How The Devil Steals The Word | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

We're in a new chapter today in Mark, so meet me in the gospel

of Mark in chapter 4. Mark chapter 4.

Mark 4 · chapter mention

But this past Friday and Sunday has been filled with exuberance

singing. So I'm so blessed to be under

your voices this afternoon. I hope you feel that same

blessing, Mark chapter 4, please, and we're starting

Mark 4 · chapter mention

together in verse 1. I'm going to read these verses.

And then together, we're just going to Bow our heads again,

our hearts before God, and ask him to help us understand these

verses. Mark 41.

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 seed fell among the path and the

birds came and devoured. It 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

and increasing and yielding 30 fold.

And V and a hundredfold. And he said, he who has ears to

hear, Let Him hear. Father, give us ears to hear

help us. Listen we just ask, oh, God,

that these next few messages and the next few weeks would be

life-altering. It would be the pivotal point of

many. Who would desire to be good soil

for your seat to have its fullest effect in our lives.

Lord, have your way in the service.

Oh Lord move in great power. O Lord, be magnified as this

word is delivered and more importantly received with

eagerness and obedience, this is our desire in Jesus name we

pray, amen. The parable thesaurus. some

would say, the parable of the soils, Is one of the most

notable and remembered Parables, not just in the ministry of

Jesus Christ, been all of scripture, it is recorded in

three of the four gospel accounts.

And it is one of the few parabolic lessons that Jesus

interprets himself many of The Parables.

Jesus does not go out of his way to expose it like we see here.

For those who are unfamiliar with this Parable, all you have

to do is read on and the rest of the chapter to see Jesus has

undeniably clear explanation of what he's trying to convey with

these words. But the summary is very easy,

it's as follows, there is a sower who scatters seed that

seed is the word of God. And there are four different

types of soils which speaks of the different conditions of the

heart of man who Unto the word of God differently.

And then there is the soar himself.

Who is anybody? Who is a faithful witness to the

Gospel of Jesus Christ, and seeks to scatter that truth into

the hearts of men. That seems like a very

straightforward message, but the purpose behind the message is

much more profound. Why is it that the Lord Jesus at

this particular moment while he sits on a boat by the shore,

facing a sea of people? Why is it that?

Now he is intentionally using this teaching Style with this

specific, Parable? You and I will expound on that.

In the coming weeks, there are many reasons why Jesus is using

what we know as Parables. He has more than one objective

in mind and you and I will Stand that in the coming days, but at

this particular moment, Jesus Christ is teaching about this.

This lesson in order to prepare his disciples and advance.

About how the majority of the Jewish people will reject him.

Already the religious and the spiritual and the political

rather establishments have have made their public rejection of

Jesus known. They were on a campaign to

discredit his name and that was just the beginning of the

growing number of Jewish Brethren who will join in their

outright denial of the son of God.

And so in part, the Lord presents this truth

strategically right after the Pharisees are saying he's

possessed with the Devil. So that he can help his very

likely struggling disciples who can't seem to grasp the mixed

reviews from the nation of Israel.

With the arrival of the Messiah who came with undeniable

Authority, undeniable power undeniable Miracles and it will

not just help the disciples understand it will help the

modern sower of the seed of the Gospel.

Also Have you ever wondered? How is it that anyone can reject

something as good as free as wonderful as our gospel?

Have you ever thought or have you ever struggled with?

Seeing somebody who with great enthusiasm embrace.

The gospel only for a few weeks to go by or months or even years

to shrink back and return to their old ways as though they

have never met Christ. This Parable is for you, these

teachings are for any serious disciple of Jesus, who longs to

make more Disciples of Jesus Christ.

But when you look at this, you have to understand that this

Parable is also meant to Target a ton decisive.

Out one who is standing in the Gap.

Not just followers of Jesus Christ because look at Jesus

words, in verse 3, the first one listen, Listen, this is how he

begins his Parable, pay attention.

It's almost as though while he's sitting on that boat.

There's a crowd of people and some are may be distracted.

Some are maybe looking at their sandal summer, wondering what

they're going to do after the service.

So Jesus observing his audience as hey, pay attention.

And then he ends his teaching by saying the very famous phrase.

He who has ears to hear, Let Him hear.

Why? Because it would be a mistake to

believe that the parable of the sower is some kind of commentary

that is an unchangeable decree of the state of men.

