Hello, my name
is David Sherwood.
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And it's a
privilege for me to be here.
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I work for a small
mission training school
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in Troy, Michigan
called the Arise Institute.
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And as I said it's
just a privilege for me
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to be here to share with you,
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what the Lord has
laid up on my heart.
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It was a Native American
who was walking in Downtown,
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New York City
with a friend of his,
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who was a resident of the city.
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And as they were walking,
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amidst the hustle and
the bustle of Manhattan,
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he grabbed his
friend by the arm.
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And this Native American said,
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"Did you hear
that?" His friend said,
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"I hear lots of things,
what are you talking about?"
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He said, "I hear a cricket?"
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And his friend looked
at him and he says, "What?"
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He says, "You
don't hear a cricket?"
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He says, "No, I hear a cricket."
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He said, "How on
earth do you hear a cricket
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in the middle of
Downtown in New York?
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The subway is
underneath us, it's roaring by.
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I hear cash registers clanging,
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there's people screaming
at each other over there,
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there's 1,000
people on this block alone,
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there's car honking.
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And you tell me
you hear a cricket."
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And the Native American
said, "I can hear a cricket."
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He said, "Come with me."
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Grabbed him by the
arm, he pulled him over
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and ran down the
street a little ways.
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And he stopped, he
cocked his head. No.
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He brought his
friend back the other way,
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crossed the street,
gets down in his knees,
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he's looking in cracks
and crevices in the sidewalk
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and he still doesn't find
it and he says, "Come with me."
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Run to a big cement pot
where a tree was growing.
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He said, "I think I hear it."
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He started digging through
the mulch and through the dirt.
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And finally, he
pulls out a cricket.
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He said, "See I told
you. I heard a cricket."
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And his friend looking at
him and said just flabbergasted.
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"How on earth did
you hear a cricket
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in Downtown, Manhattan?"
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And the Native
American said to his friend,
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"Well, my ears are
just different than yours."
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He said, "Come
here, I'll show you."
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So he brought his friend over
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and had some
change in his pocket.
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He pulled out the change.
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He held it up like
this, he says, I'll show you,
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my ears, they're
just different than yours.
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So he held the change about
this high, still on the midst
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of just thousands of
people on the block there.
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Held the change about this high
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and every head
on the block turned
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and looked at
that Native American.
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And he looked at his
friend and he said, "See,
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it's all in what
you're listening for."
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So that's the
question of the day for us.
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As we search through God's word,
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is to ask
ourselves the question.
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What is it that
we are listening for
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in our experience with God?
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Let's have a word of prayer.
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Father in heaven,
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we come and we sit
here before You, Lord.
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And we pray that You
would come here and be with us.
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Lord, we pray
that we would hear You.
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And we pray these
things in Jesus name. Amen.
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So the question of the day
is what are you listening for
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in your experience with God?
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I'd like you to go
with me in your Bibles
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to a parable in
Matthew Chapter 13.
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Matthew 13: 9,
we're going to start.
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Matthew 13: 9, we're
going to see an exhortation
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that Jesus used in the
gospels more than 15 times.
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He gives this
exhortation to people
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when He's just made a
significant spiritual point.
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Here's what it says,
Matthew 13:9, it says,
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"He who has ears to
hear, let him," what? "Hear."
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"He who has ears to
hear, let him hear."
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Now we can deduce just
through logical reasoning
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that if Jesus is
talking to these people
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and saying if you have
ears to hear, let them hear.
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He who has ears to
hear, let them hear.
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So we can reason in our minds
that if people have ears to hear
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that must be that some people
have ears that don't hear.
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Today, we're going to
go through this parable
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Matthew 13 and also the parallel
account on Luke Chapter 8.
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And we're going to
use these two parables
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as a means to evaluate our ears.
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As a means to
evaluate our hearing.
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Do we have ears to hear?
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Or do we have
ears that don't hear?
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Now when Jesus was
using this exhortation,
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is He calling on the
people who have the ability
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or whose eardrums have
the ability to perceive
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sound vibrations
from His vocal cords?
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Of course, not that's
not what He's talking about.
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He is exhorting
those who have ears to hear
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the spiritual crickets
above the noise of their lives.
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So again we are going
to use this opportunity
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to evaluate our ears.
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What is it we're listening for?
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So we'll get
right into the parable,
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Matthew Chapter 13
starting in verse 1.
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It says, "On the same day,
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Jesus went out of the
house and sat by the sea.
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And great multitudes
were gathered together to Him,
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so that He got
into a boat and sat,
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and the whole
multitude stood on the shore.
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Then He spoke many things
to them in parables, saying
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'Behold, a
sower went out to sow.
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And as he sowed, some
seed fell by the wayside,
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and the birds
came and devoured them.
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Some fell on stony places,
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where they did
not have much earth,
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and they immediately sprang up
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because they had
no depth of earth.
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But when the Sun was
up they were scorched,
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and because they had no
root they withered away.
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And some fell among the thorns,
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and the thorns
sprang up and choked them.
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But others fell on good
ground and yielded a crop,
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some one hundred,
some sixty, some thirty.
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He, who has ears to
hear, let him hear."
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So we don't have to wonder
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what Jesus is
talking about here.
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He is speaking in a parable.
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And a parable is a story
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that is used to illustrate
a broader spiritual truth.
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We don't have to guess
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what this
parable by Jesus means.
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Because He explains it
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a little further
down in the chapter.
00:08:04.92\00:08:06.32
So if you go with me
now to Matthew 13:18,
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it says this, "Therefore
hear the parable of the sower,
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when anyone hears
the word of the kingdom,
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and does not understand
it, then the wicked one comes
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and snatches away
what was sown in his heart.
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This is he who received
the seed by the wayside."
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So we see the
first soil mentioned.
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There's four soils
mentioned in this parable.
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The wayside, the
stony ground, you could say,
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the thorny ground
and the good ground.
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We see this first
soil called the wayside.
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If you can
picture where Jesus was,
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He was out in a boat
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because the crowd
around Him was so great
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that He pushed off
into the sea a bit,
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so He could speak
to the entire crowd.
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In the back of the crowd,
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He was looking out on
the plain of Gennesaret.
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In the plain of Gennesaret,
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they were actually
farmers out sowing their seeds.
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So when Jesus said,
"Behold a sower goes to sow."
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He was looking out
over this beautiful plain,
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actually, seeing
the parable play out.
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And as Jesus was looking
out, He saw four types of soil,
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the wayside, the stony places,
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the thorny ground
and the good ground.
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Now what was this
wayside, that's not a word
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that we use in
everyday language today,
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the wayside?
What the wayside was?
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If you can picture a
field where someone is farming,
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there are paths in the
middle of each row and paths
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that go around the
outside of the fields.
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This is that wayside path.
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Now the characteristics
of the wayside path.
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What are the characteristics
of a path in a field?
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Are they very
soft and ground up?
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No, of course not.
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They're hard and
they're packed down.
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The Bible here tells us
that because of the wayside,
00:10:01.52\00:10:05.00
the condition of
this wayside path
00:10:05.03\00:10:06.61
it's hard and packed down.
00:10:06.64\00:10:08.75
That it's those
who don't understand
00:10:08.78\00:10:12.18
the seed that is being tried,
00:10:12.21\00:10:14.22
is trying to be
sowed into their heart.
00:10:14.25\00:10:20.79
Now we can see a
very good example
00:10:20.82\00:10:23.66
of this wayside soil in a story,
00:10:23.69\00:10:29.35
also in this
same Book of Matthew.
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If we go to Matthew 9:43,
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Matthew 9: 43, we're
going to look at an example
00:10:38.54\00:10:42.34
of how it could be
00:10:42.37\00:10:43.87
that someone wouldn't understand
the message of the kingdom?
00:10:43.90\00:10:48.24
Or how someone could read
00:10:48.27\00:10:49.66
and have a seed
sown in their heart
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but that they
couldn't understand it,
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how can that happen?
