A Heart Checkup (17 of 70)
Series: Mark - God's Message for Today
Jerry Watts
Mark 4:13-20
Jesus is fairly clear that the parable of the sower is a 'key' of sort to understanding the Kingdom of God as well as the Gospel of Christ. In verse 13 He asks two questions which have a hint of 'amazement' to them. You see, when someone is 'in Christ', Jesus has an expectation that they 'get it.' The word has been sown in their lives and He expects the word to be sown from their lives. It's almost like (no disrespect intended) He's scratching His head in unbelief.
The sower sows the word! In other words, "the word is sown." We need to embrace the truth of this statement, 'The word is sown.' It is given, taught, communicated, and seen. In fact, God Himself is sowing the word - even if no one else does. Romans 1 (VS 20) tell us that God has put enough in creation that every person is without excuse! Did you catch that? The word is sown and people (you and me) are without excuse before Holy God.
The word is sown in the world more easily, more frequently, and in more ways than ever before in history - and yet today - fewer people adhere to His word. Service after service, song after song, and sermon after sermon, are given and people are either ignorant, incapable, or (in God's words) too stiff-necked to heart and respond. This past week in outreach one of teams were told 'No, No thank you." When my visitation-partner and I drove through an area we saw a man weed-eating his eat - and my partner said, "There's the man that said, "I don't have time for you." Most in here would say, "You're right! There really are some hard headed people out there." My response is, "Out there?"
As a pastor I have been told that if my preaching stays true to God's word, I can preach it all and not be in trouble - but when I actually expect people to live the words, watch out! Interesting.
Try this: The word is sown - what do you do (or have you done) with the wor ...
Series: Mark - God's Message for Today
Jerry Watts
Mark 4:13-20
Jesus is fairly clear that the parable of the sower is a 'key' of sort to understanding the Kingdom of God as well as the Gospel of Christ. In verse 13 He asks two questions which have a hint of 'amazement' to them. You see, when someone is 'in Christ', Jesus has an expectation that they 'get it.' The word has been sown in their lives and He expects the word to be sown from their lives. It's almost like (no disrespect intended) He's scratching His head in unbelief.
The sower sows the word! In other words, "the word is sown." We need to embrace the truth of this statement, 'The word is sown.' It is given, taught, communicated, and seen. In fact, God Himself is sowing the word - even if no one else does. Romans 1 (VS 20) tell us that God has put enough in creation that every person is without excuse! Did you catch that? The word is sown and people (you and me) are without excuse before Holy God.
The word is sown in the world more easily, more frequently, and in more ways than ever before in history - and yet today - fewer people adhere to His word. Service after service, song after song, and sermon after sermon, are given and people are either ignorant, incapable, or (in God's words) too stiff-necked to heart and respond. This past week in outreach one of teams were told 'No, No thank you." When my visitation-partner and I drove through an area we saw a man weed-eating his eat - and my partner said, "There's the man that said, "I don't have time for you." Most in here would say, "You're right! There really are some hard headed people out there." My response is, "Out there?"
As a pastor I have been told that if my preaching stays true to God's word, I can preach it all and not be in trouble - but when I actually expect people to live the words, watch out! Interesting.
Try this: The word is sown - what do you do (or have you done) with the wor ...
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