The Sower (Part B)

Nowhere is Satan more effective than with the scene so Mark he puts that word in immediately pounces. Satan finds the were just sitting on the surface not getting in their he moves quickly where I was talking about.

The alarm is pushed and the rally in all the angels they cheer in heaven when there's one convert will helps years. Hell, we find someone foolish enough to stick your tongue out at Jesus and say I don't believe this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue here and cross reference radio in Mark chapter 4 with his study called the seller deed. I'm not picking on you. I am rooting fighting you as I know what that punk the devil wants to do to you and the only way to intercept him is to intercept him with truth in the spirit and whatever I say to you is applicable to adults to when he was alone.

They asked him if you don't understand something, ask. Here's the template for for it and when he was alone, those around him with the 12 asked him about the parable.

The key is they were with Jesus if they were not with Jesus. They could not find out they all understood the farming and the sewing. They all got that part.

What's the point Jesus what is it I would do with God. What is it that the do with me and God. What is the spiritual application that is there question so he has some sort of a mild rebuke was more like a challenge. Built into his answer. We don't have his tone, but we know him. We know how he talks to us. So it's safe to say his tone was relatively mild or just very mild and he said to them to you. It has been given. Verse 11 to know the mystery of the kingdom of God but to those who are outside all things come in parables. It's given to you. If you're sitting in a church with the word of God is preached you being given God's word to whom all who desire to be with him. You gotta love you have to love the Lord and if you don't just ask invite him now. He says here to you. It has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom will what is the mystery will in Scripture mystery is something God has revealed but failed at the same time to be unveiled at a later time proper point in time the church. The church is preached in the Old Testament, but it's veiled.

Not until you come to the New Testament apostles in Christ is that veil lifted away and it wasn't done instantly.

The church sort of evolved out of Judaism out of the synagogues and we see the church in the Old Testament, we, today, looking back with the believers in the days of Christ. They saw no such thing Christ meant in the word church, the ecclesia, the called out ones they didn't see it as we see it now for revelation awaited the writings of the apostle Paul, the writings of Luke and the Gospels him him and the preaching that they all did. As they moved around various places that they were sent out to preach so mystery in Scripture is something that God is put out there. It has to be developed. But you've got to participate.

You've got to stay with him to get it exist, but to those who are outside all things come in parables, they willfully outside as the Pharisees were they they were disbelievers by choice not because the facts were not there. The folly of not paying attention to Jesus is not worth better to surrender to him and listen to him to expose the hardness of those who were around in those days and these days to the messages sent in those sort of a cryptic form God fails to give you an example of that in no Noah building the ark message was put out there and got exposed the hard hearts of the people.

Every time a hammer hit the nail. The echo of that strike was a sermon that something is being built to escape something that's coming.

You either believe it or you do not and they rejected know and they had nothing to reject about no Noah lived differently from it was a righteous man. The Bible says they could just look at Noah so you know what does a man something to steal from you is not going to hurt you is a righteous man.

Maybe, just maybe he knows what he's talking about me times of unbelievers marked good pastors and people believe the unbelievers in my own experience coming from them. It's a compliment you, you almost say, with a mock you and you want to say. Well if you gonna listen to them. Go ahead, but I encourage you to listen to those who are encouraging you to listen to Christ. Another example of those who were told, listen, keep hearing, but don't respond in a sarcastic kind away. An example is Nineveh. Nineveh heard the word and open their hearts at least that generation did.

What happened after that Willie turned into a cruel Army eventually conquered the northern kingdoms of Jesus says in Matthew 12 the men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and indeed a greater than Jonah is here is pause here minute. How many of you like to pick one well you know he says is so mean what he's telling the truth what he so mean when he says it consider Jonah.

Jonah sermon was brutal and I was going to burn 40 day then and in pretty much what he said and they repented they didn't say you know what we all coming from a Jew till we don't want to hear this. You mean they listen to what was being said and they avoided the judgment. So when he says, but to those who are outside all things come in parables to expose them to show they're not good for the Pharisees, Jesus. They look preaching these things, you know what's going on.

You know you're not honest, the people know you're not honest in your being called out what you want to do with this when Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea say were going to troops to fight with you, Jesus, that take took away all the excuses from all the other one decided against Christ twisted citizens of Sodom, surrounded the house of lot smitten blindness and yet they had an opportunity to avoid the brimstone that was coming.

You would think you would think they would say okay way way way way this is something that's off the chart who did this to me and why know they continued in their sin these.

These are facts. These are illustrations. These are exposing human behavior when it is heart is hardened towards God's word. Those in Jesus day saw the most awesome miracles ever and they didn't see one or two they saw so many they lost track began to be expected when Jesus was around. Somebody was going to get healed.

A miracle was going to take place, and yet some still accused him of being in cahoots with Satan and perished in the blasphemy truth was a mystery to them because they did not care for that truth is a mystery for God knows those who wanted doesn't give us all the answers will immediately too much information, but he gives us enough.