00:10:53.87\00:10:55.77
We'll see a perfect example here
00:10:55.80\00:10:58.08
of this wayside
soil of the heart
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in Matthew Chapter 9
beginning in verse 43.
00:11:01.38\00:11:04.75
Go back to Luke, I am sorry.
00:11:10.71\00:11:13.41
Luke 9: 43, Luke 9: 43,
00:11:13.44\00:11:21.34
this is just after the
parallel account from Matthew
00:11:21.37\00:11:24.29
of where Christ
was giving this parable
00:11:24.32\00:11:27.36
and we see not
to long after that,
00:11:27.39\00:11:29.10
here's a
situation that the disciples
00:11:29.13\00:11:30.71
find themselves in with Christ.
00:11:30.74\00:11:32.68
Luke 9: 43, it says this,
00:11:32.71\00:11:37.02
"And they were all
amazed at the majesty of God.
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But while everyone
marveled at all the things
00:11:40.13\00:11:41.91
which Jesus did, He
said to His disciples,
00:11:41.94\00:11:45.11
'Let these words sink
down into your ears.'"
00:11:45.14\00:11:49.72
So similar language,
I love this language.
00:11:49.75\00:11:51.70
"Let these words
sink down into your ears."
00:11:51.73\00:11:56.90
Christ was looking at the
people reading their hearts
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and He knew that
they weren't getting it.
00:11:59.08\00:12:03.11
So He's saying please
00:12:03.14\00:12:04.76
let these words
sink down into your ears,
00:12:04.79\00:12:06.47
hear me have ears to hear.
00:12:06.50\00:12:09.64
He goes on, He says,
00:12:09.67\00:12:11.48
"For the Son of Man
is about to be betrayed
00:12:11.51\00:12:14.02
into the hands of men."
00:12:14.05\00:12:17.30
The parallel account in
Matthew also includes that
00:12:17.33\00:12:20.83
it says that He will be
betrayed into the hands men,
00:12:20.86\00:12:23.96
that he would be killed
00:12:23.99\00:12:25.36
and that He would
rise the third day.
00:12:25.39\00:12:27.55
So Jesus Christ just
sat down His disciples,
00:12:27.58\00:12:29.82
He says, listen guys,
00:12:29.85\00:12:31.25
there's something
very important to tell you
00:12:31.28\00:12:33.24
because you're not getting it.
00:12:33.27\00:12:35.37
I'm about to be betrayed
00:12:35.40\00:12:36.77
into the hands of
men and be killed.
00:12:36.80\00:12:39.63
Now let me ask you something,
is this confusing language?
00:12:39.66\00:12:43.98
Is Jesus speaking
in a parable here?
00:12:44.01\00:12:47.82
Of course, He's not.
00:12:47.85\00:12:49.77
This is not confusing language.
00:12:49.80\00:12:51.35
And by the way,
should this have been
00:12:51.38\00:12:54.23
new information
to the disciples?
00:12:54.26\00:12:58.48
Should have been new information
that Jesus was going be betrayed
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.96
in the hands of men and
killed and rise the third day?
00:13:00.99\00:13:04.56
No, this shouldn't
have been new information
00:13:04.59\00:13:06.88
for many reasons.
00:13:06.91\00:13:08.44
Number 1, for
the past 1,000 years
00:13:08.47\00:13:14.91
the entire Jewish economy
was based on a sanctuary system
00:13:14.94\00:13:19.57
that pointed forward to exactly
00:13:19.60\00:13:21.77
what Christ is
saying in these verses.
00:13:21.80\00:13:24.47
These Jews who
weren't receiving this
00:13:24.50\00:13:28.78
should have known about this.
00:13:28.81\00:13:32.24
Their entire economy was
based in signs and symbols
00:13:32.27\00:13:35.53
pointing forward to
the death and crucifixion
00:13:35.56\00:13:38.65
and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
00:13:38.68\00:13:40.80
This should not have
been new information.
00:13:40.83\00:13:43.79
With that in mind this is
not confusing information.
00:13:43.82\00:13:46.44
This is not a
confusing statement.
00:13:46.47\00:13:47.84
It shouldn't even
be new information.
00:13:47.87\00:13:49.75
So we go on to see, what
is the disciples' reaction
00:13:49.78\00:13:53.39
to Christ's statements here?
00:13:53.42\00:13:55.76
We pick up in verse 45.
00:13:55.79\00:13:59.45
Immediately after the statement,
00:13:59.48\00:14:00.85
He tells them, listen guys,
00:14:00.88\00:14:02.25
let this sink
down into your ears,
00:14:02.28\00:14:03.65
you have to understand
this. I'm going to be killed.
00:14:03.68\00:14:08.47
Verse 45 says, "But they
did not understand this saying,
00:14:08.50\00:14:15.05
and it was hidden from them
so that they did not perceive it
00:14:15.08\00:14:17.84
and they were afraid to
ask Him about this saying."
00:14:17.87\00:14:23.16
So we're asking ourselves,
00:14:23.19\00:14:24.56
okay, how could it be that
someone could not understand
00:14:24.59\00:14:27.39
the plain language of Christ?
00:14:27.42\00:14:30.09
And we see in verse 45,
00:14:30.12\00:14:31.88
we get the first
glimpse as to how this happens.
00:14:31.91\00:14:35.88
It says, "And they were afraid
to ask Him about this saying."
00:14:35.91\00:14:41.32
You see the state of
mind these Jews at this time.
00:14:41.35\00:14:47.18
They were under severe
oppression by the Romans.
00:14:47.21\00:14:51.66
It had been for sometime.
00:14:51.69\00:14:53.87
And do you think that
they appreciated this? No.
00:14:53.90\00:14:59.30
So all the talks
of the Messiah coming,
00:14:59.33\00:15:03.73
had never entered their minds
00:15:03.76\00:15:05.73
that He was to set
up a spiritual kingdom
00:15:05.76\00:15:08.99
to free them from sin
rather than our earthly kingdom
00:15:09.02\00:15:13.22
to free them from the Romans.
00:15:13.25\00:15:15.35
It never entered their
mind and Christ knew this.
00:15:15.38\00:15:17.35
That's why He said, "Let
this sink down into your ears,
00:15:17.38\00:15:19.76
you have to understand this."
00:15:19.79\00:15:22.43
And it's says,
"They did not understand."
00:15:22.46\00:15:24.24
And then it says
they did not understand
00:15:24.27\00:15:25.64
because they were afraid.
00:15:25.67\00:15:28.62
And if you go to
Matthew in a parallel account
00:15:28.65\00:15:30.25
it says they
were very sorrowful,
00:15:30.28\00:15:32.54
after Christ said this.
00:15:32.57\00:15:34.09
So we see two
things, we see that fear,
00:15:34.12\00:15:36.09
the Bible is telling
here that fear and sorrow
00:15:36.12\00:15:40.98
can cause us not to understand
the plain teaching of Christ.
00:15:41.01\00:15:44.37
Now sometimes
we're tempted to think
00:15:52.06\00:15:55.05
like these godly
men in the Bible like
00:15:55.08\00:16:00.25
we see the ridiculous things
that they seam to be doing.
00:16:00.28\00:16:03.48
And we're tempted to think,
00:16:03.51\00:16:04.88
man, how on earth
could they not understand
00:16:04.91\00:16:06.89
what Christ was saying?
00:16:06.92\00:16:08.94
We think, I mean, it's
like they're just stupid
00:16:08.97\00:16:13.59
but are they truly stupid?
00:16:13.62\00:16:17.54
And the answer is, no. If
we you go to Hebrews 3:13.
00:16:17.57\00:16:24.58
Hebrews 3: 13, says this,
"But exhort one another daily,
00:16:24.61\00:16:29.82
while it is called 'Today,'
lest any of you be hardened
00:16:29.85\00:16:34.67
through the
deceitfulness of sin."
00:16:34.70\00:16:40.50
The wayside path is the
hardened soil of our heart.
00:16:40.53\00:16:46.79
So we ask how do
our hearts get that way
00:16:46.82\00:16:48.98
and we find in Hebrews 3: 13,
00:16:49.01\00:16:50.38
that's through the
deceitfulness of sin.
