Sermon Central
-
Two Men, Two Soils PRO
Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 28, 2011 (message contributor)
TWO MEN, TWO SOILS
Two of the men have impacted my life. Both of them died of cancer. For many years one of these men allowed his CIRCUMSTANCES to harden him towards those in his family and towards God.
I thought my dad was about as far away from God as he could be. He seemed to be represented by footpath in the parable of the sower that Jesus relates in Matthew 13:4,19. Jesus speaks of HARD soil, defensive, closed and bitter towards God.
The other man also had cancer. Before he died, Bill (not his real name) said to me, "I'm an atheist and I intend to stay that way!" INTENTIONALLY RESISTANT to considering that the message of Christ might have had any relevance. He was also like the footpath in the parable but it seems to me that he had allowed the cancer to be like a PNEUMATIC SOIL COMPACTER and His heart had set like concrete.
My Dad also got CANCER and it was clear that he was going to die. I think he could have responded to God in one of 2 ways. He could have allowed the cancer to harden his heart even further towards God like Bill, the atheist. Instead he allowed the cancer to be a like a PNEUMATIC JACKHAMMER. Yes, it shook him up but it also broke up the hard places of his heart and enabled God to get through to him. Everyone of us has that choice.
In Matthew 13:19 Jesus says, "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."
Jesus says His message is...
Continue reading this sermon illustration (Free with PRO)Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Come And Die PRO
Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 29, 2004
COME AND DIE In The Cost of Discipleship Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “The cross is laid on every Christian. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death–we give over our lives to death. The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing ...read more
-
I Once Saw The Concrete Block Shell Of A Church ... PRO
Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 29, 2004
I once saw the concrete block shell of a church someone had started building years earlier. The project had been halted. There was no roof on the building and trees and shrubs had grown inside the shell. One of the pine trees growing inside the uncompleted church was at least 15 feet tall. I’ll ...read more
-
I Want To Conclude With A Story That Tony ... PRO
Contributed by Tim Richards on May 18, 2005
I want to conclude with a story that Tony Campolo tells about a time he was asked to speak at a Pentecostal college. He remembered that before the service, eight men had him kneel so they could place their hands on his head and pray. He was glad to have prayer, but each of them prayed a long time, ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Spiritual Sowers
Contributed by Bill Butsko on Jul 11, 2008
We are spiritual sowers by our witness for Jesus.
-
Responding To The Word
Contributed by Paul Sandford on Jul 13, 2011
A sermon about response preached at an infant Baptism, where the parents were committed, though the family might not be.
-
Sowing & Reaping Series
Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Nov 12, 2009
The creation precept built into the very fabric of all creation, both physical & spiritual, is that a person reaps after the same manner & nature that they sow. Every thought, attitude or action has its own reproductive cycle. You reap what you sow.
-
Scattering The Seed
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 6, 2007
Why wouldn’t God be more selective in what soil He allows His seed to be planted? And why did Jesus tell only this parable (but not the explanation of the parable) to this crowds?
-
Seed Time/Harvest
Contributed by Selwyn Robins on Apr 19, 2011
Seed time/harvest, but what happens between those two times. Faith. You
