Meet Me In The Gospel According to Mark, please in chapter 4 and
let's Draw our attention to one verse verse 8 of Mark, chapter
4. And our brother just prayed and
it was a powerful prayer, but if we can just pray, one more time
as we come to this, very important verse, very important
text, that will be a source of great encouragement to many of
you and even perhaps a challenging verse for others.
But we need God's help. And so Lord, we petition and we
come before you with a humility recognizing that we have your
voice before. Us today.
And Lord we are humbled by the awesome blessing that the
fullness of your Revelation has been provided to us.
But oh God. Mighty God glorious God!
Incomparable! God lord!
We need your help for this word to work in US.
Truly But we are so capable of being hardened.
We're so capable of being forgetful irreverent careless
distracted. So apprehend us and have your
way in our hearts so that it would produce miraculous fruit
phenomenal. Growth Lord, we want all that,
you have reserved for us. We don't want to miss out on a
drop of your will, in our lives. And so, Lord May today be a
glorious turning point in every life.
For some, a greater growth for others, the beginning, Of a walk
with you, we just want all that you have, Lord May there be a
special empowerment of the holy spirit with the delivery of this
word. And with the reception of it, we
ask these things in the matchless name of Jesus Christ.
Amen. Mark 4 verse 8 reeds.
And other seeds fell into good soil, and produced grain growing
up and increasing and yielding 30 fold and 60 fold and a
hundredfold. And he said, he who has ears to
hear, Let Him hear. In the past three weeks.
You and I have patiently examined, the parable of the
sower where Jesus our lord gave us wonderful.
Insights about the different ways that hearers, like, you
this afternoon, here's of God's word Embrace and apply God's
word in their lives. There are the hardened hearts
and I pray not one of you are them so hardened and so
calloused. Absolutely no interest in divine
revelation. And it immediately rejects the
word upon impact. And then, there are those who
have shallow Hearts, who seem to show great interest in the
things of God, and even display erupting emotion upon initial
interaction with the truth. But their submission to the
gospel, is contingent upon a trial, free life.
And the moment tribulation comes, they abandoned the
gospel. They once professed to hold on.
To And there is another type of soil, another type of heart who
also is open to welcoming Christ into their lives, but their
hearts are also preoccupied with the cares of this life, the
Ambitions of this life, the goals of this life.
And so that seed that was planted is choked. and left
fruitless because that heart is already dominated by other
Lords, other Masters and so, approves to be unfruitful, And
lacking the genuine result that God intended.
But you and I today come to the final words of Jesus in this
wonderful teaching, and he will conclude this.
Parable on a hopeful note, He would do so by making mention of
a final type of soil that does not share the same tragic end as
the first three. And what they have in common.
No the Lord Jesus. Now informs us that it is
possible. It is possible for hearts to
take in the truth and to produce a lasting Harvest from it.
And though this is encouraging, it is also sobering.
Can I tell you why? It is sobering?
It's sobering because out of all the four categories of, here's
of Truth. There is only one that genuinely
receives the gospel Just like in the days of Jesus ministry,
good-hearted, listeners of the truth are far.
Fewer than those who hear the word of God in vain.
And I want you to remember now, when Jesus taught this Parable,
there was a massive crowd before him and here he is pointing out
the different ways that people can receive the truth.
And it makes me wonder what their reaction was.
When Jesus is essentially saying, that one quarter of the
audience of those who hear my message will be responsive to my
message. I'm sure that would have been
shocking. At least of the ones who are
listening correctly. It is like me today.
Looking to you and saying, around 25% of you in this room,
if that will actually take the word of God, seriously, 75% of
you, you're going to listen here today in vain, and that's
startling. And Jesus here is not giving
exact statistic he's giving a principle that is true.
Unfortunately, a minority of those who are exposed to the
truth, will actually apply it in a saving way.
The rest are headed for a tragic Grim end.
I think that's supposed to comfort the preacher to some
degree. And I think it's supposed to be
a shock and alarm for those who are listening to God's word and
there was other times where Jesus made the same statement in
different ways. Do you remember after dealing
with the Rich Young Ruler? He walks away sorrowful because
there was one thing he would not let go of.
And the Lord says out loud. Again, I tell you.
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than
for the rich to enter into the kingdom of God, Matthew 19.
Or now, if you think that that is some distant commentary.
The average American today is considered rich on the world
while skill. If you make more than two
dollars a day and are surviving more than with two dollars a
day, you are considered rich on the global scale and Jesus said
it is much easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a
needle than for a rich person to step foot into eternal life.
And his closest followers heard this.
And they were startled, and so they respond in Matthew 1925.