00:16:50.41\00:16:55.59
So you see the
disciples weren't stupid
00:16:55.62\00:16:58.63
but they were deceived
by the deceitfulness of sin.
00:16:58.66\00:17:02.99
An inspired
writer once said that
00:17:03.02\00:17:05.11
all sin is selfishness,
all sin is selfishness.
00:17:05.14\00:17:11.03
And if you go through
each of the Ten Commandments,
00:17:11.06\00:17:13.75
we know that sin is the
transgression of the law.
00:17:13.78\00:17:16.90
If you go through each
of the Ten Commandments
00:17:16.93\00:17:18.30
and think about what would cause
00:17:18.33\00:17:19.70
someone to break any
one of those commandments
00:17:19.73\00:17:21.38
and it will always
boil down to selfishness.
00:17:21.41\00:17:27.90
The disciples were not
stupid. They were deceived.
00:17:27.93\00:17:31.93
They were deceived by
their own selfish ambitions
00:17:31.96\00:17:36.76
for their positions in
the new earthly kingdom
00:17:36.79\00:17:39.96
that they thought the
Messiah had come to set up.
00:17:39.99\00:17:43.86
If you go with me we're
going to continue reading
00:17:43.89\00:17:45.78
in Luke 9: 46.
00:17:45.81\00:17:51.41
So right after they
said they didn't understand,
00:17:51.44\00:17:54.92
here is what the gospel records.
00:17:54.95\00:17:56.88
It says, "Then a
dispute arose among them
00:17:56.91\00:17:59.47
as to which of them
would be the greatest."
00:17:59.50\00:18:03.87
So picture this, Jesus Christ.
This is how I picture it.
00:18:03.90\00:18:07.67
The disciples
are following Christ
00:18:07.70\00:18:09.89
and they are
talking amongst one another
00:18:09.92\00:18:11.29
and they're saying,
"Can you believe it?
00:18:11.32\00:18:12.82
We are alive in the
time of the Messiah.
00:18:12.85\00:18:15.38
How many of our ancestors
would have loved to be here
00:18:15.41\00:18:18.14
at this time in earth's
history and we are here.
00:18:18.17\00:18:21.13
You know, who do you think
is going to be the greatest
00:18:21.16\00:18:24.54
in the kingdom? I
think it will be me.
00:18:24.57\00:18:27.87
I've been
following Him the longest.
00:18:27.90\00:18:29.89
You know, it should be me.
No, no, no, it should be me.
00:18:29.92\00:18:32.70
I've been the most attentive.
00:18:32.73\00:18:35.33
Jesus Christ reads their
hearts and He goes to these men
00:18:35.36\00:18:37.31
and He says,
listen guys, sit down,
00:18:37.34\00:18:40.00
let this sink
down into your ears,
00:18:40.03\00:18:42.41
I'm about to be
betrayed into the hands of men
00:18:42.44\00:18:44.82
and I'm going to be killed
but I'll rise the third day.
00:18:44.85\00:18:49.88
So I pictured these
disciples are all excited
00:18:49.91\00:18:52.36
and dreaming about
what they are going to do
00:18:52.39\00:18:53.80
when they are
rulers of the known world,
00:18:53.83\00:18:57.64
under the Messiah.
00:18:57.67\00:18:59.45
They hear this
message from Jesus
00:18:59.48\00:19:00.85
and scratch their heads.
00:19:00.88\00:19:06.78
They heard the message.
00:19:06.81\00:19:08.51
They didn't like
where it was going.
00:19:08.54\00:19:14.63
So I picture them,
scratching their heads
00:19:14.66\00:19:16.12
and saying, "Hmm,
so what kind of crown
00:19:16.15\00:19:19.12
do you think I should wear?
00:19:19.15\00:19:21.79
And let's go look at robes.
00:19:21.82\00:19:23.19
You know, I'm going to
need a nice regal robe for when,
00:19:23.22\00:19:24.88
you know, the Messiah
ushers in this new kingdom.
00:19:24.91\00:19:27.35
They didn't get it.
00:19:27.38\00:19:28.83
Just like when the sower
throws the seed on the wayside,
00:19:28.86\00:19:30.90
the seed bounces.
00:19:30.93\00:19:33.15
The spiritual truth, Christ was
trying to preach to these men
00:19:33.18\00:19:35.54
bounced off of their heart.
00:19:35.57\00:19:38.26
They didn't get it.
00:19:38.29\00:19:39.66
Has there ever been a time
00:19:44.99\00:19:47.08
when you have read
something in the Word
00:19:47.11\00:19:49.10
or heard something in a sermon
that you didn't understand
00:19:49.13\00:19:55.44
because you didn't
want to understand it,
00:19:55.47\00:20:00.43
or because you
were sorrowful about
00:20:00.46\00:20:02.50
what it would mean to
your life if it was truth?
00:20:02.53\00:20:08.25
We need to come
to the Word of God.
00:20:08.28\00:20:09.65
We need to come to God Himself.
00:20:09.68\00:20:12.47
Ready to give up all of
our preconceived notions
00:20:12.50\00:20:14.99
about His will for our life.
00:20:15.02\00:20:16.39
Moving on, to the stony ground
00:20:24.80\00:20:28.77
we will pick it
up in Matthew 13:5.
00:20:28.80\00:20:34.63
Matthew 13:5 says this,
00:20:34.66\00:20:40.31
"Some fell on stony places,
00:20:40.34\00:20:42.91
where they did
not have much earth,
00:20:42.94\00:20:44.54
and they immediately sprang up
00:20:44.57\00:20:46.02
because they had
no depth of earth.
00:20:46.05\00:20:48.13
But when the sun was
up they were scorched,
00:20:48.16\00:20:51.19
and because they had no
root they withered away."
00:20:51.22\00:20:57.53
Do you know that
plants grow downward
00:20:57.56\00:20:59.58
before they grow up?
Why do you thing that is?
00:20:59.61\00:21:06.91
Because God programmed them
00:21:06.94\00:21:08.71
to grow down as
far as they could
00:21:08.74\00:21:10.48
to establish a firm
foundation of roots,
00:21:10.51\00:21:13.98
not only is this
going to help them
00:21:14.01\00:21:15.38
have the structural
support that the blade will need
00:21:15.41\00:21:17.24
when it penetrates the soil.
00:21:17.27\00:21:18.99
But also it enables
them to get down deep
00:21:19.02\00:21:21.14
where the moisture is,
00:21:21.17\00:21:25.40
so establishes its
firm foundation of roots.
00:21:25.43\00:21:29.20
In Matthew 13, the parallel
account of this parable,
00:21:29.23\00:21:33.10
it says that the
seed fell on stony ground
00:21:33.13\00:21:35.20
sprang up immediately and
it was scorched by the sun.
00:21:35.23\00:21:39.09
And because it had no
root it withered away.
00:21:39.12\00:21:43.14
Now a question for you,
do plants needs the sun?
00:21:43.17\00:21:46.36
Of course, plants need the sun.
00:21:46.39\00:21:48.87
They need the photons
of light from the sun,
00:21:48.90\00:21:52.03
they react with the chlorophyll
in the leaves of the plant
00:21:52.06\00:21:55.91
and the chlorophyll
along with the carbon dioxide
00:21:55.94\00:21:58.29
from the air and the water
that it's gets from the roots,
00:21:58.32\00:22:01.23
all reacts together to initiate
the process of photosynthesis,
00:22:01.26\00:22:04.58
which enables it
to produce cellulose
00:22:04.61\00:22:06.43
which becomes
food for the plant.
00:22:06.46\00:22:10.27
So plants need the sun to live.
00:22:10.30\00:22:12.22
Is that a true statement?
00:22:12.25\00:22:13.69
Absolutely, it's so
interesting to know it,
00:22:13.72\00:22:16.63
that the same sun
that is necessary for life
00:22:16.66\00:22:21.62
is able to kill
seemingly identical plants.
