How the Gospel is Received, Part 3

So good to have you with us today. Let's bow for a moment of prayer together. Our most gracious heavenly Father, what a joy it is to celebrate you. Lord, we come to church, unfortunately, for many different reasons, but the only reason we should come is to worship Jesus Christ, our Lord. And our prayer today, Father, is that as we gather together, we would truly see only Christ. We would see your word for what it truly is, the word of God, the word of truth, and thus understand how it is we are to live our lives in light of that word.

And I pray, Father, for everybody who's here, that you'd work in their hearts. I can't do that. Nobody else can do that, but the Spirit of God can. And so we ask that the Spirit of God would move in the hearts of all of us this morning and cause there to be a great awakening to the truth of your word. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. A number of years ago, there was a Negro spiritual written. Its title was, Not Everybody Talking About Heaven Is Going There. Well, that's true. Not everybody talking about heaven is going to get there.

Not everybody who reads the Bible is not going to get there. Not everybody who goes to church is going to get to heaven. In fact, not everybody who believes in Jesus is going to get to heaven. The Bible is very clear about that. Unfortunately, modern day evangelicalism isn't very clear about that, but the Bible is. In fact, Jesus said these words in the book of Matthew, the seventh chapter. He said in verse 21, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and in your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Not everybody who claims Christianity has truly been converted. And that's the essence of what the parable is in Luke chapter 8, where we find ourselves on this Sunday morning. A parable that we've been studying for the last couple of weeks. The parable that we have looked at the introduction and looked at the instruction and are slowly but surely making our way through the interpretation of the parable of the soil.

The parable that deals with the seed, the parable that deals with the sower, and the parable that deals specifically with the soil. Our Lord wanted to make sure his men understood the essence of the church age, the essence of the kingdom. Now Luke doesn't do what Matthew does in Matthew chapter 13. In fact, I would have you turn back with me to Matthew chapter 13, just by way of introduction, because Matthew gives to us seven consecutive parables, all dealing with the kingdom age, all dealing with that age between Pentecost and the rapture of the church.

It's called the church age. It's called the kingdom age. It's called the time in which you and I are living in at the present. And our Lord speaks for the very first time to his disciples about the church age.

And he speaks about it from the divine viewpoint. It's important to understand how Christ sees the kingdom age. In other words, the church age. He likens these parables to the kingdom of heaven. This is what the kingdom is going to be like. His men needed to understand that because they were going to proclaim the gospel in the kingdom age. They were going to proclaim the gospel to lost souls. And Christ begins in Matthew 13 with the same parable that Luke records in Luke chapter 8, the parable of the sower and the soil.

And this is the one that we've been going through. He says the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who went out to throw some seed and it landed on certain soil. Some of the soil completely rejected the seed, which is the word of God. Other soils received it quickly. But there was one soil and only one soil that brought forth fruit. And Christ wanted to explain to his men from the outset, listen carefully, about those who are the inhabitants of the kingdom. Those who truly inhabit the kingdom of God.

They are the ones who bear fruit. And that's the parable we're discussing in Luke 8. We'll get back to that in a moment. Then he moves right into the next parable. It's called the parable about the wheat and the tares. There was a man who went out to sow the seed. And he went out to plant wheat in his field. He went to sleep. In that same night, the enemy came. And what he did was sow tares among the wheat. And when the landowner realized what was taking place, his worker said, should we go out and pull up the tares?

And the landowner said, no, you can't do that. Why? Because if you tear up the tares, you'll tear up some of the wheat too. You got to wait to the harvest. Why? Because the wheat and the tares look virtually the same until the end. And the unique thing about the first two parables is that the parable of the sower and the soil, and the parable of the wheat and the tares, Christ specifically interprets for them.

And he says in Matthew chapter 13, verse number 37, the one who sows the good seed is the son of man, and the field is the world. And as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil one. And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age. And the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire.

In that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as a son in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears, let him hear. It was that constant refrain of our Lord. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Why? Because only certain ones were able to hear and understand. And those were the ones who were truly his disciples. The point being is that the parable of the soils speaks about those who truly inhabit the kingdom of heaven. The parable of the wheat and the tares is a parable about the invasion of the kingdom during the kingdom age.

There'll be an invasion of tares among the wheat. And Christ says that because the world will infiltrate the kingdom.

And there'll be many people in the church age who go to church that look like everybody else. But you won't be able to distinguish the wheat from the tares until the end of the age at the harvest time. Why? Because many people are deceived. Satan has deceived them. The enemy has sown the tares among the wheat. And so Christ says at the outset to his men, during the kingdom age there'll be an invasion of the enemy.