Who then can be saved. Who then can be saved and maybe
you have that question after hearing in the past three weeks
of false, professors of Christ, those who will confess Christ,
who are actually not born again. Perhaps the question has run
through your mind, who then will be saved. if only a quarter of
the audience here, if only just a small portion of listeners
will actually respond to the truth, what do we make of this?
Well, let me tell you. There's there is no doubt that
the spectrum of defective faith is diverse with shades of
unbelief. But don't mistakenly think that
the narrowness of people who will actually be saved.
It's caused by God's unrealistic standards for salvation.
It is always because of the stubbornness of men's hearts
always God is not to be blamed for anybody not being saved.
And this might sound unnerving but take hold because today,
we're going to learn that. Not all hearts are equally
obstinate. But let's not study the subject
from afar, let's not just like look at this mechanically.
Bring it home. Examine your own heart and ask
yourself. Soberly am I the good soil?
Am I the type of heart? That the master of the vineyard
Praises am. I numbered among the minority?
Am I walking on the Narrow Path? Am I truly engaging with this
seed? Have, I truly received it in the
way that will savingly produce fruit in my life and the way you
and I will discover that and confirm that is by simply.
Looking at each gospel, writers version of the good soil and see
what kind of insights, they give us, they say, similar things.
But you've learned up to this point that they each carry
certain Details that differ. And so Mark has a commentary of
what the good soil looks like. Luke has a commentary of what
the good soil looks like. Matthew has his own
interpretation inspired by the spirit that is not
contradicting, but also giving a slight different underscore of
what it means to be good soil. And if you can confirm with
Matthew, if you can amen, with Mark, if you can celebrate with
Luke, Praise God. And so, let's look at Matthew
first together in Matthew 19. Rather, Matthew 13, scuse me
verse 23. I want to speak to you this
afternoon about three signs that you are good, soil, three signs
that you are good soil. In Matthew 13:23.
Here is Matthew's. Explanation of what good soil
looks like the soil, that receives the gospel that
received God's word and the way that God designed it to be
received in verse 23, Matthew says, ask for what was sown on
good soil. This is the one who hears the
word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields
in one case, a hundredfold, and another 60, and in another 30,
who hears the word and understands it sign, number one
that you are fertile. Ground, is that you understand
the seed? You understand the word?
This is the exact opposite commentary of the Wayside soil
that we touched on week 1. If you scroll up to verse 19 of
this chapter, you will quickly remember.
The hardened heart hears the word but what does not
understand it. Jesus is not proposing that
those who are more intellectually Advanced or
educated are those who are more likely to be saved.
This understanding, doesn't deal with comprehension, it doesn't
deal with your IQ. It deals with an attitude.
It deals with a heart posture. When Jesus said that the good
soil understands the word and he hears it, it means that he is
longing to grasp the meaning of what God has revealed.
He he's exposed to the truth. He takes it to the next level.
He wants to have a grasp on the truth.
He wants to know the implications of the truth.
He wants to know the promises the everything involved with the
truth is what his heart is yearning for.
And I think it's important to say up front that what makes the
good soil. Good.
Is not that he is a less sinful. Or that he has more moral
respectability. That is not what makes the good
soil, good. It's not because he is a
upstanding citizen in society. Now, he is good in the sense
that he chooses, not to be careless, but to be frivolous,
not to be senseless. Not to be irreverent about
divine revelation, he takes it, seriously, he knows that God's
word is authoritative, he knows that there's a Transcendent
being that has Rule and Reign Over creation.
And he realizes that the message of god holds personal
implications that cannot be ignored.
And so, the good heart is attentive.
The good heart is alert, he is leaning in, he's inquiring, he
is questioning and he is concerned about the condition of
his soul and he desires to be in the light.
Based on what the Lord is teaching here.
It is possible for some who are outside of Christ who have this
kind of a disposition. It is possible for those who are
outside of Jesus to develop an openness to the truth over time.
Not everybody out. There is hardened to the point
where they won't even, listen, that would cause you to go Jesus
saying here, there there are people whose hearts are more
open than others, who go even more than that.
Who are hungry for true though? They don't know where to go to
find it just yet and I want to give you a case study of that a
case study. That is so inspiring.
The man named Cornelius in Acts chapter 10.
Read this with me. Would you in verse 1?
Look at the description of this man who was a gentile Who is
successful? Who its status in society.
But it was a man who said, oh, I really want to know God, I
really want to know God. In Acts 10 one the Holy Spirit
tells us that's just a rear. There is a man named Cornelius.
A centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort.
A devout man, who feared God now, pay attention to this
description of this man. A devout man who feared God with
all his household gave alms generously to the people and
prayed continually to God. Can I read that one more time
verse 2? A devout man, who feared God?
