COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY
Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23
Intro: One day Jesus was by the seashore when He became accompanied by multitudes of people. There were so many that He had to go offshore and sit in a boat. He then began to teach the people. What He taught them was the Parable of the Sower, among others. I believe the reason He started with this parable was because they were living illustrations. Undoubted, among the people there were represented each of the soils/grounds described.
Jesus said that the Sower is the person preaching the Gospel. The Seed is the Word. The different soils described represent the different hearts of the people who hear the Gospel, which also represent their receptivity to the Gospel. I believe that each of the first three soils represent lost souls while the fourth represents one who was truly saved.
This sermon may challenge many beliefs. I know it challenged my own. But I believe the Lord is telling us that it is time that we stop preaching ‘easy believism.’ I do believe in once saved, always saved. But that applies to those who persevere in their faith. Saying a prayer and living in sin, or living sinfully, are incompatible with salvation. I don’t believe you can lose your salvation but I believe that you can renounce it. I believe the Bible teaches this. I don’t teach denominational doctrine. I teach the Bible and I try to let scripture interpret scripture. In other words, the Bible agrees with itself or says the same thing in more than one place, as we shall see.
I. The Wayside
a. Jesus said that some of the seed sown by the sower fell along the wayside—the road, the path, the highway, the footpath. This is a trail that was worn by foot traffic. The ground had become impacted due to the foot traffic. Therefore, it was hard so the seed could not penetrate the ground. He said that the Wayside heart is one that hears the Word and rejects the Word because he/she did not understand what they heard. The word “understand” means to put together, to comprehend. To them, the Gospel makes no sense so they reject it.
b. Perhaps you’ve seen ground where people feed birds. They throw out the seeds and immediately a flock of birds come and eat it up. This is the scenario described by Jesus.
c. Matthew 9 and John 9
II. The Stony Ground
a. Some seed fell on stony ground. This ground is that rocky ground. It is similar to driveways that are paved with gravel. The seed falls between the gravel where it is able to take root. From there a plant springs up but the sun kills the plant because its roots are not deep and it doesn’t get the nourishment it needs to survive. Jesus said this is a heart that hears the Word, receives the Word, but dies out or forsakes the Word because of tribulation or persecution. The term used is “skandalizo” from which we get scandal, shame. Because of persecution (ridicule) tribulation (trouble), that person becomes ashamed of the Gospel. Literally, he/she falls away.
b. Can you image of person of Jewish, Muslim, or atheistic parents telling them that He has become a Christian? “Not if you’re going to be a part of this family, they would say. Renounce or I’ll disown you.” Or “we don’t believe in any God in this household. Religion is a crutch for the weak.”
c. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 that if we are ashamed of Him, He would be ashamed of us. If we disown Him, He will disown us. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 10:33, Mark 8:38, and Luke 9:26. Hebrews 6:4-6.
III. The Thorns
a. Some seed fell among the thorns. Thorns are predator plants. Their roots move in and steal the nutrients out of the soil from the roots of other plants. Jesus said that this type of heart is one that hears the Word, believes the Word, receives the Word, but because of worldly cares and the deceitfulness of riches, turns his/her back on the Word, thus becoming unfruitful. Worldly passion chokes out passion for the Lord.
b. Paul and Demas (2 Timothy 4:10 “for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica…”) Matthew 7:19, John 15
c. I believe we are on the edge of and may be into the beginning of the Great Apostasy spoken of in the Bible. People do not go to church like they used to. They don’t call on the Lord like they used to, until something bad happens. People, Christians, in particular, have left the church in pursuit of worldly riches. They can’t come b/c they have to work. They can’t come b/c they are too tired from working. They can’t come b/c they have to wash the car. They can’t come b/c they have to wash clothes. They can’t come b/c they have to clean the house, mow the lawn, go to the lake, go to the casino. Question is, why don’t they do these things during the week? It is because they value their jobs above God. They have forsaken Him for worldly passions. Remember the rich young ruler.
IV. The Good Ground
a. Then there was the good ground. This ground was tilled, watered, and ready to receive the seed. It was free of rocks and thorns. It produced up to 100x what was planted. Jesus said this type of heart is one who hears the Word, believes the Word, received, the Word, and lives the Word.
b. Matthew 5 says, “Let you light so shine before men…” Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ but not your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” John 15:8
c. Pastor Brown says that there are three things that will surprise you when you get to Heaven. First is the fact you made it. Second is who’s there. Third is who is not there. Will you be there? Will you be in the number when the Saints go marching in? Will you be there when the roll is called up yonder? Are you saved? If the rapture were to happen right now, would you still be here? Jesus said you will know them by their fruit. What fruit does your life produce? Do you read your Bible more than just on Sundays? Do you pray when you’re not in church or not in trouble? Do you come to church on time, prepared? Do you attend Bible study? Do you give God as much respect as you give your boss? Would you be married if you pursued your spouse the way you pursue God?
Conclusion:
Jesus said in Matthew 7:23, not everyone who says unto me ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. God created you for a relationship. He did not create you and send His Son to die for you so you can pursue godless passions. Jesus also said that you cannot serve two masters—God and the world—you will hate one and cling to the other. If you are a Christian you should hate the world and cling to God. If you do otherwise, well I guess that speaks for itself. James said that anyone who becomes a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Joshua said it best, “Choose for yourself this day whom you will serve—the god of this world or the God of the Bible. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Our world is full of counterfeit Christians. They are Christians who believe they have their ticket to Heaven but they will find out that it is counterfeit. Like the Pharisees, their heart is not right. Their mind is neither on the Lord nor on the things of the Lord. Therefore, when they stand before Him, He is going to tell them to depart for He never knew them—never had a relationship with them.
I still don’t understand why people don’t want to spend time with God now but expect to spend eternity with Him later. I still don’t understand why people don’t want to talk to Him now but expect to live in His house later. I still don’t understand why people who don’t want to worship Him on Sundays want to go to Heaven where it’s Sunday all day. I don’t understand how people who don’t thank God for their food expect to sit at His table later. I don’t understand how people don’t thank God for their clothing but are looking for a white robe later. I don’t understand how people don’t take time to thank God for their shelter now but are expecting Him to provide them a mansion later. I can’t understand how people who don’t want to read the Word now want to live with the Word later. I can’t understand how people are ashamed to tell others about Jesus now but expect Him to be proud of them later. I can’t understand how people don’t want to bless God with their gifts but expect Him to bless them with His. I can’t understand how people can’t make time for God but expect Him to make time for them.
Counterfeit Christians. They don’t want to come to church. They don’t want to serve. They don’t want to give. They don’t want to pray. They don’t want to praise. They don’t want to witness. They don’t want to read the Word. They don’t want to spend time with God but when they die they are expecting to get to Heaven. Somebody is fooling themselves. But they do want to…
Is your ticket genuine? Have you truly been bought by the blood? Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Do you confess Him before men? Do you live for Him? If you are one of the soils listed—wayside, rocky, thorny—you need to give your life to Christ today. Otherwise, you are playing Russian Roulette with your soul with eternity in the balance. With your soul on the line and eternity at stake, the stakes have never been higher, the odds have never been worse, and the gamble has never been greater.
