Matthew 13:1-9
In this envelope is something worth more than you can possibly imagine. It isn’t the deeds to a new house. It isn’t a winning ticket to the national lottery or even the euromillions draw. It is much more valuable than those things. In here is the entrance ticket to heaven. In here is the free gift of knowing God. In here is the way God gives us forgiveness and new life, life in all its fullness, life which begins here and now and continues into eternity.
Here is an amazing gift, God’s more than pretty amazing grace – really incredible amazing grace.
LISTEN TO Neil Diamond – Pretty Amazing Grace
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
Why is that some people reject the gift God wants to give them?
“Well I knocked on your door to see if you wanted some hope.
I was so sad when you only looked out of the window.
So I waited around, standing outside in the cold
But to my dismay the door of your house remained closed.
And I’m giving away gifts, you don’t need no money to pay.
Take what you want, if its no good then throw it away.
Don’t pass up the chance of something entirely free.
Open your door and come out and come over to me.”
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
When a person becomes a Christian, God forgives their sin and gives them the free gift of eternal life. God becomes their Father and they have the certainty of spending eternity with God in heaven.
We receive all these blessings as a free gift from God which we cannot earn or deserve, simply by believing in Jesus Christ. But as somebody has said, “The entrance fee to the kingdom of God is free because Jesus has paid it for us. But the annual subscription is everything we have!”
The Bible tells us, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)
In other words, at the same time as believing that Jesus is risen from the dead, to become a Christian we also have to accept that Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives. More than that, we have to “confess that Jesus is Lord.” That means we have to show by our words and our actions that Jesus Christ really is Lord, the master or the boss over every part of our lives. We cannot be secret disciples.
But being a disciple isn’t always easy!
Trouble and persecution -> falling away
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
God knows about what happens to every bird. Every animal. Even every plant. Every hair of our heads. God knows, and God cares and God is in control. So don’t be afraid. Don’t worry.
Suffering and sickness – whatever our situation, whatever our problems, God knows and God can help. Especially in context of standing up and being counted as a Christian. If problems come, opposition or ridicule, God is with us. Even the very hairs on our head are numbered.
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth
There are lots of worries of this life! Especially today. Credit Crunch. Depression. Threat of unemployment. Money problems. The world tells us we are “Born to Shop” but the false god of Shopping and Entertainment and Money are being shown up as empty!
Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Hearing and understanding -> yielding a crop, bearing fruit
A healthy plant will produce fruit!
In our lives = fruit of good works
Fruit of Holy Spirit – character of Christ in us
Fruit of more plants, more seeds sown leads to more becoming Christians
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
In parable NO SUCH THING as a healthy plant which doesn’t produce fruit! If plant isn’t producing fruit it is because something is wrong.
Here is this unremarkable envelope. In here is the entrance ticket to heaven. In here is the free gift of knowing God. In here is the way God gives us forgiveness and new life, life in all its fullness, life which begins here and now and continues into eternity.
OPEN – envelope contains copies of Mark’s Gospel and Journey into life
It is the word of God, the Good News about Jesus Christ. Help yourself to these books in the Foyer.
Here is an amazing gift, God’s more than pretty amazing grace – really incredible amazing grace.
What kind of soil are you?
9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
