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Amen okay so Mark chapter 4 and just quickly we're just going to go over it again the parable of the sower so from verse 1 he began again to teach by the seaside and there was gathered unto him a great multitude so that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land and he taught them many things by parables and said unto them in his doctrine Harken behold there went out a sower to sow and it came to pass he sowed some fell by the wayside and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up and some fell and on stony ground when it had not much earth and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth and when the sun was up it was scorched and because it had no root it withered away and some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no fruit and other fell on good ground and he'd yield fruit and sprang up and increased and brought forth some thirty and some sixty and some an hundred and he said unto them he that hath ears to hear let him hear and when he was alone they that were about him with the twelve arse of him the parable and he said unto them unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but unto them that are without all these things are done in parables that seeing they may see and not perceive and hearing they may hear and not understand lest at any time they should be converted and their sin should be forgiven them he said unto them no you're not this parable and how then will you know all parables the sower soweth the word and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts and these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground who when they have heard the word immediately receive it with gladness have no root in themselves and so endure for a time after it when affliction or persecution arises for the word state immediately they're offended and these are they which are signed among thorns such as hear the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful and these are they which are sown on good ground such as hear the word sorry such as hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit some thirtyfold some sixty and some and hundred okay obviously this is known as the parable of the sower the title of my sermon today is a parable of the soul winner the parable of the soul winner which is clearly what this is talking about and from verse three it says hearken behold there went out a sower to sow and let's go straight into point number one is there was a sower there was a sower wasn't there there has to be a sower there has to be a soul winner doesn't there there has to be without that sower that seed isn't getting sown okay without that sower that seed isn't getting sown you know that that seeds not just jumping out of of wherever it's kept and sowing itself into the ground there has to be a sower there has to be a soul winner and if churches around this world just looked at the first verse of this parable the first part of this parable well what a difference what a difference the world would be okay if they actually realize that there has to be someone going out and sowing the seed the seed doesn't sow itself does it it doesn't sow itself we know that as a soul winner we know that we have to go out and so there has to be a sower turn to Romans 10 14 Romans chapter 10 verse 14 how then shall they call on him in 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 okay basically it's not happening is it it's not happening without someone preach the word there has to be a sower there was a sower in this parable but what an honor what of a responsibility a what a responsibility we have as Christians that have the Word of God that know our responsibility no one I don't think anyone here anyway but no one after this sermon is gonna say well I don't know if I'm really meant to be doing that no the Christian has to go out there has to be a sower there have has to be a soul winner 2nd Corinthians 4 3 says but if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost it's a massive responsibility isn't it massive because what you know what's the price where they going they're going to hell and it's it's down to us it's down to every single person in this room Turner's 2nd Corinthians 5 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and from verse 18 and all things of God who have reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and have given to us a ministry of reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ said be ye reconciled to God okay look at verse 18 there it says here that but that and all things of God who had recognized sold us to himself by Jesus Christ and have given to us a ministry of reconciliation we are all every single one of us is given the ministry of reconciliation and that's from enmity with God to salvation and then fellowship with God that's the reconciliation that we that we've been given to do in verse 19 it says to wit that God was in Christ have reconciled the world unto himself not imputed their trespasses unto him and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation it's committed to us verse 20 now then we are ambassadors for Christ as our God did beseech you by us we pray in Christ said be ye reconciled to God we're the ambassadors we're ambassadors for Christ and it's pretty simple isn't it you would think that's pretty simple it's pretty clear isn't it throughout the throughout the New Testament it's clear as day that that for us our job our role is to go out and preach the gospel but how often do we hear that well God does the saving well you know you don't you don't want to be weird don't want to put them off don't want to put them off don't want to harass people or don't want to come across like a Jehovah's Witness or any of the rest of it but it's so clear isn't it and it's so clear with the parable that so clearly the soul-winning parable the very first part of it from verse verse 3 right at the beginning what does he says Harker behold there went out a sower to sow which leads me on a point to the sower went out to sow didn't he the sower went out to sow in Matthew 13 3 it said a sower went forth to sow and in Luke 8 5 a sower went out to sow a seed unless if you're not aware this parable is in three Gospels three out of four Gospels have this parable and whenever you see obviously something that's repeated in three different places you know it's an important parable don't you but on top of that you know that you want to look at every version of the parable because it's all going to piece together and it's great how that works in the Bible isn't it that we have different perspectives on things to just make that one one ultimate truth and it and it's a great great thing to be able to study in