It's not like Jesus using this Parable to say, you know, here

you got some men who are like this, some men who are like

that. Some men are like this and

that's just the way it is. So just you gonna have to deal

with it. I'm just kind of giving you an

Insight, how people respond to the preaching of God's word,

know what Jesus is doing, is using this Parable to provoke

personal reflection He wants his listeners, he wants his audience

to understand that this description of the, the hearts

of men is to stir them to, to make an individual assessment of

which soil they are. And if they're not in the one

that supposed to bear fruit, that they themselves would make

that change as an Act of Faith. So again this is not this is not

just some decree that this is how men are and if you're if

you're there you're there were sorry.

No he wants the listeners to lean in so that they can they

can examine themselves and say well which one am I what you and

I and therefore in the same way Jesus challenges immediate on,

its I challenge you and this afternoon I Look to You and I

say, listen, Pay attention. Because in the next four weeks,

we are going to explore each of these soils on their separate

days. We're not going to have a

general overview of this message.

Every single week, we are going to hear about these different

class of people. And you are, if you are serious

about the condition of your soul, will examine yourself and

say, well, which one am I? Which one do I identify with the

most? And that you would make the

appropriate changes by the grace of God, to make sure that you

are in the will of God. You and I will not rush over

this, you know why? As much as we might be familiar

with this Parable, I'm sure most of us in here.

Can rehearse it by heart and even explain it in great detail.

But I don't want us to run through this and I'll tell you

why go to verse 13 of Mark chapter 4 and look at the words

Mark 4 · chapter mention

of Jesus and he said to them. Do you not understand this

parable? How then will you understand all

the parables? It's obvious here that the Lord

is saying it in order to have access to further Revelation,

namely Parables. You have to comprehend this one.

This is foundational. This is not this is not optional

here, this is not just a random. This is absolutely fundamental

to receiving subsequent revelation of who Jesus is and

what his kingdom is all about. If you and I can't master this

one, there is no hope for us to understand what Jesus has to say

after it because everything else that he will teach will be built

upon these truths. And why is that the case?

Because this Parable deals with the essential truths of the

Gospel of Salvation, in the can't get any more basic than

that. And so, why run the risk of

having a shallow understanding of this Parable?

When this is the key to knowing more parables, You know what

else is more interesting? You find this teaching in

Matthew and in Luke, not in John.

John is very unique in comparison to the other gospel

writers, but you find it in Matthew, you find it in Luke.

But what you won't find is the same statement that we just read

and the other accounts, this declaration of the importance of

this Parable. And I thought to myself, why is

that the case? And I think here is one reason

why because marks goal, as you know, is depicting Jesus as the

great sir. Of God, the perfect servant of

God, but not only that, not only to Portrait us for us.

Jesus being the Fulfillment of the law, him obeying, all that

God had said for him to do. But he's also our model for

service. We look to him as our example of

how we ought to serve the Lord. And so it's fitting for this

statement of how important this Parable is for us, who are

Servants of God. Because these truths about the

the seed and how people respond to it, will Aid us to not grow

weary. They will encourage us and

motivate us to remain faithful regardless of how men respond to

the gospel. They will also Shield us from

unnecessary self-criticism. And they will even keep us from

being tempted from tampering with the seed in order for us to

create more observable results. This is important for us

practically. In fact, that is one of the main

points of this parable. The reason people reject the

gospel not is not because there is something wrong with this see

that the master has placed in our hands but because of the

quality of the soil of men's hearts, So let us Begin by

looking at the first type of soil that Jesus speaks of and

draw as much as we can from. So let me say it again.

Listen. Listen, pay attention.

This one might be about you. It could be about you wouldn't

you want to know if Jesus is speaking about you this

afternoon? Verse 3 and 4, let's revisit it.

Listen. Behold A sower went out to sow

and as he sowed some seeds fell along the path and the birds

came and devoured. It, thankfully, you and I don't

have to spend too much time trying to decode what Jesus

meant by this first description, about this first, class of hers,

because he will illuminate it in the coming versus.

But just from a first reading we already can can have an idea of

what Jesus is alluding to with this.

Illustration. He says here that the sower

sowed along the path, some of the seed, fell along the path

you can, you can identify this group of people as the Wayside

soil. Now, it doesn't help when we

think of it in modern ideas, because back in Jesus day Fields

were wide open to public access. There would be paths and Roads,

very, very near and sometimes even through these fields, which

would invite foot traffic. And when invite travelers to

come by, remember when Jesus and his disciples, they walk through

the fields and they were picking the grain.

That was normal in this time there wasn't fences and there

weren't electric wires to protect the field.