With all his household. He was a good father.
He was a good husband. He gave alms generously to the
people. He was charitable and he prayed
continually to God to the first time reader this man.
Not only sounds like he's a Believer.
He sounds like he is a fervent zealous follower.
But if you're not a first-time reader, you know, this about
Cornelius. And if you don't know the about
this, you perhaps think I'm lying.
Would you believe me if I told you that this man after reading,
this description was not saved. He's not saved.
And that's not my personal interpretation of it.
That's what the Holy Spirit tells us in the next chapter,
you don't believe me. Then go to acts 11 and look at
verse 13. 14 after Peter is standing before his Jewish
Partners in the ministry, who are concerned that he went to a
gentile, to preach the gospel. And he's trying to explain how
this happened and an axe 11 verse 13.
We read and he told us Peters talking about his experience
with Cornelius and he told us how he had seen the angels.
Stand and his house and say, send to Joppa and bring Simon
who is called Peter verse 14. He will declare to you a message
by which you will be saved. You and all your household.
So after that description of Cornelius and Angel appears to
him and he tells him to send for a man in Joppa, who is Peter,
and that man is going to come to your household and he's going to
preach the gospel and Cornelius. Once you hear the gospel that
was save you, then you will be saved.
Well, hold on, he's a devout man.
He gave alms he feared. God, he prayed continually, that
man is not safe. Then he looks more safe than
saved people. How does that work?
Well, I put that with Jesus commentary about the good soil.
There are some people who are soft towards truth.
Who are prepared to receive the truth, who hunger for the truth,
though, they don't have saving knowledge, but once they are
exposed to it, they are ready to accept it.
You see Cornelius had limited light, he had what we would call
Natural Revelation to work with, in other words, with whatever he
saw, with his eyes with whatever God had put his fingerprint on
in the universe in his world. With that light, was he able to
relate to God? Scripture tells us that the
heavens declare the glory of God Psalm 19.
Scripture tells us in Romans to that every man's conscience
Bears witness to him that there is right and wrong.
And that the law has been inscribed on each of our hearts.
And so with natural Revelation with nature and with it, with
this own, internal alarm system, Cornelius, was able to realize
at least that there is a God and he can be communicated to, and
he can intervene in life and he is everywhere, and he is all
powerful. And he does see.
And so, I will fear Him and walk in his ways to the best of my
knowledge. And here's what I see from this
because this Gentile honored god, with the light that he had,
God was ready to honor him by granting him.
The light that would save him. You know, I think this text is
totally permissible to be used to help the struggling.
Soul was wrestled with the thought of those who are out
there out in the jungles. Out in the North.
There's very little civilization life who have never heard about
Jesus. And who died without hearing,
Jesus Will such people be condemned by God.
Will such people be judged by God, though, they have never
even heard the name of Jesus in their lifetime throughout the
generations of their tribes. And I look at this and I resist
the philosophical pull of trying to come up with ideas of how God
would relate to such people and stick to the word of God.
I look at Cornelius and I see something about God as a case
study men who are capable to responding to Natural
revelation. Men who have a heart with a deep
sincerity and Purity that aches to know the truth.
Such men God will move Heaven and Earth to make sure they get
the gospel. God in his great sovereignty and
his Providence will do what he can to make sure that the gospel
comes to their front door. And in the case of Cornelius, we
see the compassion of God, he sends angels, He grants Visions,
he raises up missionaries. He performs miracles for the
gospel to get to the one who desires to know it, Who doesn't
know what steps to take? Who doesn't know how his sins
can be forgiven but he knows he's a sinner.
Don't doubt that about God. And this raises up.
Another interesting point, doesn't it you read about
Cornelius and he's devout and he fears God?
And he gives alms generously and he prays continually and one day
an angel comes before him. What a privilege.
What an honor. What a miracle and you know
what? I what I wonder.
You're already there. Why don't you just tell them the
gospel? You know what the gospel is?
Don't you? You're in the presence of God
day and night. You look over the balcony of
Heaven. You saw when the Son of God was
crucified, I'm sure you had some knowledge of the Eternal Plan of
Salvation. And here you are now entering
into the world. And you are before.
A man who is hungry for the truth?
Unnamed angel. Why don't you just tell them the
gospel? And we could have saved some
time and we didn't have to get another Vision to Peter and the
Holy Spirit to tell him it's okay.
Go with the people who were sent by Cornelius, it's you'll be
safe. Why do all of that?
When you could have just told him the truth right there.
And then and I'm sure you would have been better at sharing than
Peter. I'm sure you've been a much more
articulate much more powerful, much more convincing.
Do you know why God sent the angel so that he can send for
Peter because in God's absolute Delight.
