Excited But Not Saved | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

I in my savior. I'm happy and blessed.

Are you blessed? Are you happy in?

Jesus, I hope you are. And if you don't know Jesus

today, I hope that you will come to know him and we will discover

how we can know him as we come to the gospel of Mark in chapter

4, Because we are continuing our series within a series.

By carefully surveying the parable of the sower.

And so let's read again from verse 1.

And Mark for which reads again, he began to teach beside the sea

and a very large crowd gathered about him so that he got into a

boat and sat in it on the sea. And the whole crowd was beside

the Sea on the land and he was teaching them, many things in

Parables and in his teaching he said to them.

Listen behold A sower went out to sow and as he sowed some Fell

along the path and the birds came and devoured.

It verse five. Other seed fell on Rocky ground

where it did not have much soil and immediately it sprang up

since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was

scorched. And since it had no root it

withered away. Other seed fell among thorns and

the Thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no grain and

other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain growing up in

increasing and yielding 30 fold and 60 fold and a hundredfold.

And he said, he who has ears to hear, Let Him hear.

Lord, give us those ears and we ask that as we come to the

second soil that you have taught your people then and taught

throughout the centuries and are intended to teach us today.

Lord, we want to know where we are and we pray that you would

help us by the spirit in Jesus name.

Amen. In this Parable, the Lord, Jesus

highlights four types of soil, that represent different heart

conditions that respond differently to the gospel and to

the word of God as a whole. And it's important to remember

that the teaching that Jesus gives us here is not designed to

describe the unchangeable condition of men's Hearts, as

though it was sealed. In that way.

But it aims to provoke the listeners to honestly examine

themselves and the state of their own souls to say, which

one am I? Where do I fit?

In other words Jesus description of these categories is a

challenge for us to identify which class we fit in and then

with the Redemptive hope of making the appropriate

repentance to be where we are. Where God wants us to be rather.

So that we can bear fruit for his glory Spurgeon.

Insightfully said that this Parable defines four classes of

here's that are found in every congregation and I amen.

That and I say Beyond these four walls, this also describes the

types of listeners that are Waiting to receive the seed and

we've been commissioned to plant this seed outside of these walls

as well. And so you and I last week,

heard about the first type of soil, which is really

characterized by immediate rejection and disinterest and

divine revelation like the paved paths and Jesus day that found

themselves around Fields And even through the fields that

have been compounded by foot traffic.

There are some people who have hardened Hearts towards the

truth and have zero receptivity to what God has to say to them

the see tries to find a home. It tries to find a place to

abide and instead it collides with a stiff ground, it bounces

off only for Satan to take it away.

Who is always ready to remove any potential influence of the

truth? Seeping into your thoughts and

your affections He is vicious. And the wicked one is most

effective with those who have been callous by in irreverence

and by a carelessness, towards spiritual realities.

It's amazing when Jesus talks about the first type of soil, he

says, in a different gospel account that men trampled,

underfoot the seed, and Men Who Trampled Under Foot, which is

really symbolic of being irreverent towards the word of

God, attract, Satan's cruelty. And yet, Isaiah tells us that

those who not trample, underfoot the seed, but who tremble at the

word of God. Attract the mercy of God.

The second type of soil is our Focus today.

And as we will discover quickly, it is much different than the

first for many reasons. This group is often referred to

as the rocky soil in such individuals have a complex

relationship with the truth and it might be you today.

So here and listen. Their extreme emotional

responses, both positively, and negatively can leave.

Even genuine Believers perplexed of whether or not these people

actually possess saving Faith or not.

But Jesus is clear concerning the rocky soil.

They share the same fate as those who have the roadside

soil. In other words both are

unbelievers. Both will not have eternal life,

both are not saved and You and I by the grace of God will come to

that conclusion. As we look at three things

pertaining to this type of soil and the first one is how the

rocky soil receives the seed. And from there we will look at

how the rocky soil relates to the seed.

And finally, we will discover why the rocky soil.

He rejects the seed so how it is received how it is related and

finally why it is ultimately rejected.

And so let's come together to verse 5 of Mark, chapter 4 to

Mark 4 · chapter mention

look at the receiving of the seed from this type of heart and

verse 5, we read other seed fell on Rocky ground where it did not

have much soil and immediately Mark loves that word and

immediately it sprang up since it had no depth of soil.

