ARE YOU PLANTING SEEDS OF FAITH?
As Christians we need to continually plant seeds of faith no matter where we go daily. It is our duty as Jesus said Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Once we do that the harvest will some day come. We are not always the one to be there for the harvest but we must continue to preach the gospel wherever we go. When the day does come once again Jesus referred to it in Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Today I want to focus on the planting of the seeds by using the parable of The Sower.
Mark 4:3-8
"Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 "Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 "And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 "Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 "Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
I. It is how and when we plant the seeds of faith of Jesus Christ
A. What this is talking about is spreading the good news about Jesus Christ
B. It is our responsibility to preach the word as it says in 1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; for woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.
C. Telling others what Jesus has done in our lives
1. When was the last time you shared your testimony with someone
2. Just a few quick words of encouragement
a. “I stopped that when I turned my life over to God”
b. “I want you to meet my best friend. Jesus”
c. Words of encouragement any time
D. You can do it anytime any place
1. Sitting around talking about anything
2. Eating with each other
E. Some people just don’t want to hear it though
1. Could you live with yourself if they died and you didn’t try?
2. It is your duty as child of God to
3. Are you ashamed of being a child of God? I hope not
a. Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
II. Let’s take a look at how Jesus explained it to His disciples in verses 14-20
A. 14-15 "The sower sows the word. 15 "These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
1. In the great field of the church, the word of God is dispensed to all.
a. Many will be in the church service but not really hear what is said.
b. They really do not let it sink in to their hearts.
c. Impressions that are not deep, will not last.
2. Of the many that hear the word of the gospel, but few receive it, so as to bring forth fruit..
a. They hear it, but do not pass it on or use it.
b. They fail to let Satan take away their joy from the word
3. Many are much affected with the word for the present, who yet receive no abiding benefit.
a. They fail to let the promises of God help them in their lives
b. The devil is very busy about careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground.
4. The word does not leave lasting impressions because they are not ready.
B. 15-16 "In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
1. People do not accept the fact of the happiness they can have
2. They have problems letting go of worldly things
a. Others are hindered from profiting by the word of God, by abundance of the world
b. They have put their “gods” in place of The God.
c. They do not accept the spiritual happiness they can receive
d. And those who have little may yet be ruined false hopes they have of material things.
C. 17-18 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,
1. There are some with no firm root and teaching
a. They don’t have anyone to follow up with fellow believers
b. The don’t hear solid biblical teachings
1. Once you sew: you need to nourish
2. “Sown among the thorns”
a. Ones that refuse to change their environment
b. Refuse to change their friends
c. As I heard my son say one time, ”God will be the sunlight and the water they need. You do the planting and be the support that makes their faith grow”.
d. Just like earthly plants without care faith will not grow
D. 19-20 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
1. They have fear that God cannot handle all their problems
a. They have fears that Stan gives them but God can handle it, 2 Timothy 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2. They refuse to believe that He can provide for their growth Isaiah 58:11 and Jehovah will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in dry places, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
a. John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
b. John 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.
c. The more people that we witness to causes a chain reaction and builds the kingdom here on earth.
E. We are given the great commission in Mathew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Conclusion
Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
1 Peter 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
It is so very important that you be ready, willing, and able to witness for God. While my son was in high school one of his friends had been killed in a car accident. It was only after the fact that he thought. “I wonder if he was saved?” He thought long and hard about all the times he sat next to him and never asked him if he knew Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He thought of all the opportunities he had to ask him that life saving question. Are you passing up opportunities to save some one from a life of eternal damnation? Or are you taking every opportunity to an eternal life of glory with The Lord?
