The Prayer in the Garden

My friend, since he killed the man who had a crippled hand. But since Jesus healed him on the Sabbath day, the Jewish sabbath day, then the Jewish religious leaders deemed it as blasphemy, because it broke their tradition. They got so angry at this that the Pharisees and herodians who are normally in Emmy's one with another joined forces in order that they might destroy the Lord. Jesus Christ, they wanted to kill him. But despite the threats to his very life to Jesus, still miniature to the crowds, he still taught them, he still did Miracles Healing The Sick, casting out, demons and so forth. So, Jesus received opposition from the nation of Israel, his own countrymen, 4646 him as the Jewish religious leaders lead the way as Israel's leaders. But not only did the nation of Israel forsaken, the Lord Jesus. We saw last Sunday that his own family for 6 p.m. His own family, turned his turn their back on the Lord Jesus Christ. We saw how they came to him and said that, he was crazy. He was going out of his mind and they wanted to take him by force to take him back to Nazareth.

That's bad. As that is, it gets worse? It's almost like a n from infirmary in from infomercials. Thank you, Robbie, for all that.

Those info commercials where they say, hey, wait, there's more, right? Well, that's the same here with Jesus, it just gets worse and worse and worse. But wait, there's more. And that's when the scribes of Jerusalem, they come down describes are the teachers of the law. They claim, and they spread this news to all who would hear they claim that Jesus teaching, and all of his miracles that he did, all the work that he did. All of that road was accomplished by the power of Satan. How awful and this is something they said over and over again. That Jesus was belzebub, is what it said. In chapter 3, he was the prince of demons. To which Jesus warns them that they were about, to cross the line, they're about to commit, the unpardonable sin, the unforgivable sin. But as we look at chapter 4, as we get the chapter 4, Mark 6, to explain to us, why Jesus is message and why is a Ministry encountered? Such Fierce opposition. Why did Jesus experience opposition from the scribes? Why did, why did they oppose Jesus welcoming tax collectors and sinners into the kingdom of God? Why did the Pharisees criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath? Why did they seek to destroy the Lord Jesus? Chapter 4. Mark explains that those outside. the unbelieving community even though they heard Jesus words with their own ears, And they saw with their own eyes. The miraculous works of the Kingdom. They could not understand what was taking place. And here's the thing they didn't care. To understand, they did not want to understand. all the god, however, has given to us as he did his followers, the gift of understanding That the kingdom of God has come. That Jesus is the son of God. He is the Messiah. He is the Christ. Is the savior of the world. And we're grateful for that. I wanted to look at.

This morning, this sore. The seed. Anise oil. My first noting the setting. The setting first one. And again he began to teach by the sea.

And a great multitude with gather to him so that he got into a boat and sat in its on the sea and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. The first one teaches us and tells us that Jesus is teaching from a boat on the edge of the Sea of Galilee and he's using this as a acoustic effect. Are the Still Water. The water could act as a sounding board if you would and he would be able to be heard by the thousands who had gathered around to hear him. But we know this here in verse one that Mark uses the word multitude, a great multitude, this is the first time that Mark uses the word meaning that there was no doubt, thousands of people who have gathered together to listen to Jesus.

