Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Father in heaven, what a
wonderful privilege it is
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to come into Your presence.
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We thank You for Your Holy
Word, which is a sure compass
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in a world of
confusion and rebellion.
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And as we study today
about sowing a character,
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and reaping a destiny,
we ask that Your Holy Spirit
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will be here to teach us.
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We thank You for
hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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During the course of this
seminar we have been studying
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primarily the
meaning of Genesis 3:15.
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And I would like to refresh
our memory about that verse,
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which is foundational
to all of scripture.
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In that verse, God is
speaking to the serpent,
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and Adam and Eve are
standing there and listening.
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And God says to the serpent,
I will put enmity between you
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and the woman, and
between your seed and her seed.
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He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.
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One thing is very, very clear
in this verse, and that is that
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there are only two
groups that exist in this world
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from the beginning
till the end of time.
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Only two seeds: the
seed of the righteous,
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and the seed of the wicked.
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Now in our study today
we're going to notice that
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in the group, which is
classified as the wicked,
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there are three
different kinds of people,
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whereas on God's side there
is only one type of person.
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So in the category of Satan's
seed are three types of people,
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whereas on the side of God's
seed there is only one type.
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Now we're going to study today
the famous parable of Jesus
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of the sower who sowed the seed.
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And as we begin, I would
like to say that this parable is
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found in all three
of the synoptic gospels.
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What I mean by the synoptic
gospels is Matthew, Mark,
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and Luke. This parable is found
in all three of these gospels,
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which means that we're not going
to remain only in one gospel
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as we study this parable.
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We're going to go to Matthew,
Mark, and Luke in order to
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glean details from every
single one of these gospels.
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And as I'm speaking now, I
would like to ask the deacons
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to please
distribute the list of texts.
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That almost skipped my mind.
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We have lists of texts,
and we would like the deacons,
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at this point, to please quickly
distribute these lists of texts.
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We want to begin by looking
at Matthew 13:37, Matthew 13:37.
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We want to
determine, first of all,
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who the sower of the seed is.
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It says there in
Matthew 13:37 the following:
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So in the parable of the sower
the person who sows the good
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seed is none less than Jesus.
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Now we also want to determine
what the seed represents.
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Go with me to the gospel of Luke
8:11, Luke 8:11. It says here:
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So notice that we
have one sower, Jesus.
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We have only one seed,
which is the Word of God.
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Now I want you to notice that
that seed, that word of God,
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is very, very powerful.
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Go with me to Isaiah
55:10, 11, Isaiah 55:10, 11.
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Here we find the prophet
speaking the following words.
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Isaiah 55:10, 11.
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For as the rain comes
down, and the snow from heaven,
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and do not return
there, but water the earth
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and make it bring forth and
bud, that it may give seed to
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the sower and bread to the
eater: so shall my word be that
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goes forth from my mouth:
it shall not return to me void,
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but it shall accomplish what
I please, and it shall prosper
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in the thing
for which I send it.
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Here God promises
that when He sows His seed,
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His seed will bear fruit.
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His Seed is powerful.
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His word is powerful.
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So what do we have so far?
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We have a sower, who is Jesus.
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We have a seed,
which is the word of God,
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and that seed is powerful to
produce the results for which
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God sent it. But in this
parable, we also have four
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different soils, four
different grounds, so to speak.
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Now the question is, what
do these four soils represent?
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Go with me to the
gospel of Mark 4:15, Mark 4:15.
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Here we have an explanation
of what is meant by the soils.
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It says here the following:
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And this is speaking about the
seed that fell by the wayside.
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But it will give us the
principle for all of the soils.
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It says in verse 15:
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So the seed is sown in
the ground, or in the soil,
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but the soil represents what?
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The soil represents the heart.
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And so in this parable
of the sower, you have four
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different kinds of hearts.
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Three of these
hearts are not desirable.
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Only one of them is desirable.
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In fact, three of
these hearts end up being
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in the camp of Satan.
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And only one of these ends
up being on the side of God.
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And so summarizing what we've
studied, we have in this parable
00:09:01.24\00:09:05.67
one sower, who is Jesus.
00:09:05.70\00:09:08.02
We have one seed,
which is the Word of God.
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The Word of God is powerful
to accomplish the purpose
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for which it is sent.
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And finally, the soils represent
four different kinds of hearts
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upon which the seed of the
truth of God's word follows.
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Now lets examine all four of
these soils and see what they
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have to teach us today.
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Let's go, first of all, to the
seed that fell by the wayside,
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or on the path. Go with
me to Luke 8:12, Luke 8:12.
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The seed by the
wayside. It says here:
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By the way, everyone
in this parable hears.
00:10:00.44\00:10:05.29
Those seeds that are planted
by the wayside, the hearts hear.
00:10:05.32\00:10:12.06
Those in stony
places, the people hear.
00:10:12.09\00:10:15.92
Those among
thorns, the people hear.
00:10:15.95\00:10:19.62
Those on good
ground, the people hear.
00:10:19.65\00:10:23.04
In other words, there is no way
of saying, I didn't know this.
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In other words, everyone is
responsible, because everyone
00:10:27.13\00:10:31.35
of these soils
hears the Word of God.
00:10:31.38\00:10:34.51
Now notice once
again, it says in verse 12:
00:10:34.54\00:10:37.80
The seed that falls on
the wayside, or on the path,
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does not even
begin to germinate.
00:10:58.65\00:11:01.28
The moment the seed falls
on the heart, the devil comes
00:11:01.31\00:11:05.31
and takes away the seed.
00:11:05.34\00:11:07.43
These are individuals who hear
the Word of God, and immediately
00:11:07.46\00:11:12.40
they reject the word, or they
postpone, they refuse to accept
00:11:12.43\00:11:17.63
what God is teaching them.
00:11:17.66\00:11:19.77
We have Biblical
examples of this type of person.
00:11:19.80\00:11:23.39
You remember, for example, when
the apostle Paul appeared before
00:11:23.42\00:11:27.66
Felix. The story is
found in Acts 24:25.
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The apostle Paul preached this
tremendous, powerful sermon,
00:11:34.23\00:11:39.65
and after he preached the
sermon, he was hoping that
00:11:39.68\00:11:42.34
Felix would accept the message.
00:11:42.37\00:11:45.05
But I want you to notice
what happened with Felix.
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It says here in the book
of Acts 24:25, the following:
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Notice Paul's sermon.
00:12:06.65\00:12:07.68
He's preaching the word
of God about these things.
00:12:07.71\00:12:09.84
Do you know the
opportunity never came,
00:12:20.91\00:12:23.77
because that was his
moment of opportunity.
00:12:23.80\00:12:28.15
When he said, it's
convenient I will call you,
00:12:28.18\00:12:32.46
no convenient time ever came.
00:12:32.49\00:12:36.08
We have also the apostle Paul
standing before king Agrippa.
00:12:36.11\00:12:41.54
Notice Acts 26:27,
28, Acts 26:27, 28.
00:12:41.57\00:12:50.90
Once again the apostle Paul
has preached a powerful sermon
00:12:50.93\00:12:54.43
about receiving Jesus Christ,
and preparing for the judgment.
