LUKE 8:4-8 

“GUARDING SOIL

LUKE 8:9-10

Assumptions block connection. 

If you don’t understand the key to the parable, you don’t understand it at all. We can imagine what different people in Jesus’ audience might have thought when He taught this parable with no explanation. The farmer thought, “He’s telling me that I have to be more careful in the way I cast my seed. I guess I have wasted an awful lot.” The politician thought, “He’s telling me that I need to begin a farm education program to help farmers more efficiently cast their seed. This will be a big boost in my reelection campaign.” The newspaper reporter thought, “He’s telling me that there is a big story here about the bird problem and how it affects the farming community. That’s a great idea for a series in the newspaper.” The salesman thought, “He’s encouraging me in my fertilizer sales. Why, I could help that farmer more than he knows if he only used my product.” But none of them could understand the spiritual meaning until Jesus explained the key to them. If you miss the key, you miss the whole parable. If you think the seed represent money, you miss the parable. If you think the seed represents love, you miss the parable. If you think the seed represents hard work, you miss the parable. You can only understand it by understanding the key

WE ROB OURSELVES FROM A CONNECTION WITH GOD WHEN WE ASSUME THE MEANING OF HIS WORD.

‘When they look, they won’t really see.
     When they hear, they won’t understand.”

“Every moment in God’s word is an opportunity to connect” Do you see God’s word in that way or do you see it as a chore or a mystery that you have to figure out on your own. The motivation of our heart towards God’s word is important because Jesus literally tells us it’s the posture of our heart that opens the door to understanding God’s word. Amen?

LUKE 8:11-15 

Every single seed has the ability to produce a huge harvest. 

THE ISSUE IS NOT WITH THE SEED; IT’S WITH THE SOIL. 

THE FOOTPATH

GOD’S WORD + HARD HEART = NO UNDERSTANDING 

THE ROCK

“There was something that they did not have in connection with the spirit of God, who waters the word. When we speak of spiritual dew, we refer to the operation of the Holy Spirit. When we talk of the river of the water of life, we mean those sacred things which come streaming down to us from the throne of God through the working of the Spirit of God.”

GOD’S WORD + STRIVING HEART = NO POWER

THE THORNS

GOD’S WORD + DISTRACTED HEART = STUNTED GROWTH

THE GOOD GROUND

GOD’S WORD + PURE HEART = GROWTH 

GOD’S WORD GROWS IN GUARDED HEART

PROVERBS 4:23 

Check-Heart Status

• Is my heart hard or soft? (Do I really want to understand?) 

• Is my heart dry? (Am I relying on the Holy Spirit’s help or my own?)

• Is my heart choked out? (Am I distracted?) 

• Is my heart pure? (Am I willing to hear, trust, obey, and be patient?) 

“The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?’”

GENESIS 3:1

• Apologetics: reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine

• YOU HAVE AN ENEMY. 
• “IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE IS AND WHY YOU CAN RELY ON IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN ENEMY.”

• “IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE IS AND WHY YOU CAN RELY ON IT BECAUSE 1 PETER 3:15”

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”

1 PETER 3:15 

• GOD WANTS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE HE CREATED.
• PEOPLE IN RELATIONSHIPS SELF-DEFINE.
• 
  
• “You can only be in a relationship with somebody who’s willing to tell you who they are.” 
• IT’S A GOD BOOK, NOT A MAN BOOK. 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

2 TIMOTHY 3:16

“Our mission is to help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus.” - The Bible Project

• WE ARE NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE BIBLE; JESUS IS.

• Historical/Narrative, The Law, Wisdom, Psalms/Poetry, Prophecy, Apocalyptic, Epistle, Gospel.
• IT’S HISTORICALLY ACCURATE.

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,[a] with five covered porches.”

JOHN 5:1

• “We learn that Jesus was a wise man who did surprising feats, taught many, won over many followers from among Jews and Greeks, was believed to be the Messiah, was accused by the Jewish leaders, was condemned to be crucified by Pilate, and was considered to be resurrected.”- Josephus (Jewish Historian) 

• “Nero inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class… called Christians. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate.” -Tacitus (Roman Historian)

• IT’S THE MOST RELIABLE. 
• “The New Testament is humanities most reliable document.”

IT’S PROPHETICALLY PERFECT

IT’S THE SAFEST PLACE 

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

MATTHEW 7:24-27

• GOD’S WORD IS THE SAFEST PLACE 

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

JOHN 10:27 

“IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW JESUS WITHOUT HIS WORD.”

