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:57.880
 part of verse 24.

00:20:58.920 --> 00:20:59.480
 Jesus says

00:20:59.480 --> 00:20:59.880
 again

00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:01.560
 if any man

00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:02.320
 have ears

00:21:02.320 --> 00:21:03.080
 to hear

00:21:03.080 --> 00:21:04.720
 let him hear.

00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:06.240
 And he said

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:06.800
 to them

00:21:06.800 --> 00:21:08.680
 pay attention

00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:10.340
 to what

00:21:10.340 --> 00:21:11.920
 you hear.

00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:13.280
 Pay attention

00:21:13.280 --> 00:21:14.900
 to what

00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:16.160
 you hear.

00:21:16.820 --> 00:21:17.519
 So after

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.340
 providing some

00:21:18.340 --> 00:21:19.040
 clarification

00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:20.440
 Jesus

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:20.440


00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:21.079
 again

00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:21.759
 emphasized

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:23.460
 the necessity

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.700
 of quote

00:21:24.700 --> 00:21:25.480
 hearing

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.879
 the word.

00:21:27.659 --> 00:21:28.420
 So the

00:21:28.420 --> 00:21:29.039
 fruitfulness

00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:29.899
 of the word

00:21:29.899 --> 00:21:30.240
 of God

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.039
 in our lives

00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:32.399
 is not

00:21:32.399 --> 00:21:33.480
 then a matter

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:34.460
 of intellectual

00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:35.500
 capacity

00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:37.119
 but it is a

00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:38.039
 matter of

00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:39.000
 spiritual

00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:40.440
 faith.

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:40.519
 faith.

00:21:41.840 --> 00:21:42.720
 It is not

00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:43.259
 that Jesus

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:44.000
 parables

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:44.700
 were challenging

00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:45.640
 to understand

00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:47.140
 but the

00:21:47.140 --> 00:21:47.740
 clarity

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.960
 they bring

00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:49.940
 is entirely

00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:50.759
 useless

00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:53.019
 unless you

00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:53.740
 receive it

00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:55.220
 by faith.

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.660
 So the

00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:57.120
 issue for

00:21:57.120 --> 00:21:57.680
 those that

00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.660
 weren't grasping

00:21:58.660 --> 00:21:59.180
 what Jesus

00:21:59.180 --> 00:21:59.700
 was getting

00:21:59.700 --> 00:21:59.960
 at with

00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:00.380
 these stories

00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:00.960
 it is not

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.559
 because they

00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:02.120
 were dumb

00:22:02.120 --> 00:22:02.900
 that is not

00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:03.279
 what it was

00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:03.640
 these were

00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:04.660
 very simple

00:22:04.660 --> 00:22:05.220
 stories.

00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:05.680
 They would

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.120
 have understood

00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:06.619
 the stories

00:22:06.619 --> 00:22:07.279
 themselves

00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:08.739
 but the

00:22:08.739 --> 00:22:09.239
 extent of

00:22:09.239 --> 00:22:09.799
 the fruitfulness

00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:10.819
 of the word

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:11.519
 in their life

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.279
 was directly

00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:13.419
 related to

00:22:13.419 --> 00:22:13.779
 the way

00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:14.179
 that they

00:22:14.179 --> 00:22:14.879
 heard or

00:22:14.879 --> 00:22:15.839
 received it

00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:16.419
 and whether

00:22:16.419 --> 00:22:16.679
 or not

00:22:16.679 --> 00:22:17.299
 they received

00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:17.839
 it by

00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:18.699
 faith.

00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:19.739
 And so

00:22:19.739 --> 00:22:20.059
 throughout

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:20.639
 this entire

00:22:20.639 --> 00:22:21.219
 section

00:22:21.219 --> 00:22:22.539
 an emphasis

00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:23.339
 is placed

00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:24.299
 on how

00:22:24.299 --> 00:22:25.239
 we receive

00:22:25.239 --> 00:22:26.339
 the word

00:22:26.339 --> 00:22:27.419
 and this is

00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:27.939
 even true

00:22:27.939 --> 00:22:28.519
 in the

00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:28.919
 parable

00:22:28.919 --> 00:22:29.179
 of the

00:22:29.179 --> 00:22:29.559
 soils.

00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:30.739
 Remember

00:22:30.739 --> 00:22:31.299
 the sower

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:31.899
 teaches

00:22:31.899 --> 00:22:32.379
 the word

00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:32.859
 of God

00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:33.199
 that is

00:22:33.199 --> 00:22:34.079
 the casting

00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:34.799
 of the seed

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.779
 and the

00:22:35.779 --> 00:22:36.240
 fruitfulness

00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:36.680
 of the

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:36.960
 seed

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.660
 is based

00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:38.220
 on how

00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:39.000
 the individual

00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:39.819
 or the

00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:40.139
 soil

00:22:40.139 --> 00:22:41.379
 receives

00:22:41.379 --> 00:22:42.319
 what is

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:42.839
 taught.

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:43.779
 And we

00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:44.220
 can trace

00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:44.839
 this emphasis

00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:45.359
 throughout

00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:46.299
 these verses

00:22:46.299 --> 00:22:46.740
 as well.

00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:47.519
 21 all the way

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:47.899
 really to

00:22:47.899 --> 00:22:48.399
 34.

00:22:48.899 --> 00:22:50.039
 Five times

00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:51.119
 Jesus is

00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:51.660
 specifically

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.420
 noted as

00:22:52.420 --> 00:22:53.019
 speaking,

00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.099
 teaching,

00:22:54.460 --> 00:22:55.079
 saying,

00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.099
 casting the

00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:56.339
 word.

00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:57.139
 Five times.

00:22:57.480 --> 00:22:58.299
 Five times

00:22:58.299 --> 00:22:58.859
 then also

00:22:58.859 --> 00:22:59.480
 there is a

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.000
 specific

00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:00.500
 emphasis

00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:01.259
 on how

00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:02.000
 that teaching

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:03.079
 and how

00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:03.879
 that speech

00:23:03.879 --> 00:23:04.579
 how that

00:23:04.579 --> 00:23:04.940
 word

00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:05.399
 is then

00:23:05.400 --> 00:23:06.019
 received

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:07.380
 by the

00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:07.880
 hearer.

00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:09.060
 So immediately

00:23:09.060 --> 00:23:09.700
 after the

00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:10.019
 parable

00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:10.280
 of the

00:23:10.280 --> 00:23:10.600
 lamp,

00:23:11.220 --> 00:23:11.519
 Jesus

00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:12.100
 emphasized

00:23:12.100 --> 00:23:12.519
 the

00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:13.060
 necessity

00:23:13.060 --> 00:23:13.540
 of

00:23:13.540 --> 00:23:14.460
 receiving

00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:14.759
 that

00:23:14.759 --> 00:23:15.200
 teaching

00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:16.280
 by faith.

00:23:16.540 --> 00:23:16.660
 Well,

00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.240
 what teaching?