And he will sow the tares among the wheat. And then he gives another parable. The parable about the mustard seed. He says this in verse number 31. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. And this is a smaller, this is smaller than all other seeds. But when it is full grown it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches. This parable is about the increase of the kingdom during the church age.

The increase of the kingdom. Christ says, listen, during the church age the kingdom will begin very, very small.

It began small on the day of Pentecost. But don't worry. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It will grow to great, great length. It will encompass the world. And the birds of the air will come and they'll rest in that because many people will find the church as a place of rest. A haven to come and to be a part of. And so Christ speaks about the increase of the kingdom, the invasion during the kingdom, and the inhabitants of the kingdom. And then he gives a parable about the leaven. It says this in verse 33.

He spoke another parable to them. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three pecks of meal until it was all leavened. This speaks of, listen, the influence of the kingdom during the kingdom age. Parable number one, the inhabitants of the kingdom.

Parable number two, the invasion during the kingdom. Parable number three, the increase of the kingdom.

And parable number four, the influence of the kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven. You put the leaven and you put it in the lump of dough. And before you know it, the leaven permeates the whole lump. Well, the lump is the world and the church is the leaven. And the church is going to permeate the entire world. And the church is going to have an influence in the entire world because the spirit of God works in and through the people of God. And so Christ is trying to help us men to understand the kingdom age.

What's going to happen after he leaves and before he returns again? He speaks to them about those who will truly inhabit the kingdom of heaven. He speaks about the invasion during that kingdom. He speaks about the increase of the kingdom. And he speaks about the influence of the kingdom. And then he speaks about the invaluableness of the kingdom. Great word. The invaluableness of the kingdom. Some of you say, that's not a word. Yes, it is. Look it up. I had to look it up last night. It's a true word.

The invaluableness of the kingdom. He gives two successive parables. One about the hidden treasure. And the second about the costly pearl.

To speak about this. Listen to what he says. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field which a man found and hid. And from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls. And upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. It speaks about how wonderful the kingdom of heaven is. It speaks about how some people are going to stumble upon the kingdom. That is, the man in the field, he was digging and he came upon this hidden treasure.

He realized how valuable that treasure was. He went and he purchased that field. He gave up all that he had because he understood the value of that treasure. The merchant, he was seeking for the pearl. He went looking from one end of the earth to the other until he found that pearl and sold all that he had that he might obtain that pearl. And the point of the parables is this. That when someone, listen carefully, when someone comes to realize the value of the gospel, the value of the kingdom, they will hold on to nothing of this world to obtain that which is so invaluable.

It goes way beyond anything you can ever imagine. And then he speaks about the inspection at the end of the kingdom. And that's the parable of the dragnet in verse number 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. And when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers. But the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age, the angels shall come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous and will cast them into the furnace of fire.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Christ speaks in severe terms to help the apostles, the disciples to understand what's going to happen at the end of the kingdom. There'll be an inspection. Why? The dragnet was that huge net that the boat would take out into the sea and bring back again to the sea again. And in that huge net, they would encompass all kinds of fish, dead fish, live fish, plus all kinds of debris. They'd bring the net up on shore and they'd separate the good fish from the bad fish.

And that's the way it's going to be at the end of the kingdom, at the harvest time. And the good fish, they enter into the kingdom. But the bad fish, they go into the furnace. They go to the place where they'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Christ wants his men to understand the kingdom. What's going to happen during the kingdom age? So he explains that to them in parables. But realize that the multitudes, they didn't get it. They didn't understand it. And that's why Christ would quote Isaiah chapter 6 in Luke 8 and in Matthew 13 to show that the majority of people will not understand what Christ is now saying.

Because no longer is he going to go to the synagogue, open up the text and read from the text and explain the text. No, now he's going to speak to the multitudes in parables. And the only ones who are going to understand it are his disciples. In fact, they are the only ones who ask to understand the meaning. Because they truly want to know, which gives you insight into the kingdom age. Those who know the Lord, those who inhabit the kingdom, are the ones who truly want to know the truth. They are the ones who ask, what does this mean?

Explain this to me Lord, because they want to know the truth. The multitude, they didn't care. It was just another story. It was a nice little lesson that Jesus would give. But as to its meaning, they could care less. But those who love the Lord, they want to know the meaning. So Christ begins to explain to them the meaning. And in Luke chapter 8, it's a whole parable about the sower and the soils. It's a whole parable about those who truly inhabit the kingdom versus those who don't inhabit the kingdom.