different places because you'll find little things that are maybe not in one of the versions of it which helped you to understand it fully but the sower went out to sow that's clear as day he went forth to sow he went out to sow his seed there was some effort from the sower wasn't there there was some effort from the sower the sower didn't sit in his house and wait for the ground or soil to get delivered to him did he no he didn't sit there and wait for it he didn't make the the house attractive to soil maybe with a few irrigation pipes here and there hoping that they just come in that somehow the soil would just turn up at his house he didn't do that did he he went out to sow and in the same way as a sowing and we need to go out don't we to sow the Word of God we need to go out and sow in but the so that the sower got about a bit didn't he it says there was wayside which is basically the road isn't it the wayside stony ground thorns and good ground okay so he got about he went out he put some effort in didn't he he definitely put some effort in and we're sowing his need to put some effort in because we can easily can't we just think well I'm I'm going out I'm doing my ten minutes half hour whatever it is once a week but no the sower went out and he seemed to get about by the looks of it Matthew 28 19 you don't have to turn this is go ye therefore and teach all nations baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost mark 16 15 and he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature Luke 24 47 and that repentance and remission of sins shall be preached his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem and John 20 21 then said Jesus them again peace be unto you as my father sent me even so send I you it's clear isn't it that we're to go out and preach the gospel how clear is it you would think and yet again how many churches around the world think that they're going to come to them to be have to have the gospel preached to them how many churches I mean it's unbelievable isn't it or at the least we're going to just give an invite then they're going to come in and get the gospel be but the Bible's clear it's clear to go and preach the gospel go out and preach gospel to all nations now again it might sound pretty simple it was it's no news to you guys here but as the church grows as our church grows and we start getting a because we're going to start knocking every door when we move buildings we're going to knock every single door in our area and we're just going to keep spreading from our church over a year then the following year we'll start again it will spread further and further but at the end of that year at the end of that year there's going to be a bit of bit of journeying to make the bigger we get when we're up to 300 400 and I don't see why not we're the only church in this country that preaches the gospel the only church in this country that that is trying to trying to preach the whole Word of God aren't we and and for that reason we're going to grow we're going to get big and that means people are going to have to go out follow aren't they to preach the gospel and they're gonna have to put some effort in they're gonna have to be willing to drive out willing to get public transport willing to get out there willing to put the effort in willing to put the time in okay and that's and and as soul winners we have to have that in our mind it ain't enough that we just preach it we need to be putting the effort in going out preaching the Word of God number three and same verse three the sower sowed the seed didn't he the sower sowed the seed so it says here behold there went out a sower to sow but what was he sowing what was he sowing there had to be a sower the sower had to go out but without a real seed what would have happened absolutely nothing he could have thrown all sorts of things around on the ground all sorts of stuff all sorts of bits of fruit and cut up bits of corn or whatever it was but nothing would have happened nothing would have grown would it he had to sow the seed in verse 14 obviously Jesus expands on it and he says the sower soweth the word the sower soweth the word Matthew 30 19 refers to it as a word of the kingdom and Luke 8 11 says that the seed is the Word of God that's clear what it is isn't it I don't think anyone's in any doubt there what he was saying the Word of God but without the Word of God we ain't getting no one saved are we we're not getting anyone saved without the Word of God now you can explain salvation all you like and I've done this badly for many years when I was first saved I was gonna show them how God's real show them about creation evolution and you know debate after debate these long-winded explanations I didn't get a person saved not one saved and and sadly I think in a way I've kind of used up some of my some of my lives with some of my family because they don't seem as willing to listen now is when I was first saved and what a shame that when I was first saved the first church I went to didn't just show me exactly how to get people saved didn't encourage me to get people safe didn't have a load of people going out and getting people say that I could have gone and learn and who knows whether maybe things could have been different with family and friends of people I was in front of but I wasted a lot of time without the Word of God not understanding that part of it and trying to persuade people and explain to them that God is real that Jesus Christ is away but but it was rubbish and something to consider for us here anyway is about that importance of the Word of God and and I don't think like there are some great here like a lot of guys I've been someone with a few guys here recently and there's some great analogies explanations pictures of salvation everything else but we've got to just remember as we go on with that it's easy for the pride to get up there and you start to do a bit less of the Word of God and a bit more of your own personal illustrations don't forget the Word don't ever forget the Word okay it's a Word of God which saves I could give the best illustration in the world if I haven't got enough of the Word of God then I ain't getting saved okay it's a Word of God yes it needs explaining don't we it does need explaining we saw in security is 519 when you were there it said to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto him and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation it's a word which reconciles okay we're part of that but it's a word that's needed to see that needs to be sown Romans 10 17 says so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God faith comes by hearing the Word of God faith comes by hearing the Word of God they have to hear the Word of God turn to Acts 8 30 