00:22:21.65\00:22:26.14
So we ask ourselves
what's the difference?
00:22:31.30\00:22:33.69
The difference
is the root system.
00:22:33.72\00:22:38.46
You see the sun
or trials in our life
00:22:38.49\00:22:44.21
reveal the depth of
the soil in our hearts.
00:22:44.24\00:22:49.72
Trials in our life,
the sun in this parable
00:22:49.75\00:22:51.71
reveals the depth of
the soil in our hearts.
00:22:51.74\00:22:58.78
Just as the plant
with a deep root system
00:22:58.81\00:23:02.67
is able to use the sun to
sustain itself and to grow,
00:23:02.70\00:23:06.75
those who have a
spiritual root system
00:23:06.78\00:23:09.90
are able to use
trials in their life
00:23:09.93\00:23:13.45
to be moulded more
into the likeness of Christ.
00:23:13.48\00:23:18.04
But those that
don't have the spiritual,
00:23:18.07\00:23:19.81
the deep root
system will wither away,
00:23:19.84\00:23:22.94
when trials come
just as this plant did.
00:23:22.97\00:23:29.71
Many who profess to be
followers of Christ in reality
00:23:29.74\00:23:32.97
are these stony ground hearers
mentioned in the parable.
00:23:33.00\00:23:37.14
And you think
about it, it says that
00:23:37.17\00:23:38.83
the plant sprung immediately.
00:23:38.86\00:23:41.67
Like the appearance of a plant
00:23:41.70\00:23:44.77
with shallow
roots in the beginning
00:23:44.80\00:23:47.02
and the appearance of
a plant with deep roots
00:23:47.05\00:23:49.03
in the
beginning is very similar.
00:23:49.06\00:23:53.26
So too of those
with people like us
00:23:53.29\00:23:55.86
who don't have the
deep spiritual root system,
00:23:55.89\00:23:58.46
we can spring up immediately
00:23:58.49\00:23:59.86
and appear to be
consistent Christians.
00:23:59.89\00:24:03.61
But when the sun comes out,
00:24:03.64\00:24:05.61
when the trials in
our life begin to happen,
00:24:05.64\00:24:12.41
we wither away if
we don't have that
00:24:12.44\00:24:14.18
deep spiritual root system.
00:24:14.21\00:24:15.58
Now what prevents this
deep spiritual root system?
00:24:15.61\00:24:19.23
It's the stones.
00:24:19.26\00:24:21.96
It's those stones of
selfishness in our life.
00:24:21.99\00:24:25.19
Many people unfortunately,
00:24:32.57\00:24:35.46
they see
religion and Christianity
00:24:35.49\00:24:36.99
as a way to avoid trials
and a way to avoid adversity.
00:24:37.02\00:24:44.84
And so when
everything is going fine
00:24:44.87\00:24:46.68
these Christians are
fine going with the flow,
00:24:46.71\00:24:49.90
appear to be
consistent Christians.
00:24:49.93\00:24:54.74
But you know when the
Word of God points out
00:24:54.77\00:24:58.43
some cherished sin
00:24:58.46\00:25:00.42
or requires some
kind of sacrifice
00:25:00.45\00:25:02.17
that would mean a
radical change in their life,
00:25:02.20\00:25:05.57
instead of, having
the deep root system
00:25:05.60\00:25:06.97
to be able to use that to grow,
00:25:07.00\00:25:10.10
they're offended
by it and they wither.
00:25:10.13\00:25:16.09
It would cost
them too much effort
00:25:16.12\00:25:17.52
to make a radical
change in their life.
00:25:17.55\00:25:20.27
They look at the present
inconvenience of their trial
00:25:20.30\00:25:23.90
and they forget
about the eternal realities
00:25:23.93\00:25:26.20
that has been sown
in their heart already.
00:25:26.23\00:25:28.81
They are unable to keep
that seed and they wither.
00:25:28.84\00:25:34.70
There was a 10-year-old
boy who decided to study judo
00:25:37.81\00:25:40.71
despite the fact that he
was in a terrible car accident
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.50
and he lost his left arm.
00:25:43.53\00:25:46.84
So he enrolled in a judo class
00:25:46.87\00:25:48.69
that was thought by
a Japanese judo master.
00:25:48.72\00:25:53.61
And after the first class,
00:25:53.64\00:25:55.01
the Japanese judo
master came to him he says,
00:25:55.04\00:25:56.59
"Listen, if you
continue to train with me
00:25:56.62\00:26:01.91
I can make you a champion."
00:26:01.94\00:26:04.99
The boy was excited about this,
00:26:05.02\00:26:07.03
so he started
training with his judo master
00:26:07.06\00:26:08.80
and a month went by
and the boy was surprised
00:26:08.83\00:26:12.69
because he was doing quite well
00:26:12.72\00:26:14.09
but the judo master was
only teaching him one move.
00:26:14.12\00:26:17.44
So he finally
mustered up enough courage
00:26:17.47\00:26:18.84
to ask the judo master,
00:26:18.87\00:26:21.29
"Sensai, shouldn't I
be learning more moves?"
00:26:21.32\00:26:25.21
and the judo master said,
00:26:25.24\00:26:26.61
"Listen this is the
only move that you know
00:26:26.64\00:26:28.47
but it's the only
move that you'll need know.
00:26:28.50\00:26:31.23
If you trust me I
can make you a champion."
00:26:31.26\00:26:35.68
So he continued to
train for a couple more months
00:26:35.71\00:26:37.53
and then the judo
master enrolled his student
00:26:37.56\00:26:38.95
in a tournament.
00:26:38.98\00:26:40.80
So this 10-year-old boy who has
one arm enters this tournament
00:26:40.83\00:26:44.82
and to his surprise he won
his first two matches easily.
00:26:44.85\00:26:49.65
And he is excited.
00:26:49.68\00:26:51.05
He is like what's
going on, you know?
00:26:51.08\00:26:53.33
How am I winning these matches?
00:26:53.36\00:26:55.02
The third match comes
it's a little bit different.
00:26:55.05\00:26:58.90
His opponent is a
little bit bigger,
00:26:58.93\00:27:00.60
a little bit
stronger, more experienced.
00:27:00.63\00:27:03.65
The fight lasted a little
bit longer than the others
00:27:03.68\00:27:07.84
but this opponent got impatient
00:27:07.87\00:27:10.76
and he made a mistake and
the boy was able to pin him
00:27:10.79\00:27:13.14
and he won the third match.
00:27:13.17\00:27:15.65
Excited, he moved on
to the championship round.
00:27:15.68\00:27:18.88
The boy with one arm
stepped into the ring
00:27:18.91\00:27:21.40
and then the goliath
of his opponent steps in.
00:27:21.43\00:27:25.57
Was much bigger, much
stronger, much more experienced,
00:27:25.60\00:27:28.25
he had been
studying judo for years.
00:27:28.28\00:27:29.80
The referee comes into the ring
sees the discrepancy in size,
00:27:29.83\00:27:32.45
he says, whoa, wait a minute.
00:27:32.48\00:27:35.04
He's about to call the fight.
00:27:35.07\00:27:37.16
The judo master comes
out and talks to the referee.
00:27:37.19\00:27:39.15
He says, "You have to
let this fight continue.
00:27:39.18\00:27:40.68
Trust me,
everything will be fine."
00:27:40.71\00:27:43.69
Something in what
the judo master said
00:27:43.72\00:27:45.22
convinced the referee. He
said, "Okay, let's do it."
00:27:45.25\00:27:49.53
The match continues.
00:27:49.56\00:27:51.28
Begins and it was
a very tough fight.
00:27:51.31\00:27:54.38
The boy was knocked around
00:27:54.41\00:27:56.99
and the fight
dragged on and on and on
00:27:57.02\00:27:58.73
but this goliath this
opponent couldn't pin him.
00:27:58.76\00:28:01.74
And he is getting frustrated.
00:28:01.77\00:28:03.14
He is like how can this boy,
this little boy with one arm,
00:28:03.17\00:28:05.18
how can I not pin this kid?