JOHN 6:53-69

BECOMING STUDENTS OF THE WORD.

Student: any person who studies, investigates, or examines thoughtfully 

60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you?

• “Jesus understood the offence many of His listeners took at His teaching, yet He didn’t change the teaching or feel it was His fault. Jesus didn’t preach just to please His audience. If that was His concern, He would have instantly taken back what was just said, seeing His audience was offended. Jesus didn’t take it back. He challenged and confronted them even more.”

6 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

• YOU WON’T FOLLOW JESUS AS AN OBSERVER

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[j]”

RECOGNIZE I’M THE STUDENT.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

ISAIAH 55:8-9

As for God, his way is perfect:

The Lord’s word is flawless;

he shields all who take refuge in him

PSALM 18:30

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

MATTHEW 24:25

SEEK TO UNDERSTAND

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

JOHN 14:26

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 

JOHN 16:12

CHOOSE TO STAY ANCHORED

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[j]”

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness

2 TIMOTHY 3:16

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

ISAIAH 40:8

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

HEBREWS 4:12 

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

MATTHEW 4:18-22

“INVITATION TO GREATNESS”.

KALEO: to invite

Jesus invites them to step into GREATNESS. 

1. KNOW GOD 
2. HELP PEOPLE KNOW GOD

1. THE INVITE COMES DURING THE NORMAL

1. THE INVITE LACKS DETAILS

1. THE INVITE IS ALL YOU NEED. 

may he equip you with all you need

    for doing his will.

May he produce in you,[e]

    through the power of Jesus Christ,

every good thing that is pleasing to him.

    All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

HEBREWS 13:21

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Mark 6:5 he could do no mighty work there

Mark 6:4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without here it is honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 

#1 Honor First

Proverbs 3:6 In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. 

Matthew 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

Psalm 37:4  Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

#2 Honor Up

Romans 13:1 All authority comes from God

1 Peter 3:10 If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil.

Matthew 25:40 Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

How you honor people, is how you honor Jesus!

1 Peter 2:17 Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

#3 Honor Around

Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds… encouraging one another.

James 1:19 slow to speak

#4 Honor Down

Matthew 10:42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [these who are humble in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

• we seek to put the person of God in everything we do. 

As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. 3 So Moses thought, “I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

5 “Do not come closer,” he said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

EXODUS 3:2-5

“IN HIS PRESENCE”.

WE ARE SEEN

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

• For 40 years Moses lived as an obscure shepherd in the desert of Midian. At this point his life was so humble that he didn’t even have a flock of sheep to call his own – the sheep belonged to his father-in-law.

You are important to God.

"But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

ISAIAH 43:1-2

7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

LUKE 12:7 

WE ARE HUMBLED

5 “Do not come closer,” he said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

• In this moment, Moses is invited to step into the revelation that the value of His life is not found in a pair of sandals, but in a God who knows His name…

WE ARE WASHED

4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”

8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

JOHN 13:4-8 

• “This was an immoderate modesty, a proud humility.”

Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.

LUKE 22:24

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

• We are grateful Jesus did not say, If you do not have great holiness, you have no part with Me. We are happy He did not say, If you are not a Bible expert, you have no part with Me. Having a part with Jesus begins simply with receiving something from Him, not achieving something our self.

WE ARE SENT

Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

EXODUS 3:10

YOUR DAD IS NOT LIKE DADDY GOD

Matthew 7:7–11 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Romans 8:12–17 NLT

12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

YOUR PART OF THE FAM (God’s Family)

OUR SINS WHERE NOT ONLY BOUGHT, WE HAVE BEEN ADOPTED

JESUS IS YOUR BIG BRO

YOU ARE A CO-HEIR WITH CHRIST

“In contrast with the control of sin, which enslaves to the point of fear, believers have received the Spirit of sonship. The word translated “sonship” means “placing as a son” and is frequently translated “adoption”. Believers are adopted sons, not slaves ; so they need not be enslaved to sin or in fear. In New Testament times adopted sons enjoyed the same privileges as natural-born sons. In many families children inherit their parents’ estates; each child is an heir and the children together are co-heirs. Since Christians are God’s children, they are His heirs , and they are co-heirs with Christ. They are recipients of all spiritual blessings now, and in the future they will share with the Lord Jesus in all the riches of God’s kingdom.