This takes us to the audience. Who is the audience? Who is there, who it is? Who is it? You are following Jesus at this point. Well, We we know that his enemies are, they are right, the Pharisees or Sadducees, the scribes, all those who hate Jesus. We also know that those who are just intrigued with Jesus. Are there those who are just captivated by his popularity and know that he is at this particular place, they travel to just to listen. The curiosity is getting the best of them you could say. There are also those who are there. Who only want to be there so that they can receive something from Jesus. There they are just there to see what they can get from Jesus. They really don't love me under. This is like what Jesus can do for them. And then there are those though, they are few who are there because they generally love the Lord Jesus. They love him. They want to follow him. Until Mark said, this is a great multitude. This is a huge crowd. Jesus has at his Pinnacle as his popularity is concerned, despite all of the rumors that he was the prince of demons. So this is a huge crowd and I think about this all of Jesus popularity occurred. By Word of Mouth. Jesus did not have an agent who was his publicity manager, right? Are there was no social media announcement of the disciples did not get on Twitter and say, hey Jesus is going to be at the Sea of Galilee at 1, come on down. No listen, Jesus popular to spread the old-fashioned way and the best way and that is the word of mouth. Hey, listen to, it is good to say things about Christ on Facebook and on Twitter and courage that obviously. But the best method of sharing prized is not through a computer, but through the voice, your, your testimony, your word. May God help us to do a better job of that. We see the audience. We see is teaching really the method of his teaching. Verse to tells us is that he taught them many things by parables. and said to them in his teaching, So we see his method of teaching has changed here. He he's no longer preaching and teaching to them as as he used to do. You don't have the Sermon on the Mount type of teaching. To the public anymore. Now he is teaching them in Parables. He begins to speak to the public in Parables that raises they question. Then what is a parable? What the simplest definition. As, you know, is a parable is an Earthly story with a Heavenly meaning. And that's not a bad definition at all, but to be more detailed. A parable is a story drawn from the world drawn from the world of familiar. Things used to convey some unfamiliar spiritual that bills from the known to the unknown. Okay? and as a matter of fact, the word Parable means to cast alongside by way of comparison into a parable is where you compare something physical, something Earthly to some spiritual truth, So that that spiritual truth is then grasp an illustrated and seen. Making the goal of the parable, a vehicle used to teach some spiritual in Heavenly truth, but to teach them in such a wave that it captures the mind and heart. Parables. Unlike sermons were short and concise.

They are very engaging with twists and turns.

So when that parables are effective teaching tools and Jesus Parables always were God Center, they were always Christ Center. Parables underscore man's responsibility, and they also emphasise the graciousness of the Gospel. But here's something I found very interesting. As I was studying this week. A parable from Jesus. Was very important because it took the field Old Testament prophecy, which spoke of the Messiah to come Psalm 78. Psalm 78 verse 1 and 2 says, Give hear oh my people, listen or my people to my law, in flying, your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old kidan sayings of old. So here is a prophecy stating that the Messiah would come and he would speak in Parables. He was speaking such a wave that it would be dark sayings hidden sayings. This is why Jesus told those to whom he was speaking to listen, pay attention. As a matter of fact, the word listen. Is mentioned some five times in just these short versus but Jesus wants us to listen. He wants us to pay attention. And one reason why we are to do that is because Parables Were Meant to reveal spiritual things to us. To listen to that, it is many parables are there to reveal things to us. But also we are to listen diligently and pay attention, because Parables Were Meant not only to reveal but also to conceal. And so parables are not only not only are really help understanding, but Parables also hide understanding. And that is what is focused on here in the gospel of Mark and this is kind of hard to grasp again. We look at verse 32 says Jesus said listen. Behold a sore went out to sow and it happened. As he showed that some seeds fell by the wayside and the birds of the air came and devoured. It some fell on Stony ground where it did not have much other than immediately sprang up because it had no death of Earth. But when the sun was up, it was scorched and because it had no root it withered away and some seed fell among thorns in it and the Thorns grew up and choked it and it yielded no problem. But other seed fell on good ground and yield a crop that spring up increased and produced some 34 was some 60, some a hundred fold. Now, if we were there listening to Jesus, tell this Parable, we would have understood it, at least, in a physical sense, right? Because he's just speaking about the law of the Harvest. He speaking about the law of sowing and reaping and so in a physical sense, we would have grasp what Jesus was trying to say. But Jesus, as in verse 9, he says this and verse 9 He who has ears to hear, Let Him hear. Now if we would have been there and heard that last phrase by the where Jesus we would have scratched her head and said, hold on a second. We do have ears and we did here but we would know that Jesus has meanings that there is another meaning a a double meeting to what he was saying.