And up front, I'm going to tell you that most commentaries will tell you that three of the four soils are saved. Most commentators will tell you that. And I'm here to tell you, they're wrong. Only one is truly saved. Only one. There are two that look saved, but they end up falling away. There's one who has a calloused hard heart and they will not receive that seed, that word that falls. But only one soil is truly saved. Listen, if you go to Israel today, every farmer in Israel will tell you the exact same thing.

If there's a seed that springs up quickly, it will not last. It will fall away. It's not a true seed. Every farmer in Israel will give you the same song because that's the absolute truth. The only seed that's worth anything is the seed that brings forth fruit. And that's the fourth seed in the parable of the sower and the soil. If you have not been with us over the last couple of weeks, I'm sorry just to plop you in right in the middle of this parable. I'll spend just a few moments reviewing them for you, but we want to pick up on the third and the fourth soil this morning.

Remember the soil is the heart. It's the condition of the heart. Christ tells us that the soil is the heart. He tells us that the seed is the word of God. The sower is anyone who throws a seed, anyone who speaks the seed, anyone who speaks for God, because they want people to understand the truth of God. The issue of the parable is the heart's condition. This is why this is a parable about those who truly inhabit the kingdom of God, because those who inhabit the kingdom are those who hear the word, who receive the word, who hold fast the word, and bear fruit.

Those are the ones who truly inhabit the kingdom of heaven. In the meantime, others will hear the word. And remember, the whole story is about religious people. It's not about the pagans. It's not about the atheists. It's not about the agnostics. It's about the people who go to church. It's about the people who think they're religious. It's about the people who believe that one day they're going to go to heaven, because they've done all the right things. They've been to all the right places. They've said all the right things.

They truly believe they're going to go to heaven, but in reality they're not going to end up there, because everybody talking about heaven ain't going there. The bottom line is, what does the Bible truly say? And that's where we have to be able to keep our finger in the text and examine our lives in light of that. We've told you we want you to become good cardiologists. We want you to know the heart of man, as God describes it for us in Luke chapter 8. So we talked about the first soil.

It was the roadside soil. It was the soil where the seed could not penetrate it, because it was hard. It was calloused. The birds of the air would come and take the seed away. And the Bible tells us that it's Satan who comes and snatches the seed out of the heart. These are the religious people who believe that their way is the right way. That their way to heaven will make it to heaven, will get them to heaven. No matter what you say, no matter what the seed says, they're going to go to heaven on their terms, because they believe they are absolutely right.

But unless the Spirit of God crushes the soul, no one is going to receive the Word. That's why the Bible says in Jeremiah 23-29 that God's Word is like a hammer.

It crushes the hard heart. That's why Christ said that the broken and contrite heart he will not despise. In Isaiah 66 verse number 2, our Lord says that to this man when I look, to him who is broken and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word. And the next rocky soil. We talked about this soil last week. It was a soil that looked good on the outside. It looked lush. The seed was planted. But there in Israel is that limestone bedrock underneath the surface where when the plow goes to plow up the field, to cultivate the field, it can't get down deep enough to get that bedrock limestone broken up.

So when the seed is planted, it can't go down, but it quickly springs up. Therefore, when the sun comes out, it's scorched. Why? Because it can't dig its roots down deep into the ground because of that bedrock that's there. Because of the hardness that's there. And therefore, that seed then, when the sun comes out, it's scorched and it falls away. The key word is it falls away. And Matthew tells us and Luke tells us it falls away because of tribulation and because of persecution. It can't handle adversity.

And these are the people who who jump on the Jesus bandwagon because they believe that whatever issue they have, somehow Jesus will fix. Jesus will fix their marital issues. Jesus will fix their financial issues. Jesus will fix their relational issues. Whatever issues they're facing, you know what? Jesus will fix them. So they come to Jesus based on the fact that he will fix their temporary issues, all the while realizing that when the adversity comes and when persecution comes, they fall by the wayside because that wasn't what they bargained for.

And the Bible says the persecution and adversity come because of the word of God. They won't stand on the truth. They won't stand for God. No, they'll fall away. They'll turn their backs. They'll run away from the truth. Why? Because there is no firm root. Oh, they appeared to be saved. They looked like they were saved. They did what saved people do. But there was no contrition. There was no mourning over their sin. There was no poverty of spirit. There was no hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

It was just, what can Jesus do for me? Because if Jesus can fix my issues, then everything is going to be okay. But all of a sudden, Jesus doesn't fix their issues. In fact, they give their life to Jesus so they think and things get worse, not better. Because the Bible is very clear about that. You want to follow Christ, things become more temptuous, more horrific than not. And so this person falls by the wayside as opposed to the true believer who's able to dig his roots down deep. James 1 verses 2 to 4 speak about that when adversity comes, we count it all joy.