He reserved the privilege of the Proclamation of the gospel for
forgiven. Sinners God in his good
pleasure. reserve the right for the proclamation of the truth,
to solely belong, to those who have experience, as transforming
power, Maybe that doesn't move you.
That moves me? And that will move you.
I hope. In those days where you are
weary or tired, or maybe discourage with your
proclamation of the truth, your testimony of what Christ has
done in your life. But in those moments where you
worked all week and you know, that some friends are coming
over and they know you're a Christian and they're just
curious about why you believe what you believe and your bone
tired and you've done this before with your other friends
and they just hear it with interest but move on in their
sin in those moments where you think is this really worth to
give my 23 hours of my Friday night to our my Saturday night.
Would you remember Angels cannot do what you can do?
Would you realize that Heavenly beings?
Heavenly Creatures? Can only send for those who have
been set apart to preach the gospel.
And would you realize the great honor and privilege it?
Is that the Lord has a reserve that right for you.
As a trophy of his grace. To go into the trenches of a
satanic world. And to preach the true that can
save man from eternal hell. Don't take those moments where
you plant a seed for granted. God reserve them for those who
are in him. But before I move on about
Cornelius, allow me to say one more thing about him, he's not
only an example of what God is willing to do for the hungry
open heart. But he's also a reminder of the
universal depravity of man. What do I mean by that?
This man is devout, his prayerful, he's respected his
charitable and yet he was just as much in need of Salvation, as
a Matthew, the tax collector or Mary.
Who was possessed with Seven Devils?
he was just as much in need of the Gospel, then the guy in the
trenches, then the woman in the gutter, Cornelius is a wonderful
statement after that great description of who he is as a
person that has good. As you might see him and look,
You're not good enough. And you will never be good
enough. No one's goodness is good
enough. When it is measured by God's
goodness, you will always fall short.
You always have need for a savior.
You will never be able to live up to such a degree in, which
you find yourself in a different category than the other Sons.
Our daughters of Adam, you are just as wretched, whether you're
a Cornelius or the man who was possessed with devils and Mark
chapter 5, chained to a rock. Because of his filthy habits and
his perverted mind. If there's any good and
Cornelius like the good soil that Jesus describes, it is in
his realization that he needs saving.
The good soil Jesus speaks of does not does not say to
himself. Like what I know people say
about themselves especially the traditionalist, Especially with
those who find great comfort and confidence in ancient.
Religion. Ancient.
History, ancient churches. They hear the gospel and they
say, well, what a wonderful message that guy's really
passionate? And he's very convincing.
This is perfect for that. Hopeless neighbor, I have who's
an alcoholic who abuses his wife, his children.
Now this would be this would be life-changing for the the city
of Chicago with all the drug dealers and all the gang
violence. Surely they are in need of such
a truth. Oh surely.
This is this is good for those who lack purpose or like,
guidance in life. Surely this message.
That is preached, provide some barriers and some framework Some
men do not run aimlessly while they live.
That's not how the good soil. Here's the truth.
When the good soil, here's the truth.
Even though he can point to some moral evidence in his life.
At the same time, he says, I need a savior I'm wretched.
Christ didn't just die for those people out there.
Who are not devout. Who are not prayerful.
Who don't have some kind of relation with religiosity.
He came to die for me. My goodness isn't good enough.
In light of the Holiness of God filthy rags.
I need the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.
I needed to be imputed to me. I need him to take my place.
I need him to look upon me with his favor.
The good soil, understands the truth.
Which transition us perfectly to Marks commentary.
Let's go back to Mark to look at the second sign.
Of good soil. Mark 420 is the explanation you
and I read Mark 48, Mark 420. But those that were sewn on the
good soil, are the ones who hear the word and accept it.
And bear fruit 30 fold and 60 fold and a hundredfold.
Matthew tells us that the good soil, he hears the truth, but he
understands it because he seeks to understand it.
Mark says, when he hears the truth, he doesn't just hear it.
You're hearing it now. He doesn't just understand it.
He accepts it. He accepts it.
Hearing the truth. All the soils do that.
You can hear sermons until you go to hell.
The Next Step from that is you want to understand it, but even
then understanding it, or being curious about, it can be
temporal, it could be misunderstood, it could be
interpreted subjectively and applied wrongly.
The one with the good soil, the minority of those who accept it.
What does that mean accept it? Well, think about it this way.
The rocky soil is willing to hear willing to understand and
willing to accept it as long as it is trial free.
The moment things, get tough, the moment you suffer for
Christ. I no longer accept it.
Then you have the thorny soil. They hear the truth.
They accept the truth. But as long as it is,
subordinate to its other desires and passions and goals in life.