00:28:05.21\00:28:08.57
So he got impatient
and he made a mistake.
00:28:08.60\00:28:11.57
And the boy was able to pin him
with the only move that he knew
00:28:11.60\00:28:15.60
and he was a champion.
00:28:15.63\00:28:19.70
Walking out of the door,
joy, carrying the trophy,
00:28:19.73\00:28:22.92
they get in the car,
they are driving home
00:28:22.95\00:28:24.32
and he gets up, the boy
has to muster up courage
00:28:24.35\00:28:26.36
again to ask the Sensei.
00:28:26.39\00:28:28.56
"Sensei, how did I
win this tournament?
00:28:28.59\00:28:31.09
I only know one move."
00:28:31.12\00:28:35.01
The wise sensei looks at him,
00:28:35.04\00:28:36.41
he says, "You
won for two reasons.
00:28:36.44\00:28:39.49
Number 1, you have
almost completed mastered
00:28:39.52\00:28:43.71
the most difficult
throw in all of judo.
00:28:43.74\00:28:47.36
And number 2, the
only defense for that move
00:28:47.39\00:28:51.13
is if your opponent
were to grab your left arm."
00:28:51.16\00:28:57.45
You see, Jesus Christ wants
to use the trials in our life
00:28:57.48\00:29:03.86
to give us victory
over the sin in our lives.
00:29:03.89\00:29:08.01
Just as the plant
cannot be benefited
00:29:23.70\00:29:29.17
from the sun
without a deep root system,
00:29:29.20\00:29:33.99
we cannot benefit
from the trials in our life
00:29:34.02\00:29:36.25
if we don't get out the stones
of selfishness that are there.
00:29:36.28\00:29:40.55
The stones that are preventing
the seed from going deep,
00:29:40.58\00:29:45.06
from giving us that deep
conviction of the Holy Spirit,
00:29:45.09\00:29:48.03
we cannot have that if we
have these stones of selfishness
00:29:48.06\00:29:51.07
under the thin layer of soil
00:29:51.10\00:29:52.92
that is able to
receive that seed.
00:29:52.95\00:29:54.50
I think if plants were conscious
00:29:57.93\00:29:59.35
they sure would appreciate
the sun, wouldn't they?
00:29:59.38\00:30:04.10
How much do we appreciate
the trials in our life?
00:30:04.13\00:30:07.17
This is precisely why
James says in his epistle
00:30:10.46\00:30:13.29
in the first
chapter starting in verse 2,
00:30:13.32\00:30:15.71
"Brethren, count it all to joy
00:30:15.74\00:30:17.64
when you fall
into various trials,
00:30:17.67\00:30:19.88
for the testing of your
faith produces patience.
00:30:19.91\00:30:24.30
And let patience
have its perfect work,
00:30:24.33\00:30:25.90
that you might be
perfect, lacking nothing."
00:30:25.93\00:30:29.73
We need to see these trials
as a joy because know that,
00:30:29.76\00:30:32.79
that is God's chosen
tool for developing us
00:30:32.82\00:30:35.55
into the likeness of His Son.
00:30:35.58\00:30:36.95
Brothers and sisters, I
don't necessarily need to tell
00:30:42.99\00:30:45.26
this congregation this but
there is going to come a time,
00:30:45.29\00:30:49.34
I think very soon.
00:30:49.37\00:30:51.93
We are bible
believing Christians.
00:30:51.96\00:30:57.56
We have to choose between
following of thus saith the Lord
00:30:57.59\00:31:00.47
in the principles that
are taught in the Bible,
00:31:00.50\00:31:03.48
or the
prerogative to buy and sell.
00:31:03.51\00:31:08.16
And you can read all about
it in Revelation 13:16, 17.
00:31:08.19\00:31:13.04
This is going to
happen before Christ returns.
00:31:13.07\00:31:17.69
I just had my first son, my
first child three months ago.
00:31:17.72\00:31:23.93
And from what I understand,
00:31:23.96\00:31:25.33
there could come
point in my lifetime
00:31:25.36\00:31:28.04
where I have to
choose between following
00:31:28.07\00:31:29.95
the principles of God's
Word or buying food my son.
00:31:29.98\00:31:34.12
Now I can't think of a
more intense trial than that.
00:31:37.51\00:31:41.41
If I don't get the stones of
selfishness out of my heart now
00:31:45.01\00:31:50.21
that are preventing my
deep spiritual root system.
00:31:50.24\00:31:53.91
If I don't get
out those stones now,
00:31:53.94\00:31:58.89
there is no way
that I'm going to stand
00:31:58.92\00:32:01.00
in the face of that
kind of trial in the future.
00:32:01.03\00:32:03.81
People might say listen I know
what the end time scenario is,
00:32:06.89\00:32:10.20
I know how Christ
is going to return,
00:32:10.23\00:32:11.65
I know who the Antichrist is,
00:32:11.68\00:32:13.06
I know what the mark of
the beast is going to be,
00:32:13.09\00:32:16.52
so when all of this stuff starts
to go down I will just avoid it,
00:32:16.55\00:32:19.38
and I'll do the right thing.
00:32:19.41\00:32:20.78
It doesn't work that way.
00:32:23.66\00:32:25.50
No mere intellectual ascent to
00:32:25.53\00:32:27.69
what the truth is is
going to save anyone.
00:32:27.72\00:32:31.17
It is only having that
deep spiritual root system
00:32:31.20\00:32:38.02
to have access to the moisture,
00:32:38.05\00:32:40.81
the Holy Sprit that
we will be able to stand
00:32:40.84\00:32:44.40
in the face of
a trial like that.
00:32:44.43\00:32:49.81
The stones of
selfishness need to go.
00:32:49.84\00:32:52.21
Moving on,
Matthew 13:22, says this
00:32:59.10\00:33:04.68
"Now he who received
seed among the thorns
00:33:04.71\00:33:06.84
is he who hears the word,
00:33:06.87\00:33:08.86
and the cares of this world
and the deceitfulness of riches
00:33:08.89\00:33:12.72
choke the word, and
he becomes unfruitful."
00:33:12.75\00:33:17.33
In a parallel account in Luke,
00:33:17.36\00:33:18.87
it also mentions the pleasures
of this life so the pleasures,
00:33:18.90\00:33:23.07
the riches and the
cares of this world
00:33:23.10\00:33:25.83
can choke out our
experience with God.
00:33:25.86\00:33:28.51
Many people start to
hear the spiritual crickets
00:33:33.08\00:33:38.42
but then they just turn
up the volume on the world.
00:33:38.45\00:33:40.80
Many people have
simply cut off the tops
00:33:47.08\00:33:51.43
of the pleasure
weeds in their lives.
00:33:51.46\00:33:56.17
I just recently
bought my first house.
00:33:56.20\00:33:58.77
You know I feel
like a real adult.
00:33:58.80\00:34:00.97
Now I have my own mower
00:34:01.00\00:34:02.40
and I have my own
lawn, I have to mow.
00:34:02.43\00:34:05.69
So this past summer, you know,
00:34:05.72\00:34:07.67
it started to get weeds
in the sod that I just laid.
00:34:07.70\00:34:09.84
I was like, okay.
00:34:09.87\00:34:11.27
When I was in high
school, I just motor ride
00:34:11.30\00:34:12.83
over those
things and that was it.
00:34:12.86\00:34:16.60
But now that it's
my own lawn, you know,
00:34:16.63\00:34:18.65
I kind of take extra care in,
you know, what it looks like.
00:34:18.68\00:34:23.44
And so what I noticed is that
00:34:23.47\00:34:24.84
when I just mow over
those weeds, what happens?
00:34:24.87\00:34:28.78
They come back and
usually they bring some friends.
00:34:28.81\00:34:33.80
See it's not just enough to just
chop off the tops of the weeds
00:34:33.83\00:34:39.88
or to just chop off the
appearance of the weeds.
00:34:39.91\00:34:46.02
We have to
sincerely ask ourselves,
00:34:46.05\00:34:49.51
are we uprooting these
weeds so they don't come back?