00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:17.940
 That he

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:18.300
 is the

00:23:18.300 --> 00:23:18.600
 light.

00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:19.700
 Come to

00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:20.019
 him.

00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.080
 Repent

00:23:21.080 --> 00:23:22.200
 and believe.

00:23:23.040 --> 00:23:23.340
 And he's

00:23:23.340 --> 00:23:23.740
 not just

00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:24.440
 simply saying

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:25.220
 to listen.

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:26.780
 He's saying

00:23:26.780 --> 00:23:27.400
 to listen

00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:28.220
 with ears

00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.060
 intent

00:23:29.060 --> 00:23:30.740
 on heeding

00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:31.580
 what you

00:23:31.580 --> 00:23:32.000
 hear.

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:32.800
 It's not

00:23:32.800 --> 00:23:33.200
 just about

00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:33.780
 hearing what

00:23:33.780 --> 00:23:34.280
 he says,

00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:35.200
 but believing

00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:36.299
 and receiving

00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:36.960
 what he

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:37.359
 says.

00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:38.379
 There's

00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:38.879
 many ways

00:23:38.879 --> 00:23:39.420
 that people

00:23:39.420 --> 00:23:40.379
 hear the

00:23:40.379 --> 00:23:41.740
 word and

00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:42.160
 yet they

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:42.899
 often fall

00:23:42.899 --> 00:23:44.480
 short of

00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:45.180
 exactly what

00:23:45.180 --> 00:23:45.779
 Jesus was

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:46.500
 commanding here.

00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:47.059
 Think about

00:23:47.059 --> 00:23:47.359
 this.

00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:49.000
 Some people

00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:49.619
 come to the

00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:49.940
 word of

00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:51.039
 God for

00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:51.740
 intellectual

00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:53.039
 stimulation.

00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.359
 Intellectual

00:23:54.359 --> 00:23:54.960
 stimulation.

00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:55.519
 That is,

00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:56.319
 they're not

00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:57.899
 concerned about

00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:59.859
 believing it.

00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:00.680
 They don't come

00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:01.359
 with a posture

00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:02.099
 of faith.

00:24:02.219 --> 00:24:02.699
 Their aim

00:24:02.699 --> 00:24:03.399
 is actually

00:24:03.399 --> 00:24:04.500
 to argue

00:24:04.500 --> 00:24:05.659
 against it.

00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:06.719
 And so

00:24:06.719 --> 00:24:07.059
 maybe they

00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:07.399
 come to

00:24:07.399 --> 00:24:07.879
 church or

00:24:07.879 --> 00:24:08.219
 maybe they

00:24:08.219 --> 00:24:08.579
 read their

00:24:08.579 --> 00:24:09.079
 Bibles or

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:09.419
 maybe they

00:24:09.419 --> 00:24:10.139
 go to a

00:24:10.139 --> 00:24:10.699
 Bible study

00:24:10.699 --> 00:24:11.119
 group or

00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:11.379
 they have

00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:12.079
 the conversation

00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:12.459
 with their

00:24:12.459 --> 00:24:12.759
 Christian

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.099
 friends,

00:24:13.219 --> 00:24:13.639
 but their

00:24:13.639 --> 00:24:14.259
 intention is

00:24:14.259 --> 00:24:15.119
 never really

00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:15.559
 to come to

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.099
 the word in

00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:16.799
 order to have

00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:17.339
 their mind

00:24:17.339 --> 00:24:17.959
 enlightened to

00:24:17.959 --> 00:24:18.779
 truth or to

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:19.479
 come to an

00:24:19.479 --> 00:24:20.099
 understanding of

00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:20.959
 who God is or

00:24:20.959 --> 00:24:22.179
 to find out how

00:24:22.179 --> 00:24:23.079
 their souls can

00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:24.139
 be redeemed.

00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:25.019
 That's not their

00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:25.359
 intention.

00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:27.099
 It is intellectually

00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:28.319
 stimulating to

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:29.659
 them to argue

00:24:29.659 --> 00:24:30.679
 back and forth

00:24:30.679 --> 00:24:31.960
 with people that

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:32.879
 believe the word.

00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.399
 And so those

00:24:33.399 --> 00:24:34.240
 people hear the

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:34.980
 word, but they

00:24:34.980 --> 00:24:35.799
 don't hear it.

00:24:36.159 --> 00:24:36.579
 Does that make

00:24:36.579 --> 00:24:36.839
 sense?

00:24:36.879 --> 00:24:37.379
 Are you with me?

00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.159
 They hear the

00:24:38.159 --> 00:24:38.700
 word, but they

00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:39.179
 don't hear the

00:24:39.179 --> 00:24:39.419
 word.

00:24:40.139 --> 00:24:40.599
 And so some

00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:41.379
 people come with

00:24:41.379 --> 00:24:42.279
 intellectual

00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:43.359
 stimulation as

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:43.879
 their primary

00:24:43.879 --> 00:24:44.200
 goal.

00:24:44.639 --> 00:24:46.079
 Others come

00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:46.859
 simply for

00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:48.700
 moral motivation.

00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:50.740
 It's not really

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.259
 that they're

00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:52.179
 looking to

00:24:52.179 --> 00:24:52.939
 exercise any

00:24:52.939 --> 00:24:53.519
 kind of faith,

00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:53.799
 and they

00:24:53.799 --> 00:24:54.259
 certainly don't

00:24:54.259 --> 00:24:54.599
 have any

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.200
 interest in a

00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:56.039
 spiritual birth.

00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:56.980
 They just want

00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:57.720
 somebody to tell

00:24:57.720 --> 00:24:58.200
 them what to

00:24:58.200 --> 00:24:58.480
 do.

00:24:59.640 --> 00:24:59.860
 They want

00:24:59.860 --> 00:25:00.620
 somebody or

00:25:00.620 --> 00:25:01.680
 something to

00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.279
 tell them what

00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:03.279
 to do to

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:03.940
 improve their

00:25:03.940 --> 00:25:04.299
 life.

00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:04.940
 So they don't

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:05.519
 go to church

00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:06.620
 looking for an

00:25:06.620 --> 00:25:07.220
 understanding of

00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:07.700
 the Bible.

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:09.100
 They go to the

00:25:09.100 --> 00:25:09.680
 church and they

00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:11.319
 want 10 ways to

00:25:11.319 --> 00:25:11.700
 be a better

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.140
 parent.

00:25:12.660 --> 00:25:13.559
 Or they want

00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:15.440
 to know or

00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:15.819
 have some

00:25:15.819 --> 00:25:16.720
 instruction on

00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:18.140
 how to win

00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:18.920
 friends and

00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:20.000
 influence people

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.600
 and increase the

00:25:21.600 --> 00:25:22.940
 success maybe of

00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:23.440
 their life.

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.180
 Or they want

00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:24.980
 some tips on

00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:25.720
 how to overcome

00:25:25.720 --> 00:25:26.460
 the various

00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:28.080
 struggles of

00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:28.859
 their life.