Why? Because we know that it produces endurance. The believer endures to the end. Why? Because he has the truth of God in him. He's able to persevere. He's able to continue on. Why? Because God empowers him to continue on and not fall by the wayside. Now the third soil.

It's called the thorny soil. This is how the word of God describes it. The Bible says in verse 7 of Luke 8, another seed fell among the thorns and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.

Christ then interprets it down in verse number 14. And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard. And as they go on their way, they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life. These are the people who come to Christ because they want to add Jesus to their existing lifestyle. You see, the reason the seed doesn't grow in thorny ground is because these thorns are natural to this environment. And the seed comes in and the seed is unnatural to that environment.

Oh, the soil looks cultivated. It looks rich. It looks deep. It looks like it will flourish. But in there are weeds that are natural to that to that ground. And that seed comes in and begins to grow. And those weeds grow faster than that seed. And those weeds take all the nutrients and they choke out that seed. So it falls away. It does not remain. And Jesus tells us that those weeds are representative of the deceitfulness of riches in Matthew 13. The deceitfulness of riches and the worries of this world.

The deceitfulness of riches. Why are riches deceitful? Because they can never produce what they promise. They cannot. It's the deceitfulness of riches. It's the cares of this world. There's something about the world that they just can't let go of. Oh, they love the world. That's what the Bible says in 1 John 2 15.

If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. Paul described the latter days as men who will be lovers of themselves and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. James 4 4 says if any man loves the world, he is an enemy of God. An enemy of God. And so Christ is helping his men to understand there'll be many people who will receive the word. They'll hear the word. They'll receive the word. They'll add Jesus to their existing lifestyle. But when push comes to shove, they're going to choose the cares of this world more.

They're going to more than they're going to choose Christ because they're going to be deceived by the riches of this world. Many people fall into this category. First Timothy 6, verse number 9 says these words.

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. The truth is crushed by the presence of sin. The sin to please myself. The sin that comes because I want what the world has for me. And the truth then becomes crushed by the things of the world. That's why Jesus said in Matthew 6 24, no man can serve two masters. He can only serve one. And the one he serves he loves. The other he hates. He might look like he's serving both of them for a while.

But when push comes to shove, he only and truly loves one. And the one he loves is the one he'll hold on to. And the one he will serve. Turn to Matthew chapter 19 for a moment. Matthew chapter 19. Very familiar story about a rich man who came to Christ. Matthew 19 verse number 16. And behold one came to him and said teacher what good things shall I do that I may obtain eternal life. So at the outset he already says Lord there's something I can do that's good. That will allow me to attain that which I do not have.

Somehow I can obtain eternal life. Matthew 19 17 says he said to him why are you asking me about what is good. There is only one who is good. But if you wish to enter into life keep the commandments. In other words in Mark's account he says good teacher. He calls him good. Well Jesus confronts him at the outset by saying well wait a minute. If you're calling me good you must be calling me God. Because there's only one who's good that's God. So if you're coming to me you must recognize that I'm God.

If you recognize that I'm God and you come to me you will do whatever I say because I'm God. I am the ruler of this world. I am the sovereign king of the universe. And you will do exactly as I say because you recognize me as God. If you come to me and say good teacher and call me good. There's no one good but God. That means you're coming to do whatever I tell you to do right. That's what Christ is saying. Why do you call me good. What good thing you must do. I'll tell you what you do. He said very clearly keep the commandments.

Keep the commandments. So in order to justify himself what does he say. He says which ones. Which ones. Now listen to what Jesus says.

He says you should not commit murder. You should not commit adultery. You should not steal. You should not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. What does Jesus deal with. He deals with everything relational. He deals with of the ten commandments. He deals with if I can say it this way the easiest ones. Easiest ones. Doesn't deal with the first part of the Decalogue.

He deals with the second part of the Decalogue. He wants the man to come to grips with the reality of sin. And the man says this. The young man said to him verse 20. All these things I have kept what am I still lacking. Well I honor my mother and father. I haven't murdered anybody. I haven't committed adultery. I don't steal. I don't bear false witness. I love my neighbor. Come on I could do that. That's easy. If that's all it takes. I'm there. What am I still lacking. So Jesus brings him to a point that will help him understand.

