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Soil Testing: Pathway Ground
“I Don’t Understand; I Don’t Believe”
Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-27; Luke 8:4-18
Introduction:
A. Communication is a complicated process.
1. The responsibilities of the sender are great. Acts 20:26, 27; 2 Timothy 4:1-5
2. The responsibilities of the receiver are great. Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18
a. Open mind.
b. Open Bible. Acts 17:11
c. Obey. James 1:22
B. Jesus used stories to communicate. Mark 4:33, 34
C. Notice the foundation story: the parable of the sower. Mark 4:13
1. All the seed is good seed in this story. Mark 4:14; Luke 8:11
2. Describe fields in Palestine.
a. Often small.
b. Sowing was broadcasting, sometimes on the backs of animals.
3. Most seed will be “wasted”; most will not produce a good harvest.
a. Wayside soil – nothing.
b. Rocky soil – withers.
c. Thorny soil – choked out.
d. Only the good ground multiplies.
D. What kind of soil am I?
1. Kinds.
a. Pathway – packed down, unreceptive: “I don’t understand; I don’t believe”.
b. Rocky – lack of depth, fast start, withers: “I’ll serve the Lord as long as there are no difficulties or discouragements”.
c. Thorny – choked out by cares of life, deceitfulness of riches, desires for other things: “I’ll serve the Lord as long as it does not interfere with things that are more important”.
d. Good ground – hears the word, noble and good heart, understands it, accepts it, bears fruit: “I’ll serve the Lord; I’m eager to learn more and better ways to be of service; I want to improve my effectiveness; I volunteer”.
2. Which of the four am I?
a. Yes.
b. At times I am all four.
E. Not only am I all four, does this parable show a progression?
1. Is it possible (likely) that in many areas and at many times I go from wayside to rocky to thorny to good ground?
2. Can this parable help me to see where I am on a particular issue in my life?
3. Could this be more of an encouragement than a discouragement?
a. If I have progressed from pathway to rocky?
b. If I have grown from rocky to thorny?
c. If I have begun to see some fruit multiplying where once my life was choked with thorns?
4. Could this also be a prescription of how I need to deal with some challenging issues in my life to see more progress?
a. How can I break up hard ground?
b. What can I do with the rocks in my life?
c. How can I weed out thorns that are choking my fruitfulness?
F. I have a choice about what kind of ground I am. Mark 4:23-25; Luke 8:18
G. We begin with the pathway soil. Matthew 13:4, 19; Luke 8:5, 12
I. WHY DO SOME NOT RECEIVE THE WORD THAT IS PRESENTED?
A. Rebellion: the addictive, hardening, numbing nature of sin. Hebrews 3:13
B. Believing false teaching. Matthew 15:13, 14
C. Not letting the seed get below the surface; it does not sink from the intellect, into the emotions, to the will, that produces a change.
1. We can say the right words with the heart being far away. Matthew 15:8, 9
2. Healing (change, growth, fruit) comes only when the seed gets deep and grows. Matthew 13:15, 16
D. Passing all the seed on to others, not keeping any for myself. Luke 18:9-12
E. Busyness – not taking the time for good seed to come into my life, not valuing God’s word. James 4:13-17
Conclusion:
A. All begin as hard, packed soil.
B. All that I understand, at one time I didn’t understand.
C. All that I believe, I once did not believe.
D. Next, we will discuss how to break up the hard ground.
E. Are you ready to be responsive to the work today? Acts 16:25-34
By Jerrie Barber
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