But this is so important, the fertile ground, when he hears
the truth, he understands the truth.
He accepts the truth. He accepts the truth completely
on God's terms. I mix all the difference.
God's terms because when he understands the truth, he
realizes that the good news. The good news of the Gospel is
also a call to Sweet surrender. Total surrender.
And it is a call that is not up for subjective interpretation or
negotiation. You hear God's terms and you
accept it and he makes the necessary preparation and his
heart so that the seed can abide and Thrive the way God designed
that see to live in a human heart.
What do I mean by that? Well, it's very simple.
Do you notice that the good soil is void of rocks?
Is void of thorns, there's no description of the realities of
the soil other than the fact that it was good and part of it
being good, is that it was free of certain things.
This is what you and I called true repentance.
True repentance God, help us in America to get back to the
message of true repentance. True repentance.
A willingness not be surface level with Christ, like the
shallow soil, a willingness to uproot all the cares and all the
competitions in your heart. All the things that will
challenge the supremacy of the lordship of Jesus Christ over
your life. The good soil removes all of
this. He accepts all that Christ
commands and he submits and welcomes.
All that, discipleship demands. We tell people about Jesus,
nowadays as overdoing Jesus a favor.
You know, Jesus is lonely and he's in heaven and he want to
populate heaven. And you know what?
He really wants you to be with him and so he dies and would you
just make some room in your life pathetic?
Pathetic at the end of the road. My brother, and my sister.
This may shock your version of Jesus, but there will be a
Heavenly Orchestra when men are judged for rejecting Jesus.
Because they receive their just do.
I want to show you an example of a man who is willing to accept
what Christ destined for him. An example of a man who was
willing to walk toward anything which the rocky soil refuses to
do, I'm willing to Lord, I wanted to hold your hand until
we get there. It was nice.
Knowing you this man I'll walk with you Tommy to walk but not
just that he was also willing to walk away from that which Christ
told him to walk away from which the thorny soil is not willing
to do. Well, I'm going to hold your
hand as long as I can hold these things too.
The rocky ground will not worship.
If he suffers the good soil will, the thorny heart will give
priority to money and temporal things and Comforts, but the
good soil cannot fathom it. He accepts it, let me show you a
man. We talked about Cornelius.
Can I point you to the man who preached the Cornelius?
And one of one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament?
When it comes to stories and narratives in John 21 when Peter
was restored by Christ. Oh, he's a restoring.
God, he's a compassionate, God, a forgiving God.
And in John 21. I want you to meet me in verse
15. Here's Peter post-resurrection.
And Peter here was impatient because there is some delay with
further instructions from Jesus. But he wasn't just impatient.
I believe he was greatly discouraged.
I think he was humiliated. Because when he professed his
Devotion to God, he failed miserably, he embarrassed
himself. And so, here's Peter with his
leadership, Magnetic Personality.
And he tells himself, I'm going fishing and the others around
him says, we're going with you now.
Fishing isn't a sin, but it's a problem when Jesus called you
away from fishings to be a fisher of man.
Peter is not just doing something while waiting for
Christ further instructions. Peter is going back to what
Christ called him from. That sign.
And so, he gets back into that boat and he fishes all night
with several other of his friends.
And there's Jesus who appears on the shore and all we can spend
the next 30 minutes. Just looking to those wonderful
details. How John was able to perceive
that? It was the Lord and how Peter
jumps into the wall. Those things are just filled
with glorious truths but let's fast forward.
They have this miraculous catch, they pull it onto the shore, 153
fish? Hey, this is massive.
This is a great prophet and Jesus has a barbecue already set
up. And he asked for some of that
fish to come so that they can have breakfast together.
And so they eat And once their bellies were full.
John 21:15, reeds. When they had finished
breakfast, Jesus said to Simon, Peter Simon.
Kind of hurts. That was Peter's name before he
was called by Jesus. And unfortunately Peter the new
name that Christ gave him was acting more like Simon than he
was Peter. Simon.
Son of John. Do you love me more than these?
He said to him? Yes.
Lord, you know that I love you, he said to him, feed my Lambs.
We know this is very familiar to us.
There is great debate about what Jesus meant when he says.
Do you love me more than these? But I think if you just wanted
the context, it's pretty clear. Peter's going back fishing.
He's going back to his other love.
He's going back to what he's familiar with.
He's going back to his days, BC. Before Christ.
And Christ allows him to make probably one of the greatest
catches apart from the one that he knew in the initial call to
follow him 153 fish, he can make some good money from that. and
once they eat from it, I could picture Jesus just looking over
and saying Peter. Knowing that he went back to
what he was not supposed to do a banding, the call of Christ.
Peter. Do you love me more than these?
