Hell’s Best Kept Secret…
Luke 8:4-15 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "’though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
I. The Church is Losing Ground
a. 80 per cent of new converts don’t get involved in a church.
II. There is a lack of brokenness when people make decisions today.
a. People are looking for a more comfortable life not salvation.
Parachute illustration by Ray Comfort
The way we present the Gospel determines the type of response the sinner makes.
Two men are seated in a plane. The stewardess gives one of them a parachute and instructs him to put it on “because it will improve his flight.” Not understanding how a parachute could improve his flight, the first man is a bit skeptical. Finally he decides to see if the claim is true. After strapping on the parachute he notices it’s burdensome weight and he has difficulty sitting upright. Consoling himself with the promise of a better flight, our first passenger decides to give it a little time. Because he is the only passenger wearing a parachute the other passengers begin making fun of him. Unable to stand it any longer, our passenger slumps in his seat, unbuckles the parachute and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fill his heart because he feels as though he was told a lie.
Another stewardess gives the other man a parachute but listen to her instructions… She tells him to put it on because at any moment he will be jumping out of the plane at 25,000 feet. The second passenger straps on the parachute, He doesn’t notice the weight upon his shoulders or that he can’t sit upright. His mind is consumed with the thought of what would happen if he jumped without it. When other passengers laugh at him he thinks “You won’t be laughing when your falling to the ground.”
III. First man’s Motives / Results
a. The first man’s motive was to improve his flight
b. Results
a. Humiliated by other passengers
b. Disillusioned by unkept promises
c. mad at the stewardess that gave him the parachute.
IV. Second man’s Motives / Results
a. Escape the danger of the upcoming jump
b. Results
a. Because he knew what would happen without the parachute, He had a deep rooted joy and peace in his heart
b. Knowing he was saved from death gave him the ability to withstand the mockery of the other passengers.
READ-- In the last 10 – 15 years, the church has said put on the Lord Jesus Christ; He will give you love, joy, peace, and fulfillment. In other words, He will improve your flight. IN an experimental fashion, the sinner tentatively puts on Jesus Christ to see if these claims are true. What does he get … Temptation, tribulation and Persecution. The other passengers mock him for his decision. What does he do? He takes off the Lord Jesus Christ. He is offended for the Word’s sake, he is disillusioned and bitter. He was promised peace joy and fulfillment and all he got was trials and tribulation. He is actually mad at those who gave him the “Good News.”
V. We’ve missed part of the Gospel
a. Paul eexplains law
a. Rom. 7:7 “I would not have known sin except through the law.”
b. Heb 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
c. Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is …. of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
b. The law shows our guilt before God and keeps us from justifying ourselves.
a. Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
c. The law brings us to a knowledge of sin.
a. Rom 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
d. The law defines sin
a. Rom 7:7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."
e. The law was designed to bring people to Christ
a. Gal 3:24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
VI. To understand what Christ did for us, we must understand the law and it’s penalty!
a. We tend to compare ourselves to each other.
1. I’m not so bad when I compare myself to …….
2. this leads to disharmony in the Christian body and trouble in the church.
b. When we look in the mirror of the law there is no justification.
VII. How do you stand in light of the law?
a. You shall have no other God’s before me. (new TV)
b. You shall not make for yourselves any carved images. (don’t make God fit your picture)
c. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (hammer)
d. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy. (worship)
e. Honor your father and mother. (being all that you can be)
f. You shall not murder. ( I Jn 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.)
g. You shall not commit adultery (Matt 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
h. You shall not steal (not degrees of stealing)
i. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (any lying in any form)
j. You shall not covet ( no matter what state I find myself, there with will I be content)
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
VIII. The penalty is DEATH
a. Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death,
b. If you jump out of the airplane without a parachute … you die.
c. If you break the law you must pay the penalty….. DEATH
IX.