Verse 12 so that seeing that they may see and not perceive and hearing that they may hear and not understand lest they should turn and their sins be forgiven them sarcasm straight out because we know the Lord is long-suffering, willing, that none should perish, God gave his only begotten son, that whosoever should believe in him would not perish many other verses that preach this test he is quoting Isaiah at the time of Isaiah's been calling God, to whom shall I send no Isaiah size of the lot. I lifted up a train of his robe filled the temple of the distance awesomely delusional. Like all those guys that I listed send me that's okay, here's your message and it was a negative message. It wasn't God loves you and everything is gonna work out for you all well.

If you love God back but if you don't. This consequence is for God says it, I would is what I want to tell the people keep on single in order to keep right on seeing at don't respond see what happens. You so those who sit and hear sermons warning them of the judgment to come. Hearing sermons inviting them to receive the grace of Christ and they thumb their nose at it. What is God supposed to do it that she was going to happen.

You know like the consequence will then change teams rub you the wrong way turnaround faced the other way is called repent world is entering into a similar phase with his increasing apostasy and sin and blasphemy in our own day. God is exposing them he saying keep on. Don't just keep right on doing that silly thing or repent, especially in places where the gospel has been preached look at look at London and many amazing preachers. London was blessed with before London take a place like Ephesus. Ephesus had Paul the apostle John the apostle Timothy of Apollo's preach there.

It was a hotbed for teachers of the word and then Jesus writes to Ephesus, and he says you left your first love with all those great teachings, you left your first love you better turn back where Paul talks about this exposing them calling them out these hearts that are hard towards God's word. Second Thessalonians. We read some of this last session read little bit more, but this is talk about antichrist. At first, of course, this is the great tribulation. The church is gone now because is no more. She can do and God has pulled her out there will still be great tribulation converts but they will not be at church as we know it. The apostate church will be left behind to be apostate and she is the woman that rides the beast and the beast trembles her and Paul says this in the coming of the lawless one. That is the antichrist and all that he brings with him is according to the working of Satan with all power signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. You see, keep on listening and not do anything with it continues. Paul does exist and for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. So in the end God is still sovereign is still in control. He has given them opportunity and they have blasphemed him. They have mocked him. They persecuted his servants and so he says this consequence for that we, the church, the believers are supposed to be part of the process to rescue people from suffering.

These judgments is happen to us. Somebody was involved in our salvation. God sent someone in some way. I got saved reading the Scripture. But before that, the center Christian to look me in the face that provoked me in the next thing I know, sweetie. Eight salvation verse 13 and he said to them, do you not understand this parable. How then will you understand all parables is a gentleness and that is I want.

I'm challenging you're pushing you how come you don't understand this. I don't want to hear somebody say that to me. I don't want that to me and I'll get I want them as a good boy this is smart. The first try.

I never had a teacher say that to me. But anyway, he says, how then will you understand all parables is more, he saying I got more for you. Well, they were not philosophers. These men, they were not theologians.

They were fishermen, but they were hungry and thirsty for all God wanted to give them and that's why they with Jesus. Hearing him say this thing adds a little you know it it's a little unpleasant. Hearing this, but that's what it takes. If they didn't need these kind of things he would've given them all this was changing the parables more people would be reached. We going to find in heaven. So many people that became believers of Christ when he lived that we don't read about parables that grab the listeners attention their timeless every aged parable makes its point easy to remember. When I came up and announced that the title was the sewer. All of you will been good in Christ while you know it right away where this was going. Parables revealed truth to those who are spiritually ready to receive it, and exposes those not ready. We don't want to lose that part of the lesson. Some two people come to church to people get hung on the cross. Both of them hear the same message. One submits the other does not. One goes to paradise.

The other does not. Is serious business. You think church is a joke.

Some people do something slow community center to make them feel all feel good about themselves. We are here to worship God the way he tells us to worship and this is part of it. You don't get it sitting at home on your sofa.

You don't get it. Staying in bed. You gotta come out and get in the trench with everybody else use parables they conceal truth from those opposed to Christ again to expose a solution.

What is the solution.

Okay pastor I'm sitting here unalike and you too much, using all things I don't want to hear. I want you to tell me my flesh can do whatever it wants to do in Christ doesn't care.

I want you to tell me things I hear out in the world but I don't want you to convict, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and teaching what is the solution then pastor Hosea chapter 10 verse 12 Hosea is known as the brokenhearted prophet what he went through in his private life, God went through this people, and he preached in an area where very few people were cared to hear what he had to say. He says so for yourselves. Righteousness, reap in mercy, break up the follow ground need to plow it if it can't take the scene make it take the seed recall it, you know, we amend the soil. He says for this time to seek Yahweh till he comes and rains righteousness on UC Mesa personals prophets met they were they were just superstars with the message they had to deliver so for yourselves righteousness, reap in mercy, break up the hard ground.

Get rid of the thorns move the rocks out of the way and plant the right stuff. Verse 14. Now he begins to teach them what it means he says the sower sows the word in a single statement just like that he made the rest of it plain so they had to say really is the sower sows the Scripture.