00:25:29.399 --> 00:25:29.960
 But they're

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.619
 not compelled

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:31.259
 at all to

00:25:31.259 --> 00:25:31.919
 consider the

00:25:31.919 --> 00:25:32.359
 claims of

00:25:32.359 --> 00:25:33.759
 Jesus or to

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.379
 follow him in

00:25:34.379 --> 00:25:34.699
 faith.

00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:35.539
 It's moral

00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:36.119
 motivation.

00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:36.740
 They just want

00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:37.439
 somebody to tell

00:25:37.439 --> 00:25:37.859
 them what to

00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:38.259
 do so that

00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:38.720
 their life can

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.099
 be better.

00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:39.720
 They're not

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:40.220
 really interested

00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:40.960
 in the spiritual

00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:41.199
 diet.

00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:41.500
 They're not

00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:41.960
 really interested

00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:42.579
 in faith.

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:43.859
 They just want

00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:44.359
 somebody to

00:25:44.359 --> 00:25:45.500
 improve their

00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:46.299
 life.

00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:47.799
 They want

00:25:47.799 --> 00:25:48.519
 their best life

00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:49.879
 now, so to

00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:50.319
 speak.

00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:51.679
 And discussions

00:25:51.679 --> 00:25:52.919
 of theology are

00:25:52.919 --> 00:25:53.879
 just distractions

00:25:53.879 --> 00:25:54.779
 from what they

00:25:54.779 --> 00:25:55.559
 actually hope to

00:25:55.559 --> 00:25:56.159
 gain from the

00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:56.440
 Bible.

00:25:57.140 --> 00:25:57.779
 So they hear

00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:58.440
 the word, but

00:25:58.440 --> 00:25:58.900
 they don't hear

00:25:58.900 --> 00:25:59.300
 the word.

00:25:59.840 --> 00:26:00.440
 You with me?

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.300
 Some people

00:26:02.300 --> 00:26:03.320
 come for

00:26:03.320 --> 00:26:04.100
 emotional

00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:05.140
 exploration.

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:06.400
 So some come

00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:07.120
 with intellectual

00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:08.060
 stimulation as

00:26:08.060 --> 00:26:08.440
 their goal.

00:26:08.840 --> 00:26:09.440
 Some come with

00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:10.560
 moral motivation

00:26:10.560 --> 00:26:11.279
 as their goal.

00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:12.420
 Still yet, others

00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:12.860
 come with

00:26:12.860 --> 00:26:13.540
 emotional

00:26:13.540 --> 00:26:14.700
 exploration.

00:26:14.980 --> 00:26:15.320
 Well, what are

00:26:15.320 --> 00:26:16.040
 these people doing

00:26:16.040 --> 00:26:16.580
 when they come to

00:26:16.580 --> 00:26:17.100
 the word, or

00:26:17.100 --> 00:26:17.640
 when they come to

00:26:17.640 --> 00:26:18.080
 church, or

00:26:18.080 --> 00:26:18.680
 whatever it is

00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:19.380
 when they're

00:26:19.380 --> 00:26:20.100
 exposed to the

00:26:20.100 --> 00:26:20.400
 Bible?

00:26:21.300 --> 00:26:21.800
 Well, they really

00:26:21.800 --> 00:26:22.640
 only care about

00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:23.460
 how it makes

00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:24.140
 them feel.

00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:26.320
 they're not

00:26:26.320 --> 00:26:26.980
 really looking

00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:28.360
 for any kind

00:26:28.360 --> 00:26:29.900
 of rational

00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:31.520
 understanding of

00:26:31.520 --> 00:26:32.080
 truth.

00:26:32.620 --> 00:26:34.100
 And really, when

00:26:34.100 --> 00:26:34.680
 it comes down to

00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:35.080
 it, they may not

00:26:35.080 --> 00:26:35.780
 state this, but

00:26:35.780 --> 00:26:36.140
 really when it

00:26:36.140 --> 00:26:36.660
 comes down to

00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:37.140
 it, whether or

00:26:37.140 --> 00:26:37.640
 not the Bible

00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:38.380
 is actually used

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:39.200
 is irrelevant to

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.080
 them, so long

00:26:40.080 --> 00:26:40.780
 as they leave

00:26:40.780 --> 00:26:42.080
 the time feeling

00:26:42.080 --> 00:26:43.200
 better, feeling

00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:43.620
 better about

00:26:43.620 --> 00:26:44.020
 themselves.

00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:44.740
 They want

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:46.160
 heaven without

00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:48.560
 hell, or they

00:26:48.560 --> 00:26:50.320
 want blessing

00:26:50.320 --> 00:26:52.460
 without lament,

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:54.620
 repent, or they

00:26:54.620 --> 00:26:56.860
 want other

00:26:56.860 --> 00:26:57.660
 things that just

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:58.940
 make them feel

00:26:58.940 --> 00:27:00.100
 better about

00:27:00.100 --> 00:27:00.819
 themselves.

00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.640
 Works without

00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:04.380
 repentance, life

00:27:04.380 --> 00:27:05.519
 without death.

00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:06.840
 But then there's

00:27:06.840 --> 00:27:08.340
 another form of

00:27:08.340 --> 00:27:10.200
 emotional exploration

00:27:10.200 --> 00:27:11.519
 that's almost the

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.380
 antithesis of that

00:27:12.380 --> 00:27:13.160
 particular person, but

00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:13.779
 it really fits the

00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.480
 same category.

00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:16.180
 They want hell

00:27:16.180 --> 00:27:18.700
 without heaven, or

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.440
 they want to

00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:20.440
 emphasize repentance

00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:21.660
 without any kind

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:23.039
 of good works, or

00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.759
 they want the

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.440
 opposite of that.

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.160
 You know what I

00:27:25.160 --> 00:27:25.360
 mean?

00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:26.100
 That person?

00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.160
 That person, it's

00:27:27.160 --> 00:27:27.940
 not that they're

00:27:27.940 --> 00:27:29.539
 wanting to feel

00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.759
 good, everybody to

00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.140
 feel good about

00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:31.360
 themselves.

00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:31.820
 They actually want

00:27:31.820 --> 00:27:32.299
 everybody to feel

00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:33.180
 bad about themselves,

00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:33.779
 but they don't want

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.759
 to offer the good

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:35.640
 part of the gospel.

00:27:35.880 --> 00:27:36.240
 You know what I

00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:36.420
 mean?

00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:37.420
 It's emotional

00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:38.120
 exploration.

00:27:38.340 --> 00:27:39.140
 There's one side

00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:40.000
 where this extreme,

00:27:40.100 --> 00:27:40.539
 they just want to

00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:41.160
 be made to feel

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.539
 good, and this

00:27:42.539 --> 00:27:43.100
 extreme, they just

00:27:43.100 --> 00:27:43.580
 want everybody to

00:27:43.580 --> 00:27:44.400
 be made to feel

00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:45.779
 bad with no actual

00:27:45.779 --> 00:27:46.980
 resolution to their

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.580
 badness.

