|
DATE |
CHURCH |
SUBJECT |
PREACHER |
BIBLE
REF. |
|
13.07.08 |
All Saints' Church |
Responding to
God's Word |
Rev. Tony Higton |
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 |
|
I have developed the knack of scan-reading.
I can very quickly assess whether some document is worth reading
or not. That is why I have a paper-shredder in my study!
But if I receive a letter marked “On Her
Majesty’s Service” I don’t scan read it, let alone reach for the
shredder! This is something important, something I must read,
something which could get me into trouble if I ignore it.
Similarly, I was a witness in court a few
months ago. It brought home to me the authority of a judge. What
he says is law and you ignore at your peril.
If we react like that to a human monarch
and a human judge, how much more should we honour the word of
the King and Judge of the Universe!
Jesus speaks about this in his Parable of
the Sower. The “seed” is the “message about the kingdom [of
God]” (verse 19), i.e. the message about the rule of God in our
lives. The “soil” is our heart attitude towards that message.
Jesus teaches, firstly, in verse 19 that
The
message of the kingdom needs to go into our hearts
Do we take God’s word to heart? Do we let
it “get through” to us and challenge us?
In the Bible, the “heart” is centre of
personality, just as we sometimes use the word today, for
example “I love you with all my heart.”
Is the word of God dominant in my thinking?
Is it at the heart of my personality?
Or is my religion simply a tradition I
follow. I was brought up to be religious and I am in the habit
pattern now. It’s a tradition. I like Christian symbolism and
ritual. It gives me comfort. I enjoy the friendship of the
other church people. Also being religious is an “insurance
policy” hopefully guaranteeing my acceptance into heaven.
All of these attitudes are inadequate and
can effectively shield us from taking the message of the kingdom
to heart.
Secondly, Jesus teaches that:
The
message of the kingdom needs to go deep into our hearts
In the parable Jesus teaches that some
“seed is sown along the [hard] path.” Like the birds taking the
seed lying on the path, the “evil one comes and snatches away
what was sown in [people’s] hearts.” These, says Jesus, are the
people who “Hear the message about the kingdom and do not
understand it” (verse 19).
Do we meditate on the message of the
kingdom? Do we think it through so we understand it? Do we
discuss it and ask questions about it? Do we let it go deep in
our hearts or are we hard-hearted in our response to it?
Then Jesus refers to “The seed falling on
rocky ground” which “refers to people who hear the word and at
once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last
only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of
the word, they quickly fall away” (verses 20-21).
Jesus is talking here of shallow people who
make a superficial positive response to the message of the
kingdom but when obedience to the message threatens to cause
suffering, trouble or even persecution they quickly give up and
cease following Christ in any depth. They didn’t take it to
heart. Do we give up on our obedience when things get
difficult?
Then Jesus speaks of “the seed falling
among the thorns” which “refers to people who hear the word, but
the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke
the word, making it unfruitful” (verse 22).
These are people who receive the message of
the kingdom positively, even enthusiastically, but then the
busyness and stress of life, especially financial worries,
obliterate the message. They didn’t take it to heart. Do we
allow the pressures of life to take over our hearts and minds,
eliminating the message of the kingdom?
Thirdly, Jesus teaches that:
The
message of the kingdom needs to go out of our hearts into our
behaviour
The whole purpose of sowing seed is to
produce growth. Good soil will produce a better crop than poor
soil. In his parable Jesus says: “The seed falling on good soil
refers to people who hear the word and understand it. They
produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what
was sown" (verse 23).
What sort of soil is your heart - good,
mediocre or poor? It all depends on your response to the message
of the kingdom. If you hear, understand and obey it (with God’s
help) then you will produce a good crop of righteousness which
will please God.
Remember:
Judgment Day is not a Scripture exam to see
how well you know your Bible.
Judgment Day is not a check on how much
bread and wine you have consumed.
Judgment Day is not a test of how many
services you’ve attended or hymns you have sung.
Judgment Day won’t be a re-examination of
your Baptism or Confirmation Certificates.
Judgment Day won’t be a totalling up of all
the donations you have given.
These things are not bad but they will be
of no significance if we don’t love Jesus and show our love by
letting him rule our hearts and lives, i.e. let the seed produce
a crop: the crop of an obedient life.
How are you responding to the message of
the kingdom? |
