How the Gospel is Received, Part 1

Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, we thank you for the truth of your word, that father we can stand secure on the great rock of Aegis, and we pray Lord that today as we study once again your word that we would see how great you truly are. We pray father that you'd open our hearts that we would receive those things you have for us, open our eyes that we might be able to observe truthfully all that you are, and ask Lord that you would deal with each of us individually this morning, that we would know what your plan is for us.

Someone is among us that does not know you as Lord and Savior, may today be the day of their great salvation. We pray in Jesus glorious name, amen. Turn with me in your Bible if you would to Luke chapter 8.

Luke chapter 8 as we discuss one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. It's a parable. It's a parable. It's a parable about the soils. It's a great parable because it helps us all to become cardiologists. That's right. Over these couple of weeks, you're going to become an expert on the condition of people's hearts. You say, well, how can you do that? No one can to know your heart but God himself. Yes, but God reveals something very unique to us in this parable called the parable of the soils.

Some call it the parable of the sower and the soils. Some call it the parable of the seed. It truly is the parable of the soils. It's not about the sower. It's not even about the seed. It's about the soil. And that soil is your heart and my heart. And God wants us to understand the condition of people's hearts because it will help you understand why and how people receive or reject the truth. This one parable helps us understand evangelism. It helps us understand why it is when we go door to door and speak the gospel to people that some are just not really ready to receive that which we give to them.

Helps us understand that in our families when we preach the gospel to those that we love, why it is they turn away from the truth and don't receive the truth. It helps us understand why there are some people who are quick to jump on the bandwagon of Jesus but don't last for a very long time. It's all about their heart. And Jesus wants us to understand the condition of people's heart. The disciples had been with Jesus both publicly and privately. They had a special relationship with the Lord and yet he would go and he would preach his sermons publicly and they would hear the sermons that he preached.

But things were going to change now in Luke chapter 8. Everything about his public ministry was going to take on a new direction. Things about what he said and how he said them are all going to be different from this point forward. And so he wanted to be able to explain to them things pertaining to the kingdom. This was a huge hour for Jesus. Matthew 13 is a parallel account. In fact if you've got a moment just turn back there with me if you would for a second because we're going to go back here again in a few moments.

But Matthew 13 helps us understand the context a little bit better. Luke says in Luke chapter 8 verse number 4. And when a great multitude were coming together and those from the various cities were journeying to him, he spoke by way of a parable. What multitudes were gathered together? Well if you go back to Matthew chapter 13 it says in verse number 46, I'm sorry Matthew 12 verse 46. While he was still speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and brothers were standing outside seeking to speak to him.

And someone said to him behold your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak with you or speak to you. But he answered the one who was telling him and said who is my mother and who are my brothers? And stretching out his hand toward his disciples he said behold my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother. Now stop right there for a moment. Jesus is speaking and as he speaks he presently is in a house and multitudes have gathered together and someone says your mom wants to speak with you.

You know it's always kind of interesting when your mom wants to talk to you right? The first thing you want to do is say well what does my mom want?

Your mother and your brothers are outside and Jesus as he always does turns the question around and says who are my mother or my mothers and my brothers? Who are they? And he turns the whole conversation from the physical to the spiritual to help you understand the value of spiritual relationships. In fact the relationships you have in the body of Christ spiritually speaking are more valuable than the ones you have physically in your home. And Jesus says well by the way who are my brothers?

Who are my mothers? These who do the will of my father who are in heaven. Now a very important statement because the Bible says in verse 1 of chapter 13 on that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea and great multitudes gathered to him so that he got into a boat and sat down and the whole multitude was standing on the beach.

And there he gives the same parable he gives in Luke chapter 8. So Jesus leaves the house multitudes then begin to follow him. He begins to speak to them. The crowds become so great he gets into a boat and this launches out a little bit and begins to speak this parable. Because he wants them to understand those who hear his words and obey his words those are the ones who are spiritually related to him that is the most valuable relationship in all the world. And so he wants people to understand what those people look like.

He wants the crowd to realize who those people are. And so he begins to speak in parables. What's a parable? Parable. It's a comparison. It's when you take an earthly story and lay it side by side with the spiritual truth so that that spiritual truth can be properly and clearly understood. That's a parable. Jesus has already spoken in parables. Back in Luke chapter 5 verse number 36 Luke chapter 6 verse number 39. He already spoke in parables. But they were smaller. They were more like analogies.

