WEBVTT

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 And so we saw the setting of these parables last week.

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 We saw also the significance of the parables,

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 why Jesus was now making this transition in his style of teaching.

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 Today we're going to focus in on this one parable itself.

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 We're going to see the story, and then we're going to see the sense of it

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 or the meaning of it.

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 Look with me again at verse 3.

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 We'll see the story that Jesus told.

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 Right here at the beginning of verse 3, he says,

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 Listen, hearken.

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 And then he tells us, Behold, a sower went out to sow.

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 Now, we noted at the end of chapter 3,

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 remember when Jesus was in the house,

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 and his family was on the outside of the house,

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 and they were sending the messages in,

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 saying that they were there to see him,

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 and people were communicating to him.

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 Remember there was an emphatic statement that Jesus made.

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 When he answered, he answered loudly.

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 There was an exclamation point at the end of that,

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 which is not extremely common in the scriptures.

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 It's a point of emphasis there in the text.

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 This word, hearken, or listen,

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 you may see that it has another exclamation point there.

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 It's a point of emphasis here.

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 Now, it could be that Jesus is outside on the lake,

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 and there are thousands of people,

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 and he's just getting their attention.

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 But why would Mark feel a need to communicate to us

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 something that we already know Jesus would have had to have done?

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 We know he would have had to have quieted the crowd.

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 So I don't think that this is really an emphasis of volume.

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 I think it's an emphasis of significance that Jesus is getting across here.

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 Throughout the entire chapter, actually,

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 this whole series of parables,

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 there is a major emphasis on listening,

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 hearing, and heeding the message that Jesus is teaching.

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 And so right here, we get to verse three,

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 and Jesus calls out, listen.

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 It's not so much volume.

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 Listen, quiet down.

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 It's not so much that.

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 It is, listen to me.

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 Listen, this is important.

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 It's emphatic in that sense.

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 Don't miss what I'm about to tell you, Jesus says.

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 He was alerting his audience to the importance of this story.

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 Now, all parables communicate ordinary, everyday ideas and situations

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 that audiences would have been familiar with.

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 Everybody that was there on the seashore that day

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 would have understood this story.

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 It was agricultural in nature.

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 They would have understood, as we do,

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 you don't have to be a farmer to understand that

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 when you throw seed out, it finds a place of soil,

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 and if that soil is good, the seed will grow,

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 and it will flourish, and it will produce fruit.

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 So this is what Jesus did with the parables.

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 The stories themselves isn't what was difficult to understand.

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 There's nothing in the story that makes it hard for us to grasp the story itself.

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 Now, the parable itself, the story,

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 is about the process of sowing this seed in a field,

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 but the emphasis is on the soil.

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 And so Jesus gives four types of soil in the story

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 that that seed that maybe he was demonstrating even in that moment

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 might have fallen on.

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 And the first one is found in verse 4.

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 Look at it with me.

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 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path,

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 and the birds came and devoured it.

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 So the first type of soil here that Jesus mentioned is a pathway.

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 It's the borders of these fields.

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 Now, we've talked about this already in Mark's gospel as well.

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 You remember, was it chapter 2,

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 where Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field along the path,

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 and his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.

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 And as they were rubbing the chaff in their hands

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 and eating the grain because they were hungry,

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 some Pharisees noticed,

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 and there was that confrontation about the Sabbath day.

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 You remember that?

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 Well, we talked about what path they were on.

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 The road systems were not like they are today.

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 Most of these agricultural fields had pathways

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 that would either border the fields

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 or they would traverse across the field.

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 And so over time, these paths, as you might expect,

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 with the foot traffic of not only people but animals,

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 and then the farmers doing their thing,

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 the carts for the merchants that would travel from town to town

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 or from place to place,

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 the carts that would follow along the ox

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 as they were treading these fields,

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 the ground would get very, very hard.

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 So it would be something similar to concrete,

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 maybe not quite like rock, but it would be very hard.

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 You know what a path is like.

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 And so Jesus in this story talks about that's the first type of soil.

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 The sower goes out with a seed, and he throws the seed,

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 and it lands on the paths that kind of transverse

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 or traverse the fields.

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 And what happens is there's nothing there

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 for the seed to penetrate in the soil.

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 It just sits on top as if it was on top of a rock.

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 And there's no protection.

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 They weren't throwing straw down on the seeds on the path, right?

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 And so the birds saw it, and immediately the birds come down,

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 and they take the seed that has been sown,

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 and they devour it.

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 So Jesus says the sower's going.

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 Some gets on the path,

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 and the birds just immediately take it away.

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 Secondly, we see in verses 5 and 6,

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 look at with me.

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 Other seed fell on rocky ground,

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 where it did not have much soil,

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 and immediately it sprang up,

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 since it had no depth of soil.

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 And when the sun rose, it was scorched,

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 and since it had no root, it withered away.

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 Now parts of Israel as well were very rocky,

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 and that makes it difficult to farm.

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 And the soil here is a reference to a limestone or a bedrock

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 that would have had a very thin layer of dirt on its surface.

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 In fact, in order to try to be like Jesus,

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 I brought an object lesson for you today,

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 right from my backyard.

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 In fact, if many of you,

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 most of you have actually probably been to my house

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 and been to my backyard,

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 this is a piece of bedrock from my backyard

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 that I pulled out this morning.

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 It's very hard and rocky.

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 There's about a half inch to an inch of soil

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 on top of this in my backyard.

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 And so it's right behind my house.

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 Now, I also brought some of my soil

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 from my house this morning,

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 which is not very good soil.

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 It's just like sand.

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 It's all it is.

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 There's nothing there really for anything to grab onto.

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 And so you can go to my backyard today,

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 right behind my back porch,

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 and you'll see there's a whole bunch

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 of this bedrock like this.

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 And it's got about that much

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 of this sandy, nasty, rocky soil on it.

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 Now, here's the problem.

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 I can spend a couple of hundred dollars

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 in the spring and in the fall

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 and throw seed on this portion of my backyard.

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 And I'm ignorant enough to keep doing it

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 for some reason.

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 And I do it.

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 And it just sits there on top,

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 but it may penetrate a little bit.

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 It's not quite like the soil on the path.

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 That would be as if I was just throwing it

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 right on the rock.

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 This is just a little bit different.

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 There is a little bit of soil there.

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 It's not very deep.

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 That's the problem.

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 And so the seed will get on it.

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 And then I'll get out there with my sprinkler

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 and I'll spend a couple hundred bucks a month

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 on water for my house,

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 trying to get this seed to grow.

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 And wouldn't you believe it?

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 In a couple of weeks,

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 there'll be a couple of short,

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 thin blades of grass that pop up

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 right behind my house,

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 right on top of this right here.

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 But then a rainstorm will come.

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 And it just kind of washes this stuff out

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 because there's just nothing to it.

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 There's nothing to it.

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 Or if maybe the rainstorm doesn't come,

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 the seed lands on it

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 and it goes in just a little bit.

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 And then the water that I put on

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 or the fertilizer I put on,

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 you get these little sprouts.

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 But then as soon as things start to get hot

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 in the spring,

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 you know what I mean?

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 It starts to get hot.

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 It just scorches.

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 It burns it out.

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 And it can't survive.

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 Why?

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 There's no root.

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 It has absolutely no root system in it.

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 And so it may seem at first,

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 I'll get excited like I did last year.

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 I've got pictures.

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 If we had a TV in here

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 or one that we use there every week,

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 I would show you the pictures.

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 My dad helped me do this.

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 And we had grass.

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 You know, we went out with a blanket one day.

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 We sat in the grass.

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 And like a week later,

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 it was all gone.

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 There was nothing there.

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 It had no root.

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 And I was excited at first

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 because look,

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 it seems like this has taken

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 and there's some fruit of it.

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 But no,

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 there was actually no fruit at all

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 because there was no root

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 in the seed,

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 in the soil.

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 So that's what Jesus is saying.

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 There's the pathway.

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 Then there's the rocky ground.

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 It just doesn't have much soil.

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 It pops up for a moment.

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 But it doesn't have any root system

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 so it can't survive.

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 And then he gives the third one

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 in verse seven.

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 Other seed fell among thorns.

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 And the thorns grew up

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 and choked it

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 and it yielded no grain.

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 Now,

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 there's a different problem here.

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 The problem in this part of the story

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 is not the depth of soil.

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 It's not like this.

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 There's plenty of it.

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 And it's pretty fertile soil.

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 And it's good.

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 Maybe it's rich with some nutrients even

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 and it has great depth

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 and texture to it.

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 The problem's not the soil itself.

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 The problem's what's inside of the soil.

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 So I went out in my backyard

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 and I got something else to show you

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 this morning.

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 Maybe you have some of these

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 in your backyard.

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 This is about all that's in my backyard.

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 In fact,

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 it's just a bunch of weeds.

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 This was the smallest one

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 in my yard this morning.

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 There have some that are,

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 they're probably this tall

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 sitting off this.

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 They're just massive

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 because we're bad yard keepers.

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 But there's this weed.

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 Now,

00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:58.319
 what Jesus is talking about here

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 in this particular part

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 of the parable,

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 this is not what he's talking about.

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 This is what we see.

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 Right?

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 We see the weed.

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 Okay?

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 The problem in the parable

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 is not the weed

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 because in the parable,

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 the weed's already been cut

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 or it's been burned

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 or it's been taken out

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 in some way.

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 The problem is that

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 when the weed was taken out

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 or when the thorn was taken out

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 or it was cut

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 or it was burned

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 or whatever,

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 the root remained in the soil.

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 So it's not that

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 there's not depth of soil.

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 It's not that there's not a place

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 for the seed to penetrate.

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 It's that what else is in the soil

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 that you can't see?

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 There's these weeds and thorns

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 and as the seed begins to grow,

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 so does the weeds and the thorns

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 and ultimately the weeds choke out

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 the good seed

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 and there's no grain

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 that's able to be produced in it.

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 So Jesus gives those three types

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 of poor soil

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 and then he gives a good soil

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 in verse 8.

00:10:54.980 --> 00:10:55.920
 And another seed fell

00:10:55.920 --> 00:10:56.740
 into the good soil

00:10:56.740 --> 00:10:58.660
 and produced grain,

00:10:59.300 --> 00:11:00.620
 growing up and increasing

00:11:00.620 --> 00:11:02.100
 and yielding 30-fold

00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:03.540
 and 60-fold

00:11:03.540 --> 00:11:05.160
 and 100-fold.

00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:06.680
 So after mentioning

00:11:06.680 --> 00:11:07.720
 these bad soils

00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:10.540
 in which no seed can survive

00:11:10.540 --> 00:11:11.580
 and be fruitful,

00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:15.379
 Jesus told of this good soil

00:11:15.379 --> 00:11:17.660
 and this earth

00:11:17.660 --> 00:11:18.740
 was well cultivated

00:11:18.740 --> 00:11:21.000
 it was prepared

00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:22.180
 to receive the seed

00:11:22.180 --> 00:11:24.180
 it has depth

00:11:24.180 --> 00:11:27.120
 it's free from the underground

00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:29.060
 problems and pollutants

00:11:29.060 --> 00:11:30.919
 that will choke out the grain

00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:34.379
 and as far as Jesus' story

00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:35.000
 is concerned

00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:37.200
 this is the only soil

00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:38.700
 that will actually

00:11:38.700 --> 00:11:40.460
 be able to produce

00:11:40.460 --> 00:11:42.519
 any kind of fruit.

00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:45.340
 And then Jesus closes this story

00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:47.259
 with another emphatic statement

00:11:47.259 --> 00:11:48.080
 in verse 9.

00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:50.279
 And he said,

00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:52.500
 He who has ears

00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:53.159
 to hear,

00:11:53.700 --> 00:11:54.980
 let him hear.

00:11:56.519 --> 00:11:57.559
 Now you gotta think

00:11:57.559 --> 00:11:58.259
 the unbelievers

00:11:58.259 --> 00:11:58.840
 that were there

00:11:58.840 --> 00:11:59.379
 that were maybe

00:11:59.379 --> 00:12:00.240
 continuing to be

00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:01.299
 hardened by this

00:12:01.299 --> 00:12:02.819
 had to have been

00:12:02.819 --> 00:12:03.360
 confused.

00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:07.000
 What in the world

00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:07.799
 is that about?

00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:09.700
 We've traveled

00:12:09.700 --> 00:12:11.120
 from all over the place

00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:12.679
 to come and listen

00:12:12.679 --> 00:12:13.659
 to this guy's teaching.

00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:14.299
 We've heard that

00:12:14.299 --> 00:12:14.959
 it's phenomenal.

00:12:15.500 --> 00:12:16.039
 And he just

00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:17.799
 told me a story

00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:18.399
 that I learned

00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:19.159
 in my second grade

00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:19.919
 science class

00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:20.839
 about how seed

00:12:20.839 --> 00:12:21.819
 and soil works.

00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:22.659
 And then he just

00:12:22.659 --> 00:12:23.139
 leaves it to that.

00:12:23.219 --> 00:12:23.599
 And then he gets

00:12:23.599 --> 00:12:24.259
 to the end of the story

00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:25.099
 and he says,

00:12:25.359 --> 00:12:26.099
 He who has ears

00:12:26.099 --> 00:12:26.519
 to hear,

00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:27.539
 let him hear.

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.519
 And this is supposed

00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:30.299
 to be significant

00:12:30.299 --> 00:12:30.799
 to me?

00:12:31.139 --> 00:12:32.339
 This story

00:12:32.339 --> 00:12:33.179
 about soil

00:12:33.179 --> 00:12:33.819
 and seed?

00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:35.759
 What is this

00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:36.319
 all about?

00:12:37.079 --> 00:12:37.399
 Well,

00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:39.299
 Jesus is actually

00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:40.959
 testing the soil,

00:12:41.079 --> 00:12:41.699
 so to speak.

00:12:41.700 --> 00:12:42.800
 the soil

00:12:42.800 --> 00:12:43.440
 of their hearts

00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:43.680
 here.

00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:45.240
 And it was

00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:45.759
 the testing

00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:46.560
 of their soil

00:12:46.560 --> 00:12:47.400
 that determined

00:12:47.400 --> 00:12:48.640
 whether or not

00:12:48.640 --> 00:12:49.340
 they were really

00:12:49.340 --> 00:12:50.480
 in Christ or not.

00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:53.020
 And so he says,

00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:53.879
 He who has ears

00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:54.300
 to hear,

00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:54.820
 let him hear,

00:12:54.900 --> 00:12:55.480
 meaning that

00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:56.160
 many of them

00:12:56.160 --> 00:12:57.200
 would not actually

00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:57.920
 have ears

00:12:57.920 --> 00:12:59.100
 to hear.

00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:01.040
 But if they did,

00:13:01.520 --> 00:13:02.320
 it was important

00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:03.900
 that they listen.

00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:05.520
 The command here

00:13:05.520 --> 00:13:06.140
 is not only

00:13:06.140 --> 00:13:06.820
 to give audience

00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:08.040
 to his remarks,

00:13:08.340 --> 00:13:09.740
 but to engage

00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:10.279
 with them,

00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:11.879
 to obey

00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:12.960
 the lesson

00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:13.860
 that he was

00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:14.340
 teaching.

00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:16.220
 And this teaching

00:13:16.220 --> 00:13:17.180
 is actually

00:13:17.180 --> 00:13:18.639
 eternally significant.

00:13:19.139 --> 00:13:20.200
 And he desired

00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:20.960
 that they would

00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:21.519
 obey.

00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:22.700
 Well,

00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:23.379
 let's skip down

00:13:23.379 --> 00:13:24.320
 to verse 14

00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:25.180
 and we'll see

00:13:25.180 --> 00:13:26.620
 what this parable

00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:27.580
 actually means.

00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:28.620
 And then we'll

00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:29.580
 wrap up this section

00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:31.259
 of Mark chapter 4.

00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:32.840
 Look with me

00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:33.680
 at verse 13.

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:36.259
 And he said

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:36.699
 to them,

00:13:36.839 --> 00:13:38.139
 Do you not

00:13:38.139 --> 00:13:38.979
 understand this

00:13:38.979 --> 00:13:39.379
 parable?

00:13:40.739 --> 00:13:41.639
 How will you

00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:42.299
 understand

00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:43.479
 all the parables?

00:13:45.099 --> 00:13:45.879
 Now Mark's

00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:46.539
 returning to

00:13:46.539 --> 00:13:47.159
 this issue of

00:13:47.159 --> 00:13:47.519
 soil.

00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:48.899
 He took a break

00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:50.019
 and he talked

00:13:50.019 --> 00:13:50.620
 about Jesus'

00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:51.739
 explanation of

00:13:51.739 --> 00:13:52.179
 why he was

00:13:52.179 --> 00:13:52.679
 teaching in

00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:53.179
 parables to

00:13:53.179 --> 00:13:53.799
 begin with.

00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:55.479
 And before

00:13:55.479 --> 00:13:56.419
 explaining this,

00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:57.079
 Jesus made

00:13:57.079 --> 00:13:58.379
 those really

00:13:58.379 --> 00:13:59.359
 difficult sayings

00:13:59.359 --> 00:13:59.799
 to hear.

00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:00.559
 But then he

00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:01.759
 wraps back to

00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:02.779
 this specific

00:14:02.779 --> 00:14:04.679
 explanation about

00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:05.379
 the soil.

00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:07.419
 It's a foundational

00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:08.539
 lesson actually

00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:09.179
 for believers.

00:14:10.319 --> 00:14:11.120
 Jesus said,

00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:11.519
 If you don't

00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:12.379
 understand this

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:12.679
 one,

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:13.839
 you're going to

00:14:13.839 --> 00:14:14.199
 have a really

00:14:14.199 --> 00:14:14.720
 hard time

00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:15.740
 understanding any

00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:16.559
 of the other

00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:17.539
 parables that I

00:14:17.539 --> 00:14:17.819
 tell.

00:14:18.939 --> 00:14:19.819
 And so all three

00:14:19.819 --> 00:14:21.120
 of the synoptic

00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:21.939
 gospels actually

00:14:21.939 --> 00:14:23.100
 record this exact

00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:24.500
 parable in great

00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:25.039
 detail.

00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:25.740
 Why?

00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:26.799
 Because Jesus

00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:27.720
 himself said,

00:14:27.860 --> 00:14:28.539
 If you don't

00:14:28.539 --> 00:14:29.220
 get this one,

00:14:29.740 --> 00:14:30.339
 you're not going

00:14:30.339 --> 00:14:30.779
 to get the other

00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:31.000
 ones.

00:14:31.459 --> 00:14:31.819
 You may be

00:14:31.819 --> 00:14:31.980
 wondering,

00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:32.399
 why didn't

00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:32.960
 John do it?

00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:33.820
 If Matthew,

00:14:33.940 --> 00:14:34.080
 Mark,

00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:34.560
 and Luke did,

00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:34.879
 why didn't

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.120
 John?

00:14:35.180 --> 00:14:35.340
 Well,

00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:35.800
 John didn't

00:14:35.800 --> 00:14:36.460
 record any

00:14:36.460 --> 00:14:36.800
 of Jesus'

00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:37.399
 parables,

00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:38.240
 so it would

00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:38.759
 be unnecessary

00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:39.420
 for him to

00:14:39.420 --> 00:14:39.960
 explain the

00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:40.500
 one that they

00:14:40.500 --> 00:14:40.960
 need to know

00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:41.440
 to interpret

00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:41.960
 the others.

00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:42.899
 But Matthew,

00:14:43.060 --> 00:14:43.180
 Mark,

00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:43.800
 and Luke all

00:14:43.800 --> 00:14:44.420
 deal with it.

00:14:45.180 --> 00:14:45.680
 And so let's

00:14:45.680 --> 00:14:46.019
 see what he

00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:46.600
 has to say.

00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:47.800
 Verse 14.

00:14:49.060 --> 00:14:49.759
 This is the

00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:50.539
 key that unlocks

00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:51.200
 the whole thing.

00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:52.899
 The sower

00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:54.980
 sows the

00:14:54.980 --> 00:14:55.340
 word.

00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:56.620
 The sower

00:14:56.620 --> 00:14:58.420
 sows the

00:14:58.420 --> 00:14:58.800
 word.

00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:00.539
 The sower

00:15:00.539 --> 00:15:01.379
 casting out

00:15:01.379 --> 00:15:01.979
 the seed

00:15:01.979 --> 00:15:02.679
 in Jesus'

00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.659
 story is

00:15:04.659 --> 00:15:05.379
 representative

00:15:05.379 --> 00:15:06.299
 of an

00:15:06.299 --> 00:15:06.879
 individual

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:08.019
 who is

00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:08.439
 preaching

00:15:08.439 --> 00:15:09.399
 or teaching

00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:10.799
 or sharing

00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:12.139
 the word

00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:13.719
 of God.

00:15:14.579 --> 00:15:15.379
 And in the

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:16.659
 immediate context,

00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:17.959
 the sower is a

00:15:17.959 --> 00:15:18.500
 reference to

00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:19.000
 Jesus.

00:15:19.479 --> 00:15:20.439
 Because in this

00:15:20.439 --> 00:15:20.759
 moment,

00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:21.579
 Jesus is the

00:15:21.579 --> 00:15:22.240
 one casting

00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:22.779
 the seed.

00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:23.919
 He's the one

00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:24.419
 that's teaching

00:15:24.419 --> 00:15:24.939
 the gospel.

00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:25.979
 He's the one

00:15:25.979 --> 00:15:26.399
 that's sharing

00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.000
 the good news.

00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:27.639
 But it doesn't

00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:28.360
 only apply to

00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:28.700
 Jesus.

00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:29.559
 We would make

00:15:29.559 --> 00:15:30.340
 a mistake if

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.059
 we thought that

00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:32.759
 Jesus is meant

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:33.379
 to be the

00:15:33.379 --> 00:15:34.639
 sower exclusively

00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:35.419
 in this particular

00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:35.840
 passage.

00:15:36.019 --> 00:15:36.879
 That's not it.

00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.299
 Any person

00:15:38.299 --> 00:15:39.820
 who takes

00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:40.559
 the gospel of

00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.120
 Jesus and

00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:41.799
 shares it with

00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:42.759
 another is

00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:43.759
 represented here

00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.659
 by the

00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:45.019
 sower.

00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:46.120
 And of course,

00:15:46.220 --> 00:15:47.659
 the seed is

00:15:47.659 --> 00:15:48.299
 the Bible.

00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:49.740
 Especially

00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:51.240
 the explicit

00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:52.500
 teaching of

00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:53.299
 the gospel of

00:15:53.299 --> 00:15:53.600
 Jesus.

00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:54.779
 Now, we have

00:15:54.779 --> 00:15:55.139
 to make an

00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:56.240
 important note

00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:56.600
 here.

00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:58.580
 Notice that

00:15:58.580 --> 00:15:59.399
 in the story,

00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:00.820
 the problem

00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:01.759
 is neither

00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.460
 with the

00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:03.840
 sower nor

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:04.680
 the seed.

00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:06.320
 So in the

00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:07.159
 immediate context,

00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:07.820
 the sower is

00:16:07.820 --> 00:16:08.139
 Jesus.

00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:08.840
 Well, Jesus

00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:09.440
 is the greatest

00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:10.100
 teacher to ever

00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:10.440
 live.

00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:11.899
 He's perfect.

00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.100
 He's God.

00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:14.000
 There can't be a

00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:14.659
 problem with him.

00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:15.519
 It can't be a

00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.159
 problem with the

00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.060
 way that he's

00:16:17.060 --> 00:16:17.460
 teaching.

00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:18.360
 It can't be a

00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:19.200
 problem with his

00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.060
 methodologies.

00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:20.720
 It can't be a

00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:21.500
 problem with

00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:24.060
 his tone or

00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:25.240
 any other

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:25.680
 things that we

00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:26.219
 may point to

00:16:26.219 --> 00:16:26.519
 and say,

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:27.319
 well, maybe

00:16:27.319 --> 00:16:28.359
 this was the

00:16:28.359 --> 00:16:28.839
 problem there.

00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:29.659
 No, there's no

00:16:29.659 --> 00:16:30.199
 problem with the

00:16:30.199 --> 00:16:30.699
 sower here.

00:16:30.959 --> 00:16:31.419
 Sower is just

00:16:31.419 --> 00:16:31.939
 casting out

00:16:31.939 --> 00:16:32.259
 seed.

00:16:33.239 --> 00:16:33.959
 There's also

00:16:33.959 --> 00:16:34.539
 no problem

00:16:34.539 --> 00:16:34.979
 with the

00:16:34.979 --> 00:16:35.399
 seed.

00:16:36.199 --> 00:16:37.000
 The seed is

00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:37.519
 the word of

00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:37.879
 God.

00:16:37.959 --> 00:16:38.579
 It's perfect.

00:16:39.219 --> 00:16:40.199
 It's inerrant.

00:16:40.839 --> 00:16:42.019
 It's infallible.

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.339
 There is no

00:16:43.339 --> 00:16:44.500
 mixture of error.

00:16:44.659 --> 00:16:45.979
 It is God's

00:16:45.979 --> 00:16:47.459
 truth to us.

00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.319
 So as this

00:16:48.319 --> 00:16:48.879
 seed is being

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.319
 cast out,

00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:50.019
 there's no issue

00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:50.579
 with that because

00:16:50.579 --> 00:16:51.279
 it's perfect.

00:16:51.579 --> 00:16:52.039
 And in this

00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:53.039
 particular context,

00:16:53.479 --> 00:16:54.620
 so is the

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:54.940
 sower.

00:16:55.139 --> 00:16:55.779
 So there's no

00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:56.500
 issue here with

00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:57.299
 sower and

00:16:57.299 --> 00:16:58.299
 seed.

00:16:58.799 --> 00:16:59.539
 So we can't

00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:00.000
 come to this

00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.740
 story and say,

00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:01.720
 well, we need

00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:02.580
 to find out more

00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:04.140
 creative ways to

00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:04.900
 sow the seed of

00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:05.359
 the gospel.

00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:06.460
 No, that's not

00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.180
 what Jesus is

00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:07.559
 saying.

00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:09.559
 And then we

00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:10.000
 don't come to

00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:10.420
 this and we

00:17:10.420 --> 00:17:11.200
 say, well, we

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:11.619
 have to figure

00:17:11.619 --> 00:17:12.700
 out better ways

00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:14.039
 to present it

00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:14.559
 ourselves.

00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.140
 We need better

00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:16.160
 personalities or

00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.119
 we need to wrap

00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:17.920
 it all in this

00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:18.920
 nice, neat

00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:21.259
 package of modern

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:21.940
 trendiness.

00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:22.860
 No, that's not

00:17:22.860 --> 00:17:23.360
 what this parable

00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:24.259
 is about either.

00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:26.160
 The issue in

00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:27.000
 this parable is

00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:27.640
 not the sower

00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:28.200
 of the seed.

00:17:28.380 --> 00:17:29.220
 The issue in

00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:30.340
 this parable is

00:17:30.340 --> 00:17:31.460
 the soil.

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:34.340
 It's just bad

00:17:34.340 --> 00:17:34.900
 soil.

00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:37.460
 And the soil

00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:38.960
 represents the

00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:39.400
 hearts of

00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:39.880
 people.

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:41.980
 Jesus, again,

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.380
 says that there

00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:44.940
 are four types

00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:46.180
 of soil, four

00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:47.200
 types of hearts

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.539
 that this seed

00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:49.299
 will land on.

00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:50.240
 And so let's

00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:50.620
 look at them

00:17:50.619 --> 00:17:50.939
 quickly.

00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.219
 Verse 15.

00:17:54.179 --> 00:17:54.659
 Jesus said,

00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:55.079
 these are the

00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:56.679
 ones that along

00:17:56.679 --> 00:17:58.479
 the path where

00:17:58.479 --> 00:17:59.159
 the word is

00:17:59.159 --> 00:17:59.519
 sown.

00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:01.839
 When they hear

00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.859
 Satan immediately

00:18:03.859 --> 00:18:05.599
 comes, takes

00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:06.359
 away the word

00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:08.159
 that is sown in

00:18:08.159 --> 00:18:08.459
 them.

00:18:09.879 --> 00:18:10.559
 Well, this is the

00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:11.319
 hardest type of

00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:12.079
 soil that Jesus

00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:12.579
 mentions.

00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:13.399
 Talked about that

00:18:13.399 --> 00:18:13.759
 already.

00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:15.059
 It's the pathway.

00:18:15.339 --> 00:18:16.559
 It's very hard.

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:17.699
 There's nothing

00:18:17.699 --> 00:18:18.339
 for the seed to

00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:18.659
 penetrate.

00:18:18.660 --> 00:18:20.580
 This individual's

00:18:20.580 --> 00:18:22.320
 heart is so

00:18:22.320 --> 00:18:23.720
 hardened to the

00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:24.500
 truth of God

00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:25.460
 that they are

00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:26.500
 utterly indifferent

00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:27.279
 to it.

00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:29.880
 I'm convinced

00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:31.120
 after spending the

00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:31.660
 last couple of

00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:32.120
 weeks in this

00:18:32.120 --> 00:18:33.140
 passage, I'm

00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:33.860
 convinced that

00:18:33.860 --> 00:18:34.500
 this is the

00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:36.100
 most predominant

00:18:36.100 --> 00:18:37.120
 type of soil

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:37.980
 that you will

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.720
 come across in

00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.500
 your evangelism.

00:18:41.100 --> 00:18:42.160
 It's just people

00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:42.800
 that are just

00:18:42.800 --> 00:18:43.800
 completely indifferent

00:18:43.800 --> 00:18:44.500
 to what we have

00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.920
 to say.

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.279
 They're just

00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:47.100
 completely indifferent

00:18:47.100 --> 00:18:47.620
 to the word.

00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:48.140
 It's not that

00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:48.740
 they're trying to

00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:49.140
 figure out.

00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:49.960
 It's not necessarily

00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:50.740
 that they got all

00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:51.300
 this stuff in their

00:18:51.300 --> 00:18:51.960
 life that's choking

00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.279
 it out.

00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:53.000
 It's just they

00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.800
 don't care.

00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.080
 They don't care to

00:18:55.080 --> 00:18:55.640
 begin with.

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:57.340
 And some will

00:18:57.340 --> 00:18:57.960
 even, in fact,

00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:58.779
 maybe even many

00:18:58.779 --> 00:18:59.440
 will take it to

00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:00.180
 the extreme where

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:01.500
 it's not indifference

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.460
 only to the gospel.

00:19:02.620 --> 00:19:03.340
 Maybe it's even

00:19:03.340 --> 00:19:03.920
 they've made

00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:04.840
 themselves an enemy

00:19:04.840 --> 00:19:06.120
 of the gospel.

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.080
 These are the

00:19:07.080 --> 00:19:07.640
 people that you

00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:08.460
 can sit down with

00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:09.400
 at your dinner

00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.240
 table and you can

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.880
 talk about the

00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:11.539
 love of Christ.

00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:12.080
 You can talk

00:19:12.080 --> 00:19:12.700
 about the reality

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.259
 of their sin.

00:19:13.259 --> 00:19:14.140
 And they just

00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:14.900
 don't care.

00:19:15.019 --> 00:19:15.500
 Like there's just

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.879
 nothing there to

00:19:16.879 --> 00:19:18.079
 grab their attention

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:18.720
 at all.

00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:19.799
 There's no sense

00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:20.480
 of remorse.

00:19:20.599 --> 00:19:21.140
 There's no sense

00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:21.779
 of anything at

00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:22.500
 all in their life.

00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:23.980
 They just don't

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.359
 care.

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:26.180
 And they go to

00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:26.559
 church.

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.640
 That's the thing.

00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:29.000
 They go to

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.339
 church.

00:19:30.859 --> 00:19:31.519
 But they don't

00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:31.980
 go to church

00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:32.799
 because they care.

00:19:32.879 --> 00:19:33.400
 They just go

00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:33.920
 because their

00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:34.460
 wife makes them

00:19:34.460 --> 00:19:34.759
 go.

00:19:34.879 --> 00:19:35.259
 Or they go

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:35.740
 because their

00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:36.200
 parents make

00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:36.619
 them go.

00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.119
 Or they go

00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:37.759
 because this is

00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.059
 what you're

00:19:38.059 --> 00:19:38.619
 supposed to do.

00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:39.200
 And maybe if I

00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:39.960
 network enough

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:41.200
 within the right

00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:41.619
 congregation,

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:42.299
 I'll be able to

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:42.819
 make the right

00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:43.940
 business context

00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:44.419
 that I need to

00:19:44.419 --> 00:19:44.619
 make.

00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:45.539
 And it'll benefit

00:19:45.539 --> 00:19:46.659
 my life in another

00:19:46.659 --> 00:19:47.000
 way.

00:19:47.139 --> 00:19:47.859
 But their hearts

00:19:47.859 --> 00:19:48.440
 are so hard.

00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:48.899
 The actual

00:19:48.899 --> 00:19:49.700
 message, the

00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:50.899
 truth, Christ,

00:19:51.180 --> 00:19:51.519
 they're just

00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.279
 completely indifferent

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.779
 to it.

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:54.159
 There's nothing

00:19:54.159 --> 00:19:54.700
 there.

00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:56.259
 And Jesus

00:19:56.259 --> 00:19:57.819
 says when the

00:19:57.819 --> 00:19:58.500
 seed falls on

00:19:58.500 --> 00:19:59.039
 this heart,

00:20:00.139 --> 00:20:00.879
 that Satan

00:20:00.879 --> 00:20:02.559
 immediately comes

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.000
 and devours it.

00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:05.819
 He doesn't come

00:20:05.819 --> 00:20:06.919
 and devour the

00:20:06.919 --> 00:20:07.460
 person.

00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:09.200
 He devours

00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:10.039
 the seed.

00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:11.759
 Right?

00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:13.579
 What does that

00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:14.059
 mean?

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:16.460
 Well, sometimes

00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:17.220
 he does that

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:18.059
 just through

00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:19.299
 worldly

00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:20.059
 distractions.

00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:22.559
 You know, they

00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:23.220
 share the gospel

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:23.720
 with somebody

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.299
 and immediately

00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:24.880
 their attention

00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:25.700
 is just completely

00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:26.340
 diverted to

00:20:26.340 --> 00:20:26.880
 another thing.

00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:27.460
 Something else

00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:28.160
 that's going on

00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:28.480
 in their life.

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:28.940
 Maybe it's their

00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:29.840
 business or maybe

00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:30.480
 it's their family

00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.039
 or maybe it's

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:31.900
 some other thing

00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:32.740
 that maybe in and

00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:33.420
 of itself is a

00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:34.019
 good thing, but

00:20:34.019 --> 00:20:35.079
 Satan just uses it

00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:35.920
 as a distraction.

00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:37.080
 He devours that

00:20:37.080 --> 00:20:37.460
 seed.

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.500
 He devours the

00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:39.120
 seed that has

00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:40.680
 then been cast

00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:42.000
 on the soil.

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:45.060
 Satan doesn't

00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:46.140
 harden the soil.

00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.240
 That's not what

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:48.680
 he does.

00:20:49.580 --> 00:20:50.640
 The soil is already

00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:51.060
 hardened.

00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:51.920
 That's the problem.

00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:53.960
 He just devours

00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:55.180
 the seed when it's

00:20:55.180 --> 00:20:56.000
 cast out, which

00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.740
 tells us we have

00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:58.480
 no excuse.

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:02.360
 When I was a

00:21:02.360 --> 00:21:03.420
 kid, maybe you

00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:03.779
 did this.

00:21:03.820 --> 00:21:04.160
 I don't know.

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:04.740
 When I was a

00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:05.900
 kid, I learned

00:21:05.900 --> 00:21:07.640
 early that if I

00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:09.860
 messed up, there

00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:11.380
 was a chance that

00:21:11.380 --> 00:21:12.100
 if I played a

00:21:12.100 --> 00:21:13.400
 spiritual card with

00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:14.500
 my parents, I

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.040
 might could get

00:21:15.040 --> 00:21:15.720
 some type of

00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:16.320
 relief from the

00:21:16.320 --> 00:21:16.560
 punishment.

00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:16.900
 You know what I

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.060
 mean?

00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:18.440
 I know Marty

00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:18.940
 knows what I

00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:19.100
 mean.

00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:23.040
 And there were

00:21:23.040 --> 00:21:23.980
 times I remember

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:26.040
 telling my parents,

00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:26.600
 you know, I

00:21:26.600 --> 00:21:27.120
 really didn't want

00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:27.600
 to do that.

00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:28.680
 The devil made

00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:29.180
 me do it.

00:21:29.860 --> 00:21:30.720
 The devil made

00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:31.220
 me do it.

00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:33.280
 And they just

00:21:33.280 --> 00:21:33.920
 never accepted

00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:34.519
 that for some

00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:34.740
 reason.

00:21:34.820 --> 00:21:35.220
 I'm not sure

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:35.500
 why.

00:21:35.900 --> 00:21:37.800
 Because Satan

00:21:37.800 --> 00:21:38.460
 doesn't harden

00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:39.000
 the soil.

00:21:40.560 --> 00:21:41.259
 That's not what

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:41.780
 he does.

00:21:42.320 --> 00:21:43.280
 He's not capable

00:21:43.280 --> 00:21:43.759
 of that.

00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:46.800
 We take

00:21:46.800 --> 00:21:47.800
 responsibility for

00:21:47.800 --> 00:21:48.040
 that.

00:21:49.560 --> 00:21:50.680
 We harden the

00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:51.240
 soil of our

00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:51.620
 hearts.

00:21:52.820 --> 00:21:53.660
 We're the ones

00:21:53.660 --> 00:21:54.340
 who reject the

00:21:54.340 --> 00:21:54.700
 message.

00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:56.519
 We're the ones

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.300
 who live in sin.

00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.519
 We're the ones

00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:00.259
 who do wrong.

00:22:01.300 --> 00:22:02.340
 And we can't say,

00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:03.040
 well, the devil's

00:22:03.040 --> 00:22:03.759
 just on my back

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.340
 this week.

00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:05.059
 No.

00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.259
 No.

00:22:05.919 --> 00:22:06.679
 No.

00:22:07.679 --> 00:22:08.859
 He just steals

00:22:08.859 --> 00:22:09.459
 the seed.

00:22:09.959 --> 00:22:10.379
 He just steals

00:22:10.379 --> 00:22:10.879
 the seed.

00:22:11.919 --> 00:22:12.720
 Maybe it's

00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:13.319
 through deception.

00:22:14.199 --> 00:22:14.599
 Maybe it's

00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:15.419
 through distraction.

00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:17.339
 But he steals

00:22:17.339 --> 00:22:17.879
 the seed.

00:22:18.919 --> 00:22:20.119
 Paul said to the

00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:20.799
 Corinthians in

00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:21.879
 2 Corinthians 4

00:22:21.879 --> 00:22:23.859
 that Satan

00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:25.240
 actively blinds

00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:26.480
 those who do

00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:27.099
 not believe.

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:29.240
 He said,

00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:29.959
 in their case,

00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:30.619
 the God of

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:31.319
 this world

00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:32.519
 has blinded

00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:33.079
 the minds

00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:33.459
 of the

00:22:33.459 --> 00:22:34.199
 unbelievers

00:22:34.199 --> 00:22:35.439
 to keep

00:22:35.439 --> 00:22:36.279
 them from

00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.219
 seeing the

00:22:37.219 --> 00:22:37.819
 light of

00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:38.500
 the gospel,

00:22:38.819 --> 00:22:39.779
 the glory

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.439
 of Christ.

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.179
 You say,

00:22:43.219 --> 00:22:43.679
 well, what kind

00:22:43.679 --> 00:22:44.159
 of hope does

00:22:44.159 --> 00:22:44.619
 this person

00:22:44.619 --> 00:22:45.019
 have?

00:22:46.959 --> 00:22:47.619
 If their

00:22:47.619 --> 00:22:48.099
 hearts are

00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:48.959
 so hard

00:22:48.959 --> 00:22:50.799
 that Satan

00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.519
 comes whenever

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:52.219
 a seed is

00:22:52.219 --> 00:22:52.799
 sown and he

00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:53.679
 just devours

00:22:53.679 --> 00:22:54.039
 it and he

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:54.779
 takes it away

00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.099
 and they're

00:22:55.099 --> 00:22:55.920
 distracted and

00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:56.200
 it just

00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:57.019
 immediately goes

00:22:57.019 --> 00:22:57.359
 away, what

00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:57.759
 kind of hope

00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.519
 do they have?

00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:01.680
 It is only

00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:02.500
 by the grace

00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:03.920
 of God that

00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:04.660
 any one of

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:06.039
 us has a

00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.799
 believing heart.

00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:09.200
 Because between

00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:09.960
 our sinful

00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:10.839
 nature and

00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:11.460
 Satan's

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.319
 blinding work,

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:13.359
 we are

00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:14.119
 actually

00:23:14.119 --> 00:23:14.980
 hopeless.

00:23:15.339 --> 00:23:15.759
 And the

00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.579
 only hope we

00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:17.680
 have is that

00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:18.440
 the grace of

00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:19.339
 God will

00:23:19.339 --> 00:23:20.319
 overcome the

00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:21.339
 power of sin

00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:21.980
 and Satan

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:23.240
 in our lives.

00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:24.519
 Listen,

00:23:24.779 --> 00:23:26.740
 no person

00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:27.359
 comes to

00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:27.960
 faith on

00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:28.519
 their own.

00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:30.819
 It's not

00:23:30.819 --> 00:23:31.420
 possible.

00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:33.940
 The soil's

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.720
 too hard.

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.299
 And Satan's

00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:38.059
 working too

00:23:38.059 --> 00:23:39.059
 hard to

00:23:39.059 --> 00:23:39.740
 steal away

00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:40.519
 whatever seed

00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:41.139
 comes.

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:42.220
 You say,

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:42.680
 well, what hope

00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:43.420
 do we have?

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.940
 The only hope

00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:46.139
 we have is

00:23:46.139 --> 00:23:46.839
 that God

00:23:46.839 --> 00:23:47.920
 in his grace

00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:48.779
 and in his

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.660
 sovereign will

00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:50.660
 will do a

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:51.819
 cultivating work

00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:52.619
 in our heart

00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:53.700
 to break up

00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.559
 the soil of

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.099
 our heart

00:23:55.099 --> 00:23:55.899
 in order

00:23:55.899 --> 00:23:56.460
 that his

00:23:56.460 --> 00:23:57.099
 seed can

00:23:57.099 --> 00:23:57.619
 penetrate

00:23:57.619 --> 00:23:58.799
 our hearts

00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.440
 and he

00:23:59.440 --> 00:23:59.980
 can then

00:23:59.980 --> 00:24:01.539
 produce fruit.

00:24:02.539 --> 00:24:02.960
 It is the

00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.480
 spirit of

00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:04.859
 God that

00:24:04.859 --> 00:24:05.940
 awakens us.

00:24:06.899 --> 00:24:07.960
 Let me go

00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:08.980
 back to 2 Corinthians

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:09.419
 4.

00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:11.099
 Right after Paul

00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:11.819
 says that the

00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:12.339
 God of this

00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:13.259
 world has blinded

00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:13.879
 the minds of

00:24:13.879 --> 00:24:14.899
 those who do

00:24:14.899 --> 00:24:15.519
 not believe,

00:24:15.899 --> 00:24:16.599
 then he says

00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:17.579
 in verse 6,

00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:19.819
 for God who

00:24:19.819 --> 00:24:20.379
 said,

00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:22.139
 let light shine

00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:22.740
 out of darkness,

00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:23.380
 he's appealing

00:24:23.380 --> 00:24:24.120
 to the power

00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:24.560
 of God,

00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:25.200
 the creative

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:25.940
 power of God,

00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:27.040
 for God who

00:24:27.040 --> 00:24:27.740
 said let light

00:24:27.740 --> 00:24:28.259
 shine out of

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:29.320
 darkness has

00:24:29.320 --> 00:24:30.220
 shown in our

00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:32.180
 hearts to give

00:24:32.180 --> 00:24:33.080
 the light of

00:24:33.080 --> 00:24:33.640
 the knowledge

00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:34.220
 of the glory

00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:35.340
 of God in

00:24:35.340 --> 00:24:35.940
 the face of

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:36.740
 Jesus Christ.

00:24:37.080 --> 00:24:37.560
 And then he

00:24:37.560 --> 00:24:37.940
 says in the

00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:38.460
 next verse,

00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:39.720
 but we have

00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:40.500
 this treasure

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:42.200
 in jars of

00:24:42.200 --> 00:24:44.720
 clay to show

00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.780
 that the

00:24:45.780 --> 00:24:47.780
 surpassing power

00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:48.740
 belongs to

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:49.420
 God,

00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:51.079
 not to

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:51.660
 us.

00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:53.960
 It's his

00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:55.139
 grace that

00:24:55.139 --> 00:24:56.059
 brings salvation.

00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:57.019
 It's his

00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:58.180
 grace that

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:58.980
 softens the

00:24:58.980 --> 00:24:59.319
 soil.

00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:00.259
 It's his

00:25:00.259 --> 00:25:01.379
 grace that

00:25:01.379 --> 00:25:02.019
 does this

00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:02.420
 work,

00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:03.779
 not us.

00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:04.319
 You don't

00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:04.680
 come to

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:05.180
 Christ by

00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:05.759
 epiphany.

00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:06.859
 You don't

00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:07.519
 just wake up

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.039
 one day and

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.359
 say, you know

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:08.779
 what, I think

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.180
 I'll be a

00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:09.500
 Christian.

00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:10.460
 It doesn't

00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:10.980
 work that

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.319
 way.

00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.460
 God does

00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:12.920
 a work.

00:25:13.660 --> 00:25:14.200
 It's a work

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:14.819
 of grace.

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:15.879
 Think about

00:25:15.879 --> 00:25:16.740
 Matthew 16.

00:25:17.779 --> 00:25:18.899
 Peter makes

00:25:18.899 --> 00:25:20.579
 this wonderful

00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.319
 confession.

00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:22.940
 Jesus says,

00:25:23.019 --> 00:25:23.339
 who do men

00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:23.839
 say that I

00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:24.059
 am?

00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:24.759
 And Peter

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.879
 says, you

00:25:25.879 --> 00:25:26.139
 are the

00:25:26.139 --> 00:25:26.559
 Christ.

00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:28.139
 And here's

00:25:28.139 --> 00:25:28.579
 how Jesus

00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:29.180
 responded.

00:25:30.399 --> 00:25:30.639
 Jesus

00:25:30.639 --> 00:25:31.180
 answered,

00:25:31.899 --> 00:25:32.579
 blessed are

00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:33.799
 you, Simon

00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:34.319
 son of

00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:35.500
 Jonah, for

00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:36.379
 flesh and

00:25:36.379 --> 00:25:37.000
 blood has

00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:37.559
 not revealed

00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:38.039
 this to

00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:39.279
 you, but

00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:40.099
 my father

00:25:40.099 --> 00:25:41.259
 who is in

00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.920
 heaven has

00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:43.680
 revealed this

00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:44.460
 to you.

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.240
 Think about

00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:46.980
 John 6,

00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:47.599
 44.

00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:49.420
 No one

00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:49.899
 can come

00:25:49.899 --> 00:25:50.359
 to me,

00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:51.299
 Jesus said,

00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.319
 unless the

00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:54.019
 father who

00:25:54.019 --> 00:25:54.639
 sent me

00:25:54.639 --> 00:25:55.960
 draws him

00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:57.200
 and I

00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:57.639
 will raise

00:25:57.639 --> 00:25:58.059
 him up on

00:25:58.059 --> 00:25:58.460
 the last

00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:58.799
 day.

00:25:59.399 --> 00:26:00.220
 As it is

00:26:00.220 --> 00:26:00.539
 written in

00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:01.119
 the prophets,

00:26:01.339 --> 00:26:02.220
 they will

00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:02.960
 all be

00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:03.980
 taught by

00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:05.139
 God.

00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:06.680
 You say,

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:06.960
 well, there's

00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:07.359
 a problem

00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:07.660
 here.

00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:10.859
 If my

00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:11.440
 heart is

00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:12.500
 so hard

00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:13.200
 that whenever

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:13.759
 the seed of

00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:14.180
 the word is

00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.940
 sown, the

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.519
 devil comes

00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.240
 and blinds

00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:16.779
 me or he

00:26:16.779 --> 00:26:17.359
 takes away

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:17.980
 that seed,

00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:18.779
 then I've

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.039
 got a

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:19.539
 problem there.

00:26:19.740 --> 00:26:20.000
 And if

00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.259
 on the

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:20.799
 other side

00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.359
 is I

00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:21.619
 can't

00:26:21.619 --> 00:26:21.960
 actually do

00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:22.339
 anything about

00:26:22.339 --> 00:26:23.000
 that problem

00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:23.480
 that I

00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.079
 have to rely

00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:24.980
 on God's

00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:26.220
 gracious work

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:26.720
 in my heart

00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:27.000
 to do

00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:27.440
 something about

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:27.819
 that problem,

00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:28.500
 what am I

00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.019
 supposed to

00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:29.299
 do?

00:26:29.859 --> 00:26:30.339
 What am I

00:26:30.339 --> 00:26:30.799
 supposed to

00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.019
 do?

00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:32.399
 You've got

00:26:32.399 --> 00:26:33.259
 one choice.

00:26:35.099 --> 00:26:35.539
 Pray.

00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:38.819
 That's all

00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:39.700
 you can do.

00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:41.519
 This is why

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.680
 we pray for

00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:43.240
 the lost.

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:43.920
 Have you ever

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:44.360
 thought about

00:26:44.360 --> 00:26:44.660
 that?

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:45.180
 You ever

00:26:45.180 --> 00:26:45.700
 thought why

00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:46.340
 we pray for

00:26:46.340 --> 00:26:46.720
 people to

00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:47.259
 be saved?

00:26:47.380 --> 00:26:48.060
 Because we

00:26:48.060 --> 00:26:48.620
 know it is

00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:49.140
 in God's

00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:49.759
 act for

00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:50.120
 people to

00:26:50.120 --> 00:26:50.759
 be saved.

00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.220
 It takes

00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:52.980
 his work

00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:53.600
 of grace

00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:54.259
 in their

00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:54.720
 heart and

00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:55.120
 so that

00:26:55.120 --> 00:26:55.900
 should drive

00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:56.320
 us as

00:26:56.320 --> 00:26:57.279
 believers to

00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:57.759
 get on our

00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:58.360
 knees before

00:26:58.360 --> 00:26:59.220
 God and

00:26:59.220 --> 00:26:59.960
 beg for

00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:00.500
 God to

00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:01.039
 do a

00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:01.680
 work of

00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:02.380
 grace in

00:27:02.380 --> 00:27:02.820
 the hearts

00:27:02.820 --> 00:27:03.220
 of people

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:03.560
 that we

00:27:03.560 --> 00:27:04.200
 love, in

00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:04.560
 the hearts

00:27:04.560 --> 00:27:04.860
 of our

00:27:04.860 --> 00:27:05.420
 co-workers,

00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:06.200
 in the hearts

00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:06.500
 of our

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:07.320
 friends, and

00:27:07.320 --> 00:27:07.720
 in the hearts

00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.259
 of people that

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:08.640
 may even

00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:09.080
 attend our

00:27:09.080 --> 00:27:09.840
 church whose

00:27:09.840 --> 00:27:10.300
 hearts are

00:27:10.300 --> 00:27:11.259
 so hard.

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.539
 And we

00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:13.019
 gotta pray

00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:13.500
 that God

00:27:13.500 --> 00:27:13.960
 will do

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:14.640
 something in

00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:15.279
 their hearts,

00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:15.619
 that he

00:27:15.619 --> 00:27:16.660
 will cultivate

00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:18.160
 the soil of

00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:18.839
 their hearts.

00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:19.619
 That's the

00:27:19.619 --> 00:27:20.240
 only hope they

00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:20.660
 have.

00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:21.819
 It's the only

00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:22.299
 hope we

00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:22.740
 have.

00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:24.779
 And we

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.039
 need to

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:25.359
 pray.

00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:27.720
 And if you

00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:28.400
 find yourself

00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:28.859
 becoming

00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:30.859
 hardened and

00:27:30.859 --> 00:27:31.599
 indifferent to

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.119
 the gospel

00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:34.779
 yourself, and

00:27:34.779 --> 00:27:35.400
 you're concerned,

00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:37.319
 well, you may

00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:37.619
 be a little

00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:38.220
 softer than

00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:38.700
 you think.

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:40.860
 And you

00:27:40.860 --> 00:27:41.120
 need to

00:27:41.120 --> 00:27:42.900
 pray that

00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:43.240
 God will

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:43.600
 do this

00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:45.460
 work, and

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:46.160
 then believe.

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.019
 That's what

00:27:48.019 --> 00:27:48.720
 Jesus said to

00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:49.100
 do, isn't

00:27:49.100 --> 00:27:49.299
 it?

00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.600
 Repent and

00:27:51.600 --> 00:27:53.100
 believe the

00:27:53.100 --> 00:27:53.620
 gospel.

00:27:55.860 --> 00:27:56.740
 Second type

00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:57.740
 of soil,

00:27:58.059 --> 00:27:58.740
 verse 16.

00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:00.580
 These are the

00:28:00.580 --> 00:28:01.559
 ones sown on

00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:02.380
 rocky ground,

00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:03.900
 the ones who

00:28:03.900 --> 00:28:04.559
 when they hear

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.120
 the word,

00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:06.240
 immediately

00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:07.200
 receive it with

00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:07.620
 joy.

00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:09.539
 But they

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:10.200
 have no root

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:10.860
 in themselves.

00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:12.279
 They endure

00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:12.900
 for a while,

00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:14.240
 and then when

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.100
 tribulation or

00:28:15.100 --> 00:28:16.299
 persecution arises

00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:16.980
 on account of

00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:17.440
 the word,

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:19.000
 immediately they

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:20.500
 fall away.

00:28:22.120 --> 00:28:23.319
 This type of

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:24.140
 person gives

00:28:24.140 --> 00:28:25.299
 early signs of

00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:26.200
 excitement about

00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:28.160
 Jesus, but the

00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:28.980
 word never takes

00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:30.440
 any root in

00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:31.019
 their hearts.

00:28:32.600 --> 00:28:33.600
 Now consider

00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:34.180
 the types of

00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:34.779
 people that were

00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.640
 following Jesus

00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:36.840
 and were listening

00:28:36.840 --> 00:28:37.420
 to him and

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:37.900
 hearing him at

00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:38.340
 this point.

00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:39.720
 this soil

00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:40.640
 represents the

00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:41.759
 prosperity seekers.

00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.240
 This is the

00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:44.259
 prosperity seekers.

00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:46.180
 Their interest is

00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:46.580
 not in the

00:28:46.580 --> 00:28:46.980
 gospel.

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:48.819
 Their interest is

00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:50.100
 not even in

00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:51.779
 Jesus himself or

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.759
 in his purpose or

00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:54.000
 in his identity

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.940
 as Lord.

00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:57.059
 They only want to

00:28:57.059 --> 00:28:57.900
 receive some type

00:28:57.900 --> 00:28:58.480
 of healing,

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.759
 some type of

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.500
 success,

00:29:01.080 --> 00:29:02.420
 some type of

00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.600
 improvement to

00:29:03.600 --> 00:29:04.080
 their temporal

00:29:04.080 --> 00:29:04.720
 life.

00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:04.779
 love.

00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:06.940
 They're hoping

00:29:06.940 --> 00:29:07.660
 that coming to

00:29:07.660 --> 00:29:08.579
 Jesus, he will

00:29:08.579 --> 00:29:09.640
 benefit them

00:29:09.640 --> 00:29:11.680
 materially or in

00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:12.779
 some earthly

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.299
 way.

00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:14.519
 And for them,

00:29:15.059 --> 00:29:16.160
 it's all emotion.

00:29:17.339 --> 00:29:18.319
 That's what Jesus

00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:18.740
 said.

00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:19.880
 Immediately they

00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:20.480
 receive it with

00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:20.720
 what?

00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:22.380
 Joy, gladness.

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.319
 They receive it

00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:24.799
 with joy, not the

00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:25.640
 prospect of the

00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:26.039
 gospel.

00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:27.140
 What they receive

00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:27.860
 with joy is the

00:29:27.860 --> 00:29:28.640
 prospect of their

00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:29.559
 life having some

00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:30.360
 type of improvement

00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:31.799
 that they want

00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:33.339
 to experience.

00:29:34.699 --> 00:29:35.819
 But they abandon

00:29:35.819 --> 00:29:37.259
 Jesus as soon as

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:38.519
 a hardship comes

00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:39.000
 along.

00:29:39.819 --> 00:29:40.919
 The word initially

00:29:40.919 --> 00:29:42.939
 sprouts, but it's

00:29:42.939 --> 00:29:43.819
 unable to take any

00:29:43.819 --> 00:29:44.519
 root in their heart.

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.379
 Sun comes up,

00:29:47.019 --> 00:29:47.679
 things get a little

00:29:47.679 --> 00:29:50.159
 hot, and they say,

00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:50.979
 okay, this is not

00:29:50.979 --> 00:29:51.679
 what I signed up

00:29:51.679 --> 00:29:51.899
 for.

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.319
 But what does the

00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:55.159
 sun represent here?

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:55.919
 It could be a lot

00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:56.619
 of things actually.

00:29:57.619 --> 00:29:58.179
 It could be

00:29:58.179 --> 00:29:58.779
 persecution.

00:29:58.779 --> 00:30:00.319
 It could be that

00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:00.879
 they've said, yeah,

00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:01.859
 I'm a follower of

00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:02.519
 Christ, and then

00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:03.819
 their friends decide

00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:04.180
 they don't want to

00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:04.599
 be their friends

00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:04.920
 anymore.

00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.440
 Or their family

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:07.000
 decides they don't

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.420
 want them coming

00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:07.980
 over for dinner

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.359
 anymore.

00:30:10.039 --> 00:30:10.940
 Or their coworkers

00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:12.000
 are mocking them

00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.759
 or making fun of

00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:13.180
 them for whatever

00:30:13.180 --> 00:30:13.559
 it is, and they

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:13.920
 say, you know

00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:14.779
 what, okay, maybe

00:30:14.779 --> 00:30:15.460
 I'm not a follower

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:15.899
 of Christ.

00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.359
 It's not worth it.

00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:18.899
 There's no root.

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.079
 No root.

00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:21.920
 Could be unmet

00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:22.700
 expectations.

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.500
 They came because

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:26.180
 they thought Jesus

00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:26.680
 was going to give

00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:27.440
 them a better job,

00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:27.859
 and they thought

00:30:27.859 --> 00:30:28.619
 Jesus was going to

00:30:28.619 --> 00:30:29.279
 heal the disease

00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:29.839
 that they have,

00:30:29.879 --> 00:30:30.239
 or they thought

00:30:30.239 --> 00:30:31.039
 Jesus was going

00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:32.279
 to restore the

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:33.039
 relationship that

00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:33.899
 they have with

00:30:33.899 --> 00:30:35.219
 an estranged child,

00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:36.159
 but then when they

00:30:36.159 --> 00:30:37.259
 don't ever get a

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:38.639
 better job, or they

00:30:38.639 --> 00:30:39.939
 don't ever get the

00:30:39.939 --> 00:30:40.500
 wealth that they

00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:40.959
 were looking for,

00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:41.879
 they don't ever get

00:30:41.879 --> 00:30:43.119
 the other material

00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:44.379
 things, these unmet

00:30:44.379 --> 00:30:45.539
 expectations cause

00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:46.239
 them to say, well,

00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:47.059
 Jesus isn't all he's

00:30:47.059 --> 00:30:47.699
 cracked up to be.

00:30:50.199 --> 00:30:51.059
 Could be that they're

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:51.939
 just hurt by others.

00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:55.000
 They get excited

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.759
 initially, and then

00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:56.739
 they realize once they

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:58.039
 get into church and

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:58.680
 around Christians,

00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.500
 that Christians are

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:02.240
 sinners, and we

00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:02.759
 don't always do

00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:04.720
 things well, and they

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.259
 get hurt, and they

00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:06.200
 say the first thing

00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:07.140
 they abandon is not

00:31:07.140 --> 00:31:07.900
 necessarily the church

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.380
 that they abandon,

00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:08.900
 it's Christ.

00:31:09.019 --> 00:31:09.400
 They say, I don't

00:31:09.400 --> 00:31:09.839
 want this.

00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:12.299
 Third type of soil,

00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:12.920
 verse 18.

00:31:14.259 --> 00:31:15.120
 Others are the ones

00:31:15.120 --> 00:31:16.099
 sown among thorns.

00:31:17.099 --> 00:31:17.900
 They're those who hear

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.680
 the word, but the

00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:19.680
 cares of the world and

00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:20.599
 the deceitfulness of

00:31:20.599 --> 00:31:21.279
 riches and the

00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:22.339
 desires for other

00:31:22.339 --> 00:31:24.059
 things enter in and

00:31:24.059 --> 00:31:25.720
 choke the word, and

00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:27.980
 it proves unfruitful.

00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:30.620
 Now, unlike the other

00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:31.720
 two types of soil, as

00:31:31.720 --> 00:31:32.480
 we mentioned earlier,

00:31:33.100 --> 00:31:34.680
 the issue here is not

00:31:34.680 --> 00:31:35.220
 depth.

00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:37.200
 It's what's in the

00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:37.500
 soil.

00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:41.759
 Now, this person is

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.740
 willing to accept

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:44.140
 Jesus as their Savior,

00:31:44.700 --> 00:31:47.180
 but we know that's not

00:31:47.180 --> 00:31:48.120
 the complete gospel.

00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:52.019
 They don't mind asking

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:53.000
 Jesus in their heart,

00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:54.700
 and they definitely

00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:55.720
 want Jesus to keep

00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:56.380
 them from going to

00:31:56.380 --> 00:31:56.640
 hell.

00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:58.220
 No doubt about that.

00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:00.319
 What they're unwilling

00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:02.200
 to do is submit to

00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:03.299
 Jesus as Lord.

00:32:05.619 --> 00:32:08.400
 What they lack is not

00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:09.779
 belief in the claims

00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:10.359
 of Jesus.

00:32:11.059 --> 00:32:12.019
 They wouldn't deny who

00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:13.240
 he is, wouldn't even

00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:14.319
 deny what his purpose

00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:15.000
 was.

00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:17.099
 What they lack is

00:32:17.099 --> 00:32:17.619
 repentance.

00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:20.480
 A repentance that Jesus

00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:22.420
 demands for salvation.

00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:24.960
 So, underneath the

00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:25.980
 surface of this

00:32:25.980 --> 00:32:28.240
 pseudo-belief is a

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:30.339
 network of sins, a

00:32:30.339 --> 00:32:31.880
 network of desires that

00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:33.019
 ultimately turn their

00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:34.740
 hearts away from Christ

00:32:34.740 --> 00:32:35.819
 altogether.

00:32:36.819 --> 00:32:38.099
 And we have a cultural

00:32:38.099 --> 00:32:38.980
 term for this.

00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:40.940
 We call them nominal

00:32:40.940 --> 00:32:41.480
 Christians.

00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:44.240
 But the problem with

00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.660
 nominal Christianity is

00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:46.700
 it's not Christian.

00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:48.799
 it's just nominal.

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.980
 It's one thing to want

00:32:53.980 --> 00:32:55.920
 Jesus to save you

00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:56.480
 from hell.

00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:57.380
 It's another thing to

00:32:57.380 --> 00:32:58.600
 actually submit to him

00:32:58.600 --> 00:32:59.740
 as your Lord and repent

00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.620
 of your sin.

00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:03.519
 That's the issue here.

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:06.940
 Jesus said in Matthew

00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:08.799
 6, no man can serve

00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:09.640
 two masters.

00:33:10.940 --> 00:33:12.000
 Either we will hate the

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:12.860
 one and love the other,

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:14.299
 or he will be devoted to

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:15.400
 the one and despise the

00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:15.580
 other.

00:33:15.579 --> 00:33:17.559
 And then the specific

00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:18.639
 illustration he gives is

00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:18.919
 money.

00:33:19.259 --> 00:33:20.839
 No person can serve both

00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:21.500
 God and money.

00:33:21.619 --> 00:33:22.599
 In other words, your

00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:23.899
 attention, your heart

00:33:23.899 --> 00:33:25.939
 cannot be divided in the

00:33:25.939 --> 00:33:26.359
 gospel.

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:28.419
 James talked about this.

00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:29.759
 A double-minded man is

00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:31.879
 unstable in all his ways.

00:33:32.039 --> 00:33:33.159
 This person, they want

00:33:33.159 --> 00:33:34.359
 Jesus because they want,

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.079
 they don't want to go to

00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:35.419
 hell.

00:33:36.179 --> 00:33:37.579
 They want Jesus, but they

00:33:37.579 --> 00:33:38.419
 don't want Jesus telling

00:33:38.419 --> 00:33:39.079
 them what to do.

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:40.279
 They don't want to

00:33:40.279 --> 00:33:40.879
 actually have to change

00:33:40.879 --> 00:33:41.619
 their life around.

00:33:41.799 --> 00:33:43.059
 They just want Jesus to be

00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:43.699
 okay with them.

00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:44.859
 They want Jesus to accept

00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:45.779
 them as they are, but not

00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:46.759
 actually do the refining

00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:47.859
 work that the gospel does

00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:48.879
 in their lives.

00:33:49.019 --> 00:33:50.179
 And what we come to find

00:33:50.179 --> 00:33:51.419
 out according to Jesus is

00:33:51.419 --> 00:33:52.779
 that none of these soils,

00:33:53.099 --> 00:33:54.399
 none of these three soils

00:33:54.399 --> 00:33:56.539
 produce true Christians.

00:33:58.399 --> 00:34:00.599
 Two of them produce false

00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:01.199
 Christians.

00:34:02.879 --> 00:34:04.000
 And then he gets to the

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:04.479
 good soil.

00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:05.279
 Verse 20.

00:34:06.419 --> 00:34:07.699
 But those that were sold on

00:34:07.699 --> 00:34:09.759
 the good soil are the ones

00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:12.540
 who hear the word, accept it

00:34:12.540 --> 00:34:15.960
 and bear fruit 30 fold, 60

00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:18.680
 fold, and a hundred fold.

00:34:21.140 --> 00:34:24.700
 Now, the word that Jesus uses

00:34:24.700 --> 00:34:27.440
 for here in all three of these

00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:29.120
 situations is the word

00:34:29.120 --> 00:34:29.720
 akuo.

00:34:29.860 --> 00:34:30.460
 It's a verb.

00:34:31.120 --> 00:34:32.780
 The first three times he uses

00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:34.080
 it in the first three soils,

00:34:34.240 --> 00:34:35.800
 it's in the imperfect tense,

00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:37.080
 which means that it's past.

00:34:37.140 --> 00:34:38.180
 It's a single action.

00:34:38.179 --> 00:34:40.599
 In other words, they heard.

00:34:41.019 --> 00:34:42.159
 Single moment, they heard.

00:34:42.359 --> 00:34:43.259
 It's kind of the picture of

00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:44.500
 in one ear, out the other

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:45.480
 that we're all familiar with,

00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:45.659
 right?

00:34:45.819 --> 00:34:47.699
 That's the way that Jesus

00:34:47.699 --> 00:34:48.500
 is using the word.

00:34:48.679 --> 00:34:49.960
 When he gets to the good soil,

00:34:50.099 --> 00:34:51.960
 he uses a different form

00:34:51.960 --> 00:34:53.419
 of the word akuo.

00:34:53.739 --> 00:34:55.559
 They not only hear the word,

00:34:55.759 --> 00:34:57.960
 but they heed the word.

00:34:58.119 --> 00:35:00.159
 They listen to the word.

00:35:00.379 --> 00:35:02.699
 They obey the word

00:35:02.699 --> 00:35:04.759
 and they submit to it.

00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:07.280
 And Jesus made clear

00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:09.380
 that the way to determine

00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:11.080
 what type of person you are

00:35:11.080 --> 00:35:13.280
 is to gauge the fruitfulness

00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:16.120
 of the word in your life.

00:35:17.480 --> 00:35:18.580
 Now, remember,

00:35:19.100 --> 00:35:22.500
 we are not bearing fruit

00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:23.280
 in this parable.

00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:27.200
 It's not us bearing fruit.

00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:29.540
 We're just the soil.

00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:31.500
 What is it that's bearing fruit?

00:35:32.340 --> 00:35:33.180
 The word.

00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:35.260
 The word bears the fruit.

00:35:36.140 --> 00:35:37.960
 When it lands on the right soil

00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:39.540
 that's been cultivated,

00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:41.540
 the word bears the fruit.

00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:44.680
 And a typical yield

00:35:44.680 --> 00:35:45.820
 in Jesus's day

00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:46.900
 would have been anywhere

00:35:46.900 --> 00:35:48.500
 from six to tenfold.

00:35:48.620 --> 00:35:51.180
 In fact, tenfold was a blessed year.

00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:53.159
 That was a good crop.

00:35:53.819 --> 00:35:55.859
 But then Jesus makes this

00:35:55.859 --> 00:35:57.659
 outrageous statement

00:35:57.659 --> 00:36:00.239
 that the good soil produces

00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:01.779
 in some thirtyfold,

00:36:02.239 --> 00:36:04.699
 in some sixtyfold,

00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:07.579
 and in some a hundredfold.

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:10.759
 This would have been meant

00:36:10.759 --> 00:36:12.359
 to shock the people's ears,

00:36:12.739 --> 00:36:13.679
 to shock them,

00:36:13.899 --> 00:36:16.179
 because that's a massive bounty

00:36:16.179 --> 00:36:18.239
 for what has been sown.

00:36:18.779 --> 00:36:19.759
 And so what's the point?

00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:21.980
 The point is that

00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:23.020
 there's no mistaking

00:36:23.020 --> 00:36:23.940
 whether a person

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:26.440
 is truly trusting Christ or not.

00:36:27.080 --> 00:36:28.440
 There's no mistaking it.

00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:31.400
 Because it's not the person

00:36:31.400 --> 00:36:32.520
 that produces the fruit,

00:36:32.700 --> 00:36:34.500
 it's God that produces the fruit

00:36:34.500 --> 00:36:35.840
 through his word,

00:36:36.060 --> 00:36:37.120
 by his spirit.

00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:38.900
 And for a person

00:36:38.900 --> 00:36:40.380
 that has truly come to faith,

00:36:40.520 --> 00:36:42.320
 that's going to reveal itself

00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:43.060
 over time

00:36:43.060 --> 00:36:44.720
 in the bounty of fruit

00:36:44.720 --> 00:36:45.760
 that the word has provided.

00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:47.540
 Some thirtyfold,

00:36:47.539 --> 00:36:48.779
 some sixtyfold,

00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:50.079
 some a hundredfold.

00:36:50.219 --> 00:36:50.980
 We're all going to be

00:36:50.980 --> 00:36:51.920
 in different walks.

00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:52.800
 We're all going to be

00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:53.599
 on different planes

00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:54.659
 as far as our Christian walk

00:36:54.659 --> 00:36:55.179
 is concerned.

00:36:55.300 --> 00:36:57.000
 But the unmistakable truth

00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:57.559
 of the Bible

00:36:57.559 --> 00:36:59.579
 is that those who have truly

00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:00.940
 come to Christ in faith

00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:01.920
 will,

00:37:02.179 --> 00:37:03.539
 will bear fruit.

00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:04.860
 Because it's God

00:37:04.860 --> 00:37:06.199
 who does the fruit bearing

00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:07.099
 in us.

00:37:07.940 --> 00:37:09.519
 It's not that we don't produce that.

00:37:09.779 --> 00:37:11.000
 He produces that.

00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:12.440
 And only those who are

00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:13.559
 producing that fruit,

00:37:13.699 --> 00:37:15.739
 that word is impacting their life

00:37:15.739 --> 00:37:16.979
 and changing their life

00:37:16.979 --> 00:37:18.299
 and doing the work

00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:19.039
 of the Lord

00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:21.979
 represent the good soil.

00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:24.979
 MacArthur said,

00:37:25.199 --> 00:37:26.139
 having been made alive

00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:27.519
 by the spirit of God,

00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:29.559
 they produce fruit

00:37:29.559 --> 00:37:30.939
 in keeping with repentance.

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:32.339
 That's Matthew 3.8.

00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:33.719
 That's a part of the fruit.

00:37:33.899 --> 00:37:34.179
 You say,

00:37:34.219 --> 00:37:34.779
 how do I know

00:37:34.779 --> 00:37:36.059
 that this is me?

00:37:36.219 --> 00:37:37.119
 Well, what happens

00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:38.039
 when you get confronted

00:37:38.039 --> 00:37:38.739
 by the word

00:37:38.739 --> 00:37:39.799
 about your own sin?

00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:40.779
 What do you do?

00:37:42.479 --> 00:37:43.500
 Do you bear fruits

00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:43.979
 of repentance?

00:37:43.980 --> 00:37:45.320
 It's not that the good soil

00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:46.079
 never sins.

00:37:46.940 --> 00:37:48.139
 You don't just leave it alone.

00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:50.699
 But what do you do

00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:51.980
 when you are confronted

00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:53.139
 by your sin?

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:54.920
 Do you rebel?

00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:56.219
 Do you harden?

00:37:57.099 --> 00:37:58.099
 Or do you repent?

00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.400
 It bears fruit

00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:01.340
 in keeping with repentance.

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:02.019
 Matthew 3.8.

00:38:02.139 --> 00:38:02.659
 And then he said,

00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:03.740
 it bears the fruit

00:38:03.740 --> 00:38:04.519
 of righteousness.

00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:06.559
 Philippians 1.11.

00:38:08.260 --> 00:38:10.079
 That not only are we

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:11.440
 avoiding sin

00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:12.199
 and repenting of sin,

00:38:12.199 --> 00:38:13.079
 but we're actually living

00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:15.019
 unto righteousness.

00:38:15.299 --> 00:38:16.339
 We're not only stopping

00:38:16.339 --> 00:38:16.919
 the bad things,

00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:18.079
 but we're actually being

00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:19.639
 being driven to do

00:38:19.639 --> 00:38:20.639
 the good things,

00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:21.639
 the righteous things,

00:38:21.919 --> 00:38:22.779
 the godly things.

00:38:23.379 --> 00:38:24.119
 And then thirdly,

00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:24.659
 he says,

00:38:24.859 --> 00:38:26.439
 the fruit of the spirit,

00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:28.539
 which is Galatians 5.

00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:30.599
 Love,

00:38:31.480 --> 00:38:31.859
 joy,

00:38:32.899 --> 00:38:33.399
 peace,

00:38:34.519 --> 00:38:35.659
 long-suffering,

00:38:35.659 --> 00:38:38.219
 gentleness,

00:38:39.819 --> 00:38:41.059
 faithfulness,

00:38:42.440 --> 00:38:43.099
 meekness,

00:38:43.799 --> 00:38:44.599
 self-control.

00:38:47.159 --> 00:38:48.119
 Those aren't things

00:38:48.119 --> 00:38:48.819
 you produce.

00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:50.779
 Those are things

00:38:50.779 --> 00:38:51.719
 the spirit of God

00:38:51.719 --> 00:38:52.179
 produces.

00:38:52.819 --> 00:38:53.940
 And so the question is,

00:38:54.159 --> 00:38:55.759
 what's the fruit

00:38:55.759 --> 00:38:56.399
 of your life?

00:38:58.139 --> 00:38:59.440
 Do you sprout up

00:38:59.440 --> 00:38:59.859
 real quick

00:38:59.859 --> 00:39:01.079
 and then you blow away

00:39:01.079 --> 00:39:02.739
 because you actually

00:39:02.739 --> 00:39:03.379
 have no root?

00:39:03.380 --> 00:39:08.820
 Is the faith part,

00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:09.200
 you know,

00:39:09.500 --> 00:39:10.720
 as far as mental

00:39:10.720 --> 00:39:11.260
 ascent belief,

00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:12.079
 I'm good there,

00:39:12.180 --> 00:39:12.800
 just I don't want

00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:13.480
 to give up the sins.

00:39:13.539 --> 00:39:14.119
 I don't want Jesus

00:39:14.119 --> 00:39:14.720
 to be my Lord.

00:39:14.760 --> 00:39:15.140
 I just want him

00:39:15.140 --> 00:39:15.740
 to be my Savior.

00:39:16.780 --> 00:39:17.640
 Is that your soil?

00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:21.400
 Maybe you're so hard

00:39:21.400 --> 00:39:22.019
 that you just can't wait

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:22.860
 for this to get over

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:24.940
 because none of this

00:39:24.940 --> 00:39:25.619
 matters to you.

00:39:26.460 --> 00:39:27.640
 What does this

00:39:27.640 --> 00:39:28.380
 have to do with me?

00:39:30.099 --> 00:39:31.019
 Or is the word of God

00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:31.980
 actually doing something

00:39:31.980 --> 00:39:32.840
 in your heart?

00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:34.680
 Is it actually

00:39:34.680 --> 00:39:35.559
 producing a fruit

00:39:35.559 --> 00:39:36.220
 in your heart?

00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:38.160
 Is God doing

00:39:38.160 --> 00:39:39.019
 this work in you?

00:39:39.920 --> 00:39:40.720
 It's a testing

00:39:40.720 --> 00:39:41.240
 of the soil.

00:39:42.920 --> 00:39:43.660
 And so we have

00:39:43.660 --> 00:39:44.760
 to ask those questions.

00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:46.660
 In relation

00:39:46.660 --> 00:39:47.340
 to the parables,

00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:48.640
 most of the parables

00:39:48.640 --> 00:39:49.380
 are about the kingdom

00:39:49.380 --> 00:39:49.880
 of God.

00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:50.980
 And so when we come

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:51.280
 to one,

00:39:51.340 --> 00:39:51.820
 we ask,

00:39:52.380 --> 00:39:53.300
 where do I stand

00:39:53.300 --> 00:39:53.800
 in relation

00:39:53.800 --> 00:39:54.300
 to the kingdom

00:39:54.300 --> 00:39:54.780
 of God?

00:39:55.320 --> 00:39:56.420
 And in this particular

00:39:56.420 --> 00:39:56.820
 case,

00:39:56.820 --> 00:39:57.720
 the question is,

00:39:58.440 --> 00:39:59.780
 what type of soil

00:39:59.780 --> 00:40:01.320
 have I proven

00:40:01.320 --> 00:40:01.900
 to have

00:40:01.900 --> 00:40:03.200
 in my heart?

00:40:03.380 --> 00:40:06.000
 we also need

00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:06.680
 to understand

00:40:06.680 --> 00:40:08.000
 how this lesson

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:10.019
 relates to our evangelism.

00:40:11.059 --> 00:40:12.140
 This is an important

00:40:12.140 --> 00:40:12.920
 note for us

00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:14.240
 as we care

00:40:14.240 --> 00:40:15.119
 about lost souls.

00:40:16.700 --> 00:40:17.820
 Our responsibility

00:40:17.820 --> 00:40:18.760
 is to cast

00:40:18.760 --> 00:40:19.380
 the seed.

00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:20.260
 Remember?

00:40:20.260 --> 00:40:22.880
 the sower

00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:23.780
 in this case,

00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.460
 now we could take it

00:40:24.460 --> 00:40:24.740
 that far

00:40:24.740 --> 00:40:25.240
 if we wanted to,

00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:26.120
 but Jesus doesn't.

00:40:26.260 --> 00:40:26.400
 Okay?

00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:27.160
 So we go with

00:40:27.160 --> 00:40:28.020
 what Jesus gives us.

00:40:28.500 --> 00:40:28.860
 The sower

00:40:28.860 --> 00:40:29.580
 in this case,

00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:31.000
 the issue of the soil

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.740
 isn't his issue.

00:40:34.380 --> 00:40:35.200
 We just cast

00:40:35.200 --> 00:40:35.640
 the seed.

00:40:36.220 --> 00:40:36.400
 Right?

00:40:37.020 --> 00:40:37.380
 We cast

00:40:37.380 --> 00:40:37.760
 the seed.

00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:39.800
 And then we trust

00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:40.880
 God to do

00:40:40.880 --> 00:40:41.720
 that cultivating

00:40:41.720 --> 00:40:43.160
 work in the

00:40:43.160 --> 00:40:43.760
 hearts of people.

00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:46.440
 we're responsible

00:40:46.440 --> 00:40:47.440
 for faithfulness.

00:40:48.280 --> 00:40:49.380
 We leave the fruitfulness

00:40:49.380 --> 00:40:49.920
 to God

00:40:49.920 --> 00:40:51.700
 and we trust

00:40:51.700 --> 00:40:52.280
 him to do it.

00:40:53.220 --> 00:40:54.240
 But this helps us

00:40:54.240 --> 00:40:54.880
 to understand

00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:56.220
 why the people

00:40:56.220 --> 00:40:56.780
 that we witness

00:40:56.780 --> 00:40:57.460
 to respond

00:40:57.460 --> 00:40:58.260
 in different ways.

00:40:59.180 --> 00:40:59.940
 A lot of people

00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:00.480
 you witness to

00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:00.880
 is they're going

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:01.300
 to be just

00:41:01.300 --> 00:41:01.980
 hard ground.

00:41:03.140 --> 00:41:03.600
 They're going

00:41:03.600 --> 00:41:04.000
 to be different

00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:04.780
 types of soil.

00:41:05.120 --> 00:41:05.720
 This helps us

00:41:05.720 --> 00:41:06.760
 understand our evangelism.

00:41:07.040 --> 00:41:07.660
 And then finally,

00:41:07.720 --> 00:41:08.400
 if you're a believer,

00:41:08.880 --> 00:41:10.080
 if you're a believer

00:41:10.080 --> 00:41:10.660
 with the fruit

00:41:10.660 --> 00:41:11.100
 of the word

00:41:11.100 --> 00:41:11.660
 being produced

00:41:11.659 --> 00:41:12.420
 in your life,

00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:14.980
 this should lead

00:41:14.980 --> 00:41:15.759
 you to worship.

00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:17.739
 This should lead

00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:18.359
 you to worship.

00:41:19.839 --> 00:41:20.719
 The problem is

00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:21.839
 sometimes in our pride,

00:41:22.879 --> 00:41:25.079
 that worship

00:41:25.079 --> 00:41:25.819
 doesn't become

00:41:25.819 --> 00:41:26.619
 so much a worship

00:41:26.619 --> 00:41:27.099
 of God

00:41:27.099 --> 00:41:27.739
 for the fruitfulness

00:41:27.739 --> 00:41:28.319
 of our life.

00:41:28.359 --> 00:41:29.179
 It becomes a worship

00:41:29.179 --> 00:41:29.940
 of me

00:41:29.940 --> 00:41:31.940
 for the fruitfulness

00:41:31.940 --> 00:41:32.579
 in my life.

00:41:33.480 --> 00:41:34.940
 Look at what I've done.

00:41:35.059 --> 00:41:35.719
 Look at how far

00:41:35.719 --> 00:41:36.579
 I've come.

00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:39.099
 Let me help you out.

00:41:41.659 --> 00:41:42.739
 When we understand

00:41:42.739 --> 00:41:43.539
 the grace of God

00:41:43.539 --> 00:41:44.279
 and how it works

00:41:44.279 --> 00:41:45.399
 in the soil of our hearts,

00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:46.559
 what that leads us to

00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:47.899
 is to fall on our knees

00:41:47.899 --> 00:41:48.420
 and worship.

00:41:49.799 --> 00:41:50.519
 Understanding that

00:41:50.519 --> 00:41:51.960
 but for the grace of God,

00:41:52.579 --> 00:41:53.659
 we would be

00:41:53.659 --> 00:41:54.519
 the hard path

00:41:54.519 --> 00:41:56.460
 or we would be

00:41:56.460 --> 00:41:57.460
 the shallow soil

00:41:57.460 --> 00:41:59.759
 or we would be

00:41:59.759 --> 00:42:00.559
 full of weeds.

00:42:02.379 --> 00:42:03.299
 Which is exactly

00:42:03.299 --> 00:42:04.039
 what Paul does

00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:04.940
 in Ephesians 2.

00:42:06.619 --> 00:42:07.619
 He recognizes

00:42:07.619 --> 00:42:08.299
 when he says,

00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:09.039
 but God,

00:42:09.460 --> 00:42:10.420
 who is rich

00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:11.119
 in mercy,

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:13.740
 because of the great love

00:42:13.740 --> 00:42:15.260
 which with he loved us,

00:42:16.019 --> 00:42:18.019
 even when we were dead

00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:19.400
 in our trespasses,

00:42:19.639 --> 00:42:22.220
 he made us alive

00:42:22.220 --> 00:42:23.519
 together with Christ.

00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:25.380
 And if they didn't understand

00:42:25.380 --> 00:42:26.079
 what he's saying,

00:42:26.539 --> 00:42:27.820
 he follows it up with,

00:42:28.280 --> 00:42:29.059
 by grace,

00:42:29.519 --> 00:42:30.220
 you're saved.

00:42:30.599 --> 00:42:31.659
 Not your own effort.

00:42:32.200 --> 00:42:33.320
 Not what you do.

00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:34.780
 It's not that you got

00:42:34.780 --> 00:42:35.420
 it all together.

00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:36.880
 It's that God

00:42:36.880 --> 00:42:37.860
 has blessed you.

00:42:37.860 --> 00:42:40.000
 God has done

00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:40.900
 a work in you.

00:42:41.900 --> 00:42:42.820
 And what that should

00:42:42.820 --> 00:42:43.539
 lead us to do

00:42:43.539 --> 00:42:45.660
 is worship him for it.

00:42:45.659 --> 00:42:46.359
 for you,

00:42:46.359 --> 00:42:47.659
 for you,

00:42:47.659 --> 00:42:48.899
 for you,

00:42:48.899 --> 00:42:49.559
 for you,

00:42:49.559 --> 00:42:50.259
 for you,

00:42:50.259 --> 00:42:50.960
 for you,

00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:50.960


00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:50.960


00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:51.480
 for you,

00:42:51.480 --> 00:42:51.980
 for you,

00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:51.980


00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:51.980


00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:51.980


00:42:51.980 --> 00:42:52.179
 for you,

00:42:52.179 --> 00:42:52.179


00:42:52.179 --> 00:42:52.179


00:42:52.179 --> 00:42:52.799
 for you,

00:42:52.799 --> 00:42:52.799


00:42:52.799 --> 00:42:54.339
 for you,

00:42:54.339 --> 00:42:54.339


00:42:54.339 --> 00:42:54.339


00:42:54.339 --> 00:42:54.339


00:42:54.339 --> 00:42:54.639
 for you,

00:42:54.639 --> 00:42:55.139
 for you,

00:42:55.139 --> 00:42:55.599
 for you,

00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:55.599


00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:55.599


00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:55.599


00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:55.599


00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:57.179
 for you,

00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179


00:42:57.179 --> 00:42:57.179