[Music]<\/p>\n
so so if anyone needs translation I'll<\/p>\n
be preaching in English the translation<\/p>\n
devices are at the<\/p>\n
back<\/p>\n
okay<\/p>\n
you can hear<\/p>\n
okay well hello everybody hope your<\/p>\n
weeks have been well we are continuing<\/p>\n
our study in the gospel of Mark which is<\/p>\n
the most fast-paced and action-packed<\/p>\n
account of Jesus's<\/p>\n
life and so in just three chapters we've<\/p>\n
seen Jesus appear on the scene we've<\/p>\n
seen him do<\/p>\n
Miracles he's healed K people he's<\/p>\n
restored the hand of a man whose hand<\/p>\n
was once<\/p>\n
shriveled he's restored the feet of a<\/p>\n
man who once could not<\/p>\n
walk we've seen Jesus call his<\/p>\n
disciples we've seen Jesus forgive<\/p>\n
sins we've seen Jesus eat with<\/p>\n
Sinners and how have people responded to<\/p>\n
Jesus so<\/p>\n
far well we saw from<\/p>\n
last week's<\/p>\n
sermon that some people have been Amazed<\/p>\n
by<\/p>\n
Jesus some people have been puzzled and<\/p>\n
perplexed not quite sure what to do with<\/p>\n
him others have been finding reason to<\/p>\n
kill<\/p>\n
Jesus and so through his miracles his<\/p>\n
teachings and<\/p>\n
practices Jesus has both made enemies<\/p>\n
and devoted<\/p>\n
disciples right from the start Jes Jesus<\/p>\n
has been<\/p>\n
polarizing right from the start his<\/p>\n
actions have demanded a response some<\/p>\n
people have begun to try to kill him<\/p>\n
others have left their families and<\/p>\n
careers in order to follow<\/p>\n
Jesus and as we come to our text today<\/p>\n
in Mark 4 Jesus begins to<\/p>\n
teach and what Jesus<\/p>\n
says is that he can change our lives in<\/p>\n
a way that nothing else can<\/p>\n
the way that he says he can change our<\/p>\n
lives is if we understand that the<\/p>\n
gospel Jesus's word the very basic<\/p>\n
message of what he came to do if we<\/p>\n
understand that it's a<\/p>\n
seed and if we receive and understand it<\/p>\n
as a seed it has the potential to change<\/p>\n
our lives in a way nothing else in this<\/p>\n
world<\/p>\n
can so let's read our text for today<\/p>\n
it's a little bit long I'll read it in<\/p>\n
English the tie is on the screen so Mark<\/p>\n
chap 4 veres 1-34 let's go again Jesus<\/p>\n
began to teach by the lake the crowd<\/p>\n
that gathered around him was so large<\/p>\n
that he got into a boat and sat in it<\/p>\n
out on the lake while all the people<\/p>\n
were along the shore at the water's edge<\/p>\n
he taught them many things by Parables<\/p>\n
and in his teaching said listen a farmer<\/p>\n
went out to sew his seed as he was<\/p>\n
scattering the seed some fell along the<\/p>\n
path and the birds came and ate it up<\/p>\n
some fell on Rocky places where it did<\/p>\n
not have much soil it sprang up quickly<\/p>\n
because the soil was shallow but when<\/p>\n
the sun came up the plants were scorched<\/p>\n
and they withered because they had no<\/p>\n
root other seed fell among Thorns which<\/p>\n
grew up and choked the plants so that<\/p>\n
they did not bear<\/p>\n
grain still other seed fell on good good<\/p>\n
soil it came up grew and produced a crop<\/p>\n
some multiplying 30 some 60 some 100<\/p>\n
times then Jesus said whoever has ears<\/p>\n
to hear Let Them<\/p>\n
hear when he was alone the 12 and the<\/p>\n
others around him asked him about The<\/p>\n
Parables he told them the secret of the<\/p>\n
kingdom of God has been given to you but<\/p>\n
to those on the outside everything is<\/p>\n
said in Parables so that they may be<\/p>\n
ever seeing but never perceiving ever<\/p>\n
hearing but never understanding<\/p>\n
otherwise they might turn and be<\/p>\n
forgiven then Jesus said to them don't<\/p>\n
you understand this Parable how then<\/p>\n
will you understand any<\/p>\n
Parable the farmer SWS the word some<\/p>\n
people are like seed along the path<\/p>\n
where the word is sown as soon as they<\/p>\n
hear it Satan comes and takes away the<\/p>\n
word that was sown in them others like<\/p>\n
seed sown on Rocky places hear the word<\/p>\n
and at once receive it with joy but<\/p>\n
since they have no root they last only a<\/p>\n