Listen. His idolatry. His materialistic attitude. Listen to what Jesus says. Jesus said verse 21. If you wish to be complete or perfect go and sell your possessions and give to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven and come and follow me. If you want to get to heaven. If you want to be complete. If you want to be perfect. You must do exactly as I say. You go. You sell all your possessions. You give them to the poor. Does that mean. Listen.

Is Jesus saying that if you want to get to heaven you got to go sell everything and give it to the poor. Is that what Jesus is saying. No. No that's not what he's saying. He said well that's what he said. Listen.

Jesus hit at the heart of the issue. This man. Listen. Wasn't about to exchange his love for the world for a love for God. What did Jesus say in Luke 12. What shall a man give in exchange for his soul. You see salvation requires an exchange. An exchange of all I believe. Exchange of all I trust in. An exchange of everything I value and giving it all away because I realize how valuable Jesus Christ is and his gospel. That's the whole parable about the merchant and the pearl and the man who finds the hidden treasure in the field.

There is nothing you would hold on to because you realize the value of the gospel. It means more to you than anything. So Jesus says he is at the heart of the issue.

He says if you want to follow me you must listen. Be willing to do whatever I say. You must be willing to do whatever I say and follow me completely. See that's the issue of salvation isn't it. If any man came into Christ let him what deny himself. That's your exchange. You exchange everything that you believe in for everything God says he is and says that he will do.

You exchange all that. You exchange yourself for God. Let a man deny himself take up his cross and follow me. Salvation is about following Christ. Salvation is recognizing who Christ is. He's the God of the universe. He's the king of the world because he's the king. I submit myself to his authority and will do exactly as he says. That's salvation. That's the exchange that's made at the moment you're saved. And Christ says it's all you have.

Give it to the poor and follow me. Now listen carefully. But when the young man heard this statement he went away grieved for he was one who owned much property. He wasn't about to give up anything for God. Listen folks if you're not willing to give up anything for Christ you haven't exchanged anything for him. You're not a true believer. A true believer is willing to do whatever Christ says.

It doesn't mean that I go home and sell all your possessions and give to the poor. You got to be willing to do whatever Christ says.

Some people just aren't willing to do what Christ says. I'm not doing that. Well that's the mark of a rebellious spirit. That's the mark of a stiff neck. That's the mark of a hard heart. I'm not going to obey what God says.

I'll do this but I'm not going to do that. Listen if he's the king and you're the servant. Servants do what kings say. They obey. That's why Christ said if you love me you'll do what I say. If you don't love me you won't do what I say. And so this man, listen listen carefully, this man came to Christ because he had a felt need not because he recognized a fallen need. Big difference. He had a felt need. I'm lacking something. How do I guarantee I'm going to have eternal life? I feel like I'm lacking something.

Jesus what must I do? Good teacher what must what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life? He comes with the presupposition that there's something he can do that will allow him to gain eternal life. He doesn't really believe that because when told this is what you do he's unwilling to do it. Because he doesn't recognize his fallenness. He doesn't recognize that he is a fallen creature bound for hell unless he turns to Christ and begs for mercy for Christ to save his soul. He wants to add Christ to his existing lifestyle.

How many people do you know like that? They just want to add Christ onto what it is they're doing. They don't want they don't want their life to change. They want Jesus to jump on their train with them and be a part of where their train is going. They want Jesus to be the caboose. They want to be the engine and they want to be leading the way. They want Jesus at the back end of the caboose and just put him on right there thinking that that will get them to heaven and Jesus says oh no.

That's not what you don't add Jesus. Christianity is not an addition. Christianity is a transformation. Not adding Christ to your existing lifestyle. He's transforming everything about your life. That's Christianity and that's what the parable is about. And so this rich man who came to Christ had this felt need about his emptiness but wasn't willing to do whatever the king of the world asked him to do and follow him completely. He went away grieved the texts say. He went away empty-handed. He went away sorrowful but it wasn't the sorrow that led to repentance was it?

It wasn't a godly sorrow over his sin because he was unwilling to recognize that he had another God. That's why Christ said you got to settle all because what's the first command?

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. He had another God. That's the God he served. Christ said you can't serve God and money because the one you love you're going to hold to and the other one you're going to hate. When push came to shove what did he do? He held on to the God of this world. He held on to the God of money. Why? The riches of this world would choke out the truth and there are many people a lot more than we'd ever like to admit who want to be a part of the kingdom but they only want to be a part of the kingdom based on their requirements and their conditions and they're not willing to let Christ have everything in their lives and follow him and serve only him.