00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:48.860
 All of these

00:27:48.860 --> 00:27:49.759
 people hear the

00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:51.160
 word without

00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:52.920
 actually hearing

00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:53.279
 it.

00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:56.460
 But in response

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:58.339
 to this, Alistair

00:27:58.339 --> 00:28:00.220
 Begg is helpful, and

00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:00.920
 he says that we

00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:01.700
 should approach the

00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:02.740
 Bible in three

00:28:02.740 --> 00:28:04.619
 ways, three ways to

00:28:04.619 --> 00:28:05.680
 be fruitful hearers.

00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:08.240
 One, consider it

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.160
 carefully.

00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:10.980
 Consider it

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:11.559
 carefully.

00:28:13.059 --> 00:28:14.099
 Now, Jesus, when he

00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:15.319
 says, listen, when he

00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:16.440
 says, if you have

00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:17.539
 ears to hear, hear,

00:28:17.539 --> 00:28:19.159
 he wasn't talking

00:28:19.159 --> 00:28:20.440
 about an uninformed

00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.079
 faith.

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.940
 He wasn't talking

00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:24.119
 about a blind faith

00:28:24.119 --> 00:28:25.159
 in the sense that

00:28:25.159 --> 00:28:26.440
 someone stands up on

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:27.279
 a platform on a

00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:28.220
 Sunday and they say,

00:28:28.420 --> 00:28:29.339
 say, Jesus is the

00:28:29.339 --> 00:28:30.460
 Son of God, believe it

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:31.279
 and go to heaven, and

00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:32.220
 just say, okay, I'm

00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:32.639
 not going to actually

00:28:32.639 --> 00:28:33.299
 put any kind of

00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:34.539
 rational consideration

00:28:34.539 --> 00:28:35.200
 to this.

00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:35.799
 I'm just going to

00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:36.500
 accept it and hope

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.399
 everything is good.

00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:38.159
 That's not what

00:28:38.159 --> 00:28:39.000
 Jesus is saying.

00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.799
 He never says that we

00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.879
 are to take our brains

00:28:41.879 --> 00:28:42.680
 and just set them to

00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:43.539
 the side and never

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.460
 actually access them

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.299
 for anything related

00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:46.599
 to theology or

00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:47.419
 anything related to

00:28:47.419 --> 00:28:47.680
 truth.

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.539
 We are to come to

00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.139
 the word and

00:28:49.139 --> 00:28:51.259
 consider it carefully.

00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:52.819
 We shouldn't be

00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:54.419
 satisfied with a

00:28:54.419 --> 00:28:55.519
 surface knowledge of

00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:57.019
 truth, but we need

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.899
 to study the Bible

00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.879
 thoughtfully.

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:01.539
 Secondly, we believe

00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:02.680
 it thoroughly.

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:05.680
 Believe it thoroughly.

00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:07.019
 Consider it

00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:08.480
 carefully and then

00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:10.200
 believe it thoroughly.

00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:12.899
 Rather than coming to

00:29:12.899 --> 00:29:13.919
 your time with the

00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:15.420
 word with a posture of

00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:17.140
 argumentative spirit,

00:29:17.460 --> 00:29:19.500
 rather than coming with

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:20.620
 a critical eye to see

00:29:20.620 --> 00:29:21.400
 everything that you can

00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:22.420
 find wrong with the

00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:23.680
 Bible, no, that's not

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.500
 the right posture.

00:29:25.340 --> 00:29:26.019
 That's not the right

00:29:26.019 --> 00:29:26.420
 posture.

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.700
 We are going to

00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:28.640
 consider it carefully,

00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:30.120
 but we have to start

00:29:30.120 --> 00:29:31.080
 with the fact that this

00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:32.080
 is the very word of

00:29:32.080 --> 00:29:32.420
 God.

00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:34.740
 Therefore, whatever it

00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:36.900
 says, even if I

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:38.500
 disagree, or I don't

00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:40.019
 like it, or it doesn't

00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:40.840
 make me feel the way

00:29:40.840 --> 00:29:41.560
 that I want it to make

00:29:41.560 --> 00:29:43.360
 me feel, I will believe

00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:44.899
 it, I will believe it

00:29:44.899 --> 00:29:46.939
 thoroughly, not because

00:29:46.939 --> 00:29:47.839
 it's what I want

00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:49.479
 necessarily, but because

00:29:49.479 --> 00:29:51.459
 it's what God says.

00:29:51.939 --> 00:29:54.399
 It is His word.

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:56.679
 It's important.

00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.699
 We talked about this a

00:29:58.699 --> 00:29:59.319
 bit in our Thursday

00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:00.240
 night group this week.

00:30:01.979 --> 00:30:02.859
 Undergirding every

00:30:02.859 --> 00:30:04.219
 doctrine that we believe

00:30:04.219 --> 00:30:06.539
 is the doctrine of the

00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:07.419
 inspiration of the

00:30:07.419 --> 00:30:07.759
 Bible.

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:10.219
 That what we have in the

00:30:10.219 --> 00:30:11.399
 pages of Scripture is

00:30:11.399 --> 00:30:12.859
 the very word of God.

00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:14.419
 He literally spoke

00:30:14.419 --> 00:30:16.039
 these words and used

00:30:16.039 --> 00:30:17.359
 men to write it, but it

00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:18.839
 was breathed out by God,

00:30:18.939 --> 00:30:19.459
 Paul said.

00:30:20.379 --> 00:30:21.359
 And then the writer of

00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:22.359
 Hebrews says that this

00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:23.559
 is a living book.

00:30:24.059 --> 00:30:25.019
 It's alive.

00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:27.519
 It discerns the thoughts

00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:28.199
 and intents of our

00:30:28.199 --> 00:30:28.399
 hearts.

00:30:28.699 --> 00:30:29.559
 And I mentioned on

00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:30.819
 Thursday night, when you

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:32.539
 take your Bible, unless

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:34.179
 if you do devotions in the

00:30:34.179 --> 00:30:35.019
 morning or in the

00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:35.779
 afternoon, whatever you

00:30:35.779 --> 00:30:37.099
 do it, if you spend an

00:30:37.099 --> 00:30:38.339
 hour reading your Bible,

00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:40.899
 that is an hour of time

00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:42.080
 that God is literally

00:30:42.080 --> 00:30:43.640
 speaking to you.

00:30:44.300 --> 00:30:45.500
 That's how he speaks.

00:30:45.920 --> 00:30:46.680
 He doesn't speak through

00:30:46.680 --> 00:30:47.140
 epiphany.

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:48.500
 He's not going to give

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.100
 you a dream.

00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:50.460
 There's not going to be

00:30:50.460 --> 00:30:51.519
 any kind of subjective

00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.980
 thing that God comes and

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:54.259
 gives a pertinent

00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:55.300
 revelation that's going to

00:30:55.300 --> 00:30:56.080
 affect you in a different

00:30:56.080 --> 00:30:56.820
 way than anybody else.