Acts 8 and verse 30 okay and Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet as a Zayas and said understandest thou what thou readest and he said how can I accept some man should guide me and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him it needs explaining doesn't it so we sow the seed but it clearly needs explaining the Word of God needs explain no one's getting saved by looking at something or just hearing hearing verses of the Bible okay it has to be explained but look at verse 35 then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus he began at the same scripture he he he didn't just stand up and go right you've read some Bible now let me show you how to get saved he began at the same scripture he explained he had to explain it ain't learning it without the natural man receiveth not does he they need he need to explain but he began at the same scripture and he used the Word of God and we've got to remember that we've got to use the Word of God there has to be a seed now there are also many counterfeit seeds out there aren't there there are many counterfeit seeds there are many what what you could call maybe genetically modified seeds out there aren't they a few names of some of them the NIV the ESV the RSV the ASV they're all V's aren't they they're all versions or perversions the NKJV but but they ain't getting no one saved are they they're not getting anyone saved and you get these stupid debates that they're well what if they just you know a particular verse or anything else just just obviously get rid of them we don't want them anywhere near us they should be burned now I would say that those genetically modified seeds I reckon the fowls leave them don't they the fowls leave them alone I reckon if you went out of this church with an NIV and started trying to preach the gospel with it you wouldn't get any distractions you wouldn't have any problems at all you'd be welcomed in with open arms when no one's getting saved the fowls leave the GM seeds they know don't they they know what's going to happen with them and I also believe I believe that that a lot of these often produce tears instead of corn don't they they they produce a fake Christians and they produce I think ultimately a lot of the time the problem people don't they first Peter 1 23 says being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever if the word lives and abides forever and it's incorruptible seed it can't be one of these 400 versions in English can it and we all know that I'm not going to preach the choir on that that's that's for another sermon but it has to be the Word of God doesn't it we have to go out and preach the Word of God okay now let's go forward verse 4 verse 4 and it came to pass as he sowed some fell by the wayside and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up okay and point number 4 on the parable of the soul winner is the sower didn't always succeed the sower didn't always succeed now these are unsuccessful seeds but not to be confused with places where the seed didn't get sown okay this isn't to get confused with places where the seed didn't get sown I'm sure there's plenty of ground where the sower didn't or couldn't go there plenty of places where the door didn't get opened where where the gate to the field didn't get opened or wherever it was he's going okay but these are seeds which were unsuccessful okay maybe with those places another soul will go to in the future but this is ground where the seed has gone forth and been unsuccessful okay now just here quickly don't confuse some fell as if it was just a spillage some fell by the wayside but on verse 5 some fell on stony ground in verse 6 some fell among thorns verse 7 some fell on good ground okay they're getting sown in fact when Jesus explains it in verse 15 jump to verse 15 and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan cometh immediately had take the word that was sown the heart so the word the word is clearly sown there isn't it the word is clearly sown they heard it in fact it was sown in their hearts the word is powerful isn't it and penetrates to the heart but Matthew 13 19 and if you want to have fingers and knees you can I'll read them out anyway these are the other the other accounts of this parable Matthew 13 19 says when anyone heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth the way that which was sown in his heart this is he which received seed by the wayside they haven't understood it now maybe they haven't heard enough to make it clear brother John preached a little bit on a couple of these verses the other day and and you know that's an interesting point there a lot of the time they haven't heard enough of this they haven't heard enough of the Word of God Luke 8 12 says those by the wayside are they that here then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved so the devil's purpose is that they don't believe and get saved isn't it okay that's clear that's his purpose there so how does Satan come immediately how does Satan come immediately and we saw that in in in sorry just quickly mark 4 15 he said Satan cometh immediately and take the word out of someone's heart how does Satan do that well verse 4 it says that the fowls of the air came and devoured it up so devoured is eaten swallowed with greediness consumed destroyed wasted slain now one obvious way is those distractions isn't it one obvious ways it weighs those distractions and we've all been on the receiving end anyone here that's done any amount of soul winning has had distractions come up and some of them it's it's wicked isn't it how it how it works out it's unbelievable you could be right at the end of a gospel presentation and in just some wicked a lot of the time obvious reprobate you know the least someone who clearly has a real issue just comes and just just distracted gone and I mean I've had some terrible ones I was talking to someone the other day about I remember a one with a with a girl who was so so receptive literally got to the end of Revelation 21 a I'd even said to her just whatever you do don't go at this point she was going no no no I really want to hear got to the end of Revelation 21 8 she understood clearly yeah no I get it I'm going to hell and I said don't shut the door dad just came shut the door it's Wow you know and we've all probably got story after story you know shouting in the background recently I had you know kids quite interested someone just starts it's a load of you know you can imagine the terminology door gets slammed we had a kid recently I was with brother brother gloate is about 16 I'd say got to write to Romans 10 9 the end of the presentation he just every single bit he's ready to get saved and then his dad just literally had a wrestling match with him at