“The So-Called Parable of the Sower”

Sunday Sermon: September 3rd, 2017

1. Jesus will not be mocked, commanded to perform, or put in the cupboard until He is needed. Jesus is not wringing His hands in frustration, ever! God does stop, Matthew 13:10-16; John 6:60-69.
2. The seed is the word of the Gospel, the glorious majestic Jesus Christ, that needs sowing, Matthew 13:3b, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 1-2.
3. There are three damnable ways of listening while not listening, a contemptable trampling of God, Matthew 13:18-22.
4. There is a way to hear rightly, Matthew 13:23.

Here’s the path:
1. Take a good long look at bad listening. Repent. Consider the results of not listening, Matthew 13:53-14:12. Repent over your bad listening.
2. Sit. Sabbath. It’s the keystone habit. “She thinks, 'Surely Jesus will see what is going on here. Surely the one who came to serve others will see all the trouble Mary is causing me. Surely Jesus will get my back.’ But then he doesn’t.” DeYoung, Kevin. Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem
3. Pray for an understanding heart. Pray for an undivided heart, Psalm 86:11. We are governed by our loves. Pray for a heart to know God, Jeremiah 24:7.
4. Listen and read with others, listening is a community experience.
5. Go to sleep early Saturday night. Come to worship early.
6. Read the Bible during the week. Follow the Bible Project material.
7. Put away infected entertainment, James 1:21; Philippians 4:8.
8. Obey. Obedience leads to love leads to listening John 14:21.
9. Make war on grumbling about the weather, food last night, breakfast, kids, car, church, pastor, elders, temperature, coffee. Ask God to show you the log in your own eye. When you begin to grumble, it is about specs, and that the log is creating the harmonic dissonance that comes out as complaining and grumbling.
10. Come with the knowledge that you have stuff that needs fixing. We all do.
11. Come with meekness, James 1:21. Receive the Word implanted – deep in your heart. Admit that God knows better than you do. Itchy ears are echoes of the idols of your heart.
12. Think about the words to the music. Listen to the Scripture. Follow as we pray. Engage in worship. Listen to those singing around you.
13. Sing as you come, express happiness to others as you greet each other in the courtyard.
14. Thank God for a listening ear when you are convicted, encouraged, rebuked, exhorted.
15. Be here week by week.
16. Be here in person. We need to rotate in and out of children’s ministry and other ministry responsibilities. Our tech team needs help from the rest of us.
17. Make sure that what is said, is what the text says. If not, ask. Ask questions about what you don’t understand. Be Berean-ish, Acts 17:11.
18. Take notes.
19. Turn off your phone. Don’t let the person next to you distract you. If so, tell them. Move.
20. Listen for the glory, it is in all things, nothing makes sense without Him, Romans 11:33-36; Ephesians 1:9, 11.
21. Read and listen for glory that leads to the joy, 1 Corinthians 10:31; John 15:11; 17:13. Taste and see that the Lord is good, Psalm 34:8
22. Fight for it. Strive to enter into the joy of listening, Proverbs 2:1-15.