short time when trouble or persecution<\/p>\n
comes because of the word they quickly<\/p>\n
Fall Away still others like seeds sown<\/p>\n
among Thorns hear the word but the<\/p>\n
worries of this life the deceitfulness<\/p>\n
of wealth and the desires for other<\/p>\n
things come in and choke the word making<\/p>\n
it<\/p>\n
unfruitful others like seeds sewn on<\/p>\n
good soil hear the word accept it and<\/p>\n
produce a crop some 30 some 60 some 100<\/p>\n
times what was<\/p>\n
swn he said to them do you bring in a<\/p>\n
lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed<\/p>\n
instead don't you put it on its stand<\/p>\n
for whatever is hidden is meant to be<\/p>\n
disclosed whatever is concealed is meant<\/p>\n
to be brought out into the open if<\/p>\n
anyone has ears to hear Let Them hear<\/p>\n
consider carefully what you hear he<\/p>\n
continued with the measure you use it<\/p>\n
will be measured to you and even more<\/p>\n
Whoever has will be given more whoever<\/p>\n
does not have even what they have will<\/p>\n
be taken from them<\/p>\n
he also said this is what the kingdom of<\/p>\n
God is like man scatters seed on the<\/p>\n
ground night and day whether he sleeps<\/p>\n
or gets up the seed sprouts and grows<\/p>\n
though he does not know how all by<\/p>\n
itself the soil produces grain first the<\/p>\n
stock then the head then the full kernel<\/p>\n
in the head as soon as the grain is ripe<\/p>\n
he puts the sickle to it because the<\/p>\n
Harvest has come again he said what<\/p>\n
shall we say the kingdom of God is like<\/p>\n
or what Parable shall we use to describe<\/p>\n
it it is like a mustard seed which is<\/p>\n
the smallest of all seeds on Earth yet<\/p>\n
when he when planted it grows and<\/p>\n
becomes the largest of all garden plants<\/p>\n
with such big branches that the birds<\/p>\n
can perch in its shade with many similar<\/p>\n
Parables Jesus spoke the word to them as<\/p>\n
much as they could understand he did not<\/p>\n
say anything to them without using a<\/p>\n
parable but when he was alone with his<\/p>\n
disciples he explained everything this<\/p>\n
is God's word<\/p>\n
so in this text Jesus tells us many<\/p>\n
parables about the gospel about the<\/p>\n
kingdom of God and yet in all of these<\/p>\n
Parables were're given one prevailing<\/p>\n
image the image of a<\/p>\n
seed Jesus Likens his word and the<\/p>\n
gospel to a<\/p>\n
seed the question is why why does Jesus<\/p>\n
choose to speak about his word through<\/p>\n
the image of a<\/p>\n
seed a seed is very powerful in fact if<\/p>\n
you think about it within one Acorn seed<\/p>\n
lies the power to cover the whole world<\/p>\n
in the<\/p>\n
forest so in our text we'll see the<\/p>\n
power of the Gospel we'll see how this<\/p>\n
power works and we'll see the<\/p>\n
secret into to this power all through<\/p>\n
the image of the seed so one the power<\/p>\n
of the Gospel how this power works the<\/p>\n
secret to this power so Jesus he's<\/p>\n
teaching by the lake he begins to tell a<\/p>\n
parable and a parable is a story that is<\/p>\n
meant to compare two things a parable<\/p>\n
usually begins with this is like that<\/p>\n
the kingdom of God is like<\/p>\n
that so in this Parable Jesus tells us<\/p>\n
in verse 13<\/p>\n
onwards is that the word is the<\/p>\n
and that the soils represent different<\/p>\n
groups of<\/p>\n
people now the word of God the gospel on<\/p>\n
the one hand it's information right it's<\/p>\n
the message of<\/p>\n
Jesus his life and what he came to do<\/p>\n
but it's far more than just<\/p>\n
information it's a power it is a life<\/p>\n
changing power it is like a seed and<\/p>\n
when a seed is planted into the ground<\/p>\n
we all can see the power of a seed well<\/p>\n
how's this well imagine trying to plant<\/p>\n
pieces of plastic or paper you take a<\/p>\n
few plastic bottle caps place them into<\/p>\n
the ground can water them you can even<\/p>\n
apply fertilizer but what happens<\/p>\n
spoiler alert don't try this nothing<\/p>\n
happens why does nothing happen because<\/p>\n
the plastic bottle caps cannot grow<\/p>\n
they don't have the power of life in<\/p>\n