Unlike the first kind of soil which was unresponsive the rocky

ground promises a measure of openness.

According To Jesus, his own interpretation, the presentation

of the Gospel is met with warm exuberance.

Such recipients do not put up a fight.

They don't, they don't have any resistance against what is being

said by the preacher, by the friend who is sitting them down

to give them saving knowledge instead.

They are quick to absorb it there, quick to act upon it.

Whatever it Providence has brought their way, they're

willing to nod their head. Yes, and embrace it.

But the enthusiasm of the rocky heart is not after deep

contemplation, of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus

Christ. It's just a quick reaction.

To the good news, it's good news.

And they can recognize that it's good news and it's so good.

They don't even hesitate to apply it to their lives.

Scroll down with me to mark for 16.

And these are the ones. Now, this is Jesus Exposition

his expounding of the rocky soil.

And these are the ones sown on Rocky ground, the ones who when

they hear the word immediately receive it with joy.

So both in the parable and in the explanation, the Lord

emphasizes. How there are those who

demonstrate a sudden, an exhilarating profession of faith

and from the outside to both the sower and on Lookers, this, this

kind of rapid growth would even be Dean Supernatural.

There's an instant springing up there is this rapid acceleration

and it can give that kind of impression just like somebody's

immediate response to the Urgent call to being saved by Christ.

But what would seem to be a supernatural work?

Is in fact, the the fruit of a shallow heart Since this type of

soil lacks the depth necessary to consider all of the

implications of what it means to say, yes to Jesus.

There's concern and here is where I want to say something

extremely important that none of us can afford to forget and it

is, this excitement is not the distinctive Mark that someone

has been born again. That is not to say that emotions

that are coupled with a genuine confession.

Is always suspect of superficiality.

But it does mean that emotionalism alone is no

qualifier of genuine conversion. A flood of Tears or a wide

glistening smile is no sure sign that somebody has been saved by

Jesus. Hebrews 65 and you don't have to

turn there. Warns us, that it is possible

for a person to taste the goodness of the word of God and

to Fall Away into Oblivion. To never repent again.

You know, what's so interesting. When you look at this, this is

really the only Parable that emphasizes emotion.

And when you come down to verse 20 of Mark, for where Jesus

describes the fertile soil, the good soil, the soil, that

actually produces fruit. There's something missing look

at verse 20 of Mark for quickly, but those that were sewn, on the

good soil, are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear

fruit. 30 fold and 60 fold and a hundredfold.

Did you catch it? It, he who hears the word and

accepts it. There's no mention of

extravagant emotion here. There's no mention of

overwhelming reaction. All we see here is an Earnest

acceptance of the truth. After an honest and clear

assessment of what they are signing up for And if emotions

are aroused along with a genuine, exception and a sober,

Judgment of what it means to be saved.

Then praise God, let the tears flow, and let the laughter of

Liberation ReSound into the heavens.

But to look at somebody who has simply been stirred by strong

emotion and deemed them as redeemed is dangerous, for many

reasons, and more importantly, for that person whose foundation

in the faith is ready to betray them.

Eventually, There's something worth mentioning here.

Also before we move on and it is this, although no sower can ever

control the outcome of what happens to the CDC.

The Sowers job is just to broadcast it and to scatter it

and wherever it falls. It is not his duty to analyze

where the seed will go. That's God's job.

There is no control on the part of the deliver of the truth.

Nonetheless, there is a responsibility that the so er,

has particularly with this kind of heart posture.

And it is to be careful not to do things for the sake of quick

results. Our Evangelistic efforts as a

church as individual. Believers must be protected from

sharing in the guilt of those who will accept the gospel in

the shallow way. How is that possible?

How can I, as a sower, share the guilt of the person who receives

the gospel in a shallow away. Very easy.

Give it in a shallow way. Give the gospel in a shallow way

and you share in the guilt. This soil is uniquely

characterized by emotionalism. Then if that is the case, you

and I have to resist the temptation of manipulating our

presentation, for the sake of people, making a decision for

the moment and not for a lifetime.