YOU CAN GO INTO DAD’S OFFICE

ABBA GOD IS APPROACHABLE   

Romans 8:15 NLT

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

We experience a special relationship with God that people in the Bible before Jesus didn’t experience. 

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A DAD

GENESIS 22:1-14 (CSB) 

• PROVISION IS SEEING A NEED AND MEETING A NEED. 

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

PHILLIPIANS 4:19

GOD PROVIDES… PERIOD.

So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

“This does not mean that Abraham somehow knew this was only a test and God would not really require this of him. Instead, Abraham’s faith was in understanding that should he kill Isaac, God would raise him from the dead, because God had promised Isaac would carry on the line of blessing and the covenant.

Abraham knew anything was possible, but it was impossible that God would break His promise. He knew God was not a liar. To this point in Biblical history, we have no record of anyone being raised from the dead, so Abraham had no precedent for this faith, apart from God’s promise. Yet Abraham knew God was able. God could do it.”

GOD PROVIDES BECAUSE HE SEES THE NEED 

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

PHILLIPIANS 4:19 

GOD PROVIDES BECAUSE HE WANTS YOUR HEART

12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”

“No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

MATTHEW 6:24

I ALLOW GOD TO BE JIREH IN MY LIFE WHEN:

I KNOW HIM

“Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

I TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY 

12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”

I NEED HIM

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.

MATTHEW 6:25-34

"YOUR FATHER KNOWS YOU NEED HIM, DO YOU?”

22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.

JUDGES 6:22-24

THE PEACE OF GOD IS A PROMISE 

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 

JOHN 14:27-28

• “He carefully described the peace as ‘My peace.’ His peace was a heart untroubled and unfearful in spite of all the suffering and conflict ahead of Him.” G. Campbell Morgan

USING THE CORRECT STANDARD OF MEASUREMENT IN ANY ASPECT OF LIFE IS IMPORTANT.

22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace.

JUDGES 6:22-24 

GIDEON BUILDS GOD AN ALTAR AND CALLS IT “THE LORD IS PEACE” BEFORE HE EVER EXPERIENCED THE VICTORY. 

Peace: the absence of war (conflict), freedom from disturbances; tranquility

THE PEACE OF GOD IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF TROUBLE.

THE PEACE OF GOD IS GOD

22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you.

JUDGES 6:22-23  

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

2 THESSALONIANS 3:16 

You keep him in perfect peace

    whose mind is stayed on you,

    because he trusts in you.

ISAIAH 26:3 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 

“STAYING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS A CHOICE JUST AS MUCH AS STAYING IN ANXIETY IS A CHOICE.”

• “We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God… If we were able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, ‘What comes to mind when you think about God?’ We might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man.” 

EXODUS 34:4-7 

“Your name was your identity, your destiny, the truth hidden in the marrow of your bones. It was a one-word moniker for the truest thing about you - your inner essence. Your inner Tom-ness or Rut-ness.” JMC

• “YOU NAME IS YOUR NATURE”
• Abram to Abraham: “exalted Father” to “father of a multitude or father of many nations”

• Saul to Paul: “small or humble” 

EXODUS 3:9-14 (MSG) 

YAHWEH IS GOD (AUTHORITY)

• “Here’s how you know if you’ve created God in your own image: he agrees with you on everything. He hates all of the people you hate. He voted for the person you voted for. If you’re republican, so is he. If you’re a democrat, so is he. If you’re passionate about __________, then God is passionate about ___________. If you’re open and elastic about sexuality, so is he. And above all, he’s tame. You never get mad at him or blown away by him or scared of him. Because he’s controllable… And of course, he’s a figment of your imagination.” 

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],
 I shall not want.

He lets me lie down in green pastures;
 He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.

He refreshes and restores my soul (life);
 He leads me in the paths of righteousness
 for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the [sunless] [a]valley of the shadow of death,
 I fear no evil, for You are with me;
 Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me

PSALM 23

“WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE NAME OF YAHWEH IS THAT HE IS GOD AND WE ARE NOT.” And that’s a lot better than you being god. 

YAHWEH IS ALWAYS GOD (CONSISTENT) 

12 “I’ll be with you,” God said. “And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain.”

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

JAMES 1:17

“WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE NAME OF YAHWEH IS THAT HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WILL DO.”

YAHWEH IS ABLE (POWERFUL)

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 

EXODUS 4:10-12 

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

EPHESIANS 3:20-21