the door slam the door while I'm shouting through the door just call on the name of the Lord it was it's terrible though isn't it and and this guy he's got just meat hanging out his mouth we're eating dinner he's fuming he's slamming the door and they're the fowls aren't they circling we've had it with wives distracting husbands husbands with wives just just the amount of them and you could all I could come up with story after story and I'm sure everyone had and it's not gonna be anything new to you but do you sometimes wonder what was said afterwards after that distraction you sometimes wonder what probably off that door slam what was said behind those doors so Luke 8 5 says a soul went out sow seed and as he sowed some fell by the wayside and it was trodden down and the fowls of the air divided the trodden down indicates a sort of like that's like trampling on the word it's an abuse of it isn't it I think it could also indicate a sort of willful rejection as well getting trodden down and yeah that could be by that distraction couldn't it that distract her that that you know whether or not it's it's a full-on child of Satan or whether or not it's just someone that's just been manipulated thoughts put in their head whatever they've just been so entrenched in the world that they're just so anti God I don't know it's all of the devil anyway but what about that person that just won't accept that clearly clearly understands it I mean you made it clear we had one the other day I mean it was clear as day from some sort of Pentecostal background as far as she was concerned it's an ongoing process and I mean brother John couldn't have made it clearer to her and I kind of saw I believe there was just this shift once it was really clear she did understand then she wasn't interested in the discussion really anymore then it was like no that's it and added that I believe there I believe she's trampling on the Word of God then there she's trampling on the Word of God because because the devil who's taken out of her heart has already got got to her through through false religion I believe she's already been got to through full and that's it shit once she understand that's it she's trampling on the Word of God I don't care I'm sticking to my religion and we get that with pride don't you pride a lot they understand it they get it but the pride stops them the false religion obviously the football is starting I've had quite quite a lot of that on a Sunday yeah and it's maybe that's somehow that's you know you know indirectly the devil as well there someone who's understanding but now the football starting I don't want it the love of their sin the love of sin and like I said he's a god of this world isn't he so maybe that works that way as well well okay so it's not always successful is it it's not always successful and they're people that you've actually had a chance to explain the Word of God to but now let's go to verse 5 of mark 4 and from 5 to 7 and some fell on stony ground where it had not much earth and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth when the sun was up it was scorched and because it had no root it withered away and some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no fruit and point number five the parable of the soul the parable of the soul winner is the sowers job was sowing the sowers job was sewing yeah pretty clear wasn't it that was his job he was a sower that was what he's described as he went forth to sow and when the sowers out sowing seeds he's not inspecting every bit of ground he's not digging it up and putting in the old soil tester and everything else in it he's just out sowing on mass his job is to get the seed out isn't it his jobs to get the seed out and now there's nothing wrong with him taking a second job watering plants maybe caring for those plants that's a good job you know that's a needed job as well but what's his first job his first job is sowing the seed okay and same with the Word of God our first goal is to plant that seed so that it springs to life so that it springs to life and we've got to remember that because we all get attacked from many angles won't we trying to suggest that people that don't come to church were never saved in the first place and they weren't saved and they're not saved out of here we've got four examples of people that hear the gospel and have the Word of God sowed and only one of them is what is a fruitful Christian and and that's not to say that one out of four is going to be like that is it and I would say it depends probably a lot on where you're sowing and at what time you are and everything else and maybe the state of that nation as well could be a big part of that now like I said we're not trying to work out who will be the best Christian are we when we're sowing Caesar some churches are like that they just want to get the people in the affluent people the people that are going to tithe a lot and everything else well we're not interested in that are we we're out to sow the seed our first goal is to plant that seed so it springs to life in fact a lot of the time the most receptive you could argue and maybe the what those that wither away the quickest or maybe the most receptive amongst the most thorns I don't know but I to be honest it doesn't really matter it doesn't really matter as long as we're going out and sowing the seed I have no doubt that both of these seeds represent the saved okay so they're both of these grounds so we represent the same let's look at the stony ground quickly on that because people attack this okay verse 16 and these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground who when they have heard the word immediately notice these words receive it with gladness okay and have no root in themselves and so endure but for a time after when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake immediately they're offended right turn to Acts chapter 2 Acts chapter 2 and verse 41 Acts chapter 2 verse 41 then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls okay that saved people okay look at that again they received his word they gladly received his word they were then baptized they were added to the church okay and we just saw in mark 4 16 they receive it with gladness okay they're clearly saved I don't think there's any doubt there they're clearly saved people will try and attack that but they're clearly saved when you when you look at that they've received it they've received his word I mean a lot of us will quote John 1 12 on the doors but as many as received him to about Jesus Christ the Word of God to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his name okay what's the affliction or persecution in Matthew 13 21 it's tribulation or persecution Luke 8 13 it's temptation being