And there are many ways this can be, but I think one of the most

criminal schemes of bringing this about is by tampering with

the substance of the seed. So that it can be more easily

accepted. And you and I are going to learn

in a moment. The reason why this c will be

rejected is because of future tribulation and trials.

So here's how the sneaky strategy goes.

If it is going to be trials and persecution and difficulty,

that's going to cause people to be turned off by the gospel.

Then what do we do to make people accept it with with

immediacy? Well, don't mention that stuff.

Don't mention it. Don't tell people.

They're going to suffer for Christ.

Don't tell people. It's going to come at a cost.

Don't tell people that they are accepting a new kind of Burden

though. It is light is a burden, still

don't talk about how bearing, the name of Jesus will come with

different price. Unfortunately, this is exactly

what many Ministries are doing. They are cancelling out, certain

ingredients of the Gospel so that it can be more widely

accepted to the detriment of those who accept it.

And this is extremely dangerous. And what's the goal for it?

Because we want to see things happen.

Now, right now, We want to boast in the numbers of our

attendance. We want to boast in our building

project so that we can host. The crowds of people who come we

want to. We want to tell people in our

newsletters and and then and compare ourselves to other

Ministries and look how many baptisms.

We had over one weekend and look how many people confess Christ

at our event and it's all manufactured Revival.

It's man-made. What they are really doing, is

setting up people for failure because when persecutions do

come and they will, they won't have the root system to keep

them grounded, and they will wither away.

In Philippians 1:29, Paul says for it has been granted to you

Philippians 1:29

that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him

but also suffer for his sake and Paul's mind believing in Jesus

Christ is a very close neighbor to suffering.

They're Inseparable. It's part of the package.

If you are going to follow Christ and enjoy the Assurance

of your salvation, then you also must endure suffering for Christ

as you await your Redemption. And suffering is not something

that we share as a scare tactic or as a reverse psychology.

Now it is a badge of honor. It is a privilege to suffer for

Christ because he's infinitely, worthy to not just be believed

on but too. suffer for So if you're going to believe in

Paul's mind, in that same sentence, you want to believe,

well, you're going to suffer, your flesh is going to suffer.

Different parts of your social life will suffer.

And in the world's eyes, you will look like a fool for

following Jesus and 2022. But he is worthy.

So if you and I want to minimize the production of shallow

salvations in our midst, then all we have to do is have a firm

conviction that we will teach and preach the whole counsel of

God. And leave the results to God

Alone. Just leave it to The Sovereign

working of the Holy Spirit. And if anybody would say yes to

the gospel and then Fall Away. Then, at least we will have a

clear conscious to know that we offer the whole counsel of God.

Which brings me to this important aspect.

Jesus is not teaching her. That some will have a shallow

salvation experience because of the solar was shallow and his

delivery. The solar receives, no blame in

all of this Parable. He is a faithful Steward who

gives the true seed and as you heard last week, let me

emphasize it again. The issue here is not with the

seed, it's with the soil. And so, what that means is, even

if you and I preach the whole counsel of God and preach the

pure gospel. You're still going to have

people like this. You're still going to have

shallow soil, to deal with. Which now brings me to the

second Point. Not just the reception of the

seed, but The relationship with the seed.

What's remarkable about this group?

Of Heroes is not just a joy that they show at the beginning?

It's how they continue to enjoy it.

It's possible that while I've been preaching in the past few

minutes here that people certain individuals have come to mind

that really fit this description.

Maybe even people that you have brought to a service or you have

brought to an event that, you know, and knew that was going to

preach the gospel. And you were praying that

something would happen to that, lost loved one and to your

astonishment, when the call went out, here is your friend, here's

your sibling, here's her your cousin, your father, your

mother, here they are. And with delight.

And Eagerness they say yes? Only to never show up to church

again. Only to not show an iota of

interest in growing in their faith.

In fact, they went they went back to the very same thing.

They were in before that evening service. and as much as that as

a regular occurrence which is unfortunate heartbreaking, this

is not the type of person that Jesus is primary describing in

this Parable, and I'll prove that to you, you have to come to

Matthews version and Matthew 13:20 to see it in Matthew 13,

Matthew 13:20 Matthew 13:20

verse 20 and 21, Jesus tells us how this kind of soil relates to

the seed. And Matthew 13:20 Matthews

Matthew 13:20

before mark. Ask for what was sown on Rocky

ground. This is the one who hears the

word and immediately receives it with joy.