No, it was, it was much more accessible and this day.

And so what would happen while these paths these dirt roads

would be would be stepped on and then compounded over time until

they became like pavement. And Jesus has this in mind when

he speaks about this particular soil.

He's saying there are people who will respond to the seed and the

same way that the paths that, you know, of that become almost

like cement over time. And you and I can just imagine

what happens to the seed when it does come into contact with with

such soil, it bounces right off and it lies on the surface and

it just rests there it's unable to penetrate.

It does not make its way into it doesn't enter it just visits.

and in like manner, there are many who have hearts who react

to the gospel with similar hardness Listen.

Yeah, there you are. Such people have no room for a

reception. No room for meditation.

No room for consideration for divine truth.

No matter who or no matter how the gospel is delivered to them.

They are quick to shut the truth out and refused to give a moment

further of inquiry. Such people can come in and out

of meetings like this one and be totally unmoved.

Totally unstirred. When they hear these glories,

about who Jesus is and what he's done and regardless of The

Passion of the preacher, regardless of the power of the

spirit, that can be felt such people.

Remain the same and just like the birds of the air.

They are ready. To move on as though nothing had

happened. Even to begin with.

They can hear the truth and walk away as though nothing was said

to them. And here's where it gets more,

interesting. Here's where it gets really,

really interesting. When Jesus goes on to expound on

this soil, he includes a detail that is not emphasized in any

other type of soil and so come down to verse 15.

And these are the ones. So now Jesus in the latter

portion is interpreting what these soils mean.

And now he's on the first one and he says here and these are

the ones along the path where the word is sown.

When they hear Satan immediately comes and takes away the word

that is sewn in them. Aha.

That is Paramount that is massive in our understanding of

this Jesus reveals how Satan is so directly involved with the

transaction of Truth and receiving truth.

As much as God is at work in these moments even now.

So is the devil And the fact that Mark uses the word,

immediate means that he is near. He is not far, he's very close,

his work is quick because he is in a sense.

In our midst. Satan immediately comes and

takes away the word that is shown in them.

Jesus reveals something that we know as spiritual warfare and

Paul says it in his own way. Obviously, by the spirit and

second Corinthians 4:4 in their case, the God of this world has

2 Corinthians 4:4

blinded the minds of unbelievers.

The god little G. There is no God like Jehovah,

not capital G, he's not in. Equal to God.

But there is a ruler in this world and he is invisible and he

is powerful. And their case, the God of this

world has blinded the minds of unbelievers that they may not

see the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ.

Who is the image of God? Satan has one ambition in this

life, one ambition. And that is to strategically

derail Souls from even getting a glimpse of the glory of Jesus

Christ. Namely in his saving work on the

cross, and he will do everything that he can.

To make sure that you would not even have an opportunity to be

exposed to such wonderful light. And so he has many ways of doing

this. That is not to say that Sinners

are mere victims of Satan's strategies.

What it means though, is that the wicked one constantly aims

to drive Sinners into deeper Darkness, our hearts already

dark but the enemy wants to make sure to bury you to bury you and

such a depth of clouded vision and distraction.

So that as much as he can, if even it would happen that the

light would come by, your way, it would have little effect on

your callous. Soul.

And so he seeks to Blind and he does this by either trying to

prematurely invite you into sin and maybe you'll kill yourself

in the process and if you can't do that then then he is

satisfied with just distracting. You long enough with seemingly

innocent toys. And ambitions.

So that you would not even give a thought to life after death.

And this is why I partly believe, why all men are capable

of responding to the gospel or else.

Why would Satan make any effort? Why would the scripture record

any type of effort on Satan's part to try to keep men from

being influenced by the gospel? This is why the enemy absolutely

hates the proclamation of the truth, because it is through the

proclamation of the truth. That those who have been caked

in their vision from seeing such wonders of Grace, It's through

what Jesus told, Paul and acts 26:18.

Acts 26:18

He commission's him to preach and you know what?

He says, Paul, I'm raising you up.

I've chosen you, I have selected.

You and acts 26:18 to open their eyes.

Acts 26:18

To open their eyes so that they may turn from Darkness to light.

And from the power of Satan to God, what is the means by which

somebody who is blinded comes to receive miraculous vision?

Ambassadors of Jesus Christ Faithfully.

Proclaiming that gospel. That is how it's done.

It's very simple. We don't have to complicate this

whole thing that they may receive forgiveness of sins and

a place among those who are Sanctified by faith in me.