00:12:54.46\00:12:58.40
And I want you to notice
what happens when he finishes
00:12:58.43\00:13:01.38
his sermon. It says
there, in Acts 26:27, 28:
00:13:01.42\00:13:09.01
Sad, tragic words.
00:13:26.59\00:13:29.30
So Paul preached these
powerful sermons before Felix,
00:13:29.33\00:13:33.65
before Agrippa.
Felix says I will call you
00:13:33.68\00:13:37.97
at a convenient season.
00:13:38.00\00:13:39.37
He puts it off. Agrippa says,
you know, what you're saying
00:13:39.40\00:13:43.27
is very persuasive and powerful.
00:13:43.30\00:13:45.33
You almost persuade me to become
a Christian, but not quite.
00:13:45.36\00:13:49.88
The seed fell on the path.
00:13:49.91\00:13:52.55
The seed fell by the wayside.
00:13:52.58\00:13:55.34
It did not even begin
to germinate in the heart.
00:13:55.37\00:13:58.68
These types of hearers are also
illustrated by those who stoned
00:13:58.71\00:14:05.75
Stephen, the
first Christian martyr.
00:14:05.78\00:14:08.55
Go with me to the
book of Acts 7, Acts 7.
00:14:08.58\00:14:13.65
By the way, this whole chapter,
almost, is a sermon presented by
00:14:13.68\00:14:19.87
Stephen to the Jewish Sanhedrin,
to the Jewish council.
00:14:20.67\00:14:24.92
And I want you to notice
what happens after the sermon
00:14:24.95\00:14:29.20
is preached. Chapter 7 and
starting with verse 54. It says:
00:14:29.23\00:14:35.92
They were really
angry, weren't they?
00:14:45.00\00:14:48.02
Gnashing their teeth!
00:15:23.99\00:15:25.59
Their hearts raging within them,
rejecting this wonderful sermon
00:15:25.62\00:15:30.95
that Stephen had preached,
beginning way back in the
00:15:30.98\00:15:33.88
Old Testament. It's showing
how prophecy was fulfilled,
00:15:33.91\00:15:37.03
and eventually the Messiah came.
00:15:37.06\00:15:39.15
They opening rejected the
message that God presented
00:15:39.18\00:15:43.44
through Stephen. By the way,
in the end time there are going
00:15:43.47\00:15:47.32
to be people like this also.
00:15:47.35\00:15:49.59
In fact, all of those who
receive the message of the
00:15:49.62\00:15:52.99
anti-Christ will eventually
be people of this type.
00:15:53.02\00:15:56.85
Notice 2 Thessalonians 2, 2
Thessalonians 2, and I would
00:15:56.88\00:16:03.46
like to read a few verses that
we find there beginning with
00:16:03.49\00:16:07.35
verse 8. It says there:
00:16:07.38\00:16:12.91
That's the
anti-Christ, by the way.
00:16:13.70\00:16:16.54
And now notice why they perish.
00:16:36.51\00:16:38.41
And, by the way, what is truth?
00:16:46.26\00:16:48.56
Jesus said in John 17:17,
sanctify them through your
00:16:48.60\00:16:54.03
truth. Your word is truth.
00:16:54.06\00:16:57.49
So what is rejected
if they did not receive
00:16:57.52\00:16:59.99
the love of the truth?
00:17:00.02\00:17:01.05
They rejected truth,
which is found where?
00:17:01.08\00:17:04.08
In the Holy Bible.
00:17:04.11\00:17:05.50
And notice what
we find at verse 11:
00:17:05.53\00:17:09.15
It is a serious thing to
have the word of God preached
00:17:26.91\00:17:31.59
and presented to you.
00:17:31.62\00:17:32.75
And the first type of
soil represents those who hear
00:17:32.78\00:17:37.43
the word, but immediately
when it comes, they shut out
00:17:37.46\00:17:41.70
the word. The word does
not even begin to germinate.
00:17:41.73\00:17:44.82
And as a result, Satan
takes the truth from the heart.
00:17:44.85\00:17:49.49
And those who have
this kind of soil are lost.
00:17:49.52\00:17:53.83
But we have a
second kind of soil.
00:17:53.86\00:17:56.70
It's the soil on stony ground.
00:17:56.73\00:18:00.80
Go with me to the gospel of Luke
8:6, the gospel of Luke 8:6.
00:18:00.83\00:18:10.44
Here we have a description
of this kind of soil.
00:18:10.47\00:18:14.51
It says there the
following: Some fell on rock;
00:18:14.54\00:18:22.29
and as soon as it
sprang up, it withered away,
00:18:22.32\00:18:28.40
because it
lacked what? moisture.
00:18:28.43\00:18:32.44
Now I want you to visualize
that what's happening here.
00:18:32.47\00:18:35.39
There is rock but
there's also some good soil,
00:18:35.42\00:18:38.71
because the seed germinates
and it begins to grow.
00:18:38.74\00:18:42.52
Isn't that right?
00:18:42.55\00:18:43.60
You notice that this soil is
different from the first soil,
00:18:43.63\00:18:48.50
because the first soil,
even before the seed germinates,
00:18:48.53\00:18:51.42
the devil comes and he
takes it from the heart.
00:18:51.45\00:18:53.69
But here, at least, the seed
begins its process of growth.
00:18:53.72\00:18:57.83
There is some soil there, but
we noticed in Luke 8 that the
00:18:57.86\00:19:03.32
soil lacks what?
It lacks moisture.
00:19:03.35\00:19:07.95
And, by the way,
it's stony, it's rocky.
00:19:07.98\00:19:11.54
It is not pure soil.
00:19:11.57\00:19:13.04
There's also
stone with the soil.
00:19:13.07\00:19:15.98
By the way, as we read
this in Matthew 13 it gives us
00:19:16.01\00:19:20.14
an additional detail.
00:19:20.17\00:19:21.56
Notice Matthew
13:5, 6, Matthew 13:5, 6.
00:19:21.59\00:19:29.80
It says here: some fell on stony
places where they did not have
00:19:29.83\00:19:36.85
much what? much earth.
00:19:36.88\00:19:39.90
And they immediately sprang
up because they had no depth
00:19:39.93\00:19:45.28
of earth, but notice, but
when the sun was up they were
00:19:45.31\00:19:50.63
scorched, and because
they had no root, they what?
00:19:50.67\00:19:55.70
they withered away.
00:19:55.73\00:19:57.24
Now notice the
combination that we have here.
00:19:57.27\00:19:59.54
We have soil, which is not
only soil, but you have rock
00:19:59.57\00:20:03.79
in the soil. You have soil
that does not have moisture.
00:20:03.82\00:20:10.50
And you have the sun that beats
down upon the soil and scorches
00:20:10.53\00:20:16.58
the seed,
scorches the newborn plant.
00:20:16.61\00:20:20.45
Now you imagine, some of
you living here in the valley,
00:20:20.48\00:20:23.53
I imagine have gardens.
00:20:23.56\00:20:25.08
What would happen
if you plant the seed,
00:20:25.11\00:20:27.35
and it has just
a little good soil,
00:20:27.38\00:20:30.43
and it has
stone underneath that,
00:20:30.46\00:20:33.52
and so you plant
the seed superficially.
00:20:33.55\00:20:36.72
There's no moisture
hardly in the earth,
00:20:36.75\00:20:40.03
and the sun, that Fresno
sun, 110 degrees in July,
00:20:40.06\00:20:44.16
you know about that, is
beaming down upon the seed.