Very similar to Mark verse 21 yet.

He has no root in himself but indoors for a while that's scary

stuff that's scary stuff but indoors for a while and when

tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word

immediately, he falls away. Luke's version would say that

they believe for a while. Matthew says they endure for a

while and indoor is important because it implies something

more than just verbal adherence. There is a level of steadfast

commitment. That's on display with this kind

of soil. There is a practical follow-up

after the initial impassion 'it confession, And such people

might get baptized. They will gladly sit under sound

teaching, they will regularly partake of the Lord's table and

here's here's what's even more scary.

They can even commit to a local church and serve in different

ways. Such people can be found leading

teaching cleaning. Serving organizing preparing.

And they can function in this way, for weeks, months, and even

years, before their faulty salvation is exposed.

What this means is that this type of unbeliever is not easily

identifiable like the soil on the Wayside.

Do you know how that's possible? Look back at verse 21 of Matthew

13 before he says they endure for a while.

Jesus gives us an important detail.

He has no root in himself. I don't know what comes to your

mind in terms of imagination when you hear the rocky ground.

I'm talking about literal picturing but it's not a bunch

of rocks that sit on a bed of dirt.

What? Jesus has a mind here.

What was common is they was actually sheets of Rock.

That was beneath a thin layer of soil.

And so it wasn't immediately perceivable.

So what would happen is when the seed would be scattered, it

would fall into a level of soil that was warm enough and

contained enough moisture for it to germinate and decompose and

naturally, The Roots would try to reach down to try to

establish itself and something more concrete and promising for

long-term nutrition only to be rejected by a hard service.

But because of that energy, it Versus and goes upward and

springs up quickly. All to say that this kind of

unbeliever. Is concealed.

It's not so obvious. In fact, they look like the

legitimate thing. And here's the thing, I was

meditating on that and I thought to myself, you know, if I teach

this it's possible for people to apply in the wrong way.

Those who are genuine Believers and what do I mean by that?

We can develop the wrong attitude as a church.

The people that we serve with, we can become suspicious about,

because we aren't sure if they're truly rooted in Christ.

We can even start timing. How long they will last, we can

start robbing ourselves of joy and God of his glory, when we

see confessions of Christ, or when people display their

obedience to Christ through things like water, baptism, and

we clap. But we're just like, I don't

know, we'll see what happens here.

That is a Temptation. We have to avoid because our job

as a community of faith is not to prematurely judge, those who

will be legit and who will not be legit.

The New Testament actually calls us to the contrary to encourage

the week to pray for them to support them to embrace them,

and listen to this, even when they walk away from the truth.

According to James to fetch for them.

And to bring them back from wandering, to save, his soul

from death. So this this Insight is not,

it's not something to encourage us to be skeptical all the time

to the point where we distance ourselves less, we continually

set ourselves up for disappointment, disappointments

will come, but it's okay to rejoice and believe because love

hopes for the best, love believes the best.

So, don't let this stifle with. Your excitement for God, working

in people. And here's the thing.

It is not your duty or mind to discern a predict someone's

status in Christ because Jesus tells us in this Parable that it

will eventually be revealed without your participation or

mine. Have you ever heard of Charles

blondin? I haven't before yesterday.

And you won't hear of that name unless you are a passionate

historian concerning tightrope-walking, Charles

blondin was the greatest tightrope Walker in all of human

history and one of his greatest achievements was in 1859 when he

dared to be the first man to walk on a tightrope that

stretched across the Raging Waters of the Niagara Falls.

As you can imagine a great crowd from both Canada and the United

States gathered to witness this. Fearless Soul effortlessly

across the northern border, not just once but multiple times and

death-defying fashion, blond and gave his audience a show that

they would never forget, because he would do this several times.

And every single time he would challenge himself further

keeping his fans in suspense. And so at some points, he would

blindfold himself and he would walk without being able to see

as he suspended over. The mighty Waters of the Niagara

Falls and other times he would do so with stilts, those wooden

little poles that extend you above the ground and he would,

he would balance himself with these sticks while holding on,

and he would cross and he would get creative at one point.