Now those parables are going to become longer. They're going to become long stories to prove spiritual truth. And so he wants his spiritual truth to be understood in a very unique kind of way. Parables are valuable because they make truth vivid. They make truth clear. And they make the truth very very easily understood. And so Jesus would begin to speak in parables. But at this juncture there is a major turning point in the ministry of Christ. Unlike his previous ministry, unlike the previous year and a half, almost two years now, things are going to change.

From this time on Jesus will only speak to the crowds in parables. Before he would just clearly speak to them about the truth of the Bible. But from this time forward he now is only going to speak to the crowds in parables. Why? Why not make his truth simple? Why not make his words clear? Why would Jesus begin to speak to the crowds in stories? That is very important for you to understand. Because at this point his teaching, listen carefully, is now going to be concealed to the unbeliever and only revealed to the believer.

This is an act of judgment on Israel. Our Lord is passing judgment on the nation of Israel. He is going to separate Israel from those who believe, from those who do not believe. And to those who do not believe, they will not understand what he is saying. But to those who believe, they will understand. There are three sections of miracles in the Gospels. This is the first section.

There is another section that begins in Luke 10 and following and then another section at the end of Matthew. And as Christ begins to speak in parables, you will note that with each section comes a more severe degree of judgment upon Israel. This is where it begins. With this parable, the parable of the soils. Without explanation, a parable is meaningless. It is almost like a riddle to those who do not understand and do not believe. But Christ wants to be very clear that judgment has fallen on Israel.

Remember back in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost and those in the upper room began to speak in various languages? Paul in 1 Corinthians tells us that that was an act of judgment upon Israel. Because they would not believe the Gospel when they heard it in their own language, they would not understand it when it was spoken in another language. It was a form of judgment. Back in Isaiah chapter 6, a passage we will look at in a moment.

God said the same thing to Israel way back in Isaiah's day that they will hear but they will not believe because they will not see because they will not understand. Judgment has fallen on Israel. Why? Because of their refusal to believe in Him. Because of their rebellion. Because of their apostasy. Because of their idolatry. Judgment falls upon Israel. God confirms them. Listen carefully. God confirms them in their self imposed hardness. God confirms them in the fact that they love darkness so they will remain in darkness.

This is a judgment of God. This is a very, very severe warning for people who hear the truth and continue to reject it. There comes a time when the truth is given and you refuse to reject it that you remain in the dark that God no longer gives you any light. And darkness will be yours forever. And this poses a warning for people today that when they hear the truth, they need to respond to the truth, not reject the truth. They need to receive the truth. For today is the day of salvation. For if you hear His voice, the writer of Hebrews says, do not harden your voice as in the day of provocation in the wilderness.

Today you need to respond because you never know when God hardens your heart. You see, if you harden your heart to God, that's one thing. But if God hardens your hard heart, you'll never come to Christ. And God does that. God did that with Pharaoh. Pharaoh hardened his heart against the Lord God and God hardened Pharaoh's heart. When you harden your heart against God and you continue to rebel against Him, there comes a time where God snaps out the light, snuffs out the light, so you can no longer ever see the truth.

You can never respond to the truth. Hebrews 6, it's impossible to renew your repentance. You can never come to a place of repentance in your life because you have turned your back for so long on the Lord that the Lord says, no more opportunity. Now people don't want to believe that about the Lord Jesus Christ, but that's exactly what He does here in Luke chapter 8. So we know, we have precedence, the fact that the Lord God does that. And so we have a story of the parable of the soils. And only the disciples themselves would understand the truth of the parables.

Because to them it would be revealed. And this parable explicitly speaks to the fact that this is the reason people don't respond to the gospel when you give it. We always wonder why when we give the gospel we say, wow, I did such a good job at presenting the truth. And it was so clear to me, but they just didn't get it. How come they don't respond to the truth? How come they don't want to give their life to Christ? I don't understand. And it's been so clearly presented to them. The parable of the soils tells you why they don't respond to the truth.

It's not about the sower. And it's not even about the seed. It's all about the soil itself. In fact, when you read the parable, there is nothing said about the sower or the seed. It's all said about the soil. And why it doesn't or why it does respond to the seed that falls upon it. Let me read to you the parable.

