Luke 8:4-15 - SOWERS & SEEDS

We're going to move to after the sermon and it's providential that your pastor asked me to preach this particular passage on seed sower Sunday to as you open your Bibles to Luke chapter 8, please open your bibles are if you have your Bible with you and I need for a few Faithful Men that he's used to teach me this particular topic. The first is evangelist Ray Comfort. He's there on the left and I preach with Ray in Southern California. We've even enjoyed lunch together and though he's author like 80 books and tracts Ray Comfort is best known for to staple sermons. Remember these hell's best kept secret. That's a teaching on the gospel and a message on the subject of true and false conversion. A second man that God is powerful in my life is missionary Paul Washer. I've been blessed by Paul's Ministry for many years. I've shared a meal with him as well. And Paul Washer told me personally was the first to non-negotiable building blocks of Christian Life and Ministry are one the gospel and to true and false conversion. I remember the first time I met Pastor John MacArthur. I know I wasn't allowed to share me with Brother John. I'll just say that straight he did he did. Give me a welcome to Grace Community Church CD. And what was this teaching all about that that John shared with me two things number one. The gospel number to true and false conversion now, I'm not trying to get your attention with something very very important. How can you take a wild guess as to which two topics I will teach here today by God's grace the gospel, which is how we come to be saved and true and false conversion, which really is about how we know that we've been saved. Okay. So first here's the essence of the biblical gospel. The only way by which we're safe. See the gospel is the good news. The good news of God's saving activity in the person and work of Christ. This includes his incarnation in which he took to himself. Cumin nature his sinless life, which fulfilled the perfect law of God is substitution or a death which paid the penalty for man's sin and satisfied the righteous wrath of God his resurrection demonstrating God's satisfaction with his sacrifice and his glorification and his Ascension where he no reins of the Hand of the father and intercedes for his church. That's the gospel and it's only when we respond to that message by from our sin and repentance and turning to Christ in face that we are saved. Now my pastor's heart says just you I hope sincerely that the majority here have heard spiritually have responded to that message to Christ's call to Salvation and are following him. And if you if you are if you are following him, would you please come back tonight to get equipped know and so the receipt of the Gospel with our family and with her friends and all those got his providentially surrounded us with but turning to Luke chapter 8 where we're going to camp now in verse 1 Jesus is the Bible says proclaiming and bringing the good news of the Gospel of the kingdom of God, then versus for 2:15. He teaches true and false conversion know. Why does he do that? Because these are two vital topics that must be understood in context together. Guess that's kind of the setting the table for the sermon. So can we can we stand in unity as I read God's word we all do that to stand for able to do that versus 4 to 8 is where I'm going to be reading. says this and when a great crowd was gathering in people from town after town came to him. He said in a parable of A sower went out to sow a seed and as easy as he sowed some fell along. The path was Trampled Under Foot in the birds of the air devoured it and some fell in the Rock and as it grew up it withered away because it had no moisture and some fell among thorns in the Thorns grew up with it and choked it and some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold as he said these things he called out. He was ears to hear Let Him hear the word of or did you take a seat?

No, Jesus called out really cried out loud postural voice. He has ears to hear Let Him hear.

pointed question Do you have ears to hear the point of this parable? No, I humbly ask you that because it one season of my life. I did not know what I was young in the faith. I just thought this was a sad story about have so many Believers backslide and even with your salvation.

Bible School prof. Taught me that this means this Parable really means that we can expect a 25% success rate in evangelism. I was kind of depressing as an evangelist.