a test okay so at the lowest lowest level this can be a family member mocking carnet because we can get a bit confused can't we sometimes you've just got someone saved and they seem so zealous you spent some time with them afterwards you're thinking they're coming to church they are they have promised you they're coming to church they know where it is they've got it planned they've got it booked in and then what happens just disappeared aren't they and and what very rarely do you see them and not and those aren't the ones who are maybe it's a bit long these are the ones that are promising you they're coming to church and but they're a safe Christian why aren't they coming well again here it says it says here that that obviously and this might they might be the thorny ground but here this they're sown on stony ground who when they have heard the word immediately receive it with gladness and have no root in themselves and so endure but for a time now what's that time that time could just literally be a few days that time could be a few years it doesn't make it clear does it so like I say that could be the family member mocking straight after that could be the risk of losing friends that could be probably many many many versions of it but like I said they endure for a time and let's hope let's hope because it doesn't actually talk about whether or not they're fruitful in that time let's hope that none of us here are stony grand Christians some of us here could be stony grand Christians can we some of us have endured for a time you can you can endure for 15 years it's still a time isn't it there's no mention of whether or not they bring forth fruit we don't know that okay now maybe they do maybe they don't maybe they wither too quickly I don't know maybe it's just when the persecution comes that that's when we know but you could look at churches churches that we know that when the when the the heat started coming on them when the protests started coming from by all accounts they were losing some members weren't they well I heard some some pastor my here's church recently lost some pastor Anderson's lost quite a lot when that happened you know pastor Jimenez when he had all of that going on they've all lost people I know pastor Thompson did it sure foundation they've all lost people when the protest started when the pressure started coming on and some of those people might be going to that church for a while now I'll talk about that in a minute but now the stony grand Christian would be accused of being unsaved by the Calvinist wouldn't they they didn't put they didn't persevere to the end they are and they are unsaved will say the Calvinist or currently unsaved by the continual work salvationists won't they at this point in time the withering away time like we had the other day they're currently not saved okay but they have a chance to get resaved now some like to point to Luke 8 13 so let's not avoid Luke 8 13 okay turn to Luke 8 13 but keep a finger obviously in mark and don't forget here that we've just seen that they receive it with gladness and this is a different perspective of the same the same parable and don't forget what acts 2 41 said about those that had gladly received the word getting baptized in and adding to the church 3 000 souls okay luke 8 13 says they on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away anyone heard that ever used before yeah okay so there they will say see they stop believing you can stop believing you can lose your salvation okay but jump back a verse to luke 8 12 because these guys never like to actually read passages today it's always a verse those by the wayside are they they're here then cometh the devil and take away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved so what did it take to get saved believe believe and get saved you know like the countless verses in the bible that make that really clear you know like literally the whole gospel of john that makes it really clear that whosoever believeth okay it's pretty clear isn't it um so in luke 8 13 i believe those on the rock having received the word then start living for god maybe believing many of the other promises of god before falling away or becoming offended by tribulation that's how i see that so they're continuing for god for a time we don't know how long that time is um and a continuing god you have to have some belief of the rest of the bible because it only takes believe in the gospel to get saved does it not do we teach people the whole bible how to live for god how to go forward how to soul win we don't do that do we we teach them the gospel and many people believe the gospel and we we talk to save christians believe the gospel but they don't believe leviticus 2013 they don't believe romans one they don't believe many other places in the bible do they but they're still saved aren't they it didn't say whosoever believeth in me and then also believe every single doctrine in the bible to get saved no it's believing that jesus christ died for your sins yeah and rose again um okay so obviously then it lines up with matthew 13 20 where it says here if the word and a nun with joy receiveth it they received it obviously mark that we've read and the rest of the bible that makes it really clear doesn't it what it takes to be saved okay but regardless our job is to sow because once that seed germinates the second that seed germinates the result is eternal isn't it the result is eternal okay without first sowing though you can't attempt the watering can you so we've got to sow before we try and water the seed surely we've got to sow before the watering you're not just going to go out with a watering can and start watering earth that hasn't hasn't had anything sown in it well you might do but you'd look like a bit of a nutter and okay but this is the same obviously with the thorny ground as well so have a look at verse seven now mark four and verse seven it says and some fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no fruit but it germinated didn't it did it not germinate it just yielded no fruit turn to luke eight seven again uh luke chapter eight and verse seven this time and luke eight seven says and some fell among thorns and the thorn sprang up with it and choked it okay it clearly sprang up the word didn't just get sown and nothing happened the thorn sprang up with it with it okay and of course in verse 18 of mark four jesus says this and these are they which are sown among thorns such as hear the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things entering in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful okay now in case again you've had or you've heard or you're thinking well wait a second has the word become a thumb fruitful did it get so well matthew 13 