And Peter. Says.
You know that I love you. You know that I love you.
Sometimes we read the Bible so fast, man.
We miss so much. Notice Jesus said, Do You Love
Me? Do you love me more than these?
That is the heart of Christianity.
Do you love me? Not, do you love Doctrine?
Not do you love theology? Not.
Do you love Christians? Not do you love Ministry?
Not. Do you love feeding my Lambs?
Not do you love feeding my sheep?
Do you love me? Do you have a personal desire
for me? Not for heaven.
Not for conservative values, not for law.
Keeping not for sermons. Do you love Jesus personally, as
a person As a relatable being do you love me how many Christians
can say, yeah, I love him. I think a lot of professing
Christians love things about him or around him, but the question
of the Lord is, do you love me? That's the heart of our faith.
And it's also the essence of what we do in the Name of
Christ. I mentioned this on Wednesday,
Jesus could have said and it would have made sense to us.
Do you love my sheep? Notice his sheep.
Not the pastor's sheep, his sheep.
You belong to him. We belong to him.
He could have said, do you love my sheep?
Feed my sheep. Do you love my Lambs feed my
Lambs? He doesn't say that he says.
Do you love me? Yes, I love you.
Then serve me. The greatest motivation to
serving the Sheep is loving the shepherd.
And we got all twisted. Yeah, there's a level of love
that has to come to her but the greatest motivation, the thing
that should drive us and all other things is love for the
person of Jesus Christ. So many things can be done if we
just come back to the basics of what our faith is all about.
Now, this is a familiar story. I can go on about Jesus
returning the question and Peter answering over and over again,
but many people stop it here. So, so Jesus asked him.
Do you love me Peter confirms his love for him?
Three times. We know because he denied him
three times, and then he's recommissioned.
Now, to be the apostle that he was called to be, but Jesus
doesn't end there. This is not the final inquiry
Before Peter starts following Jesus.
Again, he mentioned something else that is not often referred
to. When we talk about the
restoration of Peter back into total and True Discipleship.
Scroll down to verse 18 of the same chapter.
Truly, truly, I say to you when you were young, you used to
dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted.
But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and
another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.
Verse 19, this he said to show by what kind of death he was to
glorify God and after saying this, he said to him, follow me
after that. What's Jesus doing it?
It's a prophecy Peter before I ask you to follow me.
I have to tell you something one, I'm glad that you love me.
I'm glad you confirmed your love for me but I need to confirm
something to you. There's a Time coming in your
old age where someone will take ahold of you forcefully and will
stretch out your hands, everything about that, imagery
speaks about execution, and a very specific type of execution
crucifixion Your hands will be stretched out at one point.
You can go wherever you want it but there's going to come a
point where you're going to be apprehended.
You're going to be arrested and you're going to go where your
natural man does not want to go. And history says that when Peter
was crucified, he asked to be crucified upside down, because
he felt like he wasn't worthy to be crucified like his master
You're gonna die, you're gonna die in a specific way, in a way
that will be include much suffering.
But in your death, you're going to glorify me.
You're gonna glorify me. That is the essence of
discipleship that you, and I glorify him until death until
death and even in your death. Now, you might not have a
prophecy about how you're going to die and how that will glorify
you may not be a martyr. But if you want to know how you
can glorify God in your death, just glorify him in your life.
Just glorify him. Well, I will die for Jesus.
Well, you know, you barely live for him.
Just live for him. Glorify him in your life and you
will glorify him in your death. I had dinner with a friend not
too long ago and he said something to me.
They just like stuck with me ever since he said, you know
what brother? Every Christian has three
Crusades in their life. What are you talking about?
Three. Crusades not.
Every Christian is going to have the chance to stand on a great
platform and preach to thousands like some who have been called
throughout history. But every average believer will
have three opportunities to have an above average audience in
which they can testify of the Relationship to Christ.
I'm interested. What is it says number one.
Your baptism, your baptism and that's why I tell people don't
waste your baptism. Don't waste your baptism.
Use that opportunity to stand before people, and to testify of
Christ, that's an obvious one. You want to know the second one,
he said your wedding. Your wedding.
You can have more than the average crowd in that event of
your life. You're gonna have the same crowd
in your living room. You're going to have that kind
of a crowd uniquely as something as special as a wedding.
So at your wedding that is another opportunity where you'll
be able to testify to Christ in a crusade like Manner.
And lastly, your funeral Your funeral.
The first two you're able to testify about it, the last one
people will testify about you. And we were just talking about
how Believers are capable of wasting those opportunities.
Peter was not going to, he was going to glorify.
God, yes, day by day, but even in his death, And when he said,
follow me, it encompassed something.