00:34:49.54\00:34:52.18
Riches, money is a tricky thing.
00:34:57.83\00:35:02.64
In our society,
we need money to live
00:35:02.67\00:35:05.20
to buy the necessities of life.
00:35:05.23\00:35:09.56
The Bible says that,
00:35:09.59\00:35:11.89
"It is easier for a camel to
go through the eye of a needle
00:35:11.92\00:35:14.88
than for a rich man to
inherit the kingdom of heaven."
00:35:14.91\00:35:18.23
Praise the Lord,
then he says after that
00:35:18.26\00:35:19.63
all things are
possible through Christ.
00:35:19.66\00:35:25.55
And by the way, I heard a
statistic not too long ago
00:35:25.58\00:35:29.79
that if you have
an outfit of clothes,
00:35:29.82\00:35:35.16
enough food to eat everyday
and a roof over your head,
00:35:35.19\00:35:39.16
then you are richer
than 75% of the entire world.
00:35:39.19\00:35:44.98
So when you think riches don't
think palaces and fancy cars.
00:35:45.01\00:35:50.98
Chances are if you live in
North America, you are rich.
00:35:54.17\00:35:59.69
So these riches can choke
out our experience with God
00:35:59.72\00:36:02.49
and it's very interesting that
the pleasures of life especially
00:36:02.52\00:36:07.99
in North
America here are usually
00:36:08.02\00:36:10.76
what casus the
deceitfulness of riches.
00:36:10.79\00:36:13.98
Hollywood tells us that
the American dream is to
00:36:14.01\00:36:17.12
work really hard to
get a good paying job,
00:36:17.15\00:36:19.27
so that you can give your kids
everything that you didn't have
00:36:19.30\00:36:21.59
and then you can
provide yourself with everything
00:36:21.62\00:36:23.29
you didn't have,
when you were young.
00:36:23.32\00:36:24.86
It's all about
more and more and more,
00:36:24.89\00:36:26.44
getting stuff, getting
stuff and getting stuff,
00:36:26.47\00:36:31.63
so the two play off one another
the deceitfulness of riches
00:36:31.66\00:36:34.93
and the pleasures of this life.
00:36:34.96\00:36:40.81
A wise man once said
that the standard of wealth
00:36:40.84\00:36:44.37
is not how much
money someone has,
00:36:44.40\00:36:47.01
but how much one
can live without.
00:36:47.04\00:36:51.56
How much can we live without?
00:36:51.59\00:36:52.96
The cares of this
world, in the NASB
00:36:58.81\00:37:03.78
that word cares is
translated as worry.
00:37:03.81\00:37:07.38
Worry can choke out our
experience with God as well.
00:37:07.41\00:37:11.45
A family member of mine
gave her heart to the Lord
00:37:11.48\00:37:15.39
through the
witness of my mother.
00:37:15.42\00:37:18.13
She started coming to church,
she's eventually baptized,
00:37:18.16\00:37:21.63
she came to church every week
00:37:21.66\00:37:23.26
and brought her
children every week to church
00:37:23.29\00:37:26.12
and she was
thrilled about the things
00:37:26.15\00:37:27.52
that she was
learning and the changes
00:37:27.55\00:37:28.92
that were occurring in her life.
00:37:28.95\00:37:31.30
Her husband on the
other was not so thrilled.
00:37:31.33\00:37:34.59
Even though this man
didn't attend a church himself,
00:37:34.62\00:37:37.16
he didn't like that she wasn't
going to a main stream church.
00:37:37.19\00:37:41.80
He had issues with her
giving 10% of her paycheck away.
00:37:41.83\00:37:48.28
And this caused
significant worry in her life.
00:37:48.31\00:37:54.90
In her eyes, there was
either save her marriage
00:37:54.93\00:37:58.74
or do what the Bible says.
00:37:58.77\00:38:02.21
She didn't realize
there's always the third option
00:38:02.24\00:38:04.59
and that's do what
Christ would have you to do.
00:38:04.62\00:38:08.87
Eventually, she succumbed to
the harassment of her husband.
00:38:08.90\00:38:15.26
She slowly
stopped coming to church
00:38:15.29\00:38:16.77
until she didn't come at all.
00:38:16.80\00:38:21.25
And it wasn't
much longer after that,
00:38:21.28\00:38:26.15
that she began to
feel a hole in her.
00:38:26.18\00:38:28.24
You all know here
today I don't need to tell
00:38:28.27\00:38:30.27
before you come to Christ or
if you fall away from Christ,
00:38:30.30\00:38:33.84
there's a hole
inside of your heart.
00:38:33.87\00:38:37.44
The famous mathematician
and Christian apologist,
00:38:37.47\00:38:39.51
Blaise Pascal said,
00:38:39.54\00:38:41.00
"There is a God-shaped
hole in the heart of every man
00:38:41.03\00:38:45.13
that can be only be filled
00:38:45.16\00:38:46.53
through the
knowledge of Jesus Christ."
00:38:46.56\00:38:49.67
So when this family
member of mine went away
00:38:49.70\00:38:51.95
from the church that
hole started to open up
00:38:51.98\00:38:53.96
and it's started to get
bigger and it started to ache.
00:38:53.99\00:38:57.77
And her marriage and her family
00:38:57.80\00:38:59.17
wasn't even going
to be able to fill it.
00:38:59.20\00:39:00.57
So she started looking
for other things to fill it
00:39:03.65\00:39:06.86
and she went to another man.
00:39:06.89\00:39:08.26
To show you how
deceitful the devil is.
00:39:12.75\00:39:14.72
Her husband started to
know what was going on,
00:39:17.89\00:39:21.50
he called my mother
and he asked my mother
00:39:21.53\00:39:25.31
if she thought she would be able
00:39:25.34\00:39:28.10
to get his wife
to go back to church.
00:39:28.13\00:39:32.82
But it was too late.
00:39:32.85\00:39:35.92
The worry of this life can choke
out our experience with God.
00:39:35.95\00:39:43.74
There's people in your
life that are close to you,
00:39:43.77\00:39:50.57
that are trying to take you away
00:39:50.60\00:39:51.97
from what you know to
be true from God's Word.
00:39:52.00\00:39:55.47
Do them a favor and
stick to what God's Word says.
00:39:55.50\00:39:58.03
The good ground
says this in verse 15,
00:40:06.01\00:40:10.36
it said in Luke 8:15.
00:40:10.39\00:40:13.38
It says, "But the ones that fell
00:40:13.41\00:40:14.86
on the good
ground are those who,
00:40:14.89\00:40:16.38
having heard the word
with a noble and good heart,
00:40:16.41\00:40:20.31
keep it and bear
fruit with patience."
00:40:20.34\00:40:23.79
They keep it and bear that
seed to fruit with patience.
00:40:26.93\00:40:31.86
Did anyone see a
problem with this verse?
00:40:34.93\00:40:38.87
It says, "Having heard the word
with a noble and good heart."
00:40:38.90\00:40:42.20
Go with me to Jeremiah 17:9.
00:40:42.23\00:40:45.00
and I'll see if you can see
the problem with this verse.
00:40:45.03\00:40:47.60
Jeremiah 17:9.
00:40:50.41\00:40:55.70
Jeremiah 17:9 says this,
00:40:55.73\00:40:57.59
"The heart is
deceitful above all things,
00:40:57.62\00:41:00.08
and desperately
wicked, who can know it?"
00:41:00.11\00:41:04.76
Problem, this verse
here the good ground,
00:41:04.79\00:41:07.22
we get to the good ground.
00:41:07.25\00:41:08.88
Praise the Lord,
there's people with hearts
00:41:08.91\00:41:10.72
that are ready
to receive the word.
00:41:10.75\00:41:13.08
The good soil,
but it says that those
00:41:13.11\00:41:17.52
who having heard the word
with a noble and good heart,
00:41:17.55\00:41:20.54
keep it and bear
fruit with patience.
00:41:20.57\00:41:23.66
What's the problem?
00:41:23.69\00:41:26.07
It says that those
with a noble and good heart.