00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:58.759
 No, he speaks through his

00:30:58.759 --> 00:30:59.120
 word.

00:30:59.560 --> 00:31:00.400
 It's his word.

00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:02.660
 Come to his word and

00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:04.680
 believe it because it is

00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:05.000
 his.

00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:07.759
 And God cannot lie.

00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:09.640
 And so what he has given

00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:10.359
 us is truth.

00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:11.539
 And we need to believe it

00:31:11.539 --> 00:31:11.900
 thoroughly.

00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:13.000
 And then thirdly, we

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:14.319
 practice it diligently.

00:31:14.980 --> 00:31:16.339
 We practice it diligently.

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:18.940
 So in addition to careful

00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:20.240
 consideration and thorough

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:22.240
 belief, we must approach

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:24.079
 the Bible prepared to obey

00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:26.539
 what it says.

00:31:27.799 --> 00:31:29.299
 Take one of those three

00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:30.500
 approaches out of the way

00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:32.400
 and you will not be a

00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:33.500
 fruitful hearer.

00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:36.460
 You can understand it

00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:37.079
 rationally.

00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:39.079
 You can even believe it to

00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.779
 an extent as far as just

00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:43.200
 giving mental assent to the

00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:44.059
 things that you read.

00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:45.579
 But unless you're going to

00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:47.840
 practice it, it will have no

00:31:47.840 --> 00:31:48.539
 impact on your life.

00:31:48.579 --> 00:31:49.420
 There will be no fruitfulness

00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:49.860
 there.

00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:52.120
 You have to have all three of

00:31:52.120 --> 00:31:52.319
 these.

00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:53.600
 And so the question this

00:31:53.600 --> 00:31:54.840
 morning is, what kind of

00:31:54.840 --> 00:31:55.779
 hearer are you?

00:31:58.100 --> 00:31:59.759
 Are you just looking for the

00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:01.400
 stimulation that it brings to

00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:02.819
 argue with somebody about

00:32:02.819 --> 00:32:04.799
 these things philosophically?

00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:07.639
 Are you just, you just want

00:32:07.639 --> 00:32:08.440
 somebody to make you feel

00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:08.779
 good?

00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:11.099
 And you really just want to

00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:12.019
 just point me to the

00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:12.779
 scriptures that are really

00:32:12.779 --> 00:32:13.779
 just going to help me feel

00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:14.680
 better about myself.

00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:16.079
 Well, there's a lot of

00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:16.720
 scriptures that aren't going

00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:17.480
 to make you feel better

00:32:17.480 --> 00:32:18.039
 about yourself.

00:32:18.039 --> 00:32:18.960
 That's not the point.

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.440
 The point is to point you to

00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:20.940
 Christ.

00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:24.919
 Maybe, maybe your, your goal

00:32:24.919 --> 00:32:25.940
 is really most of the time

00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:27.099
 you just want something to

00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:28.079
 help you live a better life.

00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:29.299
 And, and the Bible does all

00:32:29.299 --> 00:32:30.339
 of those things, but, but

00:32:30.339 --> 00:32:31.599
 those are not its purpose.

00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:34.439
 But we come in a way that

00:32:34.439 --> 00:32:37.039
 is fruitful, ready to hear.

00:32:37.859 --> 00:32:39.439
 So we see clarification.

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:41.319
 We see exhortation.

00:32:41.459 --> 00:32:43.639
 Finally, we see explanation,

00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.279
 explanation.

00:32:45.859 --> 00:32:47.959
 Look with me now at verse 24

00:32:47.959 --> 00:32:48.699
 and 25.

00:32:50.719 --> 00:32:53.279
 This is a weird saying, but

00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:54.259
 hopefully I can bring some

00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:54.919
 clarity to it.

00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:57.639
 With the measure you use, it

00:32:57.639 --> 00:32:59.639
 will be measured to you and

00:32:59.639 --> 00:33:01.299
 still more will be added to you.

00:33:02.219 --> 00:33:04.719
 For to the one who has, more

00:33:04.719 --> 00:33:05.379
 will be given.

00:33:06.159 --> 00:33:07.980
 And from the one who has not,

00:33:08.639 --> 00:33:09.939
 even what he has will be

00:33:09.939 --> 00:33:10.579
 taken away.

00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:11.500
 All right.

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:12.240
 That's kind of weird.

00:33:12.639 --> 00:33:14.219
 That's a little bit of weird

00:33:14.219 --> 00:33:14.779
 language there.

00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:14.980
 Okay.

00:33:14.980 --> 00:33:16.219
 Let's, let's unpack it a little

00:33:16.219 --> 00:33:18.219
 bit and remember the context

00:33:18.219 --> 00:33:18.959
 of the passage.

00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:22.579
 Now, Jesus closes this dialogue

00:33:22.579 --> 00:33:24.659
 with an explanation for why

00:33:24.659 --> 00:33:26.119
 hearing is necessary.

00:33:26.339 --> 00:33:27.539
 That's what these two verses

00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:28.019
 are doing.

00:33:28.159 --> 00:33:29.539
 So he says, you need to hear,

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:30.879
 you need to pay attention.

00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:33.200
 And here's why you need to

00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:33.440
 hear.

00:33:33.659 --> 00:33:34.720
 This is why you need to be a

00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:35.420
 fruitful hearer.

00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:37.859
 And again, the fruitfulness of

00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:40.019
 the word is linked directly to

00:33:40.019 --> 00:33:41.619
 how we receive it.

00:33:42.659 --> 00:33:44.019
 And so Jesus says to pay

00:33:44.019 --> 00:33:46.019
 attention because our attitude

00:33:46.019 --> 00:33:47.879
 toward the scripture will

00:33:47.879 --> 00:33:50.359
 determine our understanding of

00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:50.980
 the scripture.

00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:53.420
 And the extent of our

00:33:53.420 --> 00:33:54.879
 understanding is based on the

00:33:54.879 --> 00:33:55.960
 extent of our hearing.

00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:57.039
 Let's unpack that.

00:33:57.819 --> 00:33:59.640
 It's helpful to consider these

00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:02.059
 last two verses in light of the

00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:03.120
 parable of the soils.

00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:04.539
 This is why I think it's

00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:05.840
 significant to connect these.

00:34:06.259 --> 00:34:07.440
 And Mark's not the only gospel

00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:08.500
 that puts these together.

00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:11.119
 Matthew and Luke cover the,

00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:12.699
 the other parables in at

00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:13.420
 different times.

00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.519
 They don't put it in the same

00:34:14.519 --> 00:34:15.760
 timeframe as Mark does,

00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:17.840
 but they all put this one

00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:18.199
 there.

00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:20.400
 This statement is with the

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:21.099
 parable, the soils.

00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:22.579
 It's important for us to

00:34:22.579 --> 00:34:23.119
 understand.