21 says that he become a thumb fruitful he become a thumb fruitful and that's the the the the seed that's just been sown he's he's elaborating on the person on the person that's the one sown among thorns he become a thumb fruitful he's not producing fruit but he's still saved okay and the thorns think how brambles wrap around the plant now if any of you've done any gardening before and prevent it growing and the thorns here could could talk about many different species of these sorts of weeds but think we're here we have native a lot of us know what a bramble is yeah and how they grow and they wrap around plants they prevent it growing properly they prevent light getting to it don't they but the plant is still alive isn't it the plant's still alive it's just a useless plant it doesn't produce any fruit it's choked it's not getting light to it it's not being able to grow because it's getting tugged down by these brambles but it's still alive it's still alive okay so these are those that get saved and then they ignore the things of god don't they they they ignore the things of god they focus instead on money possessions family sports lazy sundays job ambition all of those things now notice how jesus called it the deceitfulness of riches because it is deceitful isn't it riches are deceitful it's not that well yeah you just got to work out which one's better yeah you need a bit no the riches are deceitful you start focusing on money it's it's deceiving you you're getting deceived okay that's not what you should be focusing on in life and it will deceive you and it will it will ruin your life it will ruin your life because like like uh a brother said to me yesterday we only get one chance at life get one chance at life don't we and we're living this who are we living this life for for god okay let's do the best we can this life because then the rewards are eternal aren't they um okay luke 8 14 says the cares riches and pleasures of this life and that's the thing to remember here um i think again another brother here was talking about this recently that many of these things are pleasurable for people and it's easy to sometimes forget that or to just put it to one side just all sin is wicked and everything no it can be pleasurable can't it sin can sadly be pleasurable for many you don't have to turn them in hebrews 11 25 talking of moses says choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of god than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and some and that season can vary in length but it's for a time there is some pleasure and yeah there are repercussions to sin and are you kids this thing don't start thinking oh i don't mind trying it out no because really all satan's apples have worms is the old saying isn't it and and but for a time there is there is there can be pleasure for people and this can be the reality of the choice of people when we get them saved so we're getting people saved and and they're for them that choice of coming to church of getting involved and don't don't forget as well they've had you come and knock on their door give them the gospel with the bible there's a benchmark already that they're looking at there now because they're looking at that going that's what a real christian is and that is amen isn't it that's what a real christian should be doing going out knocking on people's doors getting people saved but they're looking at that and then they're looking at the sitting down doing nothing all day the the alcohol the whatever drugs it is or whatever pleasures whatever everything else is that they do and for them the pleasures of sin they don't for them they're not looking at it as a season are they and they're thinking i don't know if i want to get involved and sadly they make that choice but they're still saved amen they're still saved and they're still not going to to hell they're still not going to hell and that's something we really need to remember because it can it can be frustrating and i think as things get worse and worse in this country and i think the further we pull away from the bible in every part of life and the more immoral it gets the harder it will be to get a newly saved person along to church i do believe that i believe that um but we're still going to go and get them saved hey we sure are okay have a look at verse eight mark four verse eight another fell on good ground and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased and brought forth some 30 and some 60 and some 100 and these are they which are sown on good ground such as hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit some 30 fold some 60 and some and hundred and that's all of us in here right isn't it good ground christians yeah maybe we should get some caps good ground christian yeah okay but is it as simple as that is it as simple as that point number six the sown ground can change the sown ground can change because it's really i've i've looked at this parable so many times and it's so easy to look at and just pigeonhole everyone isn't it well i'm a good ground christian you probably think you're good ground christian the christians that just read it they're reading their bible probably when you first read it maybe you're not even at church or even out sony you just say yeah i must be a good ground christian reading my bible love the things of god fruitful you know doing doing the right stuff here and i pray yeah i've tried to stop a certain sin or whatever else and it's really simple it's really easy to to do that isn't it maybe they're soul winning and they're actually yielding proper fruit maybe they've understood what that fruit is now okay and that fruit wasn't just being kind to people that fruit wasn't stopping blaspheming but the fruit was actually going out and soul winning in a year i'm so winning yeah but what makes some yield 30 fold and some 100 and again you can look at this and just think well that's just natural that's just the person i am the calvinist you know would say well it just depends you know what god has made that particular person to be you know just the way it is praise god god to god be the glory well no some of 30 fold some 100 well what if the sower so what if the sower planted a seed in some good ground he has to say he went out he planted some seed in some good ground it's it springs up it's yielding fruit okay so it's not that he's just planted it and then and then that's it it's yielding fruit okay and whatever that is whatever that crop is it's yielding its fruit okay but he ignores those little weeds starting to pop up he ignores those he's like nah you know i can't be bothered to weed today maybe next week i'm a bit busy got a few things on right now next thing you know those bramble roots get deep don't they they get deep