Sermon 4-10-11

THE KIND OF PEOPLE YOU WON’T FIND IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Mark 4:1-9, 13-20

One of the issues that comes up often in the life of a church, pastor, and those who are genuinely trying to minister is “why aren’t the people responding? Why did no one come forward at the invitation, why was the visitation team not well received by the peopel they visited? Why has my child continued to ignore my conversations with them about Jesus?”

No doubt some of Jesus’ disciples were beginning to ask the same things. We have taught, healed, cast out demons, and yet our numbers aren’t significantly growing. The truth was and still is today that many will gather to hear Jesus but few will follow Him.

The Good news in that and that we should see in this parable is that while many may not follow Christ, some will and that number will do nothing but grow as the years go by.

Vs. 2 - “parables” - An earthly story with a heavenly meaning? Sure but its more...according to Dr. Danny Akin...

1) Parables provide insight into the nature, coming, growth, and fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.

2) Parables are by design intended to be thought provoking and surprising. They have a way of sneaking up on us.

3) Parables are used to stimulate thinking and cause the hearer to carefully contemplate what they ar hearing.

4) Parables use everyday objects, events, and circumstances to illustrate spiritual truth usually with a new turn or twist.

5) Parables reveal more to those with receptive ears and hides truth from those with dull ears.

6) Ultimately parables draw attention to Jesus as God’s Messiah and call us to make a personal decision concerning Him.

I. Rejected the Invitation Into the Kingdom of God (vs. 1-9)

Vs. 3-9 is called the Parable of the Seed / Sower

Cultural context: hold seed in apron with one hand and broadcast with the other. The seed sown would then be plowed under.

In this parable the seed is of course the word of God and more specifically the preaching of the Gospel as the entrance into the Kingdom of God. The soils will be the hearts of the people who respond to the preaching.

Note the different soils the seed lands on:

-Path (wayside)

-Rocky Ground

-Among Thorns

-Good fertile soil

The point we need to see clearly in this section is that we must sow the seed of the Gospel so that others may hear and respond. Responses will vary and its not our job to take soil samples and then go preach where it is fertile. It is our job to preach and leave the harvest up to God.

-pastor the deadest church, still must preach

-minister in the most pagan city, still must sow

-most spiritually disinterested kids, still must tell

Romans 10:14 - “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

So that there is no misunderstanding...what about those who never have the opportunity to hear the word about Christ and His Kingdom?

1) They are not innocent. They are still condemned b/c they are sinners.

2)They can know some revelation about God (Romans 1).

3) Their plight should increase our urgency to go tell them.

4) If they truly went to heaven for not knowing then our best mission strategy would be to not tell anyone. That was not Jesus’ strategy though was it?

II. Reacted With Their Heart (vs. 13-20)

Jesus now explains the parables. We get insight into how people will respond to the Gospel and from the looks of things there are some who won’t be in the kingdom and we’ll see why...

1. Hard Heart (vs. 4,15)

They heard it, which means they were somewhere listening to someone tell them about Jesus. Satan comes and takes away the seed though. This path represents the hard hearted or tough minded individual.

This is the guy you went to visit and after a couple of minutes he yelled at you to get off his porch. Maybe its the guy who came to church last Sunday and if you talked to him in the parking lot he would say - music too loud, sermon too long, didn’t like what preacher had to say, ready to get my beer, boat, and head to lake so I can really enjoy myself.

This person is totally unresponsive. He quickly dismissed the Word without giving it careful consideration. He has listened to the devil far too long.

2. Shallow Heart (vs. 5-6, 16-17)

Vs. 16 - “Likewise” puts him in same spiritual standing as first heart.

This person heard the word, immediately received it with joy, had no root, endured for a while, but troubles came and they fell away.

This is the one who doesn’t immediately try to escape on Sunday after the sermon is over but instead comes up to me and excitedly says - best sermon I ever heard, needed that, God spoke to me. They may even be so excited they come back on Sunday night and bring a friend. But by Monday...their old friends put pressure on them to return to their old ways, someone laughs at them for being in church, and they are never seen again. [Yea i’ve had a few of those...]

They are easy listeners who make a quick profession of faith, pray a prayer, lift a hand, say a quick yes without considering all that it means.

3. Crowded Heart (vs. 7, 18-19)

They get closer than #1,#2...They heard, received and started to grow but the cares of the world, lure of riches, and desires for things not of God (idolatry) crowd out the word in their heart. When you fill your life with the cares of the world you leave no room for God.

This is the person who has some interest in God but he is letting other things get in his way. He says - lake, working (tired when I’m not), travel on the weekends, etc. This life is more important to them than the life to come. His stuff is more important to him than the Savior. There is no real surrender to Jesus as Lord. He finds more pleasure in wealth and desires than in Jesus.

Matt. 6:24 - “No one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

4. Fruitful Heart (vs. 8, 20)

They hear, accept, bear fruit

Satan was unconvincing, tribulations and persecutions do not deter them, worldly cares and riches do not distract them.

Some are more fruitful than others but they bear fruit nonetheless. There are places around the world in which the Gospel may be more fruitful, some cities and some churches will bear more, some generations may see more saved, but since Christ began to proclaim the Gospel countless millions that can only be numbered in heaven have received the seed and bore fruit. If the Lord tarries millions more will too. As long as the Gospel is being sowed there will be rejections but their will be salvations.

*****

Some will try to figure out how they fit in these parables? Do some of these soils represent lost people, backsliders, does it mean you can lose your salvation? There is debate over this and perhaps trying to apply these questions to this parable is not what our Lord intended. But here is my interpretation:

The first three soils represent lost people. They were never saved and have never been saved even though some may have given that impression.

Matt. 24:13 - “He who endures to the end shall be saved.”

The final soil is obviously the one who is saved and this should offer us assurance of our salvation.

John 15:5- I am the vine you are the branches, He who abides in me and I in Him bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.”