them but if you plant a seed magnificent<\/p>\n
life<\/p>\n
happens see verses 30 to 34 a mustard<\/p>\n
seed the smallest of all seeds on Earth<\/p>\n
grows and becomes the largest of trees<\/p>\n
can perch in its<\/p>\n
shade life the power of life is<\/p>\n
contained in a seed and Jesus says the<\/p>\n
word is a<\/p>\n
seed what does that mean it means that<\/p>\n
the word the gospel has the power of<\/p>\n
life in First Peter chapter 1 Peter<\/p>\n
writes to a group of Christians and<\/p>\n
tells them that you have been born again<\/p>\n
not of perishable seed but of<\/p>\n
imperishable through the living and<\/p>\n
enduring word of God he continues for<\/p>\n
all people are like grass and your glory<\/p>\n
is like the flowers of the field the<\/p>\n
grass withers and the flowers fall but<\/p>\n
the word of the Lord endures forever and<\/p>\n
this is the word that was preached to<\/p>\n
you both Peter and Jesus are saying that<\/p>\n
the word of God has the power of the<\/p>\n
very life of God and to the degree that<\/p>\n
we accept and understand this word to<\/p>\n
the degree that we understand and accept<\/p>\n
the gospel the very life of God comes<\/p>\n
comes into us and if we don't have this<\/p>\n
if we don't understand this we don't<\/p>\n
have<\/p>\n
life someone at this point might say but<\/p>\n
look at me I'm sitting here I'm<\/p>\n
breathing I had breakfast today<\/p>\n
obviously I'm alive so how can I not<\/p>\n
life well it depends on your<\/p>\n
perspective I heard this analogy in a<\/p>\n
sermon a few years ago by none other<\/p>\n
than Tim killer it's always stuck with<\/p>\n
me try thinking about this a plant is<\/p>\n
alive right it breathes it moves it<\/p>\n
moves very slowly but it's still alive<\/p>\n
now an animal is also<\/p>\n
alive right but an animal is more alive<\/p>\n
than a plant because if an animal<\/p>\n
sustained an<\/p>\n
injury that brought it back to the same<\/p>\n
level of functionality as a<\/p>\n
plant it can't see it can't hear at the<\/p>\n
animal level level that animal is not<\/p>\n
living we even have an expression for<\/p>\n
people who have sustained injuries and<\/p>\n
are in comas what do we say it's not<\/p>\n
very polite but we say they're like a<\/p>\n
vegetable right vegetable is still alive<\/p>\n
but at the human level it's not<\/p>\n
living they're not able to think or<\/p>\n
Reason and so<\/p>\n
yes they're alive at the plant level but<\/p>\n
at the human level it's not living right<\/p>\n
why is it<\/p>\n
different because each order of Life the<\/p>\n
plant the animal the human each order<\/p>\n
sees more of<\/p>\n
reality plants can sense light but they<\/p>\n
cannot see objects just a few<\/p>\n
centimeters away like animals<\/p>\n
can animals can see a lot of things but<\/p>\n
animals cannot tell the difference<\/p>\n
between right or wrong animals are not<\/p>\n
able to Hope or imagine something that<\/p>\n
has not happened yet they aren't able to<\/p>\n
Hope and so when Jesus when we see Jesus<\/p>\n
saying that when we understand and<\/p>\n
accept the word the life of God comes<\/p>\n
into us what does that mean it means at<\/p>\n
the very least that we see reality more<\/p>\n
clearly when when we have the life of<\/p>\n
God come into us we see reality more<\/p>\n
clearly when we understand the gospel<\/p>\n
and the Bible says we receive eternal<\/p>\n
life it's not just going to heaven when<\/p>\n
you die eternal life is not just about<\/p>\n
going to heaven when you die it includes<\/p>\n
that yes but eternal life salvation is<\/p>\n
so much more than that being a Christian<\/p>\n
is not about going not just about going<\/p>\n
to heaven when you die it means that<\/p>\n
when you become a Christian you have the<\/p>\n
very life of God in you right now it<\/p>\n
means you're able to see reality more<\/p>\n
clearly you're able to really see things<\/p>\n
that have been there the whole time<\/p>\n
things that we never saw before like<\/p>\n
what the unconditional love of the<\/p>\n
father freely available for us in Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ the Holiness of God the hope of<\/p>\n
Resurrection<\/p>\n