and some different weeds i don't know what the weeds called they're somewhere when you try and pull them up it's like you have to dig down about a foot don't you and you otherwise you're just kind of cutting that root and then it just comes up again okay and those bramble roots they start going deep and then the bramble starts spreading don't they they start spreading but it was good ground but it was good ground wasn't it but will it always stay good ground anyone who's ever tilled over ground and we did a plot for vegetables or whatever else when you leave it how frustrating is that when you've done it and you're like i'm gonna plant some stuff and then whatever happens and then that ground just deteriorates doesn't it it deteriorates quickly and and it's the same with us isn't it it's the same with us because a little leaven leaven the whole lover i know you can look at that with a with a picture of a church or something else but it can be with the individual as well can't it that little bit of sin just just can really start to overwhelm you with time and verse 19 have a look at verse 19 in chapter 4 it says and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful and that can still happen to what you consider to be a good ground christian turn to first timothy 6 first timothy chapter 6 and from verse 6 but godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment let us be there with content that they sorry but they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and in the many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows but thou oh man of god flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness okay have a look at verse six again there but godliness with contentment is great gain so the gain is the godliness with contentment isn't it that's what we should be seeking towards that's what the gain is verse eight it said having food and raiment let us be there with content that's content with having food and clothing and we everyone here has food and clothing we should be content with that we should be content shouldn't we it said let us be content let us be there with content verse nine it said but they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare seeking wealth is a trap isn't it it is they that will be rich they're people seeking riches it's a trap it's a snare because you just end up focusing on that and the rest of all the things that god just go don't they with time they do go because it's never enough i've never met one person that seeks money one person that seeks wealth that that says yeah i've got enough now i've got enough and i've met some rich people in the world i'm sure you'll probably have as well i've met some really rich people and they it's never enough i met rich people who have problems because the husband is working so long hours and could have retired at 40 years old and gone and done voluntary work and lived a life of bliss by the world standards yet they still want more and more and more and it's just never enough it's never enough and they'll see the person you know they've got they've got the yacht but the other one's got the jumbo jet and it's never enough and it's a snare isn't it it's a snare and look what he says here he says and into many foolish and hurtful lusts in verse 9 there first timothy 6 which drown men in destruction and perdition okay so the wealth is a trap and the drowning in destruction utter loss it's kind of like the choking of the plant isn't it now think of that choking of the plant with the with the care of this world with the riches the deceitfulness of riches and look at verse 10 for the love of money is a root of all evil okay it's not money is a root of all evil and there's so many popular songs that have come out over the years saying money is the root of all evil it's not it's the love of money is the root of all evil we have to turn in some sort of communist utopia it's the love of money is the root of all evil and and why is that well it says here which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierce themselves through with many sorrows so coveting it results in an erring from the faith and and then many sorrows and many sorrows and and what a warning that is for that what a warning that is about money in verse 11 finally it says but thou a man of god flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness okay oh man of god this is a man of god so it's not necessarily a thorny ground new believer is it are they saying but thou o new believer on in the thorny ground who was always destined to be choked and was never going to bring fruit to perfection no this is a man of god oh man of god flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness okay and thinking about patience there so think about patience okay the ground can be good can't it the ground could be good you're keeping on top of the weeds okay you're keeping on top of the weeds the ground's good you're pulling them up as they come up okay but as the plant grows more and more fruit is yielded the roots need to grow don't they don't the roots need to grow to deal with deal with the dry times yeah for sure a bigger plant needs more roots and then when it has those dry times it doesn't have more roots that that that plant is going to get affected isn't it okay and as we grow as soul winning christians and do more for god that we should all be aiming to do the persecution or dry times are likely going to get worse aren't they yeah when we get the persecution it's going to be worse because you know again god will not tempt us above that which we are able so it's easy isn't it to think well i can deal with it it's you know you're going to get tempted with more you're going to go through more you're going to get more okay but that's not something to be scared of it's not something to be worried about because we have the law don't we but you could have a great plant there yeah you can have a great plant but what if this what if the ground surrounding the soil is stony ground so you plant it in good ground but as it grows it gets bigger and it's yielding more fruit around it you didn't till all of it though did you you didn't continue to till the ground and in fact around it just slabs of concrete slabs it where are those roots going to go they're not are they so are those then is that plant going to be able to deal with it when the persecution comes now that if in luke 8 6 you don't have to turn it but the roots it said need to grow so they don't lack moisture and i think if we if we're to avoid being offended in persecution we need to grow don't we we need to grow because the persecution will get worse and that means the likelihood of us getting offended is going to get worse so on one side obviously clearly one one way you