00:20:44.19\00:20:47.55
How much of an opportunity
does that seed have to germinate
00:20:47.58\00:20:51.16
and grow, and
eventually produce fruit?
00:20:51.19\00:20:53.63
Very, very little.
00:20:53.66\00:20:56.49
Now what does the seed planted
on stony ground represent?
00:20:56.52\00:21:02.86
Well, it represents those
individuals who, when the gospel
00:21:02.89\00:21:08.12
is preached to them, they
are filled with excitement,
00:21:08.15\00:21:11.76
and with emotion.
00:21:11.79\00:21:13.00
The seed is planted in
the heart and they say,
00:21:13.03\00:21:16.70
this is wonderful!
00:21:16.73\00:21:17.95
I've never heard
anything like it in my life!
00:21:17.98\00:21:20.41
And they get all enthused.
00:21:20.44\00:21:22.33
But then trials
and tribulations come.
00:21:22.59\00:21:25.77
You see, one of the problems
that people have is that they
00:21:25.80\00:21:28.83
think that when they accept
the gospel, it's going to cure
00:21:28.86\00:21:31.57
all of their problems.
00:21:31.60\00:21:32.78
They're not going to have
temptations, or difficulties,
00:21:32.81\00:21:35.83
or tribulations anymore.
00:21:35.86\00:21:37.38
The fact is, folks, that
our greatest tribulations come
00:21:37.41\00:21:40.87
after our baptism.
00:21:40.90\00:21:42.22
The greatest tests of the devil
come after we've decided to
00:21:42.25\00:21:46.11
give our hearts to Jesus Christ.
00:21:46.14\00:21:48.16
I see many of you
nodding, and saying, yes,
00:21:48.19\00:21:50.11
that's absolutely true. because
the devil has lost a child,
00:21:50.14\00:21:52.68
Because the devil has lost a
child, and he's going to make
00:21:52.72\00:21:56.07
it as difficult as possible,
to try and gain that child back.
00:21:56.11\00:21:59.43
But there are people that
when the gospel is preached,
00:21:59.46\00:22:01.93
when we have a series
of meetings like this,
00:22:01.96\00:22:03.75
they're all pumped up,
and they're really excited.
00:22:03.78\00:22:06.73
And then they have
problems with their families.
00:22:06.76\00:22:09.57
They have problems
with their relatives.
00:22:09.60\00:22:11.48
They have problems at work.
00:22:11.51\00:22:13.09
They have all
sorts of difficulties.
00:22:13.12\00:22:15.03
Perhaps they continue
having problems with some of the
00:22:15.06\00:22:17.50
habits that they had,
and they get discouraged,
00:22:17.53\00:22:21.24
and as a result
they fall by the wayside.
00:22:21.27\00:22:24.74
By the way, this soil represents
those who want to serve
00:22:24.77\00:22:31.50
Jesus and themselves.
00:22:31.53\00:22:32.86
You see, the stone
represents a stone heart.
00:22:32.90\00:22:35.90
There's a little bit of
good soil, which means that they
00:22:35.93\00:22:38.36
want to serve the
Lord, but they also want
00:22:38.39\00:22:40.68
to keep some of self.
00:22:40.72\00:22:42.14
These are the ones that
Jesus spoke about when He said,
00:22:42.18\00:22:44.80
No man can serve two masters.
00:22:44.83\00:22:48.02
You cannot serve the Lord with
a divided heart, in other words.
00:22:48.06\00:22:51.89
It is either
everything or nothing.
00:22:51.92\00:22:54.84
Now I want you to notice a
couple of passages in scripture
00:22:54.87\00:22:58.99
that speak about what
happens when we receive
00:22:59.02\00:23:02.48
the gospel of Jesus.
00:23:02.51\00:23:03.61
Go with me to Mark
10:28-31, Mark 10:28-31.
00:23:03.64\00:23:12.68
Jesus has just talked about how
difficult it is for a rich man
00:23:12.71\00:23:17.12
to enter the kingdom of heaven.
00:23:17.15\00:23:18.59
And I want you to notice what
Jesus continues saying to the
00:23:18.62\00:23:23.13
disciples, because
they say, we've left it all.
00:23:23.16\00:23:25.54
What's in it for us?
00:23:25.57\00:23:26.68
See, they were
kind of mercenaries.
00:23:26.71\00:23:28.55
And so Jesus says in Mark
10, beginning at verse 28,
00:23:28.58\00:23:33.17
the following: Mark 10:28:
00:23:33.20\00:23:36.99
Now notice the next expression:
00:24:11.62\00:24:13.55
Did you notice that
you receive many blessings,
00:24:22.19\00:24:24.69
because you have a new
family, a new church family?
00:24:24.72\00:24:26.80
And so you have everything you
need within the church family.
00:24:26.83\00:24:30.57
But we find Jesus saying
that this will be with what?
00:24:30.60\00:24:34.92
with persecutions.
00:24:34.95\00:24:37.39
Notice Matthew 10, and
beginning with verse 34,
00:24:37.42\00:24:42.31
the same idea coming through.
00:24:42.34\00:24:44.08
Matthew 10:34. By the way,
it's become very popular today
00:24:44.11\00:24:48.01
to see on television, television
preachers who tell you that when
00:24:48.04\00:24:52.36
you receive Jesus
you're going to prosper.
00:24:52.39\00:24:54.92
You're going to get rich,
and things are going to go well.
00:24:54.95\00:24:58.62
That goes totally
against the grain of scripture,
00:24:58.65\00:25:02.85
and particularly this parable.
00:25:02.88\00:25:05.25
Notice what we find in Matthew
10, and beginning with verse 34.
00:25:05.28\00:25:10.97
Jesus says this:
00:25:11.00\00:25:12.70
That sounds strange
coming from the lips of Jesus.
00:25:20.26\00:25:22.67
Isn't He the Prince of
Peace? Notice verse 35:
00:25:22.70\00:25:25.95
Verse 37:
00:25:44.60\00:25:45.87
You see, folks, the second soil
represents those individuals
00:25:55.71\00:26:01.26
who hear the word.
00:26:01.29\00:26:02.73
They get excited.
00:26:02.76\00:26:04.22
They think
everything is going to be good.
00:26:04.25\00:26:06.21
Everything is
going to be prosperity.
00:26:06.24\00:26:08.42
They have a divided heart.
00:26:08.45\00:26:10.21
They haven't
totally given up on self.
00:26:10.24\00:26:12.32
They have very little
moisture of the Holy Spirit
00:26:12.35\00:26:15.44
in their lives.
They have a stony heart.
00:26:15.47\00:26:18.14
And then the sun of tribulations
shines upon them, and they fall
00:26:18.17\00:26:23.88
by the wayside, and
ultimately are lost.
00:26:23.91\00:26:28.07
You know, several years
ago, while I was teaching in our
00:26:28.10\00:26:32.79
University in Columbia, there
was this young lady that came
00:26:32.82\00:26:38.14
our theological schools.
00:26:38.17\00:26:39.55
She came to study
as a Bible Instructor.
00:26:39.58\00:26:41.19
Her name was Josephina Mendez.