He actually put a small stove on his back, came to the center of

the rope and he cooked an omelet.

And you can imagine how the people watching were holding

their breath with absolute silence in the atmosphere.

Only to be interrupted with Applause.

That was perhaps louder than the Falls when he would make it

through. Finally, at one point.

Charles decided to push a wheelbarrow across Niagara Falls

on that rope. And as he turned to his devoted

fans who sang his Praises Charles noticed, one particular

man, who was, especially excited.

And so he looks at him and he says, sir, do you believe that I

can push someone in this wheelbarrow across the falls?

And this man without hesitation said, yes you can do it, of

course you can and with a prepared response Charles asked

him then get in And what do you think the answer was from this

crazed fan? Who expressed his great faith in

Charles with the same speed and strengthen that?

Yes, he gave a hearty no way. That is the quality.

Of faith that Jesus is describing with the rocky soil.

People in the audience who testified saying I love him, I

believe him, I will serve him. I will follow him until a

personal test comes their way. Like that man who was buzzing

with admiration and couldn't keep still at the sight of this.

Fearless individual. This tightrope walking history

maker Everything changed the moment that he realized that his

confession can possibly cost him something.

Look again here at Matthew 13 to understand what it is, that

causes rejection of the seed. Matthew 13:20, but look at verse

Matthew 13:20

21. He has no root in himself but

indoors for a while. And when tribulation or

persecution arises on account of the word immediately, he falls

away. Notice immediately.

He falls away. So, immediately he receives it

and he is just as quick to reject it.

And what this tells us is that and enthusiastic unbeliever can

blend in the crowd of the children of God as long as he's

able to exercise his shallow faith without intimidation or

criticism. Such a man is willing to ride

the wave of faithfulness as long as he is being supported by the

clear, sky of social ease and favor shining upon him.

But the moment he feels the chill of gray clouds,

overshadowing him. and the drops of persecution touching his

sensitive skin. He's quick to get to the shore

of compromise and take cover. He can't help, but recant.

He can't help but say I didn't sign up for this.

Persecution on account of the word is the key verse.

The key phrase persecution is, the defining moments that

distinguish between the authentic and the almost

authentic. And this is just one example of

why we don't say that. Someone lost their salvation

when after even months and years of apparently walking with them

because this Parable is just one of many proofs that that person

wasn't safe to begin with. It was shallow.

It seemed to look real until the test came proving that it wasn't

real to begin with. And that's why what we're seeing

in history. Let me go on a little bit of a

tangent here. What we're seeing in history

today, the fact that our politics are becoming more and

more about morality. The fact that our popular

culture now is as making defining statements and

Declarations of what is righteous and what is wrong?

As much as it is proof of the last days, it is also a sifting

work of The Sovereign God over his church.

So all these things that we're seeing right, what the Supreme

Court did with abortion and all this stuff that's happening,

you're saying, well, why is it happening?

And it would be it'd be wrong to just limited to the fact that

we're headed towards a culmination of the age.

It's more than that. The Lord is purifying those who

profess his name. And that's what we're feeling

the heat a little bit and workplaces that are asking you,

you better choose your pronouns and you better write them in

your emails and you better stand by this narrative.

That's what we're starting to see this.

Now, this is now coming close to home.

And you're wondering, why is it happening?

Well, because God is allowing it to happen.

And it's going to reveal those who are true to him and those

who were just excited about him when all was well.

It was easy to be a Christian in America.

In the 50s 60s, early or even earlier than that, it's getting

increasingly more difficult to associate with Christ and that's

nothing short of God. And his work to reveal.

True faith. And to expose counterfeit

conversions. Luke adds another detail of why.

It is that some who have rocky soil will turn away.

So go to Luke's version and 8:13.

And Luke 8:13. And the ones on the Rock are

Luke 8:13

those who when they hear the word receive it with joy.

Notice every single Gospel writer except for John tells us

that they receive it with joy. But these have no root they

believe for a while. And in time of testing Fall

Away, testing is a broader word than just persecution or

tribulation according or because an account of the word.

So what you have here is that Luke is saying by the spirit,

people don't just abandon sound Doctrine.