eternity when we understand God's word<\/p>\n
the power of the Gospel comes into US<\/p>\n
these things actually become real to us<\/p>\n
they really do imagine being someone who<\/p>\n
when trouble comes into your life you're<\/p>\n
able to stand for firm and not be<\/p>\n
consumed with anxiety and worry or<\/p>\n
imagine if someone severely criticizes<\/p>\n
you and says something that really hurts<\/p>\n
you you're able to look at that person<\/p>\n
and not be offended not take it<\/p>\n
personally but be completely<\/p>\n
secure or if someone is actively trying<\/p>\n
to get you trying to get you fired<\/p>\n
trying to make you look bad gossip about<\/p>\n
you you can turn around and instead of<\/p>\n
trying to get them back you're just able<\/p>\n
to love them imagine being able to do<\/p>\n
that when the life of God comes into you<\/p>\n
when you receive the word into yourself<\/p>\n
like a seed and the love of God becomes<\/p>\n
a reality you're able to do all those<\/p>\n
things or if you've really badly failed<\/p>\n
and messed up how do you respond is<\/p>\n
God's Applause is God's forgiveness is<\/p>\n
God's love and Delight of us more real<\/p>\n
to us than our<\/p>\n
failures is it beautiful is it sweet<\/p>\n
does it cause us to rejoice and be<\/p>\n
joyful is it real to us if it is real to<\/p>\n
us if God's love is real to us we can<\/p>\n
handle<\/p>\n
anything Jesus is showing us that the<\/p>\n
word of God is like a seed and therefore<\/p>\n
it has the power of life it has the<\/p>\n
power to change our<\/p>\n
lives now one implication of this is<\/p>\n
that nothing is more important in the<\/p>\n
Christian Life<\/p>\n
than listening to and understanding the<\/p>\n
word of<\/p>\n
God our whole lives are the process of<\/p>\n
working God's word into our<\/p>\n
hearts most of the time Christian growth<\/p>\n
is like the planting and harvesting of a<\/p>\n
seed it's not dramatic it's not often a<\/p>\n
spectacular event so for example if if<\/p>\n
you have a bad temper it's unlikely it's<\/p>\n
possible but it's unlikely that becoming<\/p>\n
a Christian will take that away all at<\/p>\n
once instead it requires work having to<\/p>\n
work the doctrine of adoption the fact<\/p>\n
that God now accepts us as his child<\/p>\n
working it into our hearts over<\/p>\n
time it's the gradual maturation that<\/p>\n
comes from a lifetime of listening to<\/p>\n
studying and applying God's word into<\/p>\n
our hearts and into our<\/p>\n
lives so the word of God the gospel is<\/p>\n
power next we learn about how this power<\/p>\n
works<\/p>\n
how does Jesus say the seed<\/p>\n
works one of the main points in this in<\/p>\n
this section is Whoever has ears to hear<\/p>\n
Let Them hear we see this phrase along<\/p>\n
with the phrase listen repeated multiple<\/p>\n
times verse 3 verse 9 23<\/p>\n
24 what Jesus is saying is the way we<\/p>\n
hear is extremely<\/p>\n
important the gospel is not something we<\/p>\n
just pick up and do rather we wrestle<\/p>\n
with it we reflect on it we work it into<\/p>\n
our hearts until it sinks in like a<\/p>\n
seed it's entirely possible to think<\/p>\n
that we understand the gospel to think<\/p>\n
that we understand the word when we<\/p>\n
really don't we may think we get it and<\/p>\n
yet the lack of fruit in our lives shows<\/p>\n
us that it has not really touched our<\/p>\n
hearts if we look at Jesus's Parable we<\/p>\n
see that the seed that goes in the<\/p>\n
deepest is the one that produces a crop<\/p>\n
30 60 100 times what was sewn a seed<\/p>\n
releases Power by going in deep and the<\/p>\n
gospel releases its power only by going<\/p>\n
in<\/p>\n
deep see if we look at the soils we see<\/p>\n
that the main difference is a difference<\/p>\n
in depth the first three soils don't<\/p>\n
produce lasting fruit why because the<\/p>\n
seed has not gone in deep enough the<\/p>\n
first soil has no life because the seed<\/p>\n
doesn't go<\/p>\n
in the second soil has no life because<\/p>\n
it doesn't go in deep enough to take<\/p>\n
root the third soil the seed goes in but<\/p>\n
it's at the same level of depth as the<\/p>\n
thorns and so it's choked in the third<\/p>\n