We're going to spend several weeks here because this is absolutely crucial to understand, not only for us today, but the ministry of Christ and how he passes judgment upon Israel by speaking to them in parables. When a great multitude were coming together and those from the various cities were journeying to him, he spoke by way of a parable. Sower went out to sow a seed, and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled in the foot, and the birds of the air ate it up. Another seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away because it had no moisture.

Another seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Another seed fell into the good soil and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as great. As he said these things, he would call out, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Let me talk to you about the instruction of this parable and how Christ sets the tone for the remainder of his ministry in the land of Israel.

He makes it very clear. Now, you see, in that culture, they would understand exactly what Jesus is saying. They live in an agricultural arena. We live in concrete cities. So we're not so attuned to what it is Jesus is saying. But for them, they understand when a sower goes out to sow his fields. When he goes out to cast seed, a sower would have over his back a sack with seed. And he would walk on these pathways in between the fields. These pathways were quite common because in those days, they didn't have fences and walls to keep you from walking through people's fields.

They literally had paths, beaten down paths that you could walk on and get from place to place as you would journey from one location to another. And those paths became beaten down. And that sower would also walk along those paths as he would throw a seed. And that sack would be over his back and he would take his hand and put it in there and he would throw that seed as he would walk down that path. Just keep throwing the seed. And some of that seed would land on what is called the roadside soil.

That's the path about three feet wide. And when that soil or that seed would land on that roadside soil, it would just stay there. Why? Because that path was hardened. It was hardened because people always walked on it, number one.

It was hardened because of the sun as it would beat down upon it day after day after day. It was like hard clay. Almost like concrete. It was so hard. And when that seed would fall down on that soil, it could not penetrate that soil. It could not get down into that soil. Why? It was too hard. It would be like throwing seed on concrete today. It's impenetrable. And that seed would just stay right there. And people as they would walk by would trample on that seed or birds would come by and snatch that seed away.

And that's the roadside soil. And Jesus says very clearly that the soil went out to sow his seed and as he sowed, some fell beside the road.

And it was trampled underfoot. And the birds of the air simply just ate it up. No ability to penetrate that hard soil. And even if it did, the birds would come by and take it away. That's the roadside soil. And then there was what we call the rocky soil. Christ would go on to say in verse number 6, another seed fell on rocky soil. And as soon as it grew up, it withered away because it had no moisture. Now why didn't it have moisture? Well, in the land of Israel, now we know that Israel is a rocky place anyway.

But it's not talking about rocks that are in and among the rich soil that's there. No. It's more, better translated, rock bed. And in Israel, there's lots of limestone rock bed underneath the surface. That when you go and you plow that field, that plow is not able to get down to that rock bed to break it up. So when that seed falls on that soil, it springs up quickly. Quickly. But it soon withers away because of the sun beating down upon it because it has no moisture. And why does it have moisture?

It's because it can't seek its roots down deep into the soil so that it is able to drink the nutrients of that soil. Why? Because of the limestone that was there. Now, when the sower would go out to plow his field, he wouldn't know that there was limestone there until he saw the seed spring up quickly. Then he would know that that seed would not last. It would soon wither away and die. So the sower begins to sow his field, and as he sows, some of that seed falls on the roadside, some of it falls on rocky soil, and some of it falls on thorny soil.

The Bible says these words, and other seed fell among the thorns. And the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. These thorns, these prickles, these weeds that are in the soil. When the sower would throw out the seed, the seed would begin to take up root, but these weeds grow quicker, faster, and stronger than the seed. And as they grow together, that weed then would choke out that seed, and it would die. But there was some good soil. There was some good soil. And it says, verse 8, another seed fell into the good soil and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.

This one grew up. Was there a quick production in the rocky soil? Yes. Was there production in the thorny soil? Yes. But it wouldn't last very long. Those soils are very deceptive. Because on the surface, it looks good. Until, in a moment of time, you realize that it doesn't last. And yet, there is the good soil. And Luke says, and Luke is the only one who says it this way, it produced a crop a hundred times greater. In other words, a hundred fold. You have to understand, in the land of Israel, an average crop is 7.5%.

That's an average crop. If you have a crop that's tenfold, that is a bumper crop. But this is a hundredfold. Matthew and Mark say, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold. Luke just says, a hundredfold. Now that's very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very important. You need to understand this. Why? Because you remember in Simon's house in Luke 7, there was this Pharisee, there was this prostitute, and it was all about the one who had been forgiven much, loves much. She was the picture of a true converted heart.

