THE RIGHT SOIL—Luke 8:4-15
Jesus revealed that men’s hearts are the limiting factor to the spread of the Gospel.
The state of men’s hearts are the limiting factor to the spread of the Gospel(good news of salvation by grace).
How are men’s hearts the limiting factor to the spread of God’s Gospel Message?
5 limiting factors in the multiplication/spread of the Gospel message.
1—A limiting factor in the spread of the gospel message is
AN INQUIRING HEART(:9-11)
—Explanation:(:4, 9-11)
:4—“And when a great multitude were coming together, & those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable:”
“Parable”—A story which reveals a spiritual truth.
:9—“And His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable might be.”
*“Questioning”—Not curious but serious/sincere.
:10—“And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, in order that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.”
:11—“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.”
“The word of God”—Realize
—Argumentation:
Mat. 7:7-8—“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”
—Illustration:
Planning a vacation/ Inquiries made/Sincere & serious about acquiring the best for family’s needs/INQUIRING HEART
Asking directions
—Application:
?You have an INQUIRING heart?
?Is your heart a limiting factor to the Gospel?
?Your heart offer the Right Soil/Environment for the Gospel?
2—A limiting factor in the spread of the gospel message is
AN IMPERVIOUS/Hardened HEART(:5, 12)
—Explanation:(:5, 12) Impenetrable/Receptive/Protective
:5—“The sower went out to sow his seed; & as he sowed, some fell beside the road; & it was trampled under foot, & the birds of the air ate it up.”
“Trampled”—destroyed by other authorities.—Trafficed
Mat. 7:6—““Do not give what is holy to dogs, & do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, & turn & tear you to pieces.”
“Birds of the air”—“Air”—ouranoV—Heaven
“Birds”—Watching to remove anything visible. Unsuspected from above.
Satan is Prince of the power of the air—ahr.
Eph. 4:14—“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here & there by waves, & carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;”
:12—“And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes & takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe & be saved.”
“That they may not be...saved”—Once God’s word is removed there is no salvation.
—Argumentation:
Eph. 6:12—“12 For our struggle is not against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
—Illustration:
Cement Driveway/Impervious to grass-trees-animals/Limits spread of grass-trees-animals/IMPERVIOUS HEART
—Application:
?Unwilling to even listen. Other voices more valid?
?You have a(n) IMPERVIOUS / HARDENED heart?
?Your heart offer the Right Soil/Environment for the Gospel?
3—A limiting factor in the spread of the gospel message is
A WITHHOLDING/Rocky HEART(:6, 13)
—Explanation:(:6, 13) Retaining/Penetrative
:6—“And other seed fell on rocky soil, & as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.”
“On Rocky soil/On The Rock”—More rock than soil!
“No moisture”—Necessity for plants.
:13—“And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; & these have no firm root; they believe for a while, & in time of temptation fall away.”
The Rock differs from the Road in that it is not trampled or stolen.
“Receive it with joy”—
“No firm root”—Root supplies nourishment & stability.
“A while”—kairoV—A measurable length of time from start to finish.
“Temptation”—peirasmoV—Temptation/Trial/ Enticement; ‘The trial of person’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy.’
“Fall away”—Withdraw—Uncommitted—Marriages
These are‘superficial, emotional people who have to be periodically rounded up if kept within the fold’—Robertson
Self-centered people always expecting to get rather than give.
—Argumentation:
1Jn 2:18-19—“Children, it is the last hour; & just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.”
—Illustration:
Ancient Chinese women/Foot binding/Crippled for life/Withheld growing room needed for natural support due to cultural constraints/WITHHOLDING HEART
—Application:
?You have a WITHHOLDING / ROCKY heart?
?Your heart offer the Right Soil/Environment for the Gospel?
4—A limiting factor in the spread of the gospel message is
A CROWDED/Choking HEART(:7, 14)
—Explanation/Argumentation:(:7, 14) Uncrowded
:7—“And other seed fell among the thorns; & the thorns grew up with it, & choked it out.”
“Choked”—apopnigw—To Suffocate with water, Strangle, Throttle, Wring the neck.
:14—“And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, & as they go on their way they are choked with worries & riches & pleasures of this life, & bring no fruit to maturity.”
“Worries”—Cares, Anxieties
Ps. 38:18—“For I confess my iniquity; I am full of anxiety because of my sin.”
1Pet. 5:6-7—“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.”
“Riches”—Abundance/Plenty
1Tim. 6:9—“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation & a snare & many foolish & harmful desires which plunge men into ruin & destruction.”
“Pleasures”—hdonh—Hedonist lives for pleasure— Sensual gratification/satisfaction
1Jn. 2:16—“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh & the lust of the eyes & the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Jas. 4:3—“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
“Maturity/Perfection”—telesforew—Burden termination.
Busy people are miserable/unfulfilled people. Busy in the Lord as well as busy in self carries thru to every part of life—personal, family, work, church.
Illustration:
High cholesterol levels/Plaque build up/Occluded vessels & heart/CROWDED HEART
Application:
?You have a CHOKING heart?
?Your heart offer the Right Soil/Environment for the Gospel?
5—A limiting factor in the spread of the gospel message is
A NURTURING HEART(:8, 15)
—Explanation:(:8, 15) Fruiting/Multiplying
:8—“And other seed fell into the good soil, & grew up, & produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.””
“Good soil”—Destined soil
“Crop”—An intended, expected & abundant outcome. To produce a crop a seed must mature enough to bear fruit & that in great abundance for some are scattered in inhospitable places.
:15—“And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest & good heart, & hold it fast, & bear fruit with perseverance.”
“Honest...heart”—Excellent/Beautiful/Genuine— Transparent, Nothing hidden.
“Hold it fast”—Hinder its leaving.
*“Bear fruit”—The only one that bears!
“Perseverance”—‘Steadfastness, constancy, endurance’— ‘loyalty to faith & piety in the least & greatest trials & sufferings’
—Argumentation:
Ps. 1:1-3—“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day & night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
Lk. 6:45—““The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good....”
—Illustration:
Bearded Iris/Ours planted in shade & tree roots—No blooms/Our desire to Mmove them to sun & good soil— Blooms! /NURTURING HEART
—Application:
?You have a NURTURING heart?
?Your heart offer the Right Soil/Environment for the Gospel?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
A limiting factor in the spread of the gospel message is...
AN IMPERVIOUS/Hardened HEART(:5, 12)
A WITHHOLDING/Rocky HEART(:6, 13)
A CHOKING HEART(:7, 14)
A NURTURING HEART(:8, 15)
CHILDREN’S— ‘’
Magic Marker
Paper towel
Wax paper
Write ‘God loves you!!’ on the paper towel & the wax paper.
Wipe the words off of the wax paper. They never sank in!
The words on the paper towel soaked in.
When we don’t listen to God our hearts are like the wax paper... God can’t use us to do His work because we won’t let Him.
God wants us to Take in/Soak in/ Nurture His word.
Presented 04/07/02am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
