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Intro—SHORT
Evangelism is hard.
How do you get someone to believe something they don’t already believe?
It feels like the burden is on you to be winsome.
Small Groups Oikos Discussions
There are theological issues with the way we see belief.
If we understand these issues, I believe it will help us to be better at sharing with other people about Jesus.
Today we are going to look at two reasons for lack of belief, two ways that belief is hindered, and two components of authentic belief.
Lack of Belief
Parable or illustration of the sower and the soils.
Seed = Gospel
Sower = Evangelist
Soil = Hearer
Jesus said that the first reason for a lack of belief is…
The Devil
Sometimes when we tell someone about Jesus, the seed never takes root in their hearts.
It’s as if they didn’t even hear what they were told.
Jesus said,
Sometimes when we tell someone about Jesus, the seed never takes root in their hearts.
It’s as if they didn’t even hear what they were told.
It’s like the words just disappear before they reach the ears of their hearer.
It’s like the words just disappear before the reach the ears of their hearer.
Mark 4.13-
The sower is the person who is talking about Jesus.
The seed is the message or Gospel of Jesus.
The soil (the path) is the person hearing.
NOTE: The word is ‘sown in them’ — it is understood
But, Satan takes it away.
Who is Satan?
The deceiver (, cf.
deceit of the Garden) and father of lies (John 6.44).
Who is Satan?
What does it mean that Satan takes it away?
What does it mean that Satan takes the message away?
You forget about it, “When you hear Satan takes it away.”
Why does he want to take the Word away?
Jesus is destroying his work, so Satan wants to destroy Jesus’s work.
Joh
Jesus is destroying his work, so Satan wants to destroy Jesus’s work.
How does he take the Word away?
Does Satan have power to deter God’s purposes from you?
No
He deceives
He lies (BIGGEST LIE EVER: You’re good enough the way you are.)
For some reason we come to believe that to desire good is the same thing as actually doing good.
If I feel sadness for people who suffer, that means I’m a good person and God loves me because I feel bad that they suffer.
He distracts
The world is a busy place with lots of things to distract.
As Christians we have a hard time being faithful to Sunday morning none less to other important things like Small Groups, discipelship, conferences, outreach, etc.
The first reason for a lack of belief is the Devil The second is a…
Hardened Heart
This isn’t part of the parable itself, but is the context of the parable.
Jesus had a conversation with the disciples about why he spoke in figures or parables.
Jesus said that he spoke in figures to keep the secrets of the Kingdom of God secret to those who do not belong in the Kingdom of God.
Epiphany: God strategically chooses not to save some according to His sovereign will and purpose.
Isn’t that unjust?
No for two reasons…
This was for a time.
It had to do with the punishment of the Israelites for abandoning worship of the Lord and worshipping other gods.
Epiphany: One of the reasons people don’t believe is that God himself strategically chooses not to save some according to His sovereign will and purpose.
Isn’t that unjust?
No for two reasons…
1) Justice is sending EVERYONE to hell.
(ILL: If I get one kid a treat.)
ALL salvation is according to the mercy of God.
No one goes to hell for any other reason than that they are enemies of God and have sinned against Him.
2) The Jews actually chose this fate through hundreds of years of rebellion against God.
What about the individual Jew who wants to follow Jesus?
— Many Jews did!
This is a statement against national Israel not individual Israelites even if most of the Jews refused to follow Jesus.
Jesus is playing out through parables what has already happened in the hearts of the people.
Partial Hardening of Israel ()
The Israelites’ hearts were hardened due to their idolotry, “Bowed down to Baal.”
It was only partial as God preserved a remnant who would not bow to Baal.
The partial hardening was to make room for the Gentiles who would be Israel by faith to come in, in the place of unfaithful Israelites.
ILL: olive branch
Jesus wasn’t saying that the Jews were not allowed to believe.
But, he wanted them to be humble enough to listen and to seek Him first.
We are called to be listeners—he who has ears.
Mark 4.
The Israelites’ hearts were hardened due to their idolotry, “Bowed down to Baal.”
It was only partial as God preserved a remnant who would not bow to Baal.
The partial hardening was to make room for the Gentiles who would be Israel by faith to come in, in the place of unfaithful Israelites (ILL: olive branch).
Hardening of heart is done to people who are not willing to listen—who have prejudged Jesus and will not believe.
God doesn’t harden the heart of anyone who hasn’t first hardened his or her own heart against God.
(ILL: Pharoah)
Hardening is for the purpose of the progression of the Gospel.
Should I be afraid God will reject me because of hardness of heart?
Absolutely not, if you believe and follow.
— or will
If you are here and you are concerned that your heart might be (or has been) hardened towards God, that concern is evidence that your heart has not been hardened.
It may be that you are suffering, not from a lack of belief, but of…
Hindered Belief
Mark 4.
Converts to Christianity sometimes fail to follow through on discipleship because their faith is hindered by distress or worry.
I’m not saying it’s not someone else’s fault.
But circumstances, including other people, can hinder our belief if we let it.
Critical issue:
Is faith momentary?
No.
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