Well. Let's look at it, verse 10.

but when he was alone, those around him. With the 12 along with the 12, ask him about the parable. That's why Jesus was a loan now that the crowds the multitude of great multitude have left.

Jesus is only now surrounded by those of his closest followers and the 12 disciples And Matthew tells us in his account of the parable, that the disciples asked Jesus, why did you speak to them in Parables? And you can almost sense the hostility in that question because again, every, every teaching up to that point, that Jesus came to the public was all very clear. It was a, it was not a hard thing to grasp, but now he's speaking in parables in the disciples were like, hey, Jesus, you're at the height of your popularity. Now is not the time to start preaching in such a way. And teaching in such a way that we can't understand, is how they come to him, and they asked him, explain to us this parable, You see the disciples don't want to be a people who only hear it, but don't, but don't understand it. They want to hear it and understand it. And this is a very important Point verse 11. He said to them, Jesus said to them, to you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, All things come in parables. You seem a lot of the disciples did not have Clarity. They did not have understanding, but drink, but Jesus hear he treats them as insiders as it begins to explain to them the meaning and explanation of this Parable. But what Jesus is doing here, he is setting now The group C, setting two groups apart. There you have the Insiders, are we seeing verse 11 to you? It has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. Those are the Insiders. Then you have the outsiders recessive verse 11 but to those who are what outside all things come in Parables. And so this is rather surprising, right? This? This again is hard for us to Fathom hard for us to grasp because on one side Parables teach things very clearly and on the other side they hide things in a remarkable way. So did the disciples followed, and truly loved, and believed the Jesus to them, he gives them an understanding of what the parable means. And they understand it, they believe it, and they embrace it, but to the unbeliever to those who are outside parables are confusing. They do not grasp. The truth is hidden from them. They're outside of the kingdom and they do not get its truths. I listen to me this morning, it's not that Jesus is keeping the explanation from from those who would like to know and longed to know the explanation. No. Listen, they don't want to know and Jesus doesn't give them what they don't want. Very interesting. You have the Insiders and you have The Outsiders and burst number 11. Verse 12.

so that

Why does Jesus speak this Parable in such a way so that seeing they may see, and not receive and hearing they met here and not understand, they should turn and their sins be forgiven them. And what is this? Jesus here is quoting from the Old Testament. Book of Isaiah, he is quoting Isaiah chapter 6, this is the chapter where Isaiah caught a glimpse had a vision of the god upon the throne and in this Bish. And he sees God holding as he sees God's righteousness, and he sees his sinfulness Any ask to be forgiven and he says, woe is me for I am undone. And God calls him to preach the word. But as he is to go and speak the word to the nation of Israel. He was to understand.

That you'll speak God said, you'll speak.

But you'll, but they will not understand you. Because they're blind eyes and they're deaf ears. They will turn and they will not find forgiveness. And so, the preaching of Isaiah would have the same effect as a preaching of Jesus. It would bring Enlightenment to the people of God, but only bring confusion and darkness to the unbeliever. Blood. Listen for reasons, we will never be able to find them. On this side of Heaven. God gives some the ability to understand the issues of the kingdom of God and the others. He does not. This is an accord with God's holy sovereignty, but you have undoubtedly seen this yourself. You have no doubt that at times asked yourself, why this individual who has listened and heard the word of God, preached time and time again. Why is it? They do not care about the things of God. Why is it do they not care about death and the judgment to come and the wrath of God? It's the Savior has come to save them from her from their sin. You seen that? It may be your brother or your sister and you responded correctly to the gospel but your brother or your sister who heard the same. But over and over again, we ejected it.

We can understand that. But we do know it's a truth.