This, this is the point that I'm driving at here when Jesus said,
follow me, it included Peter walking away from something his
business, his Prophet, his success and also a Readiness to
walk towards something suffering, Suffering that would
not be in vain but suffering that would glorify his Lord.
And if you think that that standard is anything less for
you than you're not good soil, Because the good soil accepts
the terms of the gospel and that includes walking away from
certain things and being willing to walk towards anything.
If Christ says go The terms for Peter, no less for us today.
Are you good soil? If you're good soil then you
will accept this. If you're not good soil, you
will deceive yourself or you will try to negotiate with God.
When God says, I this is not open for for a deal.
Peter, do you love me more than these?
You know that I love you Peter. You're gonna die.
I've ordained for you to die in a way that will glorify me now
follow me and Peter followed him.
The one who has a good heart, the one who will produce true
fruit, the one who will know, true saving knowledge,
understands the truth. Accepts the truth.
And thirdly, Luke tells us the final sign meet me in Luke 8:15.
Luke 8:15. As for that in the good soil.
They are those who hearing the word?
Well, yes. Okay, we've covered that.
Hold it, fast in an honest, and good heart.
That goes back to understanding it Cornelius, having an honest
and good heart, not good in that he was better than other
Sinners. Good, in that he was looking and
yearning for the truth. And look at this and bear fruit
with patience. Every gospel writer.
When they spoke about the good soil, include the necessity of
genuinely bearing fruit. Not one of them omit, this
detail because it is crucial, it is the core message of the
Fertile ground that when the seed becomes one, with that
heart, there will be observable and there will be a lasting
change, but Luke does add a detail to the concept of bearing
fruit. He tells Us in those final words
they will bear fruit with patience.
That is meant to help the sower and the soil.
Because spiritual New Birth is inevitable for the one who truly
receives the seed. But the growth is gradual, and
the sower needs to know that less, he becomes impatient and
the soil needs to comprehend that less.
He also becomes discouraged and both might be tempted to think
that this Divine transaction was was faulty.
When the seed comes into a heart that is good, we cannot have the
expectation of an immediate Mega Harvest.
There is change, but at the beginning level things will take
time. There is a new, there's a new
trajectory. Now, there's a new Direction now
and and Time Will Reveal as this.
The seed now begins to grow, and we have to understand that, you
know why? Because you have some people who
think they are good soil, and they are not good soil and then
you have people who are genuinely good soil, but they
don't believe that they're good soil because they're not seeing
the growth that they would like at the rate that they desire.
So you get people, you got to kind of people who are tricked
here, you got people who are really have thorns in the hearts
and I think I'm good there deceived and you have people who
are truly truly receiving the seed, who questioned who
question their status in that parable.
Because they are impatient. Good soil does not cancel the
reality. Of unhurried development.
This is what it will mean for you.
As a True Believer, you will undergo learning.
You will know supplementation. You will know pruning, you will
know protecting. You will know, unfortunately,
sometimes failing along the way and that does not negate the
reality that you are good soil. I mean, let's go back to Matthew
13:23 quickly. Jesus says As for what was sown
on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and
understands it, he indeed, Bears fruit and yields.
He indeed. It's going to happen.
It will happen. There is no such thing as a
person who receives the seed and is fruitless impossible.
The very DNA of the seed promises that there will be
something that will change. Life will come a fragments will
erupt? There will be, there will be
results for the person who says, I understand it and I say yes to
it. But notice what else?
Matthew says. In one case.
A hundredfold. And another 60 and in another
30. Now some have made that to be
that, the person who is good soil, who receives the seed, who
is fertile ground will win, certain amount of people to
Christ that the number here of the Harvest speaks about the
Harvest of Souls and some will win this amount.
Someone went down about someone, when that amount, I don't lean
into that interpretation. And some might even say well
this is this is a description of people who yes have received the
seed, but they will bear fruit differently based on their
future obedience and they're yielding to the instructions
that are in the word of God. And I think there's more
legitimacy there, but then again, I don't see.
Jesus leaving any room for criticism with the good soil.
When we see here that there's different levels of harvest,
there's different levels of fruit, it's perhaps, because
Jesus is just saying that for those who receive the soil will
bear fruit differently. It's going to look different
depending on your context and your capacity and your gifting.
The fruit will be there and notice thirtyfold sixtyfold
100-fold. That is not natural growth.
That is, that is phenomenal. That is awesome that will that
will make any farmer happy And so there is no there's no shade
being thrown here. There's nothing like well
there's going to be some Christians who are better than
others. I don't think that's what the
Lord is communicating. I think with the Lord is
essentially trying to say, is every believer will generate
christlikeness and character and service differently.