00:41:26.10\00:41:27.70
But we see in Jeremiah that
our hearts are far from that.
00:41:27.73\00:41:33.90
So what is our
solution to this problem?
00:41:33.93\00:41:37.22
We don't have the
heart that is noble
00:41:37.25\00:41:39.08
and good to receive the seed.
00:41:39.11\00:41:44.89
So what's the solution?
00:41:44.92\00:41:48.70
Can soil change itself?
00:41:48.73\00:41:52.63
No, can it water
itself or fertilize itself?
00:41:52.66\00:41:57.08
No.
00:41:57.11\00:41:59.14
Just as the soil
cannot change itself,
00:41:59.17\00:42:03.91
we cannot make our
hearts soft like soil.
00:42:03.94\00:42:09.73
We need to pray a
prayer like David did.
00:42:09.76\00:42:13.00
In Psalm 51:10 when he said,
00:42:13.03\00:42:14.76
"Create in me a
clean heart, Oh, God,
00:42:14.79\00:42:18.00
and renew a right
spirit within me."
00:42:18.03\00:42:24.09
Only then will the
work of the tilling
00:42:24.12\00:42:27.04
and the throwing
out of the stones
00:42:27.07\00:42:29.94
and the weeding be
able to start to begin.
00:42:29.97\00:42:32.41
So we have a problem.
00:42:37.76\00:42:40.75
You know I can sit up
here and appeal to you
00:42:40.78\00:42:46.81
about all of the
individual stones,
00:42:46.84\00:42:50.50
the individual
weeds in your life.
00:42:50.53\00:42:53.18
There are specific
individual stones and weeds
00:42:53.21\00:42:56.39
and I hope you're thinking
about those things right now.
00:42:56.42\00:42:58.63
But the wayside hearers,
the stony ground hearers,
00:43:02.99\00:43:06.56
the thorny ground hearers,
00:43:06.59\00:43:09.40
all have a
variation of the same problem.
00:43:09.43\00:43:14.98
As I mentioned
before, all sin is, what?
00:43:15.01\00:43:19.19
Selfishness. All
sin is selfishness.
00:43:19.22\00:43:24.84
The wayside hearer is
completely egocentric,
00:43:32.35\00:43:37.67
totally focused on
his or her circumstances.
00:43:37.70\00:43:42.27
Shutting out all
spiritual messages
00:43:42.30\00:43:46.35
like the disciples
who heard the message
00:43:46.38\00:43:51.24
but didn't want
to understand it.
00:43:51.27\00:43:52.68
Ask yourself today, is God
trying to tell you something?
00:43:57.43\00:44:02.56
Does He sit you
down on a regular basis
00:44:02.59\00:44:04.67
and plead with you, let these
words sink down into your ears?
00:44:04.70\00:44:12.08
There might be
something in your life today
00:44:12.11\00:44:17.34
that you've heard about,
00:44:17.37\00:44:19.14
that your conscious
has been pricked about,
00:44:19.17\00:44:22.07
but that you've
hardened your heart too.
00:44:22.10\00:44:23.67
Because you don't
like where it's going,
00:44:23.70\00:44:26.87
you don't like the changes
00:44:26.90\00:44:28.27
that you know you
would have to make,
00:44:28.30\00:44:29.67
if you went there
and really understood
00:44:29.70\00:44:32.73
the message that God is
trying to plant in your heart.
00:44:32.76\00:44:35.56
The stony ground here,
00:44:43.57\00:44:46.42
we talked it before has a thin
layer of soil on top of stones.
00:44:46.45\00:44:50.95
So this thin layer of soil,
it's able to receive the seed.
00:44:54.42\00:44:59.79
The Bible says that, that
seed springs up immediately.
00:44:59.82\00:45:04.22
And for our all
intents and purposes,
00:45:04.25\00:45:05.62
it looks just
like another plant,
00:45:05.65\00:45:08.29
one that has the
deep root system.
00:45:08.32\00:45:12.28
But when that blazing hot trial
00:45:12.31\00:45:14.15
of the sun
comes, it withers away.
00:45:14.18\00:45:18.18
There's stones in
lots of our lives,
00:45:27.53\00:45:30.68
stones of selfishness.
00:45:30.71\00:45:32.63
Things that are preventing us
00:45:32.66\00:45:34.03
from having a deeper
relationship with Christ,
00:45:34.06\00:45:39.70
that thin layer of the soil
00:45:39.73\00:45:41.74
on top of those
stones of selfishness
00:45:41.77\00:45:43.99
are our good
intentions to follow the Lord.
00:45:44.02\00:45:51.89
So that seed if it's
in the optimal environment
00:45:51.92\00:45:55.97
is able to grow in that
thin layer of good intentions.
00:45:56.00\00:46:01.07
When there's no
trials and nothing going on
00:46:01.10\00:46:03.35
in the immediate
vicinity of that seed,
00:46:03.38\00:46:07.18
no storms of the
life, no blazing hot sun,
00:46:07.21\00:46:10.43
that seed is able to germinate.
00:46:10.46\00:46:11.92
Even though, it
doesn't go in deep
00:46:11.95\00:46:13.32
into the soil and it shoots up.
00:46:13.35\00:46:15.11
If we don't
take out these stones
00:46:23.28\00:46:25.88
that are preventing the
roots from going deep down
00:46:25.91\00:46:29.60
to the moisture
of the Holy Spirit,
00:46:29.63\00:46:34.54
you can guarantee
that you will wither away,
00:46:34.57\00:46:36.44
when the trials come.
00:46:36.47\00:46:39.64
Whether it's a more
minor trial sometime this week
00:46:39.67\00:46:45.95
or whether it's somewhat major
trial just before Jesus returns.
00:46:45.98\00:46:50.44
We cannot withstand trials
00:46:50.47\00:46:55.81
if we don't have
a firm established
00:46:55.84\00:46:59.16
root system with God.
00:46:59.19\00:47:01.73
And finally these
thorny ground hearers,
00:47:08.08\00:47:15.33
while they receive the seed
00:47:15.36\00:47:20.60
they refuse toallow
pet sins to be uprooted.
00:47:20.63\00:47:24.42
And they allow the thorns
and the weeds to choke out
00:47:30.03\00:47:34.42
their experience with God.
00:47:34.45\00:47:35.82
So what's the solution?
00:47:46.60\00:47:50.26
As I said before, we
all have specific weeds
00:47:50.29\00:47:52.89
and stones in our life.
00:47:52.92\00:47:55.11
But every single
one of those stones,
00:47:55.14\00:47:56.51
every single one of those
weeds has an underlying cause
00:47:56.54\00:48:00.61
and that cause is selfishness.
00:48:00.64\00:48:02.48
"All have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God."
00:48:06.89\00:48:10.41
Every one of us
has had selfishness,
00:48:10.44\00:48:12.50
or has selfishness in our lives
that needs to be taken out,
00:48:12.53\00:48:19.47
before we can have a true
deep relationship with Christ.
00:48:19.50\00:48:23.83
So there is a solution.
00:48:29.01\00:48:30.59
It's a very practical solution
to this problem of selfishness.
00:48:30.62\00:48:35.61
This problem that is ensnaring
almost everyone on this planet,
00:48:35.64\00:48:39.57
everyone on this planet
has some hint of selfishness
00:48:39.60\00:48:43.13
to varying degrees,
that's keeping us from a further
00:48:43.16\00:48:45.71
and deeper
relationship with God.
00:48:45.74\00:48:47.27
I'm going to read a quote
from the very powerful book
00:48:51.45\00:48:55.90
called
"Christ's Object Lessons."
00:48:55.93\00:49:00.86
And if you
listen very carefully,
00:49:00.89\00:49:04.61
if you have ears to hear,
00:49:04.64\00:49:08.70
if you let these things
sink down into your ears,
00:49:08.73\00:49:15.24
you'll be able to see
the inspired prescription
00:49:15.27\00:49:21.53
for the cure of selfishness.
00:49:21.56\00:49:23.36
I'm not going to
leave you hanging today.
