Some men just think, Yeah, great, without much enthusiasm. Others, finally, I have waited long enough. Others, this is the moment I have been waiting for all of this time. Yet others, they jump and down for joy, scream hallelujah and begin crying. Yet others, are so overcome with joy, they fall over passed out. What are these men reacting to? They are expressing their reaction to the words, “You may now kiss the bride.” That should be good news, but if you have been to many weddings, that is taken with different responses. Some people look forward to their wedding and the uniting of husband and wife. Others feel forced into by improper actions outside of marriage. Yet others, they respond as though they had just won 500 billion dollars in a lottery they never entered. Why do people respond so differently to the announcement, “You may kiss the bride”?
Why do people respond so differently to God’s Word? It is the same for everyone. Why do some respond in such an aggressive and angry manner while others respond with such sweet devotion? When we look at our passage this morning we see three truths concerning the reception of God’s Word.
First we see the Word of God is the seed that gives eternal life. Today we are looking at the explanation of the parable. Why bother trying to figure it out for yourself when the answer is right there in front of you? So as we look throughout this parable we see that the seed is the Word of God. In verse 19, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.” Wow! If you do not understand, comprehend the word then that seed is taken away. What was being sown in the field? The seed. Here we are told that the word of the kingdom is what is sown in his heart. Why does a seed not take a hold in some places even though a farmer has intentionally placed it there? Because the soil is too hard. Because the soil does not have the proper nutrients to sustain it. Notice that even here where the seed is sown on the road where as the seed sprouts it will be completely trampled by the feet of travelers, that this seed is sown in the hearts of people. Do we take seriously that we are attempting to speak to people’s hearts, their souls? When we share the gospel it is to ultimately affect their eternal living soul! This is not just some random act of great speaking or of loving service, but this is to bring them into eternity. Do we take that seriously? Notice again in verse 19 that this is sown in their hearts. What has Christ told us must happen to a person to inherit eternal life? They must be born again according to John 3. This is about your soul. You must be born of the water and the spirit. What does John tell us about this act of being born again? As he explains to Nicodemus this mighty miraculous act he reminds him of the story of the serpent in the wilderness. He shares the gospel with him even though He himself had yet to perform the sacrifice. But it is through the telling of the word and the reception of the word, the seed, that brings eternal life.
Your disposition in life affects your reception of the Word. As we continue in our passage, we come to some words of warning to us. Now, I do not necessarily see a clear parallel between the message of this parable and salvation. There are clear implications towards salvation but the main teaching of this parable is the reception of the Word of God. The one who is the road is the one where the evil one snatches away the seed. The ones who are the rocky places are the ones who allow persecution and other hard times because of the word to kill out the joy. The ones among the thorns allow the circumstances of life to choke their reception of the word. Which one are you? Are you the ones who allow satan to take God’s Word from you. It is amazing to me how quickly we forget what our pastors say on a Sunday morning. I have been there. Some Sunday evenings I could not remember what the sermon was on Sunday morning. Some times we are too busy wondering what is for lunch. Some times we are too busy worrying about our own personal finances. Some times we stayed up too late the night before. Some times we do not take time on a Sunday morning to adequately prepare ourselves for church. This is a spiritual experience. How dare we not take the appropriate measure of prayer and reading of God’s Word to be prepared for church. Not don’t get me wrong. There is no salvation in church attendance, but there is plenty of spiritual benefit in it. Do we allow the things of this world and its burdens to choke out and push out our growth in spirituality in God’s Word? Notice that persecution wins the day because of fear. Why else would a believer allow persecution to disrupt his spiritual life? Fear. Verse 22 we are told that worry because of the things of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches. Do we allow the thoughts of financial gain to keep us from taking in God’s Word? Do we allow the thoughts of financial gain to stunt our growth as believers? During your times of spiritual decline, what prompts you from growing? Is it fear? Is it worry? Why do you fall away? What distracts you?
Spiritual change demonstrates proper reception. Verse 23 is the good verse. Or at least the verse that brings good news for some of us. The seed that fell on the good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. Do you hear and understand the word? When you read the word on your own, do you for the most part truly understand it? What happens to the one who hears the Word? Well, look in verse 23, they bear fruit. What fruit? The fruit of the Spirit. It is only one and is manifested in different forms. Love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Is that in you? As you grow in the Lord it should be. What else? There is a bountiful harvest. There is a hundredfold, sixtyfold and thirtyfold harvest. Not to spiritualize this at all. There is not indication what this means other than simply the spiritual growth can be huge or not quite so huge, but the fact that there is any is grace. How many of you before your salvation saw any spiritual growth in your life? If you are honest, not a single one of you saw any spiritual growth. Why? Because you were dead and when the seed hit the soil of your heart and the Lord nurtured it then it brought forth the fruit. Apart from the love of God and the working of the Spirit there is no spiritual growth. So whether you are a slower spiritual grower or a fast one, you are saved by grace. It is grace that anyone of us ever grows spiritually.
Keep your eyes open for God’s teaching. God puts lessons in front of us throughout the day. Have you ever learned a lesson about your own stubbornness as you observe your own children or the children of others while out at the store. Where God tells you, how many times have I warned you about your sin but you are like that child and you insist on going back to it? Or how many times have I warned you about not listening to my correction as you watch a child almost get hit by a shopping cart as the parents are yelling for him to stop.
Keep your ears attentive to God’s voice. Even in the midst of a trial or stressful times, God speaks. Even in the midst of suffering, God provides for the needs. Even in the midst of near collapse and being completely extended God provides relief. Have you ever had one of those times where you knew your financial need and God provided the amount you prayed for? I remember a time where I was praying that God would provide a certain amount of money. Do you know what happened? We had been told our tax return and then after some rechecking the return became larger and the increase equaled the amount requested. Maybe you need rest, and if you will take the time to sit down God will give you that rest. Maybe you need encouragement. Quit worrying about the problems and enjoy what you have and God will provide that refreshment you so desperately long for.
Maintain sensitivity to the condition of your heart. Often times we do not recognize or notice our own hardness towards God. We think we are open when we are truly not. We must maintain sensitivity to God’s Word. We must allow the Spirit to work within us. We must allow others to sharpen us. We must have others who encourage us and uplift us in our walk. Without an open heart to the Word of God we are stunting our own spiritual growth.
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