So, you have Satan roaming. Strategizing planning creating

inventing ways to do one thing and that's to keep men from

seeing the glory of Jesus Christ.

The very same eyes that I've been blinded by him can be

opened by the truth declared through us.

Now, if that is the case, then how do we reconcile Jesus

teaching, how Satan is able to take that seed.

And this truth that when people are in the presence of the

Gospel, their eyes can be open. Is it because is it because

Satan is very powerful. Is it?

Because he is, he is able to obstruct, is he's able to

hijack? Well, yes or no.

Remember one of the goals of this, Parable is not just to

explain why it is certain people reject the truth.

Jesus gives this Parable to also expose to expose and to unveil

why some people won't believe and they are responsible for it.

They are responsible for it. Because Satan will not overcome,

your will. He can just influence it?

And in a giving this Parable, he is letting his audience know.

Hey, there is, there is a vicious foe who would love to

drag you to hell with him? Do you realize that that's what

Jesus is saying? In part?

There is a there is a Satan who really wants to make sure you

don't even get to hear what I have to say to you and hopefully

people really listen. They would seek to escape from

that Dreadful place. Is.

Listen. You know, I looked at this and I

thought to myself, okay, well, it's clear, there are men's

whose hearts are hard. You know why your heart is hard

because you've allowed the world to beat you down with its lies,

and it's hurts and it's pains and it's ugly ways.

And you come into a place like this and I'm preaching to, you

know, what's happening? That's what's happening.

And you're the easiest Target for the devil.

The easiest he just comes by and goes look at this.

And he puts it away to ensure that you would never think about

the truth. That you just heard that Sunday

afternoon. But how does he do it?

How does Satan? How does he pluck?

That seed from people's hearts? Well, I'll tell you how he

doesn't do it in this way. Some would say he does it by

making men fearful through the threat of persecution.

That is true, but remember Jesus uses that for the second type of

soil. It's the rocky soil that

received the truth excitingly at first, but they wither away

because persecution comes well, maybe it's through the lies of

possessions and and pleasure. And Tease.

Maybe that's how he snatches the seat away and I would say, yeah.

But I don't think that's what Jesus has in mind because that's

how he uses. That's what he uses to describe

the third type of soil, the thorny soil, that that chokes

chokes. Some of you are choking even

though you're breathing. We'll get to that in a few

weeks. You're breathing physically by

your spirit is dying. So, so it can't mean that it's

through the threat of persecution because he mentions

that in the next type of soil. It can't mean through pleasure,

priority, or anything else in terms of the material world

because he mentions that in the third type of soil.

So then, what does the Lord have in mind?

When he says that Satan has a way of snatching that seed from

your heart? I believe it's to reveal a

different kind of strategy that you and I don't think of often.

And the only way you and I actually going to get the

answers is when we compare this version of the parable of the

sower with the two other ones. So meet me in Luke chapter 8, if

Luke 8 · chapter mention

you want to know how Satan does this.

And Luke chapter 8. Let's read in verse 4.

Luke 8 · chapter mention

Luke 84. And when a great crowd was

gathering and people from town, after town came to him, he said

in a parable. Listen, that's not there, I'm

just telling you to listen. Listen, yeah.

Listen verse 5. A sower went out to sow his seed

and as he sowed some fell along the path and was Trampled Under

Foot. and the birds of the air devoured, it The holy spirit in

Luke's version adds how men before the the birds.

The Demonic Agents come to take away the seed.

Men will trample underfoot the seed that was scattered along

their path. What is it mean?

For men to trample underfoot the seed that was scattered along

their path was very simple. Right?

If I put something of value here in this space, And Men walk on

it. What does that reveal about the

man? They're inattentive at best,

they're careless. Disrespectful.

And indifferent. I believe this is what Jesus has

in mind. That in essence, Satan is most

effective with those who have an irreverence for the word of God.

Who treated as worthless, who don't see its value and who can

just walk over it as though, it was nothing. and when Satan sees

a man or a woman with such an attitude, this is this is a

piece of cake, he takes that truth and steals it from that

person. If you doubt that, this is what

Jesus has in mind. Sometimes it helps to go into

the word to see what it means. The phrase Trampled Under Foot

is one work, in one word in the Greek.

It's one word in the Greek and its capital.

You don't need to memorize that just memorize.

What I'm about to say, cut the potatoes only mentioned 5 times

in the New Testament, once in the sermon of the mount.