And discipleship, because of fear of social scorn know, there

are people who will change course because of a variety of

difficult trials. That are painful that persuade

them to ultimately reject the Redeemer and say, I don't want

this. That includes physical material.

Emotional relational Financial affliction.

All it takes is for some people to abandon ship is for a loved

one to get cancer as tragic as that is or to die prematurely.

And with the same passion that they said, yes with when it came

to that one time, they heard the gospel.

With the same level of intensity, they say no.

How can this God be good? I will not give him a moment's

more of my devotion. All it takes is for people to

have prolonged loneliness and that ache seemingly being

overwhelming for them. To say, he doesn't hear my

prayers, he's not real. This isn't make sense for

somebody who is a child of God, I'm not interested anymore.

There's so many examples of how there are trials times of

testing, where things don't go necessarily to your natural

desires. For people to give up.

Do you remember how Jesus described trials, Temptations

and persecutions and the parable Matthew 3:16 or 1366 rather

Matthew 3:16

tells us that Jesus uses the picture of the sun.

Now, I don't have a green thumb by any means, I'm not an expert

in vegetation, or in planting this man is Pastor Ben has okay.

But I know enough about gardening to understand that if

a plant is going to grow, its going to need some exposure to

rays of light, right? Sunlight So I do understand

here. Jesus says that when the Sun

rises in my limited understanding of how this works,

it's supposed to help the plant. It's supposed to give life to

it, but instead, we're told it scorches it until it shrivels up

and dies. It's not really a mystery.

It's not the son's fault, it's because the plants that grow

with this kind of soil lack, the moisture necessary to benefit

from the natural light. And so what was intended to grow

them ends up killing them? And just like how the son is

capable of both giving life or taking life.

The same goes with the heat that comes from blazing trials.

Over those who profess faith in Jesus.

In other words, suffering is a divine's means by which God

either confirms genuine Faith or cancels the fake stuff.

Why do people suffer what's God's intention with suffering

many things? But for the True Believer there

in a category on their own that no one else can share.

James 1:2 tells us count it all joy.

James 1:2

My brothers, when you meet Trials of various kinds of same

word that he used in the parable trials when you meet trials,

when you meet tests of various kinds for, you know, that the

testing of your faith produces steadfastness, The same word is

used here, and you know what, the brother of Jesus is saying

you can be joyful when you are visited by the fierce heat of

difficult Seasons, because if you're the real thing, it's only

going to grow you. It's only going to stretch your

soul. It's only going to bring you

higher. It's only going to strengthen

you. But the same object that is

willing to give life. Can also shrivel up unbelief,

And shallow Faith. You know some people innocently

say God allows suffering so that we can prove to him that we have

faith. God knows what's already in you.

If suffering does anything and it does a lot, it demonstrates

to you that you have saving faith.

That's why you could count it all joy.

You know, I've had many conversations with people who

doubt the Assurance of their salvation, but when I've done

inventory, of those people who have approached me genuinely

concerned whether or not they are saved, I realized something.

A lot of them were young. Either young and years or young

in their journey in faith with the Lord.

And I think there's something there.

Because the longer you walk with the Lord, the more you're going

to go through. You gonna get some scars, we

live in a cruel cold world. And if you're walking according

to the plan of God, he will allow things to happen in your

life that doesn't feel good. And what's incredible is.

You pull through, don't you? Ten years walking with the Lord,

15 years, 20 years, 30 years, and I'm sure those who are

seasoned Believers here. You have some stories to share

You have seen some stuff you've been through some splits in the

church. You've probably endured some

kind of level of physical suffering.

You have watched a loved one die before you.

You've lost a job. You've lost lost friends and

just one episode after the next and yet.

Here you are. You still love him.

You still trust him, you still worship Him, you still want to

serve him? You still want to meet with him.

and so whether you realize it or not, where you are today even

though you went through, so much is a testament, Oh, that you

have fertile, soil. And at the faith that is in.

You is true Faith. It's genuine.

It has really regenerated you and kept you.

But those who have rocky soil Faith, they don't, they don't

have that testimony. They're out the moment that they

feel like there is a cost to this thing.

They're out the moment, they realize that this is no longer a

exciting, this is actually costly.

