Sermon 5-22-05 Matthew 13 Parable of the sower
Good dirt is in demand: Had an argument at our house about if there was enough dirt in a particular corner to grow tomatoes.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus is looking for good dirt.
Good news: There is an immediate piece of good news in the story. The seeds of the kingdom go out to everyone. The message goes out to all kinds of soil…bad news is, not all soils receive the message
We see in this parable, Growth is God’s expectation
If you are not growing, you are dead
Parable asks an important question…What kind of soil are you?
Path-hard---mind full of competing thoughts
No theme song for this life, like all kinds of music
Eternity is at stake, have a theme song
Thorny—too much competition for your time
Too busy
Theme song, no time left for you, guess who
Rocky---my soul is hard
Grr…don’t try to tell me anything
Theme song….billy joel, my life….go ahead with your own life
leave me alone
Good soil
Humble, teachable, open
Hears and receives message
Theme song, amazing grace
Which life do you want?
Whoever does not have, even what you have will be taken from him
Parable looks for another question….How can we become good dirt?
1. thorns growing…..leave them….walk away….something will grow in your life, why not let it be the good stuff
2. path or rocky soil, same problem…..too hard
need some good Grinding, some good Breaking
Wind, water
Adversity is a great teacher
Horse is only useful when it is broken
Corn- breaking, grinding makes good bread
John 12:24
John 12:24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Points of tension in your life….don’t fight them. Let them teach you
Sometimes it feels like: I am in a life passage
Gail shehee…passages. Life is one constant passage
Adversity helps you grow, makes you mean or gives you the ability to care
An old maxim: We can't always choose what is going to happen to us in life, but we can always choose how we're going to respond to what has happened in life. In the words of Kierkegaard, "If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger."
CS Lewis: It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: It would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. -C.S. Lewis
If Rock will become dirt….become a teachable spirit
Plants grow automatically, we grow bodily, but not spiritually
Growth takes commitment and a willingness to be vulnerable
Call the spirit of God into your world
Story ends with Good news: God expects a harvest & we get to play
remaining a seed helps no one
How to see a harvest
When you know that your sins are forgiven
1. You don’t have to pretend anymore, no longer offering a pressed,
concocted, guilt laden faith…..genuine, Authentic, relaxed
2. That automatically fills a person with Joy
3. Invitations-are refreshing, freeing, joyful
what kind of soil are you?
Song press on
Good dirt is in demand: Had an argument at our house about if there was enough dirt in a particular corner to grow tomatoes.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus is looking for good dirt.
Good news: There is an immediate piece of good news in the story. The seeds of the kingdom go out to everyone. The message goes out to all kinds of soil…bad news is, not all soils receive the message
We see in this parable, Growth is God’s expectation
If you are not growing, you are dead
Parable asks an important question…What kind of soil are you?
Path-hard---mind full of competing thoughts
No theme song for this life, like all kinds of music
Eternity is at stake, have a theme song
Thorny—too much competition for your time
Too busy
Theme song, no time left for you, guess who
Rocky---my soul is hard
Grr…don’t try to tell me anything
Theme song….billy joel, my life….go ahead with your own life
leave me alone
Good soil
Humble, teachable, open
Hears and receives message
Theme song, amazing grace
Which life do you want?
Whoever does not have, even what you have will be taken from him
Parable looks for another question….How can we become good dirt?
1. thorns growing…..leave them….walk away….something will grow in your life, why not let it be the good stuff
2. path or rocky soil, same problem…..too hard
need some good Grinding, some good Breaking
Wind, water
Adversity is a great teacher
Horse is only useful when it is broken
Corn- breaking, grinding makes good bread
John 12:24
John 12:24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Points of tension in your life….don’t fight them. Let them teach you
Sometimes it feels like: I am in a life passage
Gail shehee…passages. Life is one constant passage
Adversity helps you grow, makes you mean or gives you the ability to care
An old maxim: We can't always choose what is going to happen to us in life, but we can always choose how we're going to respond to what has happened in life. In the words of Kierkegaard, "If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger."
CS Lewis: It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: It would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. -C.S. Lewis
If Rock will become dirt….become a teachable spirit
Plants grow automatically, we grow bodily, but not spiritually
Growth takes commitment and a willingness to be vulnerable
Call the spirit of God into your world
Story ends with Good news: God expects a harvest & we get to play
remaining a seed helps no one
How to see a harvest
When you know that your sins are forgiven
1. You don’t have to pretend anymore, no longer offering a pressed,
concocted, guilt laden faith…..genuine, Authentic, relaxed
2. That automatically fills a person with Joy
3. Invitations-are refreshing, freeing, joyful
what kind of soil are you?
Song press on
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