understand this Parable because the warning gives his followers in Mark's version of the same understand this. Will you understand Point understanding this Parable is like a key that unlocks All The Parables. Let me say that again understanding this Parable is the key that unlocks All The Parables and what we will hopefully hear spiritually hear Jesus saying when we listen closely is that when the gospel is preached. There will be several responses from receiving God's word and those responses will yield one of two results true conversion bearing fruit and false conversion or false conversion not bearing fruit. That will hopefully hear again because this Parable is like an answer key for all the Parables thankfully Jesus himself interprets what he says for us in the same chapter. So what we're going to do sort of the panels of this teaching is will learn verses 5 to 8 in white of what he says and verses 11 through 15 case we're going to bounce back and forth. Look at burst 5S or went out to sow his seed. What's the understanding here? Look at burst 11 now the parable is this Jesus the seed is the word of God. So as laborers of the Lord's Harvest we are all seed Sowers who go out underline that right? We go out in the seed is the word of God or the gospel. So you may say a seed sower equals gospel preacher, but that's all of us. That's my sis followers of Christ. And here's the first response to the gospel. If you're taking notes as a little insert for this seed snatched Satan steals it the result of false conversion that bears no fruit. Looking for S5. Some seed fell along the past and was Trampled Under Foot and the birds of the air devoured it now contact is essential to understanding in the days of Jesus walk up and down the field scattering seed in all directions. Again. This is the way the sort of looked it as you did that some seed fell on these surrounded the field and it made it really easy for birds to kind of swoop in and and snatch that seed and eat it eat that exposed seed. So what is he saying is what type of response to God's word is that 12 the ones along the path are those who have heard comes and takes away the word from the heart so that they may not believe And be saved loved ones, please hear just one of God's many warnings about Satan 1st, Peter 5:8 be sober-minded feel the force of this could be your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

Hey, it's like hey Christian. Satan the enemy of your soul is sneaking and seeking to destroy you and your wife and your kids and everything that you love and thank God for I mean, this is pretty serious. This is pretty serious. But if that's true Then why isn't that one starts at Christians about Satan he discovered this 4 out of 10. I'm supposed to Christian strongly agree that Satan is not a living being but is a symbol of evil. Sounds to me like really easy seed to snatch and that's why Paul says to the church in Corinth bosses. I'm afraid but he's fearful of something. What is it that a sleet serpent deceived Eve by his cunning your thoughts Christian. Your thoughts will be Led Led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. So many times over the years as an evangelist. It's a pastor. I've seen these these sad scenarios were desperate and needy people. They blow in they blow up they blow out of church. Having initially receive but then instantly rejected God's word why Glory why because they were deceived but the schemes of Satan over and over and over please do not let that be you here today because as Christians here is God's promise for us at this wash over you and worship 2nd Thessalonians 3:3. The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one Amen to that. Thank you. God hears number to the second response from receiving God's word seed scorched difficulty destroys it what's the result another false conversion? That bears no fruit. for 6 Jesus says here and some seed fell in the Rock and as it grew up it withered away because I have no moisture. No pun sort of intended here marks version goes a bit deeper when the sun rose. It was scorched. We know that the landscape of Palestine was very uneven very Rocky and it was covered by this thin layer of soil picture here is this plant springing up but because it had no roots, it's too shallow. And so really would happen to gets scorched by the Sun and any moisture that's their evaporates and sew the seeds it Withers it dies. So what's the response to God's word? Is that look at verse 13, Jesus says and the ones in the Rock are those who when they hear the word receive it with joy, you've seen it. I've seen it but these have no roots they believe for a while in in the time of testing Fall Away. Other Bible terms for testing include tribulation persecution. Cuz maybe pionono the book God actually promise is all of his true true followers will experience persecution and persecution and difficulty with face actually brings blessing. Jesus says in Matthew Chapter 5 11 and 12 blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and I are all kinds of evil against you falsely. It's key on my account rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Maybe you've heard it said God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life now. That's the truth in that providing that you are definition of God's wonderful plan is biblical very important because considering God's wonderful plan for these ones love of the Lord Philip stoned to death Peter crucified Andrew crucified Matthew beheaded Thomas speared to death James Club do that. John abandoned Paul beheaded know most of us in this room will not be murdered in local missions. Not yet if your kids or grandkids. So what kind of begs the question what might more extreme persecution look like at home? Well, I want a very carefully give you a glimpse with a short video and I want to set this up in a couple ways. Okay. First of all, first of all, I D do assure you that you're not getting sort of bait-and-switch tonight. The majority High majority of training we provide lacrosse current is for personal witness. This is with family with friends because why that's where we spend. Most of our time is not true. So that's why we do that. But because we believe that publicly preaching the gospel is biblical. It's in line with the store Christianity. We also equipped gospel Outreach teams by example for faithful witness in the community together as well. We put together logo teams gospel Outreach teams. Okay. That's my first start of set up a second thing. Your pastor wisely suggested after having seen this little quip here that I'd be very very careful to create significant separation between myself our ministry. And the what I would call unbiblical behavior of these two characters who you probably heard of Steven robbe bar and Matthew car power on London's to famous street Infamous for all the wrong reasons, who knows these guys are they've been here before they've been to our church as well and I do want to be very careful because I personally Tangled with these two more than most and it was got so screwed. So severe that I was invited onto CBC Radio, which is kind of exciting to share personally how why and he makes us different than them than 8 minutes segment. We're going to post it on the the West London Alliance website so you can listen to that yourself, but you watch this is all I ask of you please.