00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:25.359
 Now, Jesus said earlier in

00:34:25.359 --> 00:34:26.699
 Mark four, that the

00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:27.839
 understanding of the parable

00:34:27.839 --> 00:34:29.339
 of the soils is the key to

00:34:29.339 --> 00:34:30.639
 unlocking the other parables.

00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:33.619
 These two verses tell us how

00:34:33.619 --> 00:34:35.440
 it unlocks the other parables.

00:34:35.980 --> 00:34:37.619
 So the variance in the soil,

00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:39.099
 if you remember the story,

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:41.159
 the variance in the soils is

00:34:41.159 --> 00:34:42.579
 based on the individual's

00:34:42.579 --> 00:34:43.719
 reception of the word.

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:46.119
 And so here in verses 24 and

00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:48.920
 25, Jesus first addresses the

00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:51.179
 good soil, the good soil.

00:34:51.179 --> 00:34:53.000
 And what we could really read

00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:53.719
 this like this.

00:34:53.919 --> 00:34:56.759
 We might read this as to the

00:34:56.759 --> 00:34:59.579
 one who hears or to the one

00:34:59.579 --> 00:35:01.579
 who has faith.

00:35:01.579 --> 00:35:03.199
 And we would bracket faith as

00:35:03.199 --> 00:35:04.279
 an insertion to help us

00:35:04.279 --> 00:35:05.279
 understand what Jesus is

00:35:05.279 --> 00:35:06.759
 saying to the one who has

00:35:06.759 --> 00:35:08.559
 faith, more bracket

00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:11.480
 understanding will be given.

00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:13.940
 In other words, those who

00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:15.839
 receive the word through faith

00:35:15.839 --> 00:35:19.539
 reap the benefits of abundant

00:35:19.539 --> 00:35:20.480
 fruit.

00:35:21.279 --> 00:35:22.599
 So that the person who

00:35:22.599 --> 00:35:24.779
 welcomes the truth of God

00:35:24.779 --> 00:35:27.300
 will be given more and more

00:35:27.300 --> 00:35:30.139
 of God's intended fruitfulness.

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:31.900
 It doesn't come all at once.

00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:33.119
 We all know that.

00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:34.739
 The moment that you came to

00:35:34.739 --> 00:35:35.860
 faith in Christ, you didn't

00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:37.079
 all of a sudden have all the

00:35:37.079 --> 00:35:38.019
 understanding that you would

00:35:38.019 --> 00:35:39.639
 ever need about the Bible and

00:35:39.639 --> 00:35:40.340
 about theology.

00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:41.940
 No, we grow in that throughout

00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:43.199
 the process of our life.

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:45.539
 And there's even an insinuation

00:35:46.179 --> 00:35:47.679
 in the scripture that even when

00:35:47.679 --> 00:35:48.899
 we get to heaven, there is

00:35:48.899 --> 00:35:50.079
 still this progressive

00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:51.139
 understanding.

00:35:51.339 --> 00:35:53.179
 We will never fully understand

00:35:53.179 --> 00:35:54.579
 the depths of our infinite

00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:55.559
 God, right?

00:35:55.759 --> 00:35:56.619
 It's progressive.

00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:57.500
 It doesn't happen all at one

00:35:57.500 --> 00:35:57.899
 time.

00:35:58.259 --> 00:36:00.639
 But to those who welcome God's

00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:03.219
 truth, God gives more and

00:36:03.219 --> 00:36:05.719
 more fruitfulness in their life.

00:36:05.819 --> 00:36:09.199
 That word impacts their life in

00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:11.000
 more and more ways and to a

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.239
 greater and greater extent.

00:36:12.419 --> 00:36:13.519
 So he addresses that.

00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:15.759
 The measure that you use, it

00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:17.900
 will be measured to you and

00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:19.280
 more will be given.

00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:20.780
 In other words, if you receive

00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:23.080
 it, God will give more and

00:36:23.080 --> 00:36:24.120
 more and more.

00:36:24.200 --> 00:36:25.960
 You will be impacted in more

00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:26.700
 and more ways.

00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:29.780
 But then in verse 25, he

00:36:29.780 --> 00:36:31.940
 addresses those represented by

00:36:31.940 --> 00:36:33.600
 the other three types of soil.

00:36:34.720 --> 00:36:35.960
 So think back to the parable.

00:36:37.040 --> 00:36:39.180
 Remember, the word was sown in

00:36:39.180 --> 00:36:41.480
 every type of soil, but the

00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:42.880
 first three were unfruitful.

00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:44.600
 Only the good soil had fruit.

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:47.880
 Now these people, they hear the

00:36:47.880 --> 00:36:48.219
 word.

00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:51.380
 They may even understand the

00:36:51.380 --> 00:36:54.139
 word intellectually, but the

00:36:54.139 --> 00:36:57.059
 truth never has any lasting

00:36:57.059 --> 00:36:58.799
 impact on their life.

00:36:59.159 --> 00:36:59.519
 Why?

00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:01.460
 Because they came just looking

00:37:01.460 --> 00:37:02.440
 for some intellectual

00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:03.179
 stimulation.

00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:05.519
 Or they came just looking for

00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:06.619
 some moral motivation.

00:37:07.239 --> 00:37:08.839
 Or they came just looking for

00:37:08.839 --> 00:37:10.980
 some emotional exploration.

00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.539
 But they weren't fruitful

00:37:12.539 --> 00:37:13.159
 hearers.

00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:15.099
 And we know that because the

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:17.819
 word has no impact at all in

00:37:17.819 --> 00:37:18.500
 their life.

00:37:19.539 --> 00:37:21.159
 So to these people, Jesus said,

00:37:21.859 --> 00:37:23.319
 even the understanding that

00:37:23.319 --> 00:37:26.159
 they have will be taken away.

00:37:26.500 --> 00:37:27.659
 Look again at verse 25.

00:37:27.759 --> 00:37:28.440
 That's what he's getting at.

00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:30.399
 He that hath to him shall be

00:37:30.399 --> 00:37:30.639
 given.

00:37:31.019 --> 00:37:34.359
 He that hath not from him shall

00:37:34.359 --> 00:37:37.119
 be taken away even that which he

00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:37.159
 has.

00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:40.500
 What does that mean?

00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:42.139
 That Jesus is going to take away

00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:43.859
 even what he has?

00:37:44.319 --> 00:37:45.599
 We'll think back to the parable

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.019
 again.

00:37:46.119 --> 00:37:47.319
 You see how it's beginning to

00:37:47.319 --> 00:37:48.500
 unlock things for us.

00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:53.819
 Did the soil on the pathway

00:37:53.819 --> 00:37:55.859
 receive seed?

00:37:55.980 --> 00:37:56.879
 Did it hear the word?

00:37:57.899 --> 00:37:58.179
 Yes.

00:37:59.139 --> 00:38:00.639
 The seed was cast on the path.

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:02.759
 It did not receive the seed.

00:38:03.219 --> 00:38:03.899
 What happened?