So here's the college student, who's not married who doesn't
have a job who's studying and they accept Christ.
They're going to bear fruit in a certain way.
And here is the, the husband of one wife.
And has five children, and they came to a meeting and they
understood it. They accepted it.
And they are truly good soil and they're going to bear fruit in
this way. And here's, here's the young
lady. Who hears the gospel.
She says, yes to it. She accepts it.
And in time she is raised up to be a missionary and she goes
overseas and her friend who was also at the same meeting.
Here's that truth, accepts it as she grows up.
She gets married and she stays at home, and she raises Her
three babies and she will bear fruit in that way. here's the
main point and my final verse for you, in 2nd 1st
Thessalonians, 2:13 this will be a good way to end. 1
Thessalonians 2:13. Paul says, and we also thank God
constantly for this. What is Paul going to thank God
for that. When you received the word of
God, which you heard from us, you accept it.
Accept it it right, good soil. Accepts the word of God.
You accepted it, not as the word of men, but as what it really
is, because what, like the first point, he understands it the
word of God. So, what we have there, they
accepted it because they understood it, but look what
happens next, which is at work in you believers.
I can thank God for you. Why?
Because when you heard the word you understood it, not as just
some guy with a history book telling you some moral lessons
you understood it as that's God's word.
That's God's Will and because you understood it in such a way
you accepted it. I want to submit to what God is
saying. And because you truly accepted
it, you know what he tells us church.
It's it's at work in you. It's at work in you believers.
If this seed really gets in your heart, it's going to work.
It's going to, it's going to conform.
It's going to produce. It's going to overtake.
It's going to yield, it's going to create.
Things are going to happen. I refused to believe, I don't
care what's on your Instagram description, and I don't care if
you put a verse with your selfie, if this word is not
working in your life, If with patients, you are not seeing a
development as you add to the initial word with more word,
something's wrong. And it's not because there's
judgment here, it's because the word of God judges.
And so, here's my final question, as we end this series
in the parable of sore and continuing Mark, are you good
soil? Are you.
Look. I try to be like Christ as much
as I can and I want to think like Christ I'm fully aware of
the reality of what happens in these moments.
Jesus said, one out of the four soils will take you seriously.
And so I hope you are in that category.
And you know, just check your heart.
You know you know if you do not answer the call of discipleship
because you're not willing to walk away for some things and
you're not willing to walk towards some things, okay, good.
As long as you're honest, may God grant, you repentance and
you know in this place, if you are waiting for me to stop
because you have more interest in the stock market than the
will of God, you know, And you know, if your heart and soil
because as I've been preaching in these past four weeks, you
could care less of what I am saying.
God, have mercy on you. but if you're a good soil, you're
taking this in like a sponge. You want it all, you want the
blessing, the promises, the rebuking the correction.
You want to go where Jesus tells you to go and you will stay with
Jesus tells you to stay you hear this as the word of God.
You come here knowing that God is going to speak and you will
respond by whatever Grace he grants you to respond.
And you will bear fruit. Be patient with your growth, be
patient with your development. Don't lose heart, don't condemn
yourself. Because Christ is not condemn,
you he celebrates over you. You want to tell you about
something about the Lord, when you go to Genesis 1, this is
something that I love about the Lord.
Right from the beginning of the book, I learned Sing About God
right from the beginning, not just that he created everything.
He creates the world and progression stage by stage, but
with every single stage he says it is good.
The next day. It is good.
Well, it's not done yet. Yeah.
But it's still good. It's still good.
And he says the same as he is, creating, christlikeness in you
day by day, though, you may not see a complete picture.
God says it's good. I'll look at that.
It's good. Another year goes by, it is
good. Look at all the lessons from the
failure from from losing track from coming back.
It's good, it's good, it's good, it's good, it's good.
Pray that your good soil this afternoon.
I pray that you understand it, you accept it and that because
of the power of that word in you your bearing fruit.
Lori. Thank you.
Well, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Of how accurate your word is. and Lord, we just we just beg
you that we would have ears to hear not just for the gospel.
But for every time we hear your word, And Lord we thank you that
in this place. We can say what Paul said to the
church in 1st Thessalonians. That people in this house, have
received the word, not as the word of men, but as the word of
God they accepted as such and they are seeing the word work in
them may that only continue Well, we rejoice in you.
We glorify you. And Lord for the person in here,
who is ready to really be good soil.
Midday remove and pull out by your power.
All filthiness all rampid wickedness, all
self-righteousness and with meekness receive the word, which
is able to save their souls. You are a good God.
Thank you for your word. Thank you for showing us and
comforting us, and convicting us.
How we can have the right hearts for you.
We sing to you now with gratitude in Jesus name.
Amen let's stand together and closing.