00:26:41.22\00:26:43.21
She was involved in an accident
and she died a few years ago.
00:26:43.24\00:26:46.79
But she came to our school.
00:26:46.82\00:26:48.21
And, you know, I tried to
get close to the students,
00:26:48.24\00:26:51.31
and find out
about their background.
00:26:51.34\00:26:52.89
And so one day I was
sitting under the trees there
00:26:52.92\00:26:55.51
on a bench, and, you
know, she came and sat down.
00:26:55.54\00:26:58.53
And we started talking,
and she told me her story.
00:26:58.56\00:27:01.30
She said, Pastor, I
lived in this town in Columbia.
00:27:01.33\00:27:04.50
I don't remember
the name of the town.
00:27:04.53\00:27:05.94
But I lived in this town
in Columbia, and I received a
00:27:05.97\00:27:09.68
handbill in the mail
that they were going to have
00:27:09.71\00:27:11.55
this series of meetings.
00:27:11.58\00:27:12.90
And so I decided that I would
go to that series of meetings,
00:27:12.93\00:27:17.69
even though I didn't
know anything about the church
00:27:17.72\00:27:20.98
where they were being held.
00:27:21.01\00:27:22.04
I didn't know anything about
the speaker, but opening night
00:27:22.07\00:27:25.50
I went to the meetings.
00:27:25.53\00:27:26.56
And it was an evangelistic
series, you can guess.
00:27:26.59\00:27:29.30
And so she went through
the whole evangelistic series,
00:27:29.33\00:27:32.05
and at the end of
the series she decided
00:27:32.08\00:27:34.24
that she wanted to be baptized.
00:27:34.27\00:27:35.74
And so she went home
and she told her parents,
00:27:35.77\00:27:39.10
I've been going to these
meetings, and I believe that
00:27:39.13\00:27:42.08
the truth is
being proclaimed there.
00:27:42.11\00:27:43.62
And they asked
her what church is it?
00:27:43.65\00:27:45.00
Is it the Catholic Church?
00:27:45.03\00:27:46.13
She said, No, it's the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:27:46.16\00:27:49.10
And immediately the
parents scowled and frowned.
00:27:49.13\00:27:52.94
They said, You've been going
to the Seventh-day Adventist
00:27:52.97\00:27:54.86
Church? She said, Yes, and I've
been hearing these wonderful
00:27:54.89\00:27:58.10
messages, and I
believe that it's the truth,
00:27:58.13\00:28:00.27
and I've made my
decision to be baptized.
00:28:00.30\00:28:02.64
Her father looked at her
and he said, Josephina, if you
00:28:02.67\00:28:08.82
get baptized, you don't
have a father or mother.
00:28:08.85\00:28:12.43
We will disown you.
00:28:12.46\00:28:17.03
And Josephina looked at her
father and she said, Father,
00:28:17.06\00:28:19.74
I love you, but the Bible says
that we're supposed to honor our
00:28:19.77\00:28:22.28
father and our mother, but I
owe my allegiance first to my
00:28:22.31\00:28:26.43
heavenly Father, and
therefore, I'm going to go
00:28:26.46\00:28:30.03
through with this.
00:28:30.06\00:28:31.09
I'm going to be baptized
on such and such a date.
00:28:31.12\00:28:33.90
And her father said, If
you're baptized on that day,
00:28:33.93\00:28:37.71
you're not our daughter.
00:28:37.74\00:28:39.35
You can't live here anymore.
00:28:39.38\00:28:40.67
She went to the church.
00:28:40.70\00:28:42.56
She got baptized.
00:28:42.59\00:28:44.01
Her parents knew about
it, because they were checking
00:28:44.04\00:28:46.69
it out. When Josephina came
home all of her few belongings
00:28:46.72\00:28:51.40
were on the front
doorstep of the house.
00:28:51.43\00:28:53.77
And her Dad met her at the
door and he said, Josephina,
00:28:53.80\00:28:56.84
don't you ever
come back here again.
00:28:56.87\00:29:00.26
And she said, I'm sorry, father.
00:29:00.29\00:29:04.61
I love you very much, but I
must obey God rather than man,
00:29:04.64\00:29:09.95
and that
includes my own parents.
00:29:09.98\00:29:11.31
And she came to the school.
00:29:11.34\00:29:13.39
She didn't have any place to go.
00:29:13.42\00:29:14.78
And that's why she came and
decided to study at the school.
00:29:14.81\00:29:18.33
She became a Bible worker.
00:29:18.36\00:29:19.78
She married a
Seventh-day Adventist pastor.
00:29:19.81\00:29:22.43
And, by the way, her parents
never accepted the message,
00:29:22.46\00:29:26.30
as far as I know.
00:29:26.34\00:29:27.65
She was disowned for
the rest of her life.
00:29:27.68\00:29:30.67
She did not receive the word
like the stony ground hearers.
00:29:30.70\00:29:36.26
I mean when tribulation came,
and the family rose against her,
00:29:36.29\00:29:40.84
she says, my
allegiance is with God.
00:29:40.87\00:29:44.79
But a person who had
a superficial religion,
00:29:44.82\00:29:47.52
with very little Holy
Spirit, very little moisture,
00:29:47.55\00:29:50.19
because the moisture
represents the Holy Spirit,
00:29:50.22\00:29:52.63
would have easily fallen
by the wayside and have said,
00:29:52.66\00:29:56.08
Oh, what's the use?
00:29:56.11\00:29:57.98
I can't have my
family against me.
00:29:58.01\00:30:00.71
I can't have my
fellow workers against me.
00:30:00.74\00:30:03.25
I can't have my
friends against me,
00:30:03.28\00:30:05.32
and then fall by the wayside.
00:30:05.35\00:30:07.53
By the way, did you
know that Judas Iscariot
00:30:07.56\00:30:10.54
fits in this category?
00:30:10.57\00:30:11.81
I'm not going to read the
passage, but in Matthew 8:18-22
00:30:11.84\00:30:16.76
there's a certain scribe
that comes to Jesus and he says
00:30:16.79\00:30:20.84
to him, I'll follow you
wherever you go. That was Judas!
00:30:20.87\00:30:26.63
And Jesus, trying to discourage
him, because He knew his heart,
00:30:26.66\00:30:32.31
says, birds have
nests, and foxes have holes,
00:30:32.34\00:30:37.74
but the Son of man doesn't
have any place to lay His head.
00:30:37.77\00:30:41.42
What Jesus was saying to him is
look, if you're going to follow
00:30:41.45\00:30:46.96
Me for the loaves and the
fishes, know that you're going
00:30:46.99\00:30:51.66
down the wrong road.
00:30:51.69\00:30:52.72
Because I don't
have any prosperity.
00:30:52.75\00:30:55.65
I don't have money.
00:30:55.69\00:30:56.72
I don't have
anything to offer you in terms
00:30:56.75\00:30:59.16
of material prosperity.
00:30:59.19\00:31:00.38
If you're following Me
for that reason, forget it.
00:31:00.41\00:31:03.90
Do you know, if you look at
the context of that passage,
00:31:03.93\00:31:06.59
you're going to find that
Judas offered to follow Jesus
00:31:06.62\00:31:10.66
when Jesus was popular.
00:31:10.69\00:31:13.25
Multitudes were following Jesus.