I got it. Now I get it there certain parts of the heart does not go to certain parts of people that are going to receive it. I got it. Seeds contain the codes of life reproduce after their kind, God set that back in Genesis is not boring reading is the fact that where everything is going seed is not man-made, but we have altered seeds GMO and stuff like that. We won't talk about that right now. God provides the seed fermenter so verse 14 and these are the ones by the wayside with a word is sown when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sewn in their hearts what happens in hell when a demon finds a human being doesn't believe in Satan. First, there are three cheers for Pip hooray is happy about this one. Then they push the alarm like like and unlike along for a firehouse in the end they rallied to that soul. Keep them stupid. Keep them in the dark.

If we have any chance of damning their soul. This is going to really do it you don't believe is a real devil that hates your guts than your heart is hard and you're not receiving what God says God says, I believe there's a devil and I'm telling you there's one he is called the adversary, the enemy is nothing friendly about him at all. If he pretends to be your friend. He setting you up and this wayside. Again, these common fields compacted, nonresponsive, and what else vulnerable to what Satan, the birds of the Matthew adds, he says, and they do not understand the seed falls on the wayside. Satan comes to pick it up because they do not understand while they understand they don't want to be with Jesus to find out nowhere, Satan more effective than with the seed is sown, and Mark. He puts that word and immediately he pounces. If Satan finds the word just sitting on the surface not getting in their he moves quickly. That's where I was talking about. The alarm is pushed and they rally you know the Angels they cheer in heaven when there's one convert will help. Cheers. Hell, when they find someone foolish enough to stick your tongue out at Jesus and say I don't believe it. Verse 16.

These likewise of the ones sown on stony ground, who, when they hear the word immediately receive it with gladness and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time afterward when tribulation or persecution arises for the word sake, immediately they stumble nothing again wrong with the seed the ground that it fell on think of or in the book of Ruth. The good seed fell on her heart yes she went back on her confession to Naomi. At first she said I'm going with you Naomi and then she backed out, but Ruth Earl Hart stayed in it. Ruth stayed in. We know the rest of the story. The stony ground conversions are in the and no conversion at all. If you struggling struggling with these truths I can tell you what I do when I struggle. I look to get defiant against wrong things. I look to stand up against wrong things as far as I can let the Lord take the rest usually takes like the 90% and I encourage you if you are struggling muster up that defiant spirit of righteousness that is able to say like David did before the giant who you dare come out here and talk about God like that verse 18.

Now these are the ones sown among the thorns.

They are the ones who hear the word and the cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches, and the desires of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Christians who are wealthy have to learn how to steward their wealth because it's not theirs. They are entrusted with it and they have to learn how to use it if they don't, well, that will fall prey. Not all rich people, the ones that squeeze through the eye of the needle of the ones that squeeze through with Christ is just that that simple.

There's a field overgrown with weeds now informs the emblem of sin again.

No problem with the soil is what surrounding the word so maybe you come to church, and the word of God falls on your heart. But then you get up and you go around your bodies in the word of God is not in their heart centers in their heart, they begin to choke out the words you got Sunday morning to finally get done here. He says the cares, riches, the things these are the common hidden hindrances, worry, wealth, and want if you let worry get on top of you in the wrestling match going to get pinned if you let wealth get on top of you. Your pinned if you let your desires for forbidden things get the best of you. Your pinned again and not only is it humiliating, it is dangerous things of this world to a fault there and we all enjoy things of this world, but not to a fault lease. We fight it. Luke 21 verse 34 but take heed to yourselves. Let your hearts be weighed down with carousing drunkenness. The cares of this life that day. Come on you unexpectedly, you miss out it's too late. Second Timothy 24 no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier soldiers were there to fight. I can keep going but we need to finish rep this okay one more. Luke 21 verse 34. Listen to Jesus, he says, take heed to yourselves what yourselves, my daughter, my youngest one light goes out somewhere you know around other kids when she leaves the house is a watch your back. Jack take heed to yourself, pay attention to your surroundings.

Have fun but not too much. She's learning a supply but take heed to yourselves less your hearts be weighed down with carousing drunkenness in the cares of this life to keep verse 20, but these are the ones sown on good ground. Those who hear the word accepted bear fruit, some 30 full, some 60, and some hundred. Here is where God's word is not trampled here is where it is not restricted here is where is not choked out by wants, and worry and wealth or anything else, but it is received, it is kept is free. It is driving it is a crop it produces something that supports life is not enough to be touched by Jesus.

You have to remain by Jesus. That's the story of Judas Iscariot is not. There are consequences to not receiving the word as I've been saying consequences to not knowing God's word. See if you don't know God's word. Satan still does, and he will steer you into those valleys where he can destroy Mark chapter 12 verse 24 Jesus says to those who were custodians of the law.

He says, are you not therefore mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God. Why not they would break up the follow ground that had no defiant spirit against sin in their own heart.

They accommodated sin in their own heart.

What was important to them is what they decide.

It was important not what God said was important. Maybe you think that if you side with God somehow life's not going to be fun. You are a full if you believe that how many should match. That way, do you know how many Christians walk around moping quite a few put there a lot that don't. Second Corinthians 67 by the word of truth, by the power of God by the armor of righteousness on the right hand on the left clients. Armor of God and ready for what's going that's what armor means means not ready to shield myself sticks Bourns move thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time.

As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark Rocky on cross reference radio