When Jesus says that if men lose their saltiness, the only thing

that's left is for them to be trampled upon by other men.

And what Jesus meant there is that if a Christian loses, his

testimony because of sin because of hypocrisy all that a watching

world will do is just walk all over them.

That's why when you hear of a I do love a big-time preacher.

We see our news and our tabloids eat it up and they're doing

exactly what Jesus said would do you lose your saltiness, your

trampled upon by men? Two other times in the sermon

and the parable of the sower, one other time.

In Luke chapter 12 when men were physically trampling on one

Luke 12 · chapter mention

another, when they were attending one of Jesus meetings

and there is a final one. We already mentioned for there

is a last one where this word capitao trampled upon is

mentioned turn their Hebrews 10:29.

Hebrews 10:29

How does Satan snatch the seed of the word from people?

So that it doesn't even enter into their hearts?

You know how number one he inspires and in reverence for

the word of God and Hebrews 10:29, how much worse punishment

Hebrews 10:29

do you think? Will be deserved by the one who

has trampled underfoot? The Son of God and as profaned

the blood of the Covenant by which he was Sanctified and has

outraged the spirit of Grace, that's the same word trampled

underfoot. What is he trying to say?

The Hebrew author is writing to Hebrew Christians, who have left

Judaism for the true gospel. But because of persecution now,

they want to shrink back and go back to the levitical law, a

Salvation by works. And the spirit of God through

this man is saying, listen, if you Turn on Christ, if you go

back to animal sacrifices, if you go back to Works based

salvation, you are essentially stepping all over the Son of God

himself. And you see this picture

throughout the Bible? You remember on the first

Passover? Do you not?

Then when the Lord told the nation of Israel who were

enslaved in Egypt, I'm going to get you out, but I'm going to

send a destroy to do it. He's gonna kill all the

firstborns. So, take the blood of the lamb

and smear on the lintel, and on the doorpost and hide underneath

that blood. Interestingly, he never gave

instruction to put it on the ground.

Cover everything above you but don't you dare put it on the

ground as a prophetic picture that you should have this utmost

reverence for the blood of Christ as it has authority over.

You never under you. And so, in some sense, the

author here is using that same imagery.

You are essentially, you're just stepping all over Jesus.

When you say, I don't want this gospel after the Great Lengths

of Mercy that he is implemented to save your soul.

And so when Jesus says in Luke 8 that some seed fell along a path

and it was trampled underfoot, this is an Essence.

What he is communicating it means that they were

disrespectful to the word of God and attentive under estimating

the life-giving power that it has and such people.

I like sitting ducks to the devil.

Is that you? Is that you today?

What's this preaching doing to you right now?

What are these words doing to you?

Hmm. It could be you and you're

unaware it because your attention is diverted even as I

speak. Let me briefly, share how Satan,

inspires irreverence for the word of God.

Preparing People to give up the seed of truth that can save them

apart from our culture creating This normalization, and more

than that, a Blasphemous approach and attitude towards

Jesus, by using his name, as a cuss word and creating movies

and plays that degrade Christ and making the Lord's Day,

increasingly more and more, just like any other day.

I've seen that over the years, I remember I don't remember, I was

maybe I do, but there was a day when no stores were open on

Sunday. Remember that day?

No stores were open on Sunday and then stores open till 5:00.

And I remember in college when they announced because I used to

work at the mall that now store hours are going to go till 9:00

till closing like any other weekday.

Why do you think that is? Do we need more money?

or is the Lord's Day increasingly becoming ordinary.

one about besides that one of the favorite weapons of Satan

distracting people so that they cannot receive The truth.

Is by distracting them. And he's very clever.

Because it's much more difficult to walk and pay attention to

what's ahead of you when your senses are not on alert.

Remember the demon eyes man in Mark chapter 1, while Jesus was

Mark 1 · chapter mention

preaching in a people were stirred ready to praise

manifestation of a devil from a man.

Why do you think that was? You know why?

Because there's there's power and distraction or we think of

Ellie mass in Acts 13 when Paul and Barnabas are preaching to

the proconsul. And here's this man in the

presence of these missionaries. Trying to persuade the

proconsul. Not to believe what is being

said. Satan, as we heard in Mark, can

immediately snatch the seed which?

Which tells me that he's at work here?

and every time that we gather, And I've seen it from the

pulpit. I've seen it.

I've seen people being intentionally distracting or

distracted. I've seen people lean in to

other people and whispering in their ears.