00:31:13.28\00:31:16.47
I mean, people were excited
because Jesus was healing
00:31:16.50\00:31:20.74
diseases, and He was
feeding thousands of people.
00:31:20.77\00:31:23.67
They said, wow, this is the
guy that we want to be with.
00:31:23.70\00:31:26.76
But then when Jesus
started preaching the word,
00:31:26.79\00:31:28.79
according to John 6,
only the disciples were left.
00:31:28.82\00:31:33.34
And Jesus says, are
you going to leave, too?
00:31:33.37\00:31:36.65
And Peter says, Lord, if
we leave, where can we go?
00:31:36.68\00:31:41.23
You have miracles.
00:31:41.26\00:31:43.43
Is that what Peter said? No!
00:31:43.46\00:31:46.25
You have what? You
have words of life.
00:31:46.28\00:31:51.18
See Peter, he said many
things without thinking,
00:31:51.21\00:31:54.42
but this was one
good thing that he said.
00:31:54.45\00:31:56.78
He didn't say, you
have miracles, and signs,
00:31:56.81\00:31:59.14
and wonders. He says,
You have the words of life.
00:31:59.17\00:32:03.18
Everybody else left
because there were no longer
00:32:03.21\00:32:05.86
any miracles, but
Peter had it straight.
00:32:05.89\00:32:09.36
And so we have two kinds of
soil: those by the wayside who
00:32:09.39\00:32:13.47
don't respond at all
when the word is preached.
00:32:13.50\00:32:15.33
They show no religious interest.
00:32:15.36\00:32:17.20
Second, those on
the stony ground.
00:32:17.23\00:32:21.16
They have a superficial
acceptance of the truth:
00:32:21.19\00:32:24.07
part rock, part their own self,
00:32:24.11\00:32:28.08
and part good soil, part Jesus.
00:32:28.11\00:32:30.47
Trying to serve two masters.
00:32:30.50\00:32:31.93
Accepting Jesus in a
time of emotion and feeling.
00:32:31.96\00:32:34.95
Tribulations come;
they fall by the wayside.
00:32:34.98\00:32:38.27
But there's a third type
of soil, and that is the seed
00:32:38.30\00:32:43.21
that fell among the thorns.
00:32:43.24\00:32:46.62
You see, there was good
soil, but there were thorns.
00:32:46.65\00:32:50.29
Notice Luke 8:14, Luke 8:14
describes this kind of soil.
00:32:50.32\00:32:59.94
It says there in
Luke 8:14 the following:
00:32:59.97\00:33:06.18
By the way, if you go
to the gospel of Mark 4:19,
00:33:31.45\00:33:38.05
it adds an expression. It says:
00:33:38.08\00:33:39.74
It adds that: by
the cares of this world.
00:33:42.13\00:33:45.94
Do you know what the
cares of this world are?
00:33:45.97\00:33:47.44
Wanting to accumulate houses,
and cars, and money, and stocks
00:33:47.47\00:33:54.35
and bonds, and
wanting to work two jobs.
00:33:54.38\00:33:57.98
Things that are not bad in
themselves, but which absorb
00:33:58.01\00:34:02.75
our time and effort.
00:34:02.78\00:34:04.51
That's part of the
thorns: the cares of this life.
00:34:06.78\00:34:10.33
Notice, once
again, Luke 8:14. It says:
00:34:10.36\00:34:17.11
...of this world, if
you compare Mark. What else?
00:34:24.20\00:34:27.97
Actually, Mark says with
the deceitfulness of riches.
00:34:28.00\00:34:32.88
See that's why you have
to compare all three gospels,
00:34:32.91\00:34:37.12
because each one expresses
it a little differently.
00:34:37.15\00:34:40.09
It's not riches. It is
the deceitfulness of riches,
00:34:40.12\00:34:44.50
and then
something else. And what?
00:34:44.53\00:34:47.49
And the pleasures of life,
and bring no fruit to maturity.
00:34:47.52\00:34:55.75
The thorns, by the way, what do
thorns represent in scripture?
00:34:55.78\00:35:00.24
Do you remember in Genesis 3:18
what came in consequence of sin?
00:35:00.27\00:35:07.70
God said:
00:35:07.73\00:35:09.74
And then what does He say?
00:35:17.86\00:35:19.72
So thorns and
thistles represent sin.
00:35:24.75\00:35:29.73
Sin comes in. The
pleasures of this world,
00:35:29.76\00:35:34.39
the cares of this life,
the deceitfulness of riches
00:35:34.42\00:35:40.43
come in and they choke the
plant which has begun to grow.
00:35:40.46\00:35:46.01
Now we have
Biblical examples of this.
00:35:46.04\00:35:49.24
We have a rich young
ruler that came to Jesus.
00:35:49.27\00:35:52.58
Do you know, the Bible says
that Jesus loved this young man.
00:35:52.61\00:35:55.72
He's seen Jesus blessing
the children, and he says,
00:35:55.75\00:36:00.93
I love that man. Look at how
the children are drawn to Him.
00:36:00.96\00:36:04.24
And so he comes to Jesus and
he says, what do I need to do
00:36:04.27\00:36:08.44
to have eternal life?
00:36:08.47\00:36:09.50
Jesus says, well,
keep the commandments.
00:36:09.53\00:36:10.56
He says, which?
00:36:10.59\00:36:12.14
So then Jesus quotes
the last table of the law.
00:36:12.17\00:36:15.41
And the young man says,
I've done all these things
00:36:15.44\00:36:18.51
since I was a young boy.
00:36:18.54\00:36:19.85
What more do I lack?
00:36:19.88\00:36:22.89
Jesus looks at
him and He says...
00:36:22.92\00:36:25.76
And the Bible says that
this young man left sad..
00:36:39.68\00:36:45.10
Did he allow the
deceitfulness of riches to choke
00:36:53.78\00:36:58.31
the seed in his heart?
00:36:58.34\00:36:59.95
You know, folks, as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians, many times
00:36:59.98\00:37:04.13
you say, Oh no, I'm
not a slave to money.
00:37:04.16\00:37:07.27
I have no problems with money.
00:37:07.30\00:37:08.63
I can handle it.
00:37:08.66\00:37:10.28
And yet what are we doing?
00:37:10.31\00:37:13.11
We're accumulating
things that we're not,
00:37:13.14\00:37:16.25
that we don't really need.
00:37:16.28\00:37:17.31
Isn't that right?
00:37:17.34\00:37:19.35
Do we need four
houses to live in?
00:37:19.38\00:37:23.12
Do we actually
need four automobiles?
00:37:23.15\00:37:28.03
Do we actually need
tens of thousands of dollars
00:37:28.06\00:37:34.17
in the bank while the
work of God is languishing?
00:37:34.20\00:37:37.74
Do you know the time
is coming when people are
00:37:37.77\00:37:40.21
going to cry out, why
didn't I use my money?
00:37:40.24\00:37:42.89
Why didn't I invest my
money in the kingdom of God
00:37:42.92\00:37:45.30
to further the gospel?
00:37:45.33\00:37:46.58
Why did I accumulate it
for myself, when we won't be
00:37:46.61\00:37:50.55
able to buy and sell?
00:37:50.58\00:37:51.61
People are going to say that,
but it's going to be too late.