Cory in this clip is he being biblical and is he being loving the contacts here is persecution at home. Can you tell in which city this encounter with evil? What's wrong?

Assert that over their body with that two guys.

How many people know God's word has to be heard faith comes by hearing up. I just seen.

I'm going to get that okay? If we can post that they're on your side as well. You know, it's very helpful. Actually kind of experience with this is like in this guy walks up and I'll let me just kind of going to narrate it for you. So I'm just reaching literally John 3:16 for God so loved the world. He gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. This is the message of hope. This is an actual message of good news, and I've loved and get confronted opposed by someone who is less than excited about what I'm saying and comes out of very aggressively and again will post this on your site so you can watch it for yourself, but they see what happens is that there's a standoff between someone who is just a spectator and says these people bothering you or do we need to call the police, stands up for us, which is very interesting and it was an old picture of a of Edwards back in the day and and there's all these responses to the gospel that we see and that this is really what happened here. But here's the point Jude, you know where that was by chance. Northern China, maybe you know, that's at Richmond and Dundas in London. Now hear my heart that is a far cry a far cry from getting stoned or clubbed for Christ. But I hear this a lot Christian say persecutions coming soon. We have to get missions minded. I would politely say I'm doubtful as to whether you're consistently preaching Christ here at home because I've actually done so by God's grace and many major cities across North America and you know of all the cities Las Vegas, I mean Dallas and Los Angeles and of course and all these places. There's only one city in North America were I've been sucker-punched off a soapbox, you know where it is, London, Ontario, Canada? It's true very true. But sadly there here is really the point in the in the context of the parable sadly in those times of more intense testing many of the Christ followers. I personally trained they disappear they fall away. They have no roots many of those I've preached with are now on blogging forms as atheists. Can you believe that what happened? They did not Embrace Christ call to be content with weaknesses in salt hardships persecutions calamities on why do we do that? Because when we're weak or strong and Christ, amen, okay, here's the third response from receiving God's word. She'd strangled desire depletes it. What's the results yet? Another false conversion the Bears no fruit for 7 and some fell among thorns in the Thorns grew up with it and choked it again in contact seen this happen. If someone see the song thorns and what kind of response to God's word. Is that what was Jesus 7 verse 14 It asked for what fell among the Thorns there are those who hear but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life and their fruit does not mature if you like simple principles trying to kind of distilled down tough truth. I jotted this down materialism chokes maturity materialism chokes maturity, you know, Jesus warns us a lot Christian about being deceived by Richard, you know that he actually talked more about money and possessions and he talked about heaven and hell combined might be pretty serious. You didn't know that I would say as worshippers of Christ in the west. I think we need to really dial into what's being taught here because of those to see by riches. God says this This night your soul is required of you and the things you've prepared. Whose will they be so is the one who weighs up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Personal story hate the story but a pictures of point. Damn name change Dan was the the dude. God used to introduce me to Jesus. And when Dan first heard the word he was excited Dan was baptized right Dan Dan. He was giving he was serving he was on the worship team Dan was right. But then always seem to have one foot in the word or in the face and one foot in the world understands what I mean all the time and as God graciously and only by his grace crew me stronger and stronger in Christ through trials and adversity and difficulty and any was blessing us even at that time. I watched Dan Drift further and further and deeper and deeper into deception into cares in To Riches of the world to the point that today money is his God. It's it it's that simple. Money is his God and today he is so totally antagonistic toward Christ toward Christians that I fear for his soul You. Now by God's grace a short while ago he had a major Health crisis God's been stirring those seeds and we've been watering those seeds but only God brings that increase we know that but the Christian Metal Gods graciously given us a remedy for materialism. You ready for the remedy. We don't like this detective Pikachu today, Corey. I'll never be content. I don't like that. I don't like that football says well alone. And in prison Paul says I have learned in whatever situation prison to be content. I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. I I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger abundance and need I can do here. I can do all things through him who strengthens me wise words as we start to get darker and darker the stage all things through Christ who strengthens me? Okay. Here's the fourth response from receiving God's word. Seed Sprouts God grows it and the result is a true conversion that bears much fruit much fruit and some fell into good soil and grew into this yielded a hundred fold again contacts crop sizes range from about 5 full 215 fold in a silent place right ten folds about average but some exception reports up to a hundred. Response to God's word. Is that represent verse 15 as for that in the good soil. They are those hearing the word hold it fast in an honest and good heart and here it is fruit. with patience bear fruit with patience true converts to Christ bear fruit how much fruit Look at the text again fruit of a hundred fold. true Christians true converse to the faith as born-again believers they bear One might say multiplied proof of true conversion Fruit by the Holy Spirit any any farmers in the room? Anyone know how many seeds are in an apple? broccoli and want to guess you can shut up girlfriends. Good. Yes, what's death row 77210. I pulled these out of an apple last night to those. The seeds in the context of sowing seed. Can I ask another question? How many apples are in a seed?