soil other concerns the worries of Life<\/p>\n
are just as important as the<\/p>\n
gospel now how does the word go in Jesus<\/p>\n
is not describing a violent concept he's<\/p>\n
not describing blowing things up he's<\/p>\n
using one of the most gentle activities<\/p>\n
to describe the process of the word<\/p>\n
going in farming the seed goes just goes<\/p>\n
into the<\/p>\n
ground it's not the ground isn't blown<\/p>\n
up it's not forced in what does this<\/p>\n
tell us what tells us a lot of things<\/p>\n
one is that unlike the kingdoms of the<\/p>\n
world that come to the most supremely<\/p>\n
confident and able God's kingdom comes<\/p>\n
to the completely humble and<\/p>\n
receptive the ground that gets the word<\/p>\n
isn't hard but soft it takes in his<\/p>\n
message the kingdom comes not to the<\/p>\n
fierce or violent it comes to the<\/p>\n
teachable and humble in other words it<\/p>\n
comes to those who know that they have<\/p>\n
much to<\/p>\n
learn what else it shows us that that<\/p>\n
Jesus's word the gospel the kingdom of<\/p>\n
God does not move forward with political<\/p>\n
force or military might but it moves<\/p>\n
forward with love and service through<\/p>\n
sweet persuasion not<\/p>\n
coercion Jesus's word is more like a<\/p>\n
seed on the heart than a boulder on the<\/p>\n
head a boulder Smashes in from the<\/p>\n
outside the seed penetrates to the<\/p>\n
inside Force being forced produces slav<\/p>\n
y feels like you're being forced into<\/p>\n
doing something you really don't want to<\/p>\n
the gospel produces loving obedience<\/p>\n
therefore will transform us completely<\/p>\n
not just from the<\/p>\n
outside the power of the word works when<\/p>\n
it goes down deep into our hearts how<\/p>\n
does that<\/p>\n
work verse 9 Whoever has ears to hear<\/p>\n
Let Them hear hearing understanding<\/p>\n
listening the way the life of God comes<\/p>\n
into our lives the way that we can<\/p>\n
actually live from this power is by<\/p>\n
taking in the information the word of<\/p>\n
God the gospel of God and by listening<\/p>\n
thinking and reflecting and working it<\/p>\n
deep down into our hearts applying it<\/p>\n
over and over and over again we don't<\/p>\n
just sit back and pray oh God please<\/p>\n
come down and change me please make me a<\/p>\n
more calm person it requires work it<\/p>\n
requires hearing reflecting<\/p>\n
understanding<\/p>\n
obedience this is how this power is<\/p>\n
released into our lives here's an<\/p>\n
example so in Ephesians 5 Paul is<\/p>\n
speaking to husbands who in that Society<\/p>\n
they looked at their spouses as someone<\/p>\n
they would marry for status marry so<\/p>\n
that they would look good but then they<\/p>\n
would go get their intimacy and physical<\/p>\n
satisfaction from someone else someplace<\/p>\n
someplace else what does Paul say does<\/p>\n
he say you know the Bible says to love<\/p>\n
your wives you have to cherish your<\/p>\n
spouse you have to be faithful to your<\/p>\n
spouse look at the Ten Commandments you<\/p>\n
will not commit adultery does he say<\/p>\n
that no he doesn't he could have he<\/p>\n
could have said this is what you know<\/p>\n
you should do and so you should do it<\/p>\n
what does he say if you go to Ephesians<\/p>\n
5 he'll say you know that Jesus Christ<\/p>\n
is our spouse and he sacrificed for us<\/p>\n
and he did everything for us what's he<\/p>\n
doing he is applying the seed of the<\/p>\n
word the seed of the Gospel deeper and<\/p>\n
deeper into their lives that is what's<\/p>\n
going to change our lives when we tell<\/p>\n
ourselves oh I should help this person<\/p>\n
out I don't want to but I should since<\/p>\n
I'm a Christian or oh I don't really<\/p>\n
want to forgive but God tells me to<\/p>\n
forgive and so I just should do<\/p>\n
it do do you really think that's going<\/p>\n
to change us that's just guilt that that<\/p>\n
is just mechanical change that will<\/p>\n
never change our hearts that's just<\/p>\n
going to change our<\/p>\n
Behavior but the way the seed of the<\/p>\n
Gospel works is that we don't look at<\/p>\n
the law we look at Jesus Christ we look<\/p>\n