00:49:27.20\00:49:29.99
I'm not just going to
point out the problems
00:49:30.02\00:49:35.74
and simply say, oh, we just need
to pray about it, which is true.
00:49:35.77\00:49:38.31
We do need to pray about,
that's where we need to start.
00:49:38.34\00:49:43.72
We need to start
for the willingness,
00:49:43.75\00:49:45.37
pray for the willingness
to chuck out the stones.
00:49:45.40\00:49:49.22
Pray for the willingness
00:49:49.25\00:49:51.78
to uproot not just
hack off the weeds.
00:49:51.81\00:49:54.52
But there's something even
more practical that we can do,
00:49:57.28\00:50:00.91
we have a part to play.
00:50:00.94\00:50:02.55
I'm going to read this
quote. Listen very carefully.
00:50:08.30\00:50:11.68
Let these words
sink down into ears,
00:50:11.71\00:50:13.54
and be listening
for this inspired
00:50:13.57\00:50:15.93
prescription for selfishness.
00:50:15.96\00:50:20.50
It says this,
00:50:20.53\00:50:23.51
"At the very outset,
of the Christian life
00:50:23.54\00:50:26.94
every believer should be taught
its foundational principles.
00:50:26.97\00:50:33.73
He should be taught
that he is not merely
00:50:33.76\00:50:35.77
to be saved by
Christ's sacrifice,
00:50:35.80\00:50:37.94
but that he is to
make the life of Christ his
00:50:37.97\00:50:41.78
and the character of
Christ his character.
00:50:41.81\00:50:44.17
Let all be taught that
they are to bear burdens
00:50:48.28\00:50:52.26
and to deny natural inclination.
00:50:52.29\00:50:57.09
Let them learn the blessedness
of working for Christ,
00:50:57.12\00:51:00.76
following Him in self-denial,
00:51:00.79\00:51:03.05
and enduring
hardness as good soldiers.
00:51:03.08\00:51:05.46
Let them learn to trust His love
and to cast on Him their cares.
00:51:08.58\00:51:13.53
Let them taste the joy
of winning souls for Him.
00:51:16.79\00:51:19.23
In their love and
interest for the lost,
00:51:22.26\00:51:27.65
they will lose sight of self.
00:51:27.68\00:51:30.75
The pleasures of the world
will lose their power to attract
00:51:33.10\00:51:36.61
and its burdens to dishearten.
00:51:36.64\00:51:39.98
The plowshare of
truth will do its work.
00:51:40.01\00:51:43.07
It will break up
the fallow ground.
00:51:43.10\00:51:47.01
It will not merely cut
off the tops of the thorns,
00:51:47.04\00:51:51.93
but will take
them out by the roots."
00:51:51.96\00:51:54.29
Did you hear the prescription?
00:51:57.88\00:51:59.25
What is the
prescription for selfishness?
00:52:03.53\00:52:05.38
I'll read it you one more time.
00:52:08.18\00:52:09.55
It says, "In their love
and interest for the lost,
00:52:14.65\00:52:21.36
they will lose sight of self."
00:52:21.39\00:52:26.14
There it is.
00:52:26.17\00:52:27.54
The practical prescription
for eradicating the selfishness
00:52:27.57\00:52:31.28
that's choking out
our experience with God,
00:52:31.31\00:52:34.72
the inspired prescription
00:52:34.75\00:52:37.18
for taking out
the shovel of faith,
00:52:37.21\00:52:40.23
and digging out those
stones that are preventing us
00:52:40.26\00:52:42.56
from having the spiritual
root system that we need.
00:52:42.59\00:52:45.80
The divine prescription
for eradicating selfishness
00:52:45.83\00:52:50.98
is our interest and
our love for the lost.
00:52:51.01\00:52:53.94
You see
00:53:01.66\00:53:03.03
there is nothing we
can do in and of ourselves
00:53:09.09\00:53:11.31
to change our hearts.
00:53:18.17\00:53:19.54
It is only by reaching
out to those around you.
00:53:24.57\00:53:26.91
How many of you
have had ears to hear
00:53:30.14\00:53:32.71
the invitations that
God has been giving you
00:53:32.74\00:53:36.24
to reach out to your neighbor?
00:53:36.27\00:53:37.64
How many of you have heard
00:53:41.97\00:53:44.52
that still small
voice like a cricket
00:53:44.55\00:53:50.51
over the noise of your life?
00:53:50.54\00:53:51.91
That still small voice is
calling out to each person here
00:53:54.35\00:53:57.36
and calling out to me
00:53:57.39\00:54:02.51
to pray that we
could have the love
00:54:02.54\00:54:04.40
and interest for the lost
that we need in our lives,
00:54:04.43\00:54:08.58
if we are to have
that spiritual root system,
00:54:13.23\00:54:16.20
if we are not to be choked
out by the weeds in our life.
00:54:16.23\00:54:20.03
It's been said that Plato
00:54:34.31\00:54:40.57
had a student ask him,
00:54:40.60\00:54:43.05
"Teacher, how is
it that I can obtain
00:54:43.08\00:54:46.08
the knowledge that you have?
00:54:46.11\00:54:48.68
How is it that I can attain
00:54:48.71\00:54:50.08
the
enlightenment that you have?"
00:54:50.11\00:54:54.76
Then Plato said,
"Well, come with me."
00:54:54.79\00:54:58.44
And he brings
him down to the river
00:54:58.47\00:54:59.84
and Plato wades
out into the river
00:54:59.87\00:55:01.27
and he says, "Come down to me."
00:55:01.30\00:55:04.89
So the student thought,
this is kind of strange,
00:55:04.92\00:55:06.40
but he wades down into
the river and he says, okay.
00:55:06.43\00:55:11.72
Plato says, put your
self under the water.
00:55:11.75\00:55:16.09
So he thought it
was an interesting
00:55:16.12\00:55:18.32
answer to his question.
00:55:18.35\00:55:19.89
So he put
himself under the water.
00:55:19.92\00:55:23.06
Plato, then put his hand
on top of his student's head
00:55:23.09\00:55:26.71
and held him there.
00:55:26.74\00:55:29.29
After 30 seconds or so, the
student started to struggle.
00:55:29.32\00:55:35.11
And he's trying to get up,
00:55:35.14\00:55:36.69
but he could not
escape his teacher's grip.
00:55:36.72\00:55:41.78
Just as the student
started to stop struggling,
00:55:41.81\00:55:47.52
started to go limp,
Plato took his hand off.
00:55:47.55\00:55:52.22
The student
jumped out of the water
00:55:52.25\00:55:54.53
and was breathing very heavily.
00:55:54.56\00:55:57.57
And Plato looked at
his student and he said,
00:55:57.60\00:56:01.57
"The moment that you desire
knowledge and enlightenment
00:56:01.60\00:56:08.44
as much as you did to breathe
the air you just breathed,
00:56:08.47\00:56:13.85
that is when
you will receive it.
00:56:13.88\00:56:15.50
Jesus said a very similar
thing, He said in Matthew 5,
00:56:18.00\00:56:22.07
"Blessed are those who hunger
00:56:22.10\00:56:23.75
and thirst for righteousness
sake, for they will be filled."
00:56:23.78\00:56:28.08
There's problems in your life.
00:56:32.21\00:56:33.58
There's things that
you know are keeping you
00:56:37.46\00:56:38.83
from a deeper
relationship with God.
00:56:38.86\00:56:40.29
We've seen the prescription
for taking those things away.
00:56:44.50\00:56:50.63
Let's pray.
00:56:55.55\00:56:57.82
Father in heaven,
I just pray tonight
00:56:57.85\00:56:59.58
that You would
give us ears to hear.
00:56:59.61\00:57:02.19
Let this seed fall
on good ground, Lord.
00:57:02.22\00:57:04.57
Let us hear your
message and realize
00:57:07.49\00:57:09.55
that we all have a
variation of the same problem.
00:57:09.58\00:57:12.09
That problem is selfishness.
00:57:12.12\00:57:13.58