This is actually painful. I didn't really understand all

of this. When I said yes, initially.

So trials. Remove them and they withered

away. But not for the one who has

endured. Enduring for a while, is not the

same as enduring until the end. But as you continue to walk with

the Lord, something happens to your confidence in God's saving

work in your life because you go through things and you come out,

loving him still I can imagine how this teaching might, cause

some people who are hearing to be more shaken to be more

assured in their faith. Right.

And I understand where that's coming from because when you

look at the rocky soil, they look so similar to the genuine

Christian. And so questions can be running

through your mind. How do I know if my joy is the

real thing? How do I know if my testimony

when I when I was broken? And so overwhelmed by the love

of God, Tailored for me on the cross.

How do I know if that was true? How do I know if I'm going to

actually stand firm for Christ? When the temperature gets hot,

and I actually have to, to say yes and it might cost me this or

that or even my own life, how do I know if I won't turn back on

him? That's, that's a legitimate

concern. And my answer is not

philosophical. It's not multiple choice.

It's really easy. If those concerns cause you to

throw yourself at Christ and beg him to make your roots deep.

And be encouraged or you're listening to this Parable

correctly. You're hearing, right?

You see the rocky soil? Christian has a public display

of Faith. The plant is above the bed of

soil, but there is a lack of hiddenness.

In other words, there is the absence of private Devotion to

God, it's just not there. And if it is, it is extremely

shallow. There is no communion with God

and secret. There is no love and worship for

God when you're alone. It's just here.

And it's exciting, and it's great.

And it's wonderful. And you benefit from other

people's moisture. But there isn't a sense of a

secret investment in your relationship with God, just like

that plant that has very little to work with beyond the naked

eye. so, let me say this in love If you're a person here who has

a faith that is only seen by those in public, but deep down

inside, you know, that you have no depth in your spiritual life.

You have. Every reason to be concerned,

you do, I'm just being honest with you, you do You have every

reason to be worried. That's the point of this

parable. Are you shallow, is it real

beyond the surface is there evidence of roots and and Roots,

going deeper and deeper. And if not, you should be afraid

you should. We already saw in the past few

years. What has happened to Big Time

pastors and churches. When the son of persecution, and

tribulation test have arose over our nation.

The deafening silence in the Evangelical world, when abortion

was overturned was very concerning to me.

Very concerning to me. and so, as we prepared to partake, I

want to just end the way Peter ended his Second Epistle and

just listen to these words, you don't have to turn there.

Second Peter 3:17. You therefore beloved knowing

2 Peter 3:17

this beforehand, take care of that.

You are not carried away with the error of Lawless people and

lose your own stability. He's talking to Christians.

At least professing Christians beloved, don't lose your own

stability. but look at Verse 18, but grow You want to know how

you can minimize the risk of losing your own stability, Verse

18, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and

Savior, Jesus Christ. Grow to him, be the glory both

now, and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Amen. The rocky soil should not be

confused with the genuine believer.

I think I need to say this and I hope it helps. who does endure

trials, but struggles And has intrusive thoughts that are

contrary to thoughts of faith and love and Devotion to Christ,

that is not the same. You and I will go through

challenges and you, and I will have moments even like Jeremiah

who said, am I being deceived here?

I'm serving you and it's it's just I don't understand.

I don't know if I really signed up for this, that's what

Jeremiah essentially said and he was still a true servant of God.

This kind of soil is so easy to turn on Christ is so quick to do

it. So if you're wrestling and

you're plowing through and you know down deep inside that he

has the words of eternal life and there's nowhere, you can go

even though it some nights you feel like I think I want to go.

He's with you. And he is for you.

And he is near you even in those dark moments.

Lord, we thank you. For this word. and we ask that

as we come to this table, We would realize.

That it is not upon our works. That we have Assurance, we do

not rest in our efforts, Lord, we look to these elements and

remember that it is what you have done for us.

And yes, with joy, we celebrate and yes with excitement.

We Revive Our confession of Faith to you and our trust in

the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Lord help us with the right Hearts.

Observe this and may it nourish us a fresh to be strong and

secure. In our walk with you.

This is our desire and our prayer in Jesus name.

Amen.