Remember Demas? Talked about him on Wednesday night, Second Timothy 4.8. Demas having loved this present world hath forsaken me. He has abandoned me. Why? Because when push came to shove the weeds of the world choked out the word. It choked out the truth and Demas was considered a fellow partner with Paul. If you read Philemon 24 in Colossians chapter 4 he was part of missionary outreaches with the apostle Paul but when push came to shove to stand on the truth when imprisonment was imminent he left because he had another love.

It was the world and it wasn't the truth. It wasn't God. It was his false God. The world and all that it contained and that's why John says if you love the world it's a simple fact. The love of the father is not in you. Just not. Listen to JC Lyle. He wrote this on this parable Luke 8. We may listen to a sermon and approve of every word it contains and yet get no benefit from it because of the absorbing influence of this world. Our hearts like the thorny ground may be choked with a rank crop of cares, pleasures and worldly plans.

We may really like the gospel and wish to obey it and yet insensibly give it no chance of bearing fruit by allowing other things to fill a place in our affections until they occupy our whole hearts. Alas there are many such hearers. They know the truth well. They hope one day to be committed Christians but they never come to the point of giving up all for Christ's sake. They never make up their minds to seek first his kingdom and so die in their sins.

That's true. How many people do you know? Maybe you're one of those people. I mean you've heard the gospel and you want to obey the gospel and you want to be a part of what's going on but boy the world has got its hooks in you and it's just pulling you away and you just love the world and when push comes to shove you'll choose the way of the world like Demas did, like Judas did. Judas loved the world. He was one of the disciples when push came to shove. When it came time to stand of the truth, no, no he sold out his Lord for 30 pieces of silver because he loved the world.

Demas loved the world. How about you? What do you love? Do you love the Lord? Do you love him more than anything? Are you willing to do whatever Christ asked you to do? Some things might be hard and in your heart you might wrestle with them but down deep you know that that's the right thing to do and you ask the Lord, Lord give me strength to accomplish your purpose in my life. You want to obey the Lord no matter what. See the seed can't survive in unpurged soil. It can't but when the soil has been purged by the blood of the lamb, oh let me tell you something, that seed just begins to flourish.

Why? Because it bears fruits and that's the issue. Fruit bearing and that's where the fourth soil comes in. It says in verse number eight and other seed fell on into the good soil and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as great and as he said these things he would call out he who has ears to hear let him hear and we told you before that he said that throughout the parable. Are you listening to what I'm saying? If you are, if you got ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying. It's so crucial to hear that's why in the book of Revelation at the end of the seven letters of the seven churches it ends with this phrase and he who has ears to hear let him listen or hear what the spirit says to the churches.

You gotta listen. Why? Because the believer hears, takes it to heart, listens and obeys. The unbeliever hears, listens but doesn't take it to heart. See and so Christ says throughout this parable he who has ears to hear let him hear.

You gotta listen fellas. Are you hearing what I'm saying? You gotta grasp this truth because only certain people inhabit the kingdom of God. You're gonna sow the seed. You're gonna throw some seed on roadside soil, some on rocky soil, some on thorny soil and some on good soil and those are the ones who are going to bear fruit. The majority of the people you throw seed upon are not going to respond properly. Oh some will respond initially. It will look like they're saved and some will continue through the kingdom age like the wheat and the tares until the end of the age.

You won't know to the very end because they are so self-deceived. They've been so deceived by Satan. Oh they look like they're saved but it won't happen to the very end at the end of the harvest. At the end of the age when the harvest happens that the wheat will be separated from the tares but there are good soil. The seed falls on. He says this in verse number 15 and the seed and the good soil these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart and hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance.

See that? They persevere. They hold fast to the truth. You see how do you tell the believer from the unbeliever? In times of persecution, in times of adversity, in times of hardship, they hold fast to God and his word. They persevere through the end. Why? Because they love God more than life itself. They love the word of God more than they love the world. They are so hooked on God. They are so committed to God that they will never deny Him. They will follow Him to the end because they love Him so supremely.

They are committed to Him. Oh there'll be periods of time in their life where they they fall back and there'll be periods of time in their life where they are not as true as they should be but the overwhelming pattern of their life is that they love their Lord God and they persevere to the end. They don't quit. They keep on keeping on in spite of all the hardship. Why? Because the soil is rich. It's good soil. Why is the soil good? It's because it's been cultivated by the Spirit of God and that they recognize that they are sinners.

They recognize that they are not righteous and they recognize that one day they will be judged by the righteous judge of all the earth and so they realize that they cry out for mercy with a broken heart and they come to God with a penitent spirit and say oh God be merciful unto me a sinner and that person the Bible says brings forth fruit and Luke says a hundred fold.