00:37:51.64\00:37:54.91
The deceitfulness of riches has
been the ruin of their souls.
00:37:54.94\00:38:01.01
By the way, the apostle Paul
had something very interesting
00:38:01.04\00:38:04.63
to say in 1 Timothy
6:9, 10, 1 Timothy 6:9, 10.
00:38:04.66\00:38:10.72
The apostle Paul had
something very interesting
00:38:10.75\00:38:13.44
to say about money.
00:38:13.47\00:38:15.33
And I want you to
read it carefully with me,
00:38:15.36\00:38:18.07
because some people misread it.
00:38:18.10\00:38:20.76
They get the
impression that riches are bad.
00:38:20.79\00:38:22.70
Riches are not bad.
00:38:22.73\00:38:23.93
Notice what the apostle
Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9.
00:38:23.96\00:38:29.92
Notice, he's not
even saying the rich,
00:38:31.97\00:38:33.51
but those who want to be rich.
00:38:33.54\00:38:34.59
Because the more money you
have, the more toys you want,
00:38:52.46\00:38:55.13
and the more
entertainment you want,
00:38:55.16\00:38:57.03
and the more fun you want.
00:38:57.06\00:38:58.24
Now notice verse 10.
00:38:58.27\00:39:00.47
For money is the
root of all kinds of evil.
00:39:00.50\00:39:05.28
Ah, thank you, thank you.
00:39:05.31\00:39:08.12
Or as the King James
says, is the root of all evil.
00:39:13.28\00:39:15.99
Now notice this:
00:39:16.02\00:39:17.48
Do you know, I have seen
many rich people that are
00:39:25.69\00:39:31.24
absolutely miserable,
because they're always afraid
00:39:31.27\00:39:36.37
they're going to
lose their riches.
00:39:36.40\00:39:37.89
And they're always
thinking about making more,
00:39:37.92\00:39:41.50
and investing more.
00:39:41.53\00:39:42.85
Do you know that Jesus
gave a parable which describes
00:39:42.88\00:39:46.43
this type of person?
00:39:46.46\00:39:47.56
Notice Luke 12,
Luke 12:15, Luke 12:15.
00:39:47.59\00:39:56.11
Folks, is it not time for
us to invest our treasures
00:39:56.14\00:39:59.13
in the heavenly bank?
00:39:59.16\00:40:00.19
Do you know how you can
send your money to heaven now?
00:40:00.22\00:40:03.09
You don't send it,
you don't go to NASA,
00:40:03.12\00:40:05.98
and have NASA send it
in a rocket up to heaven.
00:40:06.01\00:40:09.87
What you do is you
invest in His cause,
00:40:09.90\00:40:11.87
in the salvation of souls.
00:40:11.90\00:40:13.04
And when the souls end up
there, your investment is there.
00:40:13.07\00:40:17.04
Now notice what we find in
Luke, once again, chapter 12,
00:40:17.07\00:40:20.65
and beginning
at verse 15, 12:15.
00:40:20.68\00:40:25.28
This is another
parable of Jesus.
00:40:25.31\00:40:26.94
Life does not consist
in the abundance of what?
00:40:42.06\00:40:45.41
Of things which we possess.
00:40:45.44\00:40:47.92
And now he's
going to illustrate.
00:40:47.95\00:40:50.07
Are you catching the connection
with the parable of the soul?
00:41:32.61\00:41:36.42
Verse 20:
00:41:36.45\00:41:38.14
We find John saying, love
not the world, nor the things
00:41:58.73\00:42:04.46
that are in the world.
00:42:04.49\00:42:05.52
And I know we pay lip
service to this folks.
00:42:05.55\00:42:07.97
Do you believe that
we're living in the last
00:42:08.00\00:42:10.07
moments of human history?
00:42:10.10\00:42:11.24
Listen, as we look at
what's happening in the world,
00:42:11.27\00:42:13.80
I can't help but marvel
in the last couple of weeks
00:42:13.83\00:42:16.70
what we've been seeing.
00:42:16.73\00:42:17.81
How the United States is
fulfilling the prophecy of
00:42:17.84\00:42:21.46
Revelation 13, the initial
stages at least, and how all the
00:42:21.49\00:42:26.36
Christians are coming
together with a common agenda.
00:42:26.39\00:42:30.17
We see it! It's so clear.
00:42:30.20\00:42:32.20
It's patently clear.
00:42:32.23\00:42:33.82
The question is, what are
we doing with the resources
00:42:33.85\00:42:36.38
that God has given us?
00:42:36.41\00:42:37.44
Are we investing
these in the cause of God?
00:42:37.47\00:42:41.02
You say, well, Pastor
Bohr, you just want to be paid.
00:42:41.05\00:42:43.63
Well, let me tell you the tithe
that comes here to this church
00:42:43.66\00:42:48.15
you know, none of it
comes into my pocket.
00:42:48.18\00:42:51.01
It all goes to a central
location, and then they pay all
00:42:51.04\00:42:54.54
of the pastors on
an equitable basis.
00:42:54.57\00:42:57.55
I don't receive
any of the offerings
00:42:57.58\00:42:59.62
that come into the church.
00:42:59.65\00:43:01.31
The offerings go for
the running of this church:
00:43:01.34\00:43:03.63
for the preaching of the gospel,
for evangelistic meetings,
00:43:03.66\00:43:06.47
for health seminars, for all
of these things which have the
00:43:06.50\00:43:09.28
intent of reaching
people with the gospel.
00:43:09.31\00:43:11.44
And I pray to God that we
will lay everything we have
00:43:11.47\00:43:15.24
on the altar of
sacrifice, because soon
00:43:15.27\00:43:17.90
it might be too late.
00:43:17.93\00:43:19.55
We need to wake
up from our slumber.
00:43:19.58\00:43:22.40
We've been in a coma too long.
00:43:22.43\00:43:24.39
We've been lukewarm too long.
00:43:24.42\00:43:27.28
It's time to get up and
make a sacrifice for God.
00:43:27.31\00:43:30.68
As I mentioned in one
of the previous lectures,
00:43:30.71\00:43:33.15
the little old widow, she comes
and she throws her two mites in.
00:43:33.18\00:43:37.13
Jesus says, she gave
more than all of those
00:43:37.16\00:43:39.41
who gave great sums.
00:43:39.44\00:43:41.10
And then He explained why.
00:43:41.13\00:43:42.25
He says, because they
gave out of their abundance.
00:43:42.28\00:43:45.19
In other words, they
gave what they had left over.
00:43:45.22\00:43:47.12
What they really didn't need.
00:43:47.15\00:43:48.51
But she gave all that she had.
00:43:48.54\00:43:52.10
Her only sustenance.
00:43:52.13\00:43:54.38
And so we have,
Jesus said, by the way,
00:43:54.41\00:43:57.89
in Luke 21:34, He
says, Make sure that...
00:43:57.92\00:44:00.90
In Ezekiel 7:19 we're told that
in the day when the wrath of God
00:44:10.65\00:44:16.22
is poured out upon this world,
people will take their gold
00:44:16.25\00:44:20.30
and their silver and they
will throw their gold and silver
00:44:20.33\00:44:23.35
in the streets, and they
will say, what good is this?
00:44:23.38\00:44:26.80
We're lost!
We're eternally lost!