A behavior that was above board, a behavior that was sort of bizarre because she was doing things that nobody else really would do, but she did because she wanted to express her love to God. And Christ is helping the disciples to see and others around him to see that this is what true Christianity looks like. And then we go into Luke chapter 8 and you begin to wonder how many people are really getting saved. And there's this woman, Mary Magdalene, there's this girl, Susanna, there's this girl, Joanna.

So we have a few of them there. And so the question begins to rise in many people's minds, how do you know who's saved and who's not? How do you know who really truly gives their life to the Lord God? And Luke wants to make it very clear. When someone gives their life to God, when there's a soil that's rich and the seed takes root, listen carefully, there is no question about their conversion. No question. It's not like, hmm, I wonder if I mean, maybe one day, I mean, I remember when, no, no, no, no, no.

There is no question that when someone gives their life to Christ, everybody knows. See, that's different than people today. If a bumper crops a hundredfold and Matthew and Mark says, well, the fruit brought forth some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold, the issue is you're not looking on the tree trying to find some fruit. The fruit is clearly obvious to all who see the tree. See, we need to come to grips with that, folks, because you're going to become cardiologists today and tomorrow and next week as you examine the heart of people.

As you examine how it is when the Word of God is poured forth and how it is people respond to the truth. Luke wants you to see that when someone has that good soil, that heart's converted. It's changed. Great things happen in that life. Now, nothing is said about the sower and his skill. I mean, he was a really good sower. That's why it produced a lot of fruit. No. Nothing is said about the seed because we know the seed is the Word of God. The Bible tells us that. As you read on the parable, the seed is the Word of God.

And so the seed is the living and abiding Word of God. You see, when you go out to share Christ, it's never the seed and it's never the sower as to why people don't come to Christ. It's the soil. It's the heart condition. It's the people who hear the Word. That's why Jesus says in verse number 8, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

It's said in a way that as Christ was speaking, He kept saying this, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Are you listening to what I'm saying? Those of you who have ears to hear, that is, those of you who are able to receive what I'm saying, listen up. Those of you who do not have ears to hear, you're not going to hear it anyway. But for those of you who do have the ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying because you need to understand. It's like people in the church today. You come to church today and the preacher begins to preach and teach the Word of God and there are people in the church who say, man, I'm with you pastor.

I want to know. Please explain it to me more. I want to understand it. I want to get a hold of it. I'm begging to understand it. What is it that God has for me today? Versus the guy who says, this doesn't mean anything to me. I don't care about that. That's just another story, another good sermon. Big difference, isn't it? One has ears to hear and the other one doesn't. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Let him hear. Christ keeps saying this. A sower went out to sow some seed one day. Are you listening to me?

He says. Are you listening? Listen carefully. And as he went out to sow the seed, he would throw the seed and land on a different kind of sower. Are you listening to what I'm saying? That's how it's expressed in the original language. It's that constant reminder. Are you getting it? Are you with me? Do you hear it? Because you need to understand the condition of people's hearts when you go out to sow the seed. Because it has nothing to do with the sower. It has nothing to do with the seed. The seed is the word of God.

But it has everything to do with the soil. The condition of the heart of the individual. Verse 9. And the disciples began questioning him as to what this parable might be. They are the ones who had ears to hear. They wanted to know. You see, the parable to the unbeliever was just another story. But to the believer, they want to know the deeper meaning. Lord, what are you saying? And Jesus says to you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Now listen, this is so important. To you, it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But to the rest, who's that? Those are the ones who don't have ears to hear. Those are the ones who have rejected the Messiah. Those are the ones who have turned their back on the truth. To the rest, to you, who's the you? That's the disciples. Those who want to hear. To you, it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But to the rest, it is in parables. In order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

Oh, to the rest, they're going to hear, but they're not going to get it. They're going to see it, but they're not able to understand. They're just not going to get it. But you, but to you, it's been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom. Remember Paul in Ephesians chapter 3 says that he was a preacher of the mysteries of the kingdom. Remember, we talked about it earlier, the mysteries of the incarnation, that which is concealed in the Old Testament, now revealed in the New Testament. That's all a mystery is.