00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:06.720
 Immediately, the birds came and

00:38:06.720 --> 00:38:07.280
 devoured it.

00:38:07.660 --> 00:38:10.099
 What it had was taken away.

00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:11.059
 Okay?

00:38:11.860 --> 00:38:12.220
 Why?

00:38:12.599 --> 00:38:13.539
 Because it didn't receive it.

00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:14.800
 Didn't hear it.

00:38:15.880 --> 00:38:18.160
 What about the shallow soil,

00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:19.139
 the rocky ground?

00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:20.280
 Did it receive the word?

00:38:20.340 --> 00:38:20.940
 Did it hear the word?

00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:21.480
 Yeah, it did.

00:38:21.980 --> 00:38:22.680
 It heard the word.

00:38:22.680 --> 00:38:24.079
 The seed was cast.

00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:25.460
 But what happened?

00:38:26.160 --> 00:38:27.340
 The sun scorched it.

00:38:27.340 --> 00:38:32.240
 So even what it had was taken away.

00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:36.300
 What about the thorny soil?

00:38:36.680 --> 00:38:37.700
 Did it receive the word?

00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:38.400
 Yeah, it did.

00:38:38.860 --> 00:38:39.820
 It received the word.

00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:41.180
 But what happened?

00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:44.280
 The weeds choked it out so that it

00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:47.140
 lost, had taken away, destroyed,

00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:51.440
 even what at one time it had.

00:38:51.440 --> 00:38:55.480
 In each circumstance, what truth was

00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:58.000
 sown was ultimately destroyed or

00:38:58.000 --> 00:39:00.380
 taken away due to how it was

00:39:00.380 --> 00:39:00.920
 received.

00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:04.659
 So while those who believe the word

00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:08.019
 grow in fruitfulness, those who do

00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:11.260
 not eventually lose even what they

00:39:11.260 --> 00:39:13.800
 had, even what understanding they

00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:14.099
 had.

00:39:15.200 --> 00:39:18.860
 So Sinclair Ferguson states it this way

00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:20.019
 by means of application.

00:39:21.620 --> 00:39:23.700
 This is why Jesus stresses the

00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:26.480
 importance of how we hear now,

00:39:27.160 --> 00:39:28.000
 Sinclair says.

00:39:28.680 --> 00:39:31.019
 If we fail to grasp the mystery of

00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:33.920
 the kingdom of God now and do not

00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:37.220
 respond to it now, we may be

00:39:37.220 --> 00:39:40.720
 increasingly alienated from it in the

00:39:40.720 --> 00:39:41.260
 future.

00:39:42.059 --> 00:39:44.840
 But if we do respond to it, we will

00:39:44.840 --> 00:39:46.300
 grow in our understanding and

00:39:46.300 --> 00:39:48.200
 appreciation and increasingly

00:39:48.199 --> 00:39:50.319
 experience its benefits.

00:39:50.460 --> 00:39:52.000
 And we continually come back to this

00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:53.439
 verse in Hebrews chapter 4 and

00:39:53.439 --> 00:39:54.000
 verse 7.

00:39:54.379 --> 00:39:57.519
 Today, if you hear his voice, do not

00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:58.899
 harden your heart.

00:40:00.939 --> 00:40:03.579
 Because you don't have forever to

00:40:03.579 --> 00:40:04.480
 receive the word.

00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:08.539
 Which was the point Jesus was getting

00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:10.159
 across about his use of the parables

00:40:10.159 --> 00:40:11.099
 in 10 through 12.

00:40:11.980 --> 00:40:13.899
 That there comes a point where he

00:40:13.899 --> 00:40:15.759
 will harden your heart.

00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:19.840
 So if you hear his voice today, don't

00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:20.740
 harden your heart.

00:40:21.960 --> 00:40:22.900
 Receive the word.

00:40:24.040 --> 00:40:27.080
 And then God, through his spirit,

00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:30.240
 produces this fruitfulness in your

00:40:30.240 --> 00:40:30.640
 life.

00:40:31.800 --> 00:40:33.220
 Well, let's close it this way.

00:40:34.400 --> 00:40:37.880
 We need to recognize that this principle

00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:41.220
 of fruitful hearing is not applied only

00:40:41.219 --> 00:40:43.579
 to the work of the gospel in salvation.

00:40:44.459 --> 00:40:45.819
 It doesn't stop there.

00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:48.399
 This continues on.

00:40:48.480 --> 00:40:50.899
 This principle in your life as a

00:40:50.899 --> 00:40:53.059
 believer is to be actually

00:40:53.059 --> 00:40:55.279
 acknowledged at every point in your

00:40:55.279 --> 00:40:56.139
 walk with Christ.

00:40:57.719 --> 00:40:59.500
 There are varying degrees of

00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:01.699
 fruitfulness in the good soil.

00:41:01.799 --> 00:41:02.419
 Did you notice that?

00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:04.219
 Look back with me again at verse 20.

00:41:04.219 --> 00:41:05.000
 Verse 20.

00:41:05.939 --> 00:41:07.319
 These are they which are sown on good

00:41:07.319 --> 00:41:07.699
 ground.

00:41:08.199 --> 00:41:10.019
 They hear the word and receive it

00:41:10.019 --> 00:41:11.759
 and bring forth fruit.

00:41:12.399 --> 00:41:13.879
 Some 30 fold.

00:41:14.919 --> 00:41:16.439
 Some 60 fold.

00:41:17.659 --> 00:41:19.599
 Some 100 fold.

00:41:20.279 --> 00:41:21.480
 Now that's a little strange.

00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:24.299
 If this is about God providing

00:41:24.299 --> 00:41:26.459
 fruitfulness to those who accept

00:41:26.459 --> 00:41:28.699
 Christ by faith, why are there varying

00:41:28.699 --> 00:41:29.739
 degrees of fruitfulness?

00:41:30.759 --> 00:41:32.119
 Why doesn't everybody get the same

00:41:32.119 --> 00:41:33.699
 amount of fruit that everybody else

00:41:33.699 --> 00:41:34.019
 gets?

00:41:34.679 --> 00:41:36.759
 Because there's varying degrees of

00:41:36.759 --> 00:41:37.119
 hearing.

00:41:39.639 --> 00:41:41.379
 The writer of Hebrews acknowledged

00:41:41.379 --> 00:41:41.719
 this.

00:41:41.799 --> 00:41:43.339
 He was addressing spiritual maturity

00:41:43.339 --> 00:41:43.980
 for believers.

00:41:44.899 --> 00:41:47.059
 In Hebrews chapter 5 he said this.

00:41:47.859 --> 00:41:49.779
 For though by this time you ought to

00:41:49.779 --> 00:41:50.480
 be teachers.

00:41:52.159 --> 00:41:54.179
 But you need someone to teach you

00:41:54.179 --> 00:41:57.199
 again even the basics of the gospel.

00:41:58.119 --> 00:42:00.480
 You need milk not solid food the

00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:01.159
 writer says.