How many apples are in a seed? That's just a picture of God Sovereign work of sanctification in the lives of all those he truly saves he he will he promises he will bring about multiplied spiritual fruit. That's why Jesus Says by this. My father is glorified.

How Jesus how's your godfather Gore bike that you you us? We bear much fruit. He says and so prove to be my disciples note to self note to self Christian true conversion is confirmed or proven by the fruit bearing of Christ followers, and I'm a positive side. This is how we have that beautiful Assurance of Salvation. There's another way for this content to be taught true and false conversion another angle. The prism is Assurance of Salvation. Okay, what scripture says that salvation is all of God, all of Grace soap true converse are assured of Salvation from the moment of conversion. That's true the cross purchase me salvation. Amen wife. And that means God promises to finish the good work. He has begun. So true converse will also persevere. I know we fail forward get that but will persevere in the face in God's power to Bear much fruit. This is very helpful for me. I did a quick study on this just a sampling of some fruit of truly falling Cry sajjad of these down. Continually growing in love for God and others is that me does this describe me? Does this describe you wanting to share the gospel with the loss? I'm scared to get that but do I want to holding fast to sound Doctrine? Don't you didn't say nothing of sermons to my ears fall off at my holding fast the sound doctor nothing wrong with Sherman's hating sin loving righteousness increasingly displaying the fruit of the spirit. I can share that love joy peace, patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control true, but is it happening? Not just reciting it. See this month January post that fruit and say how's this going to help us with this right? Maybe that's helpful for you, but does any of that describe you?

Do you want it to cure today? Do you want to do because again here this true converse have been born again and totally transformed by God's spirit. So it's not only only they're standing before him that's changed. That's true, but that's not it. Their desires have totally changed as well. I don't want to but how desires differ between true converse and false Converse. Okay that it's pretty helpful. Let's just say that we all went outside and it was Springtime and we found a little caterpillar. Look at that one there. And I and we called him Clark Clark. The caterpillar has a nice ring to it. And and we put Clark in a in a little jar and we all aboard a series of buses. We Convoy down to Toronto to Toronto we go to the CN Tower and and we do this little experiment we take Clark to the top of CN Tower we flip them off. And we say go to church Clark go to small group Clark read your Bible Clark. Clark. How's it going, man? How are the two due to the Christian Life going choir and we just let him go. Can we watch Clarks Splat on Front Street 3 by 5. Wow, so we go down we scrape Clark up and let's just say there's any life left in him and we shove a little Mike and his face is a Car Care. Go. What's car going to say? every second of that don't ever bring me to church again. Don't put that God stuff in front of me or it might be a little less hostile than that. It's okay. Nothing seems to change though, man. Why is the caterpillar song with a do it so natural? however what if we were to allow only God to bring Clark through a metamorphosis, whereby he becomes entirely different creature a new creature and we repeat the same drill same services in small groups across the Toronto skyline Clark now, super Park and we say How'd that go? What does Clark say now? It was amazing. I want to do it again and again and again. Everything that that about that was right? Why because I'm a new creature it felt so right because after being transformed here this what was most unnatural and despised before that becomes because he's a new creature the most natural and enjoyable things I could do wife because he's been changed Supernaut could park to know could he will himself to that point know he's been converted into an entirely different creature with different desires and hopefully it's the same for you. Do you know this no matter how much change you tried to cause in your life to make yourself look and act like a butterfly spiritually dead means spiritually dead. It is a valley of dry bones and only by the word & Spirit of God a supernatural born in experience connect creature become a new creature with God