00:44:26.83\00:44:29.14
What good is it to
have all of these things?
00:44:29.17\00:44:31.35
Silver and gold will
be absolutely worthless.
00:44:31.38\00:44:35.23
And so we have three different
kinds of people, so far,
00:44:35.26\00:44:39.14
that we've studied.
00:44:39.17\00:44:40.85
1. They hear the
word. They reject it.
00:44:40.88\00:44:44.72
It doesn't even
begin to germinate.
00:44:44.75\00:44:46.16
2. Those individuals who
hear the word, and in a moment
00:44:46.19\00:44:51.30
of emotion they accept it.
00:44:51.33\00:44:52.84
They say, this is wonderful!
00:44:52.87\00:44:54.31
And then tribulations
come, and the sun comes out and
00:44:54.34\00:44:59.53
beats on the plant and it dies.
00:44:59.56\00:45:02.25
Then you have those
that are on thorny soil,
00:45:02.28\00:45:05.58
for whom the deceitfulness of
riches, the cares of this life
00:45:05.61\00:45:10.95
strangle the seed that has
been planted, the plant that has
00:45:10.98\00:45:15.78
begun to grow. But I
thank God that there's one
00:45:15.81\00:45:18.99
other kind of soil,
and that is the good soil.
00:45:19.02\00:45:22.66
Notice what we find in the
gospel of Luke 8:15, Luke 8:15.
00:45:22.70\00:45:33.54
We find there
the following words:
00:45:33.57\00:45:38.87
Notice that the good
soil represents those who
00:46:01.96\00:46:05.00
hear the word of God
and what? and keep it.
00:46:05.03\00:46:09.22
With what? patience.
00:46:09.25\00:46:12.32
And eventually it
bears what? fruit.
00:46:12.35\00:46:15.30
Does the first type
of soil bear fruit? No.
00:46:15.33\00:46:20.56
Does the second type
of soil bear fruit? No.
00:46:20.59\00:46:24.57
Does the third
type of soil bear fruit?
00:46:24.60\00:46:27.29
No, the plant begins
to grow, but no fruit.
00:46:27.32\00:46:29.57
What is God interested in?
00:46:29.60\00:46:32.00
God is interested in planting
the seed of His word in our
00:46:32.03\00:46:36.27
hearts, and that we
might receive that seed
00:46:36.30\00:46:40.68
with fallow soil, with plenty of
the moisture of the Holy Spirit.
00:46:40.71\00:46:46.13
And that that seed
germinate and produce a plant,
00:46:46.16\00:46:50.45
which eventually will bear what?
00:46:50.48\00:46:53.37
Will bear fruit for
God's honor, and God's glory.
00:46:53.40\00:46:57.20
Revelation 1:3 we find
John speaking about this book
00:46:57.23\00:47:01.88
which deals with end
time events. He says:
00:47:01.91\00:47:04.48
Notice: read, hear, that
means pay attention, and what?
00:47:22.86\00:47:28.62
and keep. Notice
John 14:23, John 14:23.
00:47:28.65\00:47:38.01
By the way, Jesus abiding
in our hearts has a condition.
00:47:38.04\00:47:42.48
He will not abide in any heart.
00:47:42.51\00:47:45.11
Notice what we
find in John 14: 23.
00:47:45.14\00:47:51.36
Here Jesus says this:
00:47:51.39\00:47:54.83
Isn't that beautiful?
00:48:15.12\00:48:16.75
If anyone hears my word,
and what? and keeps my word,
00:48:16.78\00:48:21.58
both I and the Father will
come and We will make our home,
00:48:21.61\00:48:26.18
our abode, with them.
00:48:26.21\00:48:28.62
James tells us that it's
not the hearers of the word,
00:48:28.65\00:48:33.48
which will be justified,
but whom? the doers of the word.
00:48:33.51\00:48:37.96
By the way, do you know that in
the end time there are going to
00:48:37.99\00:48:41.01
be many Christians who
hear the word, but don't do it?
00:48:41.04\00:48:45.34
Notice the gospel of
Matthew chapter 7, Matthew 7:21,
00:48:45.37\00:48:52.98
Matthew 7:21. This is
a very solemn passage.
00:48:53.01\00:48:58.59
I'm going to read
several verses. Jesus says:
00:48:58.62\00:49:02.53
Did you catch that?
00:49:06.25\00:49:07.28
Notice it's not only
hearing but what? doing.
00:49:17.44\00:49:20.58
It's not only
saying but doing. Verse 22.
00:49:20.61\00:49:24.52
By the way, were
these Christians?
00:49:37.17\00:49:38.91
Why would they be
doing it in the name of Jesus
00:49:38.94\00:49:42.51
if they weren't Christians?
00:49:42.54\00:49:43.90
Obviously, they're Christians.
00:49:43.93\00:49:45.16
So what is Jesus going to say?
00:49:45.19\00:49:47.45
And then Jesus gives an example:
the parable of the man who built
00:49:56.25\00:50:01.12
his house upon the
rock, and the man who built
00:50:01.15\00:50:03.26
his house upon the sand.
00:50:03.29\00:50:04.45
We even sing about
this in Sabbath School.
00:50:04.48\00:50:06.36
Do you still sing
this in Sabbath School?
00:50:06.39\00:50:07.99
The wise man built
his house upon the rock.
00:50:08.02\00:50:11.77
I remember, I used to
love to sing that song.
00:50:11.80\00:50:13.62
Still do! Still
I'm a child at heart.
00:50:13.65\00:50:16.55
But, anyway, Jesus gives a
parable of the two builders.
00:50:16.58\00:50:20.54
Now who is the one who builds
on the rock, and who is the one
00:50:20.57\00:50:24.24
who builds on the sand?
00:50:24.27\00:50:25.30
Listen up! Verse 24: Therefore
whoever hears these sayings
00:50:25.33\00:50:31.74
of mine and does them.
00:50:31.77\00:50:34.20
Hello, anybody out there today?
00:50:35.85\00:50:38.32
Therefore, whoever hears these
sayings of mine, and does them,
00:50:38.35\00:50:44.78
I will liken him to a wise man
who built his house on the what?
00:50:44.81\00:50:50.51
on the rock. And the rain
descended, the floods came,
00:50:50.54\00:50:54.60
and the winds blew,
and beat on that house.
00:50:54.63\00:50:57.68
And it did not fall, for
it was founded on the rock.
00:50:57.71\00:51:01.36
What does that mean to
be founded on the rock?
00:51:01.39\00:51:03.08
It means that you hear the words
of Jesus, and what? and do them.
00:51:03.11\00:51:09.17
Now notice, what about
the man who built on the sand?
00:51:09.20\00:51:13.49
Verse 26: But everyone who
hears these sayings of Mine,
00:51:13.52\00:51:18.27
and does not do them,
will be like a foolish man
00:51:18.30\00:51:22.40
who built his house on the sand.
00:51:22.43\00:51:24.42
And the rain descended, the
floods came, and the winds blew,
00:51:24.45\00:51:28.09
and beat on that
house, and it fell.
00:51:28.12\00:51:31.15
And great was its fall.
00:51:31.18\00:51:34.51
By the way, these verses are
speaking about the tribulation
00:51:34.54\00:51:38.27
that is coming upon the world.