So, we see. Beloved. The setting notice, secondly, the sore. And the seed, the store and the seed. what does the sower and the seed speak of what Jesus himself. Thankfully gives us. The explanation. We don't have to wonder about what the truth is on the subject. He says the seed that is sewn is the word of God. And so this parable of a farmer sowing seed, is a vivid picture of a, of the preaching of the Gospel, the preaching of the word of God. Who is the sower? Will the solar eclipse for us is Christ? and anyone else who puts forth God's word, whether in preaching or impersonal exchange, maybe even gospel tracks You're sowing the seed of the Gospel. But ultimately this, the sewing farmer is Jesus himself. He's broadcasting. He's spreading his word through Proclamation. And even as we today, so the seed it is Jesus using us. Jesus is the ultimate sower of the seed is using us to do. His work. so, even though this Parable is most well known by the name of the parable of the sower,

Solar is not the focus of the parable. in fact, Jesus does not give us any details whatsoever about the sore, and so, it's quite clear that since the sower and the seed are briefly mentioned Jesus main emphasis fell on the different types of soil. In reality, this could be known as the parable of the soil. Let's look at that very quickly. The soil.

Jesus received and he speaks about four kinds of soils. Which picture the four kinds of. Here's the four kinds of hearts that the seed falls upon. And so the seed is being so it is being broadcast. But responses, as you know, can be very different. Let me just quickly say that when the seed is sown, when the gospel is preached, when the word of God is proclaimed, there will always be a response always. It will either be a positive response. Write negative response, but in every case, there will be a response to the word of God. People can't respond seemingly positively. But in essence respond in the wrong way and really that's the point of this parable. So what are the four types of soil? Well notice The soil of some hearts. It's hard. The soil of some hearts is hard, Mark 4:13. And he said to them, do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the Parables? Jesus is saying that this is the key parable. If you miss this, you miss every one of them. very important that you grasp this and understand this, he says it was 14 this or so's the word, And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear Satan, comes immediately and takes away. The word that was sown in their hearts against or in the story is Jesus.

Or anyone who shares the gospel in the seed, is the word of God. It is the gospel. The Wayside or the path represents hard-hearted tough-minded individuals. It is very interesting, I don't have it on the screen but go back to Mark chapter 3. Mark chapter 3 and verse number five you have that confrontation between the Pharisees and Jesus as Jesus healed the crippled man and on the Sabbath today, they get angry, they hate it. And they really try to cause an uproar, but we notice inverse number 5. What Jesus said, he said he went, he had to look at them in anger. Being grieved by the hardness of their hearts. That that's a very key to understanding what Jesus is saying here in chapter 4. It is to those type of individuals that the word comes to them. Animatedly. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and he snatches it away. And so, there are people who are resistant. And dust and Dusty negatively respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They suffer from what we might call gospel, hardness. are gospel deafness Oh, I pray that there is no one here like that today. You've heard the gospel so much as if you don't even hear it.

I do have ears. I do have eyes to see the things of God, but they dismissed the word without giving it careful consideration and therefore, the gospel doesn't even penetrate the mind.

And listen to me, the gospel that does not penetrate the mind. Is not going to penetrate the heart. Okay. I was in Salvation is much more than just the mind is much more than just the intellect. But it also is no less than the mind.

So, these are individuals who they hear when they hear.

They close their ears. They close their hearts. So, it is the kind of here who comes to church. And just threw a whole worship service. Yet does not grasp the gospel because they do not want to drive it. And a seed is then, snatched away and you go from year to year, and all of that seed snatched away by Satan every single Sunday. And now you talk about a waste. Tragic waste. Is that you this morning? Oh, I hope not.

Do you ever consider?

The sermon that is preached after it is preached. Do you ever think about your soul? You ever think about eternity? Do you ever think about seeing and its separation from a holy God? Do you think about those things?

Where is your heart? Just like a holding tank, where day after day and week? After week, the precious word of God is deposited. Only to be snatched away by Satan. Oh, I pray that you'll never be hardened soil.

By the wayside such a tragedy. Another kind of soil is a soil of some hearts is shallow. the soil of some hearts is shallow this next Sorel is welcoming

But it is not enough. To maintain the growth of the seed. We noticed this number 16.

These likewise are the ones song on Stony ground who when they hear the word immediately receive it with gladness. They have no root in themselves so indoor only for a Time. Afterward, when tribulation of persecution arises for the words sake immediately, they stumble. Your Jesus is referring to the fact that in Palestine in that region. There is a limestone Bedrock very close to the top of the soil. So, in many places, the layer of topsoil is extremely extremely thin, and that is what Jesus has in mind. When he calls this Stony soil or Stony ground. It's not soil, with rocks in it as we may have in our backyard. But this is a thin layer of soil that rest upon a rock Shelf. And then as the spring, turns the summer, and that warrants turns to outright Heat, this thin layer of soil, very quickly becomes Parts with little rain in Israel. And while the seed in that soil might have sprung up very quickly. Because there is little depth to the roots that go down. They soon will be scorched and they will wither and die as Jesus says in verse number 6. It's all the people represented by this soil. Listen, to hear the word. And they receive it with joy. They endure for a while. And even show signs of maturity just as the plant sprout. Quickly. They grow well at first and then it looks very promising. However, these people are shallow, Jesus said they have no roots. It's soon tribulation and persecution. That is seen in the sun in / 6. Come because of the presence of the word. and listen to me, it is when not if Oppression comes at least people immediately Fall Away. One preacher said this way, they are quickly green. And quickly gone. They're quickly green and quickly gone. There are many, many sad examples of this kind of supposed conversions. Because you see this kind of here, it seems like at first, they are converted, but a little bit but it's sadly, a little more than just the emotional response, emotional reaction. To which our spiritual forefathers would have called temporary fake. And people turn away or if they see some tragedy or feel some opposition, they've in turn away. Hey listen, is this. You this morning? Is this you, maybe you fear this morning and I've asked, I don't know if I have true saving Faith or if I have it just temporary faith. I'm afraid the roots, don't go down very deep into me, so maybe I just have a temporary faith. Let me quickly give you. What the difference is between temporary face and true. Saving faith. 5 ft things. Number one, temporary Fates. Only last a little while. Maybe just a few months, rarely even a year is temporary temporary faith. We seen this. If you're looking, if you notice such things people come down, make a decision, make a profession, get baptized Come to church for a little while after that and then you can't find them anywhere.

Saving faith. On the other hand is Abiding, Faith. It deepens. It goes down into the soil. It develops a strong root system.

Temporary Faith. Always folds up under persecution.

You cannot handle persecution. It turns away saving faith is strengthened undertrials. Saving faith is strengthened under persecution. It leans on God. All the more I didn't notice temporary faith is known for its rapid growth because it doesn't go down and its roots are very shallow, it just comes up very fast very quick. Saving Face usually is more of a gradual growth. The roots go down. And then there is grow that gradually grows up A temporary Faith. Lacks humility. It lacks self knowledge, it is normally very puffed. Up saving faith is the opposite of that saving Faith. Learn to trust the Lord and not self. I've been temporary. Faith, ultimately ends in self. It's Ian's in our own experiences that ends in our own emotions, but saving Faith drives me to Christ in all ways to Christ. Notice the Third Kind of soil. The soil of some hearts is distracted. The soil of some hearts is distracted. Verse 18 says, now these are the ones selling them for. They are the ones who hear the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. And the desires of other things entering in chokes, the word and it becomes unfruitful to Jesus a saying here that the becomes unfruitful because the thorns in the weeds took out the seed that is thrown among them. Now this group of people, these are the type of people who receive the word they receive it better than the first two however, they eventually get distracted. They get distracted about worry. Jesus said, by the cares of this world, they get distracted by wealth. They are deceitfully. They are dead. I can't say the word. There is at deceitfulness of riches and then there is that craving, they have four other things. And so what we have here in this third soil, this third time, this type of hard, there is a partial commitment. Which is in reality, no commitment. At all. There is no such thing as a partial commitment to Christ. Jesus said, you cannot love me and Mammon and money.

So these are the type of people that this present life is more important to them than the life to come. And stuff is more important than the savior. There is no real surrender to Christ as Lord, they find more pleasure in cash than in Christ. They find more pleasure in their Cravings than in their creator. Noticed quickly. And lastly, The soil of some hearts is fruitful. Verse 20 says, but these are the ones sewn on good ground. Those who hear the word accept it and bear fruit. Some 30 fold, some 60, and some 100 noticeably different than the three previous ones, it represents those who hear the gospel. They receive it and they bear fruit. These are the ones that do tribulation and persecution comes. It is not deter them. Worries common wealth and personal desires, and simple Cravings, do not distract them. They're hearing of the word is active and not passive. They aggressively pursue the word. They allow it to take root and then rejoice and its abundant growth. But noticed a promise that comes with

Distressed this receipt of God's word is that it will grow and what it will produce fruit. That's a promise. It's a failure to do so prove that it is really song on a another class of soil. Because listen, a fruitless Christian is an oxymoron. There's no such thing as a fruitless Christian. John 15:5 says Jesus said the one who remains in me and I in him produces what fruit So if we're not producing anything that shows that shows that we are not really connected to the power of God through faith in his word. Publix. When Jesus enters a live through the gospel message, he makes his presence known beyond all doubt. It produces first a harvest of character. Adulation 5:22 tells us the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience. Kindness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control against such things. There is no law. If you are saved, you are going to represent in your life. Your character is going to be seen by the fruit of the spirit. I didn't notice Christian will produce then. Good works. Then it produces a harvest of good works. Holiness and righteousness. Genuine spirituality. A burden for Souls. Praise and thanksgiving. Sharing material Goods. These are the type things that if you want to know that, you are truly a child of God. Look at the fruit that you're producing. Are you producing the fruit of the spirit? And then are you producing such things? That's mention there? Those things do not say this by no means. We're not saved by works. But those are signs and evidences that God gives us to know that we have been saved. So in closing, let me say that, Christianity is a religion of the word. Christianity is a religion of the word in there for We ought to hear. Do you have ears to hear? This morning.

Do you tune into the words of scripture in the gospel or do you turn it out?

Think carefully before dismissing Jesus words, listen, hearing God's word is dangerous. Because what you do with it is absolutely critical to your soul. And my talents are you this morning, is this be greedy for the word go after it grabbed a hold of it and do not let go. Like a starving beggar with found bread, sees it with all your might and cherish you for the life-sustaining food that it is. Has ears to hear, Let Him hear. The Lord is challenging you to look at your heart today. Examine your profession. What Paul said, examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith or not, examine your life today and see whether or not your life is producing spiritual fruit to the glory of God.

If you're not saved. You need to come to Jesus today.

To repairable to us has a warning. It's a warning. To listen. Then. Understand. The Lord is letting you know that you are responsible for what you hear.

Let's pray together. Our Father, we

Looked at again. Very difficult.

Very deep. Very rich passage of scripture.

Father, I pray that the spirit.

What tie up all the Loose Ends that I left?

Neva spiritwood.

Use this.

Stammering tongue. Preacher. To do his work of converting. Father, I pray that.

The word today, the gospel. Would fall on fertile ground.

Father, I pray.

You would give those who are lost. The gift of understanding.

But they would be saved today. And father, I pray. For us as those who have believed. I've been saved. Father, I pray that we would do our

responsible Act of sowing the seed.

Being a witness to those to whom we come in contact with.

Father, I pray that you would bless.

This observance of the Lord's Supper.

Or help us to rejoice in what Christ has done for us. In-N-Out us. That we have heard. We have received the word. And by your grace, we have believed it.