at the gospel look at how much God has<\/p>\n
forgiven me how could I not forgive this<\/p>\n
person when I look at how much the the<\/p>\n
length that God is gone through to<\/p>\n
forgive me how could I not forgive this<\/p>\n
person or look at how much God has<\/p>\n
helped me in Jesus Christ he saw me in<\/p>\n
the most unlovable unlovely state and<\/p>\n
instead of thinking oh I shouldn't help<\/p>\n
them I'm not going to get anything out<\/p>\n
of it Jesus comes down from heaven and<\/p>\n
he says my life for yours and so if we<\/p>\n
think about that how could how could I<\/p>\n
not help this person after how much God<\/p>\n
has helped me that's what it means to<\/p>\n
work the gospel to reflect on it to work<\/p>\n
it deep into our hearts day after day<\/p>\n
month after month year after year until<\/p>\n
the gospel the story of what Jesus has<\/p>\n
done for us becomes the main story of<\/p>\n
our hearts every aspect of it death<\/p>\n
always leading to Resurrection the<\/p>\n
Incarnation leading to Redemption the<\/p>\n
generosity of Jesus Christ the unending<\/p>\n
value and worth that we have in Christ<\/p>\n
the security of assurance the<\/p>\n
Forgiveness of Jesus Christ the hope of<\/p>\n
the Resurrection has every feature of<\/p>\n
the gospel story sunk into the roots of<\/p>\n
Our Lives that's what's going to give us<\/p>\n
good light that's what's going to give<\/p>\n
us new life it's a seed it has to go all<\/p>\n
the way down into our<\/p>\n
roots and so we've seen that the word<\/p>\n
we've seen that the word the gospel is<\/p>\n
powerful we've learned about how this<\/p>\n
power Works in order for it to work it<\/p>\n
has to go deep into our hearts and now<\/p>\n
we learn about the secret to this<\/p>\n
power here's a<\/p>\n
question if this seed if the word is so<\/p>\n
powerful powerful enough to cause<\/p>\n
transformation to change our Lives why<\/p>\n
do three out of the four soils<\/p>\n
rejected we would think that something<\/p>\n
that is powerful cannot be rejected<\/p>\n
right if an army is powerful it means<\/p>\n
that no other Army can stand against it<\/p>\n
but how come this seed the word is<\/p>\n
rejected by three out of the four<\/p>\n
soils notice that the three soils are<\/p>\n
all different reactions of different<\/p>\n
groups of people that we've seen in Mark<\/p>\n
J preached on this last week the first<\/p>\n
group reject the word reject Jesus the<\/p>\n
sea doesn't even have a chance to go in<\/p>\n
the Pharisees the teachers of the law<\/p>\n
who are trying to kill Jesus second<\/p>\n
group excited about Jesus but they<\/p>\n
really only want Miracles they want<\/p>\n
Jesus to heal them of their problems<\/p>\n
they just want Jesus to meet their their<\/p>\n
needs these are the crowds that we see<\/p>\n
in chapter<\/p>\n
3 the third group receives the word they<\/p>\n
receive Jesus but they're also concerned<\/p>\n
about what the world thinks the matters<\/p>\n
of this world status losing<\/p>\n
face that's Jesus's<\/p>\n
family all three of these groups are<\/p>\n
interested in Jesus but why are they<\/p>\n
interested do they want Jesus for who he<\/p>\n
is<\/p>\n
they're following Jesus because of what<\/p>\n
they can get out of<\/p>\n
Jesus imagine if you're married or<\/p>\n
you're going to be married and you find<\/p>\n
out that your spouse only loved you for<\/p>\n
your money or for what they could get<\/p>\n
from you how would you<\/p>\n
feel<\/p>\n
outraged<\/p>\n
violated that's basically what each<\/p>\n
group is doing with<\/p>\n
Jesus they're interested in Jesus<\/p>\n
because of what they can get the first<\/p>\n
group the Pharisees get nothing so they<\/p>\n
try to kill Jesus the second group gets<\/p>\n
Miracles and healings and the third<\/p>\n
group gets even more but they also want<\/p>\n
Jesus to behave in a certain way or else<\/p>\n
they'll stop following<\/p>\n
him in each example they're following<\/p>\n
Jesus for what they can get and that's<\/p>\n
why Jesus says in verses 11 12 that's<\/p>\n
why he says he speaks in<\/p>\n
Parables it sounds like he's trying to<\/p>\n
confuse everyone but that's not the case<\/p>\n