00:51:38.30\00:51:39.58
Four angels are holding
the four winds of strife.
00:51:39.61\00:51:43.09
When they're released you have
the storm; the coming storm.
00:51:43.12\00:51:47.62
And only those who hear the
words of Jesus, and do them,
00:51:47.65\00:51:52.34
will be safe in that great day.
00:51:52.37\00:51:55.27
Now I'd like to take the
last few moments that we have
00:51:55.30\00:51:59.70
to talk about the
process of God planting the seed
00:51:59.73\00:52:04.52
in the soil of our hearts.
00:52:04.55\00:52:06.34
How does God do it?
00:52:06.37\00:52:09.52
Well, listen to
what I'm going to say.
00:52:09.56\00:52:12.26
The seed is the word of God.
00:52:12.29\00:52:14.98
We've already studied that.
00:52:15.01\00:52:17.66
The word of God is preached.
00:52:17.69\00:52:20.48
And what that means is
that God is taking the seed,
00:52:20.51\00:52:23.96
and He's putting it where?
00:52:23.99\00:52:25.32
He's planting the
seed in the heart.
00:52:25.35\00:52:27.71
By the way, faith comes by
hearing and hearing by what?
00:52:27.74\00:52:31.75
By the word of God.
00:52:31.79\00:52:33.53
What happens with people who
are not into the word of God,
00:52:33.56\00:52:37.65
who are not studying?
00:52:37.69\00:52:38.72
Can God plant His seed in
our hearts if we're not studying
00:52:38.75\00:52:42.41
the word? Absolutely not!
00:52:42.44\00:52:44.95
Because God speaks to
our hearts through the word.
00:52:44.98\00:52:48.19
The more we study the word,
the more God plants His will
00:52:48.22\00:52:53.24
and His seed in our hearts.
00:52:53.27\00:52:55.04
And then He moistens
the ground with what?
00:52:55.07\00:52:59.81
With the dew of His Holy Spirit.
00:52:59.84\00:53:01.70
And the more time
that I spend in the word,
00:53:01.73\00:53:04.97
the more the plant grows.
00:53:05.01\00:53:08.62
And if I continue in this
process, eventually what's
00:53:08.65\00:53:12.88
going to happen is that plant
is going to grow into a tree,
00:53:12.91\00:53:16.40
and the tree eventually
is going to bear what?
00:53:16.43\00:53:19.37
Is going to bear fruit.
00:53:19.40\00:53:21.72
And, by the way,
what is the fruit?
00:53:21.75\00:53:23.74
Go with me to Galatians 5,
Galatians 5, and I would like
00:53:23.77\00:53:29.41
to begin reading at verse 19.
00:53:29.44\00:53:31.61
Well, actually, let's
begin reading at verse 21,
00:53:31.64\00:53:35.57
Ending about the
works of the flesh:
00:53:35.60\00:53:37.95
Then he speaks about the
fruit of the Spirit, verse 22:
00:53:48.12\00:53:50.79
Do you know what the
fruit of the Spirit is?
00:54:02.44\00:54:06.20
It's the character of Jesus.
00:54:06.24\00:54:08.46
Is this a description
of the character of Jesus?
00:54:08.49\00:54:11.99
Let's read it again.
00:54:12.02\00:54:13.85
It says: love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness,
00:54:13.89\00:54:17.96
goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self control.
00:54:17.99\00:54:22.03
That's the fruit.
00:54:22.06\00:54:23.87
How does the fruit come?
00:54:23.90\00:54:25.96
Do you have to plant
before you harvest fruit?
00:54:25.99\00:54:30.74
Of course you do.
00:54:30.77\00:54:31.80
So what does God do?
00:54:31.83\00:54:32.86
He takes the seed of the truth.
00:54:32.89\00:54:34.87
He plants it in our heart.
00:54:34.90\00:54:35.93
The more that we're in
the word, studying the word,
00:54:35.96\00:54:37.89
assimilating the
word, God speaks to us.
00:54:37.93\00:54:39.84
He plants the word in our
hearts through the influence
00:54:39.87\00:54:42.87
of the Holy Spirit.
00:54:42.90\00:54:43.93
That plant begins to
what? to grow, and eventually
00:54:43.96\00:54:47.55
it produces in our
lives the fruit of the Spirit.
00:54:47.58\00:54:50.49
In other words it
produces in our lives
00:54:50.53\00:54:52.37
the character of Jesus.
00:54:52.40\00:54:54.48
Do you know we take the mold of
the character of that which we
00:54:54.52\00:54:58.67
dedicate our time to?
00:54:58.70\00:55:00.65
You know this, right?
00:55:00.69\00:55:02.63
If we dedicate most of our time
to music, and worldly endeavors,
00:55:02.66\00:55:08.67
and television, and
videos, and all these things,
00:55:08.70\00:55:11.27
what type of
character are we going to have?
00:55:11.30\00:55:13.52
We're going to
reflect that character.
00:55:13.56\00:55:16.14
But the more that we allow the
word of God to enter through our
00:55:16.18\00:55:19.31
eyes, by Bible study,
by listening to sermons,
00:55:19.34\00:55:22.15
by watching 3ABN, by watching
spiritual things, God plants His
00:55:22.18\00:55:27.92
seed in our hearts.
00:55:27.95\00:55:28.98
The seed grows into a
plant, then grows into a tree,
00:55:29.01\00:55:32.13
and then our lives change.
00:55:32.17\00:55:33.74
Because we have as a
result the fruit of the Spirit
00:55:33.78\00:55:37.57
appearing in our lives,
which is Christ likeness,
00:55:37.60\00:55:42.23
the hope of glory, incidentally.
00:55:42.27\00:55:44.43
So we have four soils.
00:55:44.47\00:55:47.38
Three of them will
eventually be lost.
00:55:47.41\00:55:50.81
One of them only will
be saved in the kingdom.
00:55:50.84\00:55:54.53
What is the soil of your heart?
00:55:54.56\00:55:58.58
Are you a wayside hearer?
00:55:58.61\00:56:04.09
Are you a stony ground hearer?
00:56:04.13\00:56:08.94
Are you a thorny ground hearer?
00:56:08.98\00:56:13.64
Or are you a good soil hearer?
00:56:13.67\00:56:18.26
Our decision will
determine our eternal destiny.
00:56:18.30\00:56:23.15
And, folks, let me
finish with a positive note.
00:56:23.19\00:56:27.97
Do you know that we're not stuck
with the heart that we have?
00:56:28.00\00:56:31.41
God can change the heart.
00:56:31.45\00:56:34.95
Just look at Saul of Tarsus.
00:56:34.98\00:56:36.91
He had a heart of stone.
00:56:36.94\00:56:39.01
He was right there
stoning Stephen, not actively,
00:56:39.04\00:56:42.12
but he was encouraging
the people to stone Stephen.
00:56:42.15\00:56:47.16
And yet the Lord changed
his heart from stony soil,
00:56:47.20\00:56:52.18
from wayside soil,
to a soft tender heart.
00:56:52.21\00:56:58.90
The good news is that God can
change the soil of our hearts.
00:56:58.94\00:57:03.33
And I pray to God that we
will be like the good soil,
00:57:03.37\00:57:08.43
where the seed of truth
is planted unto eternal life.
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