And the New Testament reveals Old Testament mysteries. The mystery of the incarnation. That was a mystery concealed in the Old. Now clearly revealed in the New. There is the mystery of the church. Something that the Old Testament never spoke of. And people never really understood until you get to the New Testament. There's the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory. There's the mystery of the translation of the church. There's the mystery of the resurrection. All those things that were concealed in the Old, now revealed in the New, you are able to grasp.

You are now able to understand. It is your privilege to understand that. But for the rest, they're not going to get it. Turn back with me if you would to Matthew 13. Because Matthew's account expands on this conversation. Verse 10, Picks it up when the disciples came and said to him, And he answered and said to them, Listen, you're never going to understand the mysteries of the kingdom unless God grants you the opportunity and the ability to understand. You see, God was closing the door on Israel.

And they now were not going to be able to understand. To you, yes. To them, no. Then he says, That is just so severe. Jesus says, You're going to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

But to those who have a little and have rejected and don't have ears to hear what little bit they have, it will be taken away from them. They're not going to get it. They've been shown the light. They've seen the Messiah. They've heard the miracles. But the little bit they have, it will all be taken away from them. Christ in essence says, I'm not going to cast my pearl before swine. That's not going to happen. He says, Nor do they understand. I speak this way to conceal Listen, I speak this way to conceal the truth from them.

I speak this way because they want to remain in darkness. Therefore, I will confirm them in that darkness. I speak to them this way because of their hard hearts. Therefore, I will confirm them in the hardness of their hearts. I will confirm them in their deafness. I will confirm them in their darkness. I will confirm them in their blindness. They will not believe So now they cannot believe. That's the point. They will not hear So now they cannot hear They will not see So now they will never see. This is Christ's judicial act of judgment upon the people He came to save.

He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. So He confirmed them in the hardness of their heart. He confirmed them in the callousness of their soul. He confirmed them in the coldness of their being. He confirmed them in the darkness of their lives because they would not see, they would not hear, they would not believe, they would not accept the truth. Therefore He confirmed them in their darkness. What a sad, sad indictment. And then it says And in their case, here's the prophecy of Isaiah.

The prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled. Right now what's being fulfilled which says, you will keep on hearing but will not understand and you will keep on seeing but will not perceive for the heart of this people has become dull and with their ears they scarcely hear and they have closed their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and in return and I should heal them. In other words, they refuse to hear the truth, they refuse to believe the truth, they refuse to see the truth Therefore when they look for it, they will not see it.

When they listen for it, they will not hear it. Why? Because they don't want it. Therefore I will confirm them in that state. Isn't that sad? You go to Israel today, you talk to a Jew, you wonder how do they miss it? God blinded their hearts. God blinded them. And why did God blind them? Why would God be so cruel? It's because they refuse to listen.

They refuse to believe. They refuse to hear. They refuse to accept the truth. So God confirmed them in that deaf, blind dark state. Confirmed them in it. Then listen to this. But blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. You are so blessed because there are so many prophets of old that wanted to hear what you have heard and to see what you have seen but they weren't able to hear or to see it but you have.

You are so blessed because when you looked you saw. When you listened you heard. And you now become the most blessed person in all the world. Wow, what an incredible encouragement for those who want to hear the truth. You're the blessed person because there are so many prophets of old who would have given anything to see and hear what you see and what you hear even today. At the end of these parables Christ says in verse number 51, Have you understood all these things?

And they said to him, Oh yes, yes we understand. Now why would they understand? Because Christ revealed it to them. Christ revealed it to them. Back in verse 10 of Luke chapter 8 He said, To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. You are the blessed person. For the life of me I cannot believe and understand why people don't want to give their days to the study of the Bible. Because it's been granted to those of us who believe to know the mysteries. What a privilege. What a privilege we have to know what nobody else knows.

To be able to know and understand what nobody else gets, you get. And you understand because God has revealed it specifically to you. That's the instruction on the parable of the soils. Now the interpretation. There is no definition of the sower. It says in verse 11, Now the parable is this The seed is the word of God. We know the seed is the word of God because the Bible tells us. So Christ has taken a story a normal everyday experience and laid it alongside a spiritual truth to help us understand something of great importance spiritually.