because if he did why would he come into<\/p>\n
the world to begin with he's not trying<\/p>\n
to confuse everyone he's speaking in<\/p>\n
parables in order to filter out between<\/p>\n
people who are following Jesus for<\/p>\n
things and people who are following<\/p>\n
Jesus for Jesus<\/p>\n
himself and how is it filtered well<\/p>\n
because those who are following Jesus<\/p>\n
for Jesus will come and ask him that's<\/p>\n
what his disciples do that's why Jesus<\/p>\n
says they have been given the secret of<\/p>\n
the<\/p>\n
Kingdom whenever Jesus teaches whenever<\/p>\n
Jesus gives the word of his teachings<\/p>\n
three groups have rejected it and only<\/p>\n
one group the smallest group the fewest<\/p>\n
group has come and asked him what do you<\/p>\n
mean see Jesus Jesus is acting out the<\/p>\n
parable as he speaks three out of the<\/p>\n
four soils reject the<\/p>\n
gospel because it's<\/p>\n
weak it it's it's you don't blow up the<\/p>\n
ground to plant the seed here but here's<\/p>\n
Paradox the power of the Gospel is in<\/p>\n
its weakness what do I mean well a seed<\/p>\n
it's not very powerful right when you<\/p>\n
plant the seed it's not like you're<\/p>\n
banging down a door and walking in it's<\/p>\n
not like you're blowing up the ground<\/p>\n
planting a seed is really one of the<\/p>\n
most unimpressive things you can do just<\/p>\n
drop a seed there's any Farmers out<\/p>\n
there I'm sure it's a little bit more<\/p>\n
more than dropping the seed but you get<\/p>\n
picture but yet within one<\/p>\n
seed contains enough life to cover the<\/p>\n
whole world in<\/p>\n
trees a seed is powerful because it is<\/p>\n
weak a seed when it's planted can grow<\/p>\n
up and crack even the most hardest<\/p>\n
surfaces isn't that<\/p>\n
amazing a seed when it's planted<\/p>\n
releases life but how is a seed planted<\/p>\n
it must go into to the<\/p>\n
ground you know the parable of the soils<\/p>\n
is not just the parable of how people<\/p>\n
respond to the word but it's about how<\/p>\n
people respond to the word Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ Jesus Christ did not come with<\/p>\n
power he came with<\/p>\n
weakness Jesus did not come to destroy<\/p>\n
the world he came to save<\/p>\n
it in John 12 Jesus is last few days on<\/p>\n
Earth before he dies he says the hour<\/p>\n
has come for the son of man to be<\/p>\n
glorified very truly I tell you unless a<\/p>\n
seed falls into the ground and dies it<\/p>\n
remains only a Single Seed but if it<\/p>\n
dies it produces many<\/p>\n
seeds Jesus Christ came as a seed and<\/p>\n
went to the Cross why Jesus Christ gave<\/p>\n
his life went into the ground and died<\/p>\n
so that we when we believe in him we can<\/p>\n
have the life of God in us when Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ paid the penalty for our sins he<\/p>\n
became weak for us he voluntarily died<\/p>\n
for us and because of that Jesus brought<\/p>\n
salvation he brought life he defeated<\/p>\n
the ancient enemy of sin and death and<\/p>\n
through his death he's brought us life<\/p>\n
see the Paradox Jesus Christ on the<\/p>\n
cross looked like the ultimate weakness<\/p>\n
but it was actually the most powerful<\/p>\n
act because it was the only thing that<\/p>\n
could save us Jesus Christ is the<\/p>\n
ultimate<\/p>\n
seed and when the gospel comes into your<\/p>\n
life when we see Jesus Christ doing this<\/p>\n
doing this for us this this is the power<\/p>\n
that will change our hearts nothing else<\/p>\n
will change us like this no amount of<\/p>\n
times telling ourselves we should be<\/p>\n
nice because we're Christian we should<\/p>\n
help other people we should pray we<\/p>\n
should be forgiving we should give our<\/p>\n
money no amount of times of telling<\/p>\n
ourselves these things is going to<\/p>\n
change us why it doesn't get to the<\/p>\n
heart the only thing that will change us<\/p>\n
the only thing that will give us true<\/p>\n
life is the<\/p>\n
gospel in Galatians 2 we see Peter and<\/p>\n
Paul having a disagreement Peter is<\/p>\n
being racist he's refusing to eat with<\/p>\n
Gentiles what does Paul do Paul could<\/p>\n