pray for my wife. She's in the back pray for my wife.

Just consider the deception of false conversion. Maybe you have not heard this presented this way you to know that false converts do have a measure of spirituality. Think about Judas. I mean Judas seemed to be a true convert even had the real christ-follower sort of fooled you remember when Jesus said one would betray him. Even the one who dipped his hand in the bowl. Am I the only one that goes? What is it? How did they not know this? How did I not know this? I mean some just thought that Judas was going to give money to the poor when he actually went to portray Jesus remember that? He had them all fooled.

Jesus Will

You may have family fooled. Have your pastors full of God full? And that's why scripture teaches this that both true and false Congress will stay together inside the church. I used to think of what the world to church no inside the church and God will sort them out in the end of be inside the church and Coach wheat and tares all together in the church in the church. Really? Yeah. I've read about George Whitefield and he discovered this truth way back during the Great Awakening but come on Corey's certainly we've learned from that that harsh testimony of church history. Haven't we are different now, here's the latest local Mission. Stop that was sent my way. Check this out. Apparently 51% of churchgoers. Don't know the Great Commission.

Don't know of the Great Commission now. It's possible for a churchgoer. To not know of the Great Commission is possible for a non hockey player to go to an ice rink. But it's not possible for a true Christian to not know of the Great Commission Now. I know my friend Paul would agree always giving me permission to share this true story because he's been on both sides of that statistic Paul Paul Paul grew up going to a good bible-believing church Paul even graduated from a good Christian School. Check this out. It wasn't until Paul was taught the biblical gospel and true and false conversion during evangelism training like is happening tonight. But he became a Christian for the very first time.

How many people would know I didn't expect that. Can you can you write just make these rash assumptions that everyone wants to come to learn to show their faith or Christians over and over and over and over? This happens. Over and over today today. Paul is a very passionate. He's a he's a born-again follower of Christ. Even faithful equips other people. He's a disciple maker not just a disciple. He was even my preaching partner that video again if we can get that to you pulse been so faithful, but now that I've served four years as a pastor and an evangelist in every size and every stripe of church Paul after pause after Paul after Paul G. I can tell you from experience that the first and greatest need out of Jonathan Edwards is still gospel Ministry George Whitefield inside the church before we go outside. Inside the church before we go outside. We need a Great Awakening in here. Check out the stats of who says they're Christian in Canada. What percentage?

The only one that thinks our country would look different if that were true. Half the people claim to follow Christ really did and that's why I believe with all my heart. This is one of the major major reasons of many why the Lord graciously opening so many doors of opportunity for me to teach the biblical gospel and this message of true and false conversion in virtually every denomination across Canada. And that's like close as we pray. This is also why again, thank you sincerely. So thank you for supporting us prayerfully and and financially as we unify and multiply more churches in the gospel cross can please grab your prayer pack in the way out pray for us when we pray for you. Father God we thank you. That you are actually watching over your word to perform it and that you God you are sovereign over every seed sown. Your son taught us that a man scatters seed on the ground. He sleeps in the seed sprouts and grows, but he knows not how thank you, or as we Faithfully so the seat of your word even as I've done here today, we can rest knowing that it's you and you alone that causes conversion growth and and and fruitfulness in Christ. We also know that by your spirit you give wonderful Assurance to those who are in Christ and I pray that you do that right now. God may your great grace rest upon all aspects of our life and our witness for you. And God finally I do pray for those who are not in Christ who are playing church God you are not playing games. We are not playing games God or me you graciously open their eyes and hearts to the beauty majesty and Glory of your precious son Grant repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. May today be there day of salvation in Jesus name I pray