Folks that is astronomical because we told you at the outset that ten fold is a bumper crop for farmers. Matthew says he brings forth fruit some thirty fold, some sixty fold, some a hundred fold. Luke just goes right to the end. This is an overabundance of fruit. You know the good soil. You don't have to go lifting up branches to see if you can find the little piece of fruit someplace on the tree and say I know it's there. Somehow I got to find the fruit. It might not be as strong today but boy there's fruit someplace.

Oh Lord where is that fruit? Some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred fold. In other words Christ is saying very clearly when it comes to fruit bearing there needs to be no intense examination because it's easily observable even from a distance. Say what's fruit? What do you mean fruit? Well Galatians 5.22 the fruit of the spirit right? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. Those seven aspects of the fruit that are produced in the life of a believer because the spirit of God reproduces those things in you.

That's fruit. People who love the Lord love others. People who love the Lord are patient and kind. People who love the Lord have experienced the peace of God and live at peace with God and as Matthew says are peacemakers among men. And when you read 1st John 3 19 and 20 Colossians chapter 1 you read about the fruit of the spirit in terms of its action. There's an attitude about the person and there is an action in the person's life. There's an attitude that permeates Christ's likeness and there's an action that does on the someone else to help them.

Says in 1st John 3 about how it is we love our brother. How we don't love just in word but we do we love indeed and in truth. We're the kind of people who share Christ with other people. The Bible speaks over in Romans chapter 1 verse number 13 and Hebrews 13 verse number 15 about the fruit of witnessing. You see those things are are evidence in the life of the believer. There's that attitude that they have that's that that's like Christ. There are those actions that they have that are like Christ.

Folks we're not talking about perfection here. Don't think it's all about wow man these people must be these Christians must be perfect. No it's not about perfection. It's all about progression. It's all about moving toward Christ likeness. Becoming more and more like Christ as time goes on because I love his word. I love my Lord and I want to live for him because I love him so. That folks that's just so so crucial. The Bible speaks the fact that in Matthew 13 23 these not only hear the word they understand the word.

They understand it. Remember he said back in verse number 10 to you has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but to the rest that is in parables in order that they see they seen may not see in hearing they may not understand. Well the unbeliever they don't get it but the believer according to Matthew 13 they hear the word and they understand the word. They understand where they fall short of the glory of God. They understand what God says about their sinful condition.

They understand that they are bound for eternal damnation. They understand those things and they cry out to God because they want to have him as their Lord and Savior. Mark says that they not only hear the word they accept the word and Luke says they hold it fast. So that which you understand you accept and that which you accept you hold fast to and you persevere in because that's the inhabitants of the kingdom of God. The good soil. So be a cardiologist. Examine your heart. Are you roadside soil?

You the kind of soil where the seed falls upon it but Satan comes and snatches it away because you got a hard heart, a calloused soul, a cold heart, a stiff neck. You hear the gospel and you want nothing to do with it because you think that your way is better than God's way when it comes to heaven. That's the roadside soil. Are you the rocky soil? Maybe you came to church with someone. Maybe you came to church to meet someone and you're at church because that someone is here and you want to be with that someone and you think that that what Jesus will do will fix all your little idiosyncrasies, all the little problems you have in your life and thinking that somehow if you come to church and you see Jesus and you read and you pray, you pray to God and you read your Bible and you and you do things for Jesus that'll fix everything in your life.

That's the rocky soil. Are you the thorny soil? Well, you want to add Jesus to your existing worldly lifestyle. Oh, you love the world. Oh, you want Jesus too. Oh, you want to have him around when you need him but you don't want him to crowd your life. You don't want to change the way you speak. You want to change the places you go. You don't want to change the things. You just want to kind of add Jesus along with what you're doing. That's a thorny soil. Oh, you're a good soil where the seed takes root.

So much so that when persecution and affliction comes, you just dig your roots down deeper because you love your God. You're the kind of person that holds fast to your God and perseveres all the way to the end. You will not quit. That's a good soil. It was J.C. Ryle who said these words. I quote again, we must never be content with a barren orthodoxy and coldly maintaining correct theological views. We must not be satisfied with clear knowledge, warm feelings, and decently claiming to be Christians.

We must see to it that the gospel we claim to love produces positive fruit in our hearts and lives. This is real Christianity. These words of Saint James should often ring in our ears. Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves but do what it says. Let us not leave these verses without asking ourselves the important question, how do we hear? We live in a Christian country. We probably go to a place of worship Sunday after Sunday and hear sermons. In what spirit do we hear them? What effect have they upon our characters?