00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:03.480
 For everyone who lives on milk is

00:42:03.480 --> 00:42:04.840
 unskilled in the word of

00:42:04.840 --> 00:42:06.480
 righteousness since he is a child.

00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:08.820
 But solid food is for the mature.

00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:11.019
 For those who have their powers of

00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:13.059
 discernment trained by constant

00:42:13.059 --> 00:42:14.800
 practice to distinguish good from

00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:14.980
 evil.

00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:17.199
 What's he getting on about?

00:42:17.260 --> 00:42:18.500
 He's rebuking the church.

00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:21.260
 And he's saying look I know you know

00:42:21.260 --> 00:42:21.699
 the gospel.

00:42:21.860 --> 00:42:22.840
 I know you believe the gospel.

00:42:23.159 --> 00:42:24.699
 But some of you ought to be teachers

00:42:24.699 --> 00:42:26.079
 by now in your walk with Christ.

00:42:26.179 --> 00:42:27.940
 But because you didn't stay fruitful

00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:29.360
 hearers of the word after your

00:42:29.360 --> 00:42:29.840
 salvation.

00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:31.780
 You're just as much a baby as you were

00:42:31.780 --> 00:42:32.720
 the day you were saved.

00:42:33.500 --> 00:42:35.059
 And somebody's got to keep giving you

00:42:35.059 --> 00:42:37.200
 the milk of the word because you won't

00:42:37.200 --> 00:42:38.140
 ever listen.

00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:39.420
 You won't listen.

00:42:40.320 --> 00:42:41.920
 And so this principle continues on.

00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:43.200
 You want to grow in your walk with

00:42:43.200 --> 00:42:43.519
 Christ?

00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:44.840
 Hear the word.

00:42:46.380 --> 00:42:47.460
 Study the word.

00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:50.180
 Consider it carefully.

00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:52.820
 Believe it thoroughly.

00:42:53.600 --> 00:42:54.700
 Practice it diligently.

00:42:54.699 --> 00:42:56.980
 And I promise if you do those things

00:42:56.980 --> 00:42:57.579
 with the word.

00:42:57.739 --> 00:42:59.839
 If you come to church Sunday by Sunday

00:42:59.839 --> 00:43:01.679
 Thursday by Thursday whenever it is

00:43:01.679 --> 00:43:02.599
 that you come to the word.

00:43:02.759 --> 00:43:04.339
 And you're coming to consider it

00:43:04.339 --> 00:43:05.619
 carefully and believe it thoroughly

00:43:05.619 --> 00:43:06.980
 and practice it diligently.

00:43:07.239 --> 00:43:09.159
 You won't be able to help but bear

00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:09.500
 fruit.

00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:11.039
 You can't help it.

00:43:11.199 --> 00:43:12.980
 Because it's not you that bears the

00:43:12.980 --> 00:43:13.259
 fruit.

00:43:13.439 --> 00:43:15.919
 It's God that bears the fruit in you.

00:43:16.039 --> 00:43:17.379
 And he does it through the word.

00:43:17.500 --> 00:43:19.759
 But you have to be a fruitful hearer.

00:43:19.980 --> 00:43:21.239
 You have to be a fruitful hearer.

00:43:21.819 --> 00:43:23.699
 There's so many Christians that they're

00:43:23.699 --> 00:43:25.179
 stunted in their growth because they

00:43:25.179 --> 00:43:26.439
 don't really care about the Bible.

00:43:27.419 --> 00:43:28.259
 They don't really care.

00:43:29.539 --> 00:43:30.779
 They never read their Bible.

00:43:32.739 --> 00:43:34.139
 And when they do maybe they're

00:43:34.139 --> 00:43:35.460
 bouncing around from place to place

00:43:35.460 --> 00:43:36.699
 they're not setting themselves up in

00:43:36.699 --> 00:43:37.419
 a way where they can really

00:43:37.419 --> 00:43:38.739
 understand what it means.

00:43:40.239 --> 00:43:41.879
 They come to church they're not

00:43:41.879 --> 00:43:42.739
 prepared to listen.

00:43:42.879 --> 00:43:44.000
 They're not prepared to hear.

00:43:45.819 --> 00:43:47.279
 You want to grow in your walk with

00:43:47.279 --> 00:43:48.659
 Christ you got to be a good hearer.

00:43:49.179 --> 00:43:49.939
 You got to be a fruitful hearer.

00:43:50.159 --> 00:43:51.639
 This doesn't stop at salvation.

00:43:51.639 --> 00:43:54.099
 It actually continues on.

00:43:54.639 --> 00:43:56.480
 And let me say spiritual maturity

00:43:56.480 --> 00:43:58.559
 it cannot be faked for long.

00:44:00.719 --> 00:44:02.039
 It can't be faked for long.

00:44:02.119 --> 00:44:02.879
 You can't for a little while.

00:44:04.259 --> 00:44:05.500
 You can't do that forever.

00:44:05.900 --> 00:44:07.460
 Because eventually the fruit just

00:44:07.460 --> 00:44:07.920
 shows.

00:44:09.159 --> 00:44:10.480
 Jesus said you'll know them by their

00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:10.739
 fruit.

00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:13.440
 How does the word impact you?

00:44:14.559 --> 00:44:17.299
 Are you just as knowledgeable today

00:44:17.299 --> 00:44:18.559
 as you were the day you were saved?

00:44:18.599 --> 00:44:20.079
 Or have you grown in that time?

00:44:20.079 --> 00:44:23.460
 Are you allowing the word of God to

00:44:23.460 --> 00:44:24.699
 do its work in your life?

00:44:26.259 --> 00:44:27.920
 Our level of faithfulness to the

00:44:27.920 --> 00:44:30.519
 word will always reveal itself in the

00:44:30.519 --> 00:44:31.699
 fruitfulness of our lives.

00:44:33.000 --> 00:44:36.159
 And it's a shame for a Christian not to

00:44:36.159 --> 00:44:37.599
 advance in spiritual maturity.

00:44:39.019 --> 00:44:40.779
 But hearing the word is what will make

00:44:40.779 --> 00:44:41.420
 all the difference.

00:44:41.960 --> 00:44:44.380
 Can we not commit today that we're going

00:44:44.380 --> 00:44:45.319
 to be fruitful hearers?

00:44:46.519 --> 00:44:48.059
 We're going to be fruitful hearers as a

00:44:48.059 --> 00:44:48.340
 church.

00:44:49.099 --> 00:44:50.299
 We're going to care about the word.

00:44:51.420 --> 00:44:52.659
 And as we care about the word we're

00:44:52.659 --> 00:44:53.539
 going to share that word.

00:44:54.380 --> 00:44:55.579
 We're going to live that word.

00:44:56.440 --> 00:44:58.119
 And we're going to let God do his work.

00:44:59.340 --> 00:45:00.639
 He only does it through his word.

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:00.819
 We're going to takeNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNINGNING