Matthew 13:1 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
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18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Who is the farmer? YOU ARE
What are the seeds? The Message about the Kingdom
What is the footpath? Hearers who don't understand
Who do the birds represent? The evil one.
Who is the shallow/rocky soil? Hearers with joy but no stomach for trouble.
What are the thorns? Cares and desires of the world.
Who is the good soil? YOU ARE IF you produce fruit!
What is fruit? Fruits of the spirit and disciples
S E C O N D A R Y A P P L I C A T I O N
Public school taught me to daydream – I am VERY good at it.
I can sit in a sermon or read the Bible or other book and be a MILLION miles away and get NOTHING from it.
When I do that I am the footpath
Have you ever been a footpath? When we are, we are INVITING the evil one to steal from us.
I have a bizarre memory (maybe you do, too) I can remember fragments of material from 40 or more years ago with crystal clarity and forget your name before you finish telling it to me. It is a blessing an a curse. Clients' stories remain with me forever their names and faces are almost all gone. The worst part is I never learned to take good notes so I frequently am the ROCKY SOIL.
Stanford University made a study of multitaskers. & found that in every respect they performed poorer than persons who sere focused on a single task. http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2009/multitask-research-release-082409.html
Rocky soil sits in the sermon or reads the Bible and says WOW! THAT is GREAT! And then walks out and never applies any of the truth gained. How do I avoid being the ROCKY SOIL?
take notes if you understand it
carry the notes out and review in following days
synthesize the message of the Kingdom into our lives.
Golfers Yardage books
Let the message of the Kingdom take ROOT in you.
How many have MEETINGS as part of the workplace? – Do you LOVE them? Or HATE them?
At GC almost daily meetings. We hardly could get anything done for all the meetings.
Our culture distrusts people being alone – “Where have you been/ We haven't seen much of you lately.” almost as an accusation.
We are so incurious.
Jesus spent a lot of time alone! So should I. Buck the culture – don't let people guilt you out of your private time.
Without private time to assess priorities, Listen for an to the Holy Spirit, Read the Scriptures, Pray to God – you will inevitably be the seed among the thorns.
Psalm 131
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—
now and always.
Last Summer – I felt God was calling me to a deeper intimacy -
Imagine the church full of disciples of Christ who are present fully in the moment at public and private study – Listening and internalizing and taking notes and reflecting on the notes and the taking the time alone to seek God's true center and become fruitful in the Spirit.
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.
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