Can we point to anything that deserves the name of fruit? We may rest assured that to reach heaven at last it needs something more than going to church regularly on Sundays and listening to preachers. The word of God must be received into our hearts and become the mainspring of our conduct. It must produce practical impressions on our inner being that will appear in our outward behavior. If it does not do this, it will only add to our condemnation on the day of judgment. Oh how true he was and those words ring true today.

Folks, where are you with Christ? You know we need to stop playing games. You need to stop playing Christianity. With the good soil there's no duplicity. With the good soil there's no hypocrisy. They're committed to what it is they said they believe. Christ wants us to come to grips with the reality of the gospel in the lives of people. He wants us to understand the truth of the gospel. He wants us to know that when you go out and sow the seed, many people are going to receive it with joy. But there could be rocky soil.

There could be thorny soil. And sometimes you won't know to the end of the age because the tares will be sown among the weeds. You know what Jesus says about that?

In every church there are tares. Every church there are tares. Not just some churches. Every church. Christ didn't want you to think that just because you go to church that everybody there is on their way to heaven. That just because you're sitting in a pew and occupying a place Sunday after Sunday that everybody's going to go there. No, there are tares that are sown among the weeds and they look like everybody else. They talk like everybody else. They smell like everybody else. And we think that they're Christians.

Only to find out at the end of the age, it's too late then, right? That there are tares among the weeds when Christ himself will separate them. Isn't that a, that's just horrific. That's why it's so important to preach the truth. It's so important to tell people what the Bible says.

You don't want people to be confirmed in the falseness of the profession. Do you? I don't. I don't want someone coming to church thinking, well, yeah, that, that, I'm going to heaven. I'd rather you come and say, wow, man, I wonder if I'm going to heaven. I'd rather you ask that question than make a statement and say, yeah, I'm going to heaven. So that you're able to examine your life in light of what the Bible says.

Because the good soil examines his life. The good soil sees the fruit in his life. And others around them see that fruit. That fruit that's being produced on a regular basis. Why? Because you are committed to the God who bears that fruit in and through you. That's why Christ said in John 15, if you don't bear fruit, you're cast into the furnace. You're burned. You're burned like chaff. But every tree that produces fruit, guess what? Jesus himself prunes it over and over again. So that it will produce even more fruit.

That's why the Lord God said to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 2, verse number 10, that we are his workmanship. Having been created unto Christ Jesus by good works. Unto good works. And the good works that we have been created to perform have been predetermined in eternity past. That is an ironclad guarantee that every good soil produces fruit. Some 30 fold. Some 60 fold. Some 100 fold. If you're here today and you're saying, man, I don't have any fruit in my life. Then you need to come down to my right and to your left when our service is over.

And talk to somebody who can introduce you to Christ. If you're here today and you say, you know, I've come to church and I, man, I love the world, man, I'm having a hard time breaking away. Then you need to come down to my right and to your left and talk to somebody about what it means to have a relationship with the living God. You do that. To make sure you understand. Because you see, if you're asking those questions, the spirit of God is working on your heart. And if you don't answer that question by talking to someone who will show you the way and you go out those doors and you turn around and don't come back, you know what happens?

A layer of hardness just goes over your heart again. Because you refuse to respond to the convicting work of the spirit of God. And every time you do that, that layer becomes thicker and thicker and thicker. Your heart becomes colder and colder and colder. And Jesus said in Matthew chapter 13 and in Luke chapter 8, these people who consider themselves to be religious have rejected the truth that I've given them. Therefore, I will confirm them in their rejection. I will confirm them in their hardness.

I will confirm them in their coldness because they would not respond when they had the opportunity. And now in seeing, they'll never see. And in hearing, they'll never hear. Why? Because in fulfillment of Isaiah 6 verses 10 to 13, I have confirmed them in the hardness of their heart. And because they've hardened their heart toward me, I will harden their hearts so as to make it impossible for them ever to repent. Isn't that amazing? But that's what the parable of the soul and the soils is all about.

And like I said last week, it is no accident you are here today. You are here by divine appointment. Nobody comes to Christ Community Church by accident. You come by divine appointment. Because when the word of God is preached, it's preached for you and for me. He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the spirit says. Let's pray. Our most gracious Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for this day and all that you have done. And I do pray for anybody in this auditorium today who is not certain that eternity with Christ is their destiny.

That Lord, you would do a work in their hearts and cause them this day through the breaking up of the hard soil to turn from their sin. Follow Christ. Pray in Jesus' name. Amen.