Not saying, don't believe what that preacher saying is true,

although, that can happen. But you know, vain conversations

jokes. Texting each other and sending

memes to each other. While the word is being

preached. Because distraction is much more

prevalent than it was in Jesus day, with these things that we

call devices, right? Facebook and Instagram,

Snapchat, these colorful, and engaging things.

Have been the means to steal a lot of seed.

Over the years, I can tell you that I don't know how it's

possible but it's possible. You have people who can scroll

through social media while the Holy unadulterated life-saving

Soul preserving truth is being heralded.

Innocent right. Just like little birds are cute

and innocent to stealing the seed.

Stealing the seed. And if you can't do it during

the service, he is more than willing to do it the night

before. Right the night before.

I know there's some here who work all night Saturday and

sometimes into the morning and they arrived here and they fight

all that, they can to make sure that they are engaging.

And to you, I say may the Lord bless you.

May the Lord bless you. I'm not here to hammer anybody

who does that. I'm speaking about those who

have a choice of what they do on Saturday night before they come

to the house of God on Sunday morning, he'll convince you

ahead of time that what is happening here is not worth you

being rested or prepared. He loves sloppy churchgoers.

On Sunday, afternoon or Sunday morning.

He loves it. Remember, I told you there was a

day when stores weren't open on Sundays, you know, there was a

day when families would get their outfits ready on Saturday

night for Sunday morning. Maybe some of you grew up that

way there was a day. Where you would eat breakfast.

And have something to fill your stomach before coming to the

house of God. So that while a spiritual Feast

is being provided. You're not thinking about which

restaurant you want to go to after the service during the

whole time. There was a day.

And so the enemy knows how to create a sense of irreverence by

making us. Inattentive careless sloppy and

I know what you may be thinking. I thought this was about souls

being saved, brother, I'm saved. I'm already among the redeemed

now that is true. But do you really think that the

enemy will allow you? To grow in the word of God and

mature in the word of got. You think, you think the birds

are just reserved for those who have never been saved?

You don't think that there is a plan even after that to make

sure that the word doesn't get in you in a deeper way.

I've seen this in evangelism. I've seen this in evangelism

when we should do Street evangelism week.

After week I've seen it in so many ways.

I'll never forget the time when a group of us went to go in the

streets of downtown Toronto, there was a Street Preacher

there and as he was preaching, the corner a crowd was

gathering. People would, I was shocked to

see the amount of people was like, Wow.

And in the middle of the Proclamation, all you heard is a

scuffle and two men out of nowhere.

I don't know where they came from, and I don't know where

they went after that. They start hitting each other in

the face, and they start fighting.

And the entire crowd turned away from the preacher and went to go

watch the fight. And those two men just ran off.

It was so strange. I've seen people witnessing to

others on the street one-on-one and in the middle of that,

transaction of Truth, a homeless man will step in the middle and

scream at the top of his lungs. Seen it.

I've seen it out there unfortunately at times, I see it

even in here. The enemy knows how to create an

irreverence which I which I take to mean that as a church, we

have a responsibility to cultivate an atmosphere of

reverence for God. You know I'm saying?

There should be a reverence in this place and that's that's

that's in great part. The leaderships role to ensure

that the people of God are stepping into a place where this

is sacred. This is Holy.

And that's increasingly, not the case.

Where there is a growing trend of irreverence of casual

approach in the Lord's supper, and the preaching of God's word

and worship. I've seen strange things during

worship. I've seen couples kissing during

worship. I've seen people distracted in

so many ways during worship, but I could not believe what I was

seeing some places. And so there is a great

responsibility for us to protect this place as much as it depends

on us to ensure that there is nothing that Satan can use to

strengthen his efforts. To rob that seed.

I remember I was invited to speak somewhere.

So, young preacher, still am. I guess early 20s never been to

this church and I was downstairs and they called me up to come up

before a certain time. And so I grabbed my stuff I was

in my room by myself and I was heading upstairs.

And somebody was praying, I was coming in from outside.

There was a door, but there was a deacon, I guess at the door.

And while the person was praying, I heard the person

praying and I thought well he's you know, I walk in and I'll

just so I was making my way into the service and the Deacon

stopped me. He says we're praying.

Sweet. Instant conviction.

Here's the preacher preaching. Hoping to convince people I'm

convicted by the deacon at the door.

So yeah, you're right. We are praying, I guess, and

there was a sense of reverence that visited me in that moment

we're speaking to almighty God. We're turning our attention to

him. One of the ways by which Satan

steals the word. According to Luke chapter 8

Luke 8:5

verse 5 is he finds men who can easily trampled on the seed.

But there's a second way and it's found in gospel.

The gospel of Matthew Chapter 13.

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

Let's turn it together. Matthew 13:18.

Matthew 13:18

Matthew 13, 18 reads in the same parable.

Here then the parable, the swallower, when anyone hears the

word of the kingdom and does not understand it.

The evil one comes and snatches away.

What has been sown in his heart? This is what was sown along the

path. Luke touches on how the enemy is

able to rob people of the truth by inspiring and irreverence and

inattentiveness that is caused. By various means, Matthew has

something very similar to say but it is slightly different.

He adds a danger and He suggests that those who hear it.

And Understand, it are equally in trouble, but what does that

mean to not understand it? I don't think it means that

somebody is hearing it, but because of a deficiency in the

message, they can't make the connection and their minds.

Therefore, they walk away and the enemy's able to play with

their minds. I don't believe that's what's

happening here to not. Understand means to hear it too.

Yes, not understand it, but further to have it disinterest

in grasping, the implications of that truth.

Leaving somebody vulnerable to satanic influence.

It's more about this laziness or this, this failure to realize

the urgency of what is being said, that puts that person in

jeopardy. It's not again.

That the gospel is not understood logically

irrationally. It's that though it may seem to

be a mystery. That person's response is a

failure to act upon that truth to inquire of that truth.

Placing them. Add Satan's disposal.

So, I believe that what Matthew is touching on is not so much

distraction as much as procrastination.

There is a delay here, there is a stagnation.

There is this refusal to move quickly?

Because of a, because of a heart posture.

That doesn't see how serious this messages, or this seed is

when Providence passes our way and throws a seed along our

path. The devil is right there hoping

that we will not move and take a hold of what was made known to

us so that he can get his slimy hands on it.

That we would never examine that truth for ourselves.

So if you brush off the necessity, you brush off, the

urgency of knowing the interpretation and the

implication of what is being said.

You're in trouble, all hearers are responsible for what they

hear and God will hold us all responsible for what truth has

been made to know to us. Too dangerous game to play.

And so there are those who don't understand it because they don't

care to understand it, they don't care to listen, they don't

care to have ears to hear. And they may be delayed.

Why would the enemy try to come in immediately unless he

believes that if that thing sits on the surface of their hearts,

long enough, maybe maybe they will actually look at it and

start examining it and doing something with it.

So even in this moment, there has to be an understanding of

how serious this is. And to be in that place is a

really safe place to not be in that place is extremely

dangerous according to the words of Jesus.

Now here's how I want to end. I want to show you an example of

somebody who does the opposite of what this soil represents.

It's only found in the gospel of Mark.

And Jesus statement to this man is only found in the gospel of

Mark and it's an encouraging word as much as it is.

A word of warning. Here's our final text.

Mark chapter 12, let's go there together.

Mark 12 · chapter mention

Mark 12. This man who is a scribe?

Verse 28 of Mark 12 and one of the scribes came up and heard

them disputing with one another and seeing that he answered

them. Well asked him.

So now you have a man approaching Jesus and he asks a

question, which commandment is the most important of all?

Jesus answered? You know this answer, right?

The most important is hear o Israel.

The Lord Our God. The Lord is one and you shall

love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your

soul, with all your mind. And with all your strength, the

second is this you shall love your neighbor as Yourself.

There is no other commandment greater than these and the

scribes set them and notice the response Of The Scribe you are

right? Teacher you have truly said that

he is one and there is no other besides him and to love him with

all the heart. And with all the understanding,

and with all the strength and to love ones neighbor, as oneself,

his much more than that, all burnt offerings, whole burnt

offerings and sacrifices Do you see this man?

I want you to pay attention to what's happening.

He's in the presence of a sower. There's Solar Capital s.

A truth was made known. Yes, he inquired and you're

almost in question, right? Is he doing this out of just

spite, is he doing this to trap Jesus?

So he asks a question. Jesus responds with accuracy as

he always does. And then the man's response to

the truth. That was planted, Reveals the

sincerity of his soul and he goes.

Yeah, you're right. That is that is the greatest

commandment and the second one is close to it and you can tell

that he's locked in. That is not how somebody who has

the first type of soil response to truth.

They get right up and they walk right out as though, divine

revelation was not just exposed. And then they can go on exactly

how they came in without any contemplation of where they

stand before. God This man is showing the

opposite attitude and notice how Jesus answers that's the proof.

Verse 34. And when Jesus saw that he

answered wisely, he said to him, you are not far from the kingdom

of God. I love that answer.

Jesus looks at this man, he hears the the Deep interest, the

engagement, the Longing, To Know, truth the softness of the

heart, and Jesus confidently said to him, you're very close.

You're very close. You're not there yet.

You're at the doorstep though. And I bring that truth of the

perilous or and I shine light up on this with it to say that this

man if Satan is right there immediately take it, this man

gave little room for Satan to work with him.

Because that's truth was revealed.

He's inquiring he's seeking he's, he's meditating.

He's engaging, he's died. Logging would truth, he want.

He wants to know the truth and say there's my mirror.

I can't do. I can't do much here.

And Jesus says you're very close.

You're very close. I wonder if this man will be in

heaven. We don't know.

But as much as this is a compliment, it's also a word of

warning because clothes is not close enough.

Need to be in, you need to be secure and you need to be

sealed. You need to have your name

signed up so to speak and so I wonder if you're in this place

today and you can identify with the first type of soil is that

you a lot of seed has been sown this afternoon what's happening

to it? Only, you know.

Only you know, which I am somewhat relieved.

Because the sower went out to sow, it's not my job necessary

to know what kind of heart you have just like this, or I

scatter the seed just like you Faithful disciple of Jesus.

You scatter the seed, that's your job and men have the

responsibility to do what they would want with that seed and

God will hold them accountable for it.

You know, Jesus share this shares his truth again.

Not because there are some who have this sealed fate.

Of a heart that cannot be changed or moved by the truth.

It's to have you listen And here and say is that me?

Is that me? God, I don't want it to be me.

Oh god, Till the soil. Plow through this heart.

Whatever you need to do for it to be fluffy, whatever you need

it to do for it to be soft. So that, that seed can can

germinate and bring forth the life that you've ordained for

me. Old God, do it.

If that is you, if that's how you're responding to what I'm

saying today because you don't know, Jesus Christ.

I can Echo the words of Jesus and say you're not too far from

the kingdom of God. But I wonder how much of the

city this afternoon. Will be walked on.

May not be so. Lord, we thank you for this

word. You know who in this place knows

you, you know, who in this place doesn't know you.

And we just ask, oh, God. That the gospel fall on good

soil today. And we just pray O Lord that our

hearts would be encouraged at the same time to know. but if we

want that heart, To embrace the seed, we can have it.

And we just pray. Oh God.

That this would be the Cry of this congregation today of those

who are in attendance today, Lord.

Bear fruit in me, thirtyfold sixtyfold 100-fold.

Whatever you can do in me. Do it.

Lord made that be the prayer of every person in this house.

Louis worship you because of the depth of your word, the inside

of your word, May the Sowers of this house be built up to know

that the problem is not with the seed.

But with the soil, the issue is not in the power of the truth.

but in those who refuse to embrace that power, Lord, we

give you glory in this place. Even with a message as heavy in

a series. As we give you maximum praise

for you are worthy of it and Jesus name, we pray.

Amen. And amen.

Let's stand and Worship the Lord together.

It's a great. You came to church this

afternoon, but have you come to Christ?

Have you come to Christ? It's a great to know that he is

still available, he still welcoming, he still wants you to

come to him. Even today he is ready to

forgive his ready to wash your sins.

He's ready to make you a child of God.

Maybe the message today resonated to you and you thought

of yourself, yes I am that ground and that grounded rejects

the word and the ground that trembled Under Foot the word of

God. But, you know, Christ, even

today can tell this ground can make it soft can make it

through. Ready to receive him.

Are you ready? Are you ready?

Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your

message. We thank you for your word.

The still changes people, loyal preyed on none Among Us.

This afternoon would be that ground that rejects the word,

but it will be a land, a ground that is ready.

Fertile? That we are much fruit.

God will pray that people even this afternoon will come to you

in Repentance and in faith. In faith in you alone, the one

who can save the one who can change the one, who can give

them eternal life. And eternal Joy will pray that

today will be a day of salvation for many in Jesus name.

Amen. Some of you probably have known

already. If not all of you that Pastor

Daniel did something last week. He got engaged to beautiful

Jewel. So, so immediately after the

service, right away will be going downstairs, to celebrate

their engagement and to congratulate them.

So please, meet us downstairs as we congratulate them and

celebrate and pray for them. God bless you, we'll see you

downstairs.