can apply that is we don't want to be surrounded do we by sort of stony ground christians these sort of snowflake types that just lose faith in every single struggle they're just constantly questioning their you know god and how could he let this happen every time one thing goes wrong every time there's a problem in their life that will make that hard won't it because you're surrounded by that stony ground and that does affect you doesn't it i think yeah some work can deal with that but again we don't want to be surrounded by people like that and i we want to make sure we're not that person in a church which is constantly complaining and questioning and having a problem and losing their faith and getting offended but i believe that the root lacking in mark 4 verse 6 let's have a quick look at it mark 4 verse 6 says when the sun was up it was scorching because it had no root it withered away so i think that root is also the word of god jesus christ and for a couple of reasons you turn to isiah 53 revelation 22 16 while you're turning there revelation 22 16 says i jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches i am the root and the offspring of david and the bright and morning star isiah 11 10 says it in that day there shall be a root of jesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious and isiah 53 2 says for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he had no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him and they're just a few places of many in the bible ways described as a root when we're immersed in the word we have a root in ourselves and i think then affliction and persecution is is is expected isn't it if you're immersed in the word of god if you're reading the word of god verses like second timothy 3 12 it says yea and all all that will live godly in christ jesus shall suffer persecution are you going to be shocked when you go through persecution if you're immersed in the word of god you're reading the word of god you're in it every day i think you'll then have more root in yourself to be able to deal with that um there's no reason to be offended is there is there a reason to be offended as a christian should we be offended when we're being persecuted if anything it should strengthen our faith in the word shouldn't it shouldn't we what during that persecution be going yeah the bible told me that would happen i am living more righteously i am living more right see and yeah i am suffering persecution amen every single word of this bible is true isn't it those promises are true but instead people do get offended they do find it hard they do start questioning god they do forget that the bible says it will happen but we're still happier for it aren't we we're still happy that we're saved and we're living for god because you wouldn't go back to your old life i hope no one here would be wanting to go back to the slum that they came out the pits that they were in before i don't know if any of you were but i tell you i don't want to go back to where i was i hope everyone else is the same here because it doesn't matter bring on the persecution because god god god will god will help us through it all won't he and you wouldn't change it psalm 119 165 says great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them nothing shall offend them great peace if you love the law of god but you've got to know it to love it don't you how can i love the law of god and i barely even read it i love the law of god but maybe i haven't even read it through once i love the law of god but i've read it a few times now but i kind of slowed it down now i just read it every now and again i love it i'm going to read it every day and if i love it then nothing shall offend me nothing shall offend me what a great benchmark to get to nothing will offend you and that would include then peace in tribulation and why not because romans 5 3 you don't have to turn this is and not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience okay and glorying in tribulation because that's what we need the patience now look at just the parallel of this look at eight luke 8 15 now luke 8 verse 15 and it says but that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience okay if we want to keep that good ground we need to avoid the cares of this world don't we we need to avoid the deceitfulness of riches the lusts of other things and keep the word in an honest and good heart amen remember first timothy 6 11 said to follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness that's an honest and good heart that's the honest and good heart isn't it and instead of being offended romans 5 3 said to glory glory in tribulation we will then bring forth fruit with patience okay when we when we have that patience then we're going to bring forth the fruit in the long term aren't we and we're not going to have our ground changed yeah and something yeah just when i've read that read that parable so many times i've read that parable and i've looked at it and just kind of pigeon-holed well who's is this one a thorny ground is this one a a stony ground is this one you know is this one a good ground but no the ground changes the ground does and can and will change and we need to make sure the ground doesn't change with us yeah okay so point number one there was a sower okay there must be a soul winner point number two the sower went out to sow the soul winner has to go forth point number three the sower sowed the seed the soul winner needs to preach the word of god yeah point number four the sower didn't always succeed okay the soul winner won't always save point number five the sower's job was sowing the soul winner goes to save souls yeah and point number six the sown ground can change and even the soul winner can fall okay let's not be that that that one that's fallen away on that let's pray emily father i thank you for your word i thank you for for explaining that parable to us so clearly as well and i thank you for for all the different accounts of it and just to help us really get get to grips with it and to put away the false doctrine that people have tried to attach us to many of those verses out of the parable of the sorrow and um i thank you that everyone here would would hopefully describe themselves a good ground christian and i hope that that you'll help us to maintain that ground to to keep like that but also not to be disheartened when we do sow seeds amongst those with the thorny ground and the stony ground and those by the wayside and i pray that you just help us to just keep keep persevering on keep spreading the word of god and um and starting with this afternoon um pray that we'll just have a great day a fruitful day and we'll go out and and germinate some ground in jesus name we pray amen