have said Peter the Bible says don't be<\/p>\n
racist you know it's wrong you know you<\/p>\n
shouldn't do it don't do it he doesn't<\/p>\n
say that he says in Galatians 2:14<\/p>\n
you're not living in line with the truth<\/p>\n
of the Gospel think of what Jesus did<\/p>\n
for you he was excluded for you so how<\/p>\n
could you possibly exclude<\/p>\n
anyone take the beauty of what Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ has done look what he's done for<\/p>\n
you why do you need to exclude anyone<\/p>\n
else you don't need to look down on<\/p>\n
anyone for your own self-esteem because<\/p>\n
of look at how highly Jesus sees you<\/p>\n
you're a sinner saved by the sheer Grace<\/p>\n
of Jesus Christ how could you ever feel<\/p>\n
Superior to anyone that's what that's<\/p>\n
what Paul tells Peter second Corinthians<\/p>\n
where Paul is asking the Corinthians to<\/p>\n
give more of their money he doesn't say<\/p>\n
the Bible says you should tithe he says<\/p>\n
you know the grace of Jesus Christ look<\/p>\n
at what he's done for you he was rich<\/p>\n
and he became poor how could you not<\/p>\n
give what's what is going on here this<\/p>\n
is this if you don't if you forget<\/p>\n
everything else I want you to remember<\/p>\n
this in every case every case Paul is<\/p>\n
not saying you should do this because<\/p>\n
these SE are the rules he is saying<\/p>\n
something about the beauty of what Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ has done he's talking about the<\/p>\n
power of what Jesus has done and Paul<\/p>\n
knows that this is the only way we're<\/p>\n
going to become more generous this is<\/p>\n
the only way we're not going to be<\/p>\n
racist this is the only way we're going<\/p>\n
to be able to live without fear this is<\/p>\n
the only thing that changes us is this<\/p>\n
what we tell ourselves is this what you<\/p>\n
tell yourself if we only tell ourselves<\/p>\n
to be generous to come to church to pray<\/p>\n
read the Bible that's never going to<\/p>\n
change our hearts but if we see Jesus if<\/p>\n
we work the beauty of what he's done<\/p>\n
deep down into the roots of our hearts<\/p>\n
has the power to change us like nothing<\/p>\n
else<\/p>\n
can look at the last soil Jesus says it<\/p>\n
produces a crop of 30 60 100 times what<\/p>\n
it was<\/p>\n
sown in other words the fruit that comes<\/p>\n
from this is<\/p>\n
Supernatural it's not possible my<\/p>\n
natural means it's<\/p>\n
supernatural that is to say if the word<\/p>\n
of the Gospel goes deep down into our<\/p>\n
hearts it can break apart<\/p>\n
anything whatever addictions we have<\/p>\n
whatever fears whatever self-image if<\/p>\n
we've messed up we can't forgive<\/p>\n
ourselves if we hate ourselves deep down<\/p>\n
if we're unable to forgive no matter how<\/p>\n
messed up we are inside if we l in the<\/p>\n
word if we LED in the gospel Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ has the power to break apart<\/p>\n
anything to heal anything to bring forth<\/p>\n
the life of God do you want this come to<\/p>\n
Jesus the ultimate seed there's no<\/p>\n
telling what he can do because he loves<\/p>\n
you let's<\/p>\n
pray father we thank you for the love<\/p>\n
that we have in Jesus Christ and we<\/p>\n
thank you for the unmatched<\/p>\n
power of your word through your spirit<\/p>\n
or we we pray that you would take these<\/p>\n
truths and make them real to our hearts<\/p>\n
we pray Lord that the gospel what you've<\/p>\n
done for us would become the controlling<\/p>\n
reality of Our Lives Lord would would<\/p>\n
this truth sink deep down into our<\/p>\n
hearts into every aspect of our life<\/p>\n
Lord so that we can glorify you and live<\/p>\n
with freedom pray this in Jesus name<\/p>\n
amen<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20231116","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=U_aJg3ET84U","video_id":"U_aJg3ET84U","video_duration":"35:29","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=517"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":518,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions\/518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}