That's the heart of people's lives. We know it speaks of the heart because in verse 12 it says And those beside the road are those who have heard Then the devil comes and takes away the word from what? Their what? Heart. Down in verse number 15 And the seed is the good soil. These are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart. So we know the soil is the heart. We know the seed is the word of God. And the sower is anyone who goes to sow the seed. Now we know that in the parable of the wheat and the tares, the sower is the son of God.

The son of man. We know that because in Matthew 13 it tells us that the sower is the son of man. But you can't mix parables. Not a good thing to mix parables. Because what is in one parable might not be the same in another. But understand this. That 2 Corinthians 5.20 says that God is beseeching man through people like you and me. So yes the sower is the Lord God himself because he is the one who brings people to himself. But we are the ministers of reconciliation. We are the ambassadors for Christ and God is reconciling man to himself through people like you and I while you sow the seed.

Ok? So there is no definition of the sower. But there is a definition of the seed and there is a definition of the soil because the Bible tells us that the soil is the heart. And the seed is the word of God. The Gospel of God. The Gospel of forgiveness. The Gospel of reconciliation. The Gospel of justification. 1 Peter 1 says that the word of God is a living and abiding word of God. It's alive. It's the seed. And you will note that in the parable it emphasizes the fact that that the sower just does what it's supposed to do.

Sows the seed. We are so into methodology today. You gotta have the right evangelistic method. The Bible never talks about a method of evangelism. Ok? It talks about the man of evangelism. But the method. You just go out and sow the seed. We say, well, I don't necessarily know what to say. Well, my question to you is, are you saved? Because if you're saved how did you get saved? Because that's all you gotta do is tell somebody else how you get saved. Once you're saved, all you gotta do is tell people how it is you got saved.

So a lot of times people ask that question because they're not saved. Well, what do I say? Well, are you born again? Does Christ live in you? If Christ lives in you, how did you get saved? How were you born again? Because how you were born again is how somebody else is born again. By the living and abiding word of God. So you explain to them how it is you were saved. That's the only method you need. You just gotta sow the seed. You gotta throw out the gospel. As you throw out the gospel, it lands on different kinds of soils.

It falls on roadside soil. It falls on rocky soil. It falls on thorny soil. Or it falls on good soil. What Jesus is saying is that in the kingdom, the majority of people who receive the seed are never going to get saved. The majority of the people that hear the gospel are not going to get saved. Does that mean that only one-fourth of the people you share Christ with are going to get saved? You gotta be careful about numbers and how you do all that stuff. But the point of the parable is that most will not be saved.

Some will look like they're saved because the word of the Lord springs up quickly. But because over time you realize that that wasn't a true commitment. They weren't saved to begin with. But there will be some who are saved. And how will you know them? There's no question about their conversion because they bring forth the fruit that's 30, 60, 100-fold. Some, yes, bring forth more fruit than others, but there's never a question about the fact that there is solid fruit there that's clearly distinguished as a tree that truly is grown in the Lord.

Very important to see that. And so, as we look at the interpretation of this parable, you realize that it's a heart condition.

And the sower goes out to sow the seed. And the Bible says this in verse number 12. And those beside the road are those who have heard that the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart so that they may not believe and be saved. There are going to be people who you throw the seed on because you speak forth the gospel. Their hearts are hard like the roadside soil. The seed just can't penetrate the heart because it's callous. It's become calloused over the years because of the amount of iniquity that's trampled over that heart time and time and time again.

It's cold, impenetrable, wants nothing to do with the gospel. These are the stiff-necked, hard hearts. These are the rigid individuals. These are the disinterested people in the truth. When you speak forth the word, they just have no interest whatsoever in the gospel. They're insensitive to the seed. Their mind is shut. And they don't want to hear the truth. We come across those people all the time. They just don't want to receive that which is true. And Jesus says, the seed that falls on that soil, the birds represent Satan who comes and snatches it away.

How does Satan snatch away the seed in their hearts? Through false teaching. They believe a lie. Through sin, through prejudice, through pride. That they believe that their way is the right way to salvation or any way is the way to salvation. And Satan wants them to believe that and so you're coming to them and preaching to them that this is the only way to heaven and they are a very religious person. You know, Christ's greatest indictment was against the religious people. It wasn't against the irreligious, it was against the religious.

The people who believe they were right with God. And that's why in the parables he speaks so vehemently against the religious people of his days, the Pharisees, the scribes, the priests, the people who should know the truth but refuse to believe the truth. And so these people have a hard baked soul where the seed never penetrates. And Satan comes and snatches it away. Now how do you know that's you today? That's always a good question, isn't it? Could that be you today? How would I know that's me?

Well, if you're sitting there today and you're thinking about what's going to happen after church and you can't wait to get out of here, that's probably you. Because you are totally disinterested in the Word of God. That's probably you. You probably have a roadside soil. Your heart's condition is completely disinterested in the things of God. You could care less. I mean, you're here because you're here. You're here because you want to have ears to hear and respond. You're just here because you're here.

And you can't wait to leave here to go someplace else. You're probably this kind of person when the Word of God is preached and your soul is never pricked. That the conscience remains hard and sealed against that which is true. You're probably a roadside soil. If you're here today and you're not interested in dealing with your sin, this is you. This is you. If you're not interested in dealing with that which separates you from God, you have a roadside soil. You have a hard, calloused, cold, disinterested heart that can care less about what the Scriptures say.

Your indifference to the things of God is indicative of your heart's condition. That's why Christ kept saying, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Because the good soil, they just can't wait to hear. They want to hear. They just long to hear. They just want more to hear. They can't get enough. They just want more and more. Tell us Lord. What does it mean? Tell us Lord. We want to know. Why? Because they have ears to hear. Those whose eyes are blind and those who have ears that are not willing to listen are pretty much just interested in the truth of God.

It's just another sermon for another day. Sunday's just another day to them. They could care less. If they go to church, eh, okay. If they don't, eh, okay. If they do, eh, okay. That's the roadside soil. Maybe that's you today. I don't know. I don't know. But as you become more adept to your heart's condition, you'd ask God to plow up that hard heart. To break that hard heart. To cultivate the truth in that hard heart. Only God can do that. You know, every week I walk around. I just throw out the seed.

I'm a sower. This is almost like the roadside right here as you walk through the path of the church. And I just walk down the aisle, throw out the seed. You know, I don't know what kind of heart it's going to fall on. So I throw that seed out there. I don't know what kind of heart you have. I don't know if you have one of those crusty, old, hard, rocky, ruddy, soiled hearts. I don't know. I don't know what's out there. My job is just to throw the seed. That's all I do is just throw the seed. I don't look for any special way to throw the seed.

I don't look for a new method to throw the seed. I don't try to make the seed more palatable so you'll want it. I don't even do that. Because the seed is the word of God. It's already alive. I just throw it out there. I just keep throwing it, keep throwing it, keep throwing it. Sometimes that seed lands on hard, crusty, roadside soil. Never penetrates the heart. Satan comes and snatches it away. Even before we leave the building today. Just snatches it away. Through disinterest. Through fear of what others might think.

Through doubt, prejudice, pride. All kinds of ways. There are others who had that kind of soil that when it falls, boy, it's that rocky soil. Looks good. Springs up quick. Make quick decisions. Go quick on this trip and quick in that service. Looks really good. Doesn't last. Doesn't last. Why? No moisture, no depth. There are others who receive that word and boy, they're excited about it too, but they're just such friends of the world. And that seed falls in that crowded heart. Because there's so much of the world in there.

And as that seed falls in that crowded heart, I guess we'll look at it this way. The roadside soil is the cold heart. The rocky soil is the careless heart. And the thorny soil is the crowded heart. That's crowded with all the things of the world. So that when the seed gets in there, it begins to grow. But the things of the world grow faster. Just choke out the seed. The seed dies. And then there's that good soil. So that seed out, lands in that good soil and next thing you know it begins to produce a great, great crop.

Some 30, some 60, some 100 fold. Which soil are you? Over the next couple of weeks hopefully you'll be able to see what kind of soil your heart is. So that you learn how to respond truthfully to the word of God. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Let's pray. Father we thank you Lord for today and the truth of your word and how clearly it speaks to our hearts condition. I pray Father that all of us would have the kind of heart that truly is uncrowded by the things of the world. The kind of heart that down deep is not limestone so that the seed can't penetrate the depths of my soul.

But that it's a rich, deep, lush soil that once the seed hits it it just springs forth in great fruit. We thank you Lord for the for the living and abiding word of God the seed that you have asked us to throw. Where it lands Lord only you know. But I trust it lands here at Christ Community Church on hearts that are rich. On ears that are willing to hear and eyes that are willing to see. Pray in Jesus name. Amen.