Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Tabernacle arrangement, Luke 8 refers to the Golden Candlestick. There are seven stories in Luke 8. They refer to seven shining lamps on the golden candlestick.
Now, we discuss the second story (The Parable of the Sower).
One sows his seed to result in fruits.
It refers to fruitful service. We have to heed two things, so the sowing of the seed can result in fruits. They are as follows:
Tonight, we discuss about three bad heartsas follows:
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
5:18. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himselfthrough Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
5:19. that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
5:20. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
5:21. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The process of life renewalis through reconciliation.
The power of true teaching Word that we receive in worship will show our sins and weakness, so we are encouraged to make peace.
Being reconciledmeans as follows:
Let us be new creation by making peace.
The results are as follows:
God blesses us.
In the Tabernacle arrangement, Luke 8 refers to the Golden Candlestick. There are seven stories in Luke 8. They refer to seven shining lamps on the golden candlestick.
Now, we discuss the second story (The Parable of the Sower).
One sows his seed to result in fruits.
It refers to fruitful service. We have to heed two things, so the sowing of the seed can result in fruits. They are as follows:
- The seed.
Leviticus 19:19
19:19. 'You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.
We shall sow our field with one seed.
Now, it refers to one true teaching Word.
True teaching Word is as follows:- The word that is written in the Bible.
- The Word that is revealed or the secret is opened by God, namely a verse explains another verse.
- Ground.
It refers to the heart.
Luke 8:4-8
8:4. And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:
8:5. "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
8:6. "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
8:7. "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8:8. "But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
There are four kinds of the ground of heart that are divided in two groups as follows:- three bad hearts [Luke 8:4-7,9-14],
- a good heart [Luke 8:8,15].
Tonight, we discuss about three bad heartsas follows:
- The heart that is like the wayside.
Luke 8:4-5
8:4. And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:
8:5. "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
It means as follows:- One whose heart and mind wander does not concentrate when hearing the teaching Word.
- One who wanders, namely one are not shepherded, so he hears other teachings (it is not one seed).
- One hears the Word of God by his own mind (logic), so it is deciphered and the secret is not revealed.
Luke 8:9-12
8:9. Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"
8:10. And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’
8:11. "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
8:12. "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. - The heart that is like the rock.
Luke 8:6
8:6. "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
The rock is the hard heart.
It means that one hears the Word emotionally, namely receiving the Word that is suitable for flesh with joy, but he is disappointed or angry soon when hearing the Word that is not suitable for flesh.
Consequently, the Word does not become the faith; one falls from faith and leaves God.
Luke 8:13
8:13. "But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. - The heart that is like the thorns.
Luke 8:7
8:7. "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
The thorns heart is the heart with the lust of the flesh and worry, so he cannot obey the Word of God.
The youths often worry in many things, such as mate, work and school.
Someone with the heart that worries is able to hear the Word, but he cannot practice it, because he always says 'if....'.
Consequently, one brings no fruit to maturity.
Luke 8:14
8:14. "Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
Bringing no fruit to maturity means becoming chaff only.
Chaff means one who does not change, but keeps flesh and blood man, so he does not experience life renewal to spiritual direction.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
3:1. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2. For men will be lovers of themselves(1), lovers of money(2), boasters(3), proud(4), blasphemers(5), disobedient to parents(6), unthankful(7), unholy(8),
3:3. unloving(9), unforgiving(10), slanderers(11), without self–control(12), brutal(13), despisers of good(14),
3:4. traitors(15), headