Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture reading by Dustin or Doug

Last week we introduced the idea that we need to decide which soil we are.

We talked about how The Path and the Shallow Soil lead to indifference.

We talked about how indifference leads to a death of the soul.

This week we just heard Jesus continue His teach telling us a couple of things.

It is vitally important we listen to His(Jesus) correction in understanding what God wants from us.

(Correction is not Criticism Last Chance U coach) defensiveness leads to an unwillingness to change our life even if God is in the change.

If we listen and practice what Jesus is teaching God can and will help us remove barriers (Thorns) to spiritual growth.

(Barriers and not necessarily placed in our ways by others.

We allow the barriers that keep us from spiritual growth.)

When we listen to Jesus over the voice of the rest of the world we

The disciples ask Jesus why He taught using parables or stories when He spoke.

In His answer He basically said I am doing this because it is desperately important that people understand what I am saying.

He was not trying to speak in code, there was no hidden message in the parables.

Jesus simply wanted people to hear and understand the voice of God.

There are those who are hard of hearing because of the hardness of their heart and refuse to be taught because they think they already know.

(The Path)

There are some that just need to hear it from a different perspective.

In others words some people are teachable and others are not.

The disciples were willing to allow Jesus to teach them…because they were truly seeking truth.

13 That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.

But the rest needed to have these things explained in a way the cut to the heart making them at least rethink what they had already accepted as truth.

They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

When we are not actively seeking truth we solidify erroneous convictions.

14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

13 That is why I use these parables,

‘When you hear what I say,

For they look, but they don’t really see.

They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say,

you will not understand.

you will not understand.

When you see what I do,

you will not comprehend.

Some of us flame out on our spiritual journey…(Shallow soil or the Rocks)because we have simply turned off the listening and learning part of their Spiritual growth.

15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,

When you see what I do,

and their ears cannot hear,

and they have closed their eyes—

so their eyes cannot see,

and their ears cannot hear,

When we stop listening and settle for the blessings of yesterday instead of understanding that our spiritual journey is in fact a life long learning endeavor we are in fact allowing the thorns to choke out our ability to grow in peace.

and their hearts cannot understand,

you will not comprehend.

and they cannot turn to me

Jesus wants us to understand more than we do right now…that is why He uses story.

and let me heal them.’

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,

and their ears cannot hear,

and they have closed their eyes—

so their eyes cannot see,

and their ears cannot hear,

and their hearts cannot understand,

and they cannot turn to me

and let me heal them.’

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

When we stop being teachable we are in the beginning stages of loosing our faith.

This is what it looks like if we are the thorny soil.

Thorns represent not what everyone else does that keeps us from a spiritual breakthrough but the thorns represent what we allow to get in between us and God.

EXAMPLES: Time, Money, Fear, Unhealthy relationships, Trust....All of these things can hinder our ability to be life long learners of the words of Jesus.

In other words

Thorns are not insurmountable road blocks placed in our way by others.

The thorns are road blocks we simply do not want to take the time to remove.

Pulling Weeds for Mrs. Williams…I hated it.

Then I would get home and dad would have me help week the garden at home as well…I still hate pulling weeds…The results of both gardens being weeded was that they produced a great yield…

The Only problems was I did not like what it yielded either.

I did not want to do the work because I did not want to feast on the bounty…I would rather eat burgers and junk food…I had decided that the vegetables even though they were better for me were less desired than junk food.

So now instead of being healthy and loving food that is actually good for me I am playing catch up.

Part of the reason so many people are like the thorny soil is because it takes work and sweat to cultivate a life that has the ability to produce a yield that it not possible without God.

The Only problems was I did not like what it yielded either.

I did not want to do the work because I did not want to feast on the bounty…

So now instead of being health and loving food that is actually good for me I am playing catch up.

Part of the reason so many people are like the thorny soil is because it takes work and sweat to cultivate a life that has the ability to produce a yield that it not possible without God.

We all want the positive aspect of our faith to shine through…we all want spiritual break through but we want it on our own terms.

I want to lose weight but I want to do it eating steak, french fries, and soda.

I want to lose weight but I want to do it eating steak, french fries, and soda.

I want God’s best but in order to do so I have to be willing to clear out those things that keep me from God’s best.

Thorns are able to be removed if we want to prepare our spiritual soil.

But the truth is we all hate that part because it is often monotonous and hard work.

It also continues to challenge the status quo in our lives.

In other words removing thorns forces us to continue to understand and develop what Jesus is really saying to us.

Those who truly seek knowledge from Jesus always want more….they

never settle for familiar.

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it.

And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

Tyndale House Publishers.

(2013).

Holy Bible: New Living Translation ().

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers

Fertile soil needs to be cultivated and kept clear of thorns and weeds.

Being Teachable allows God’s people to experience spiritual break through on an on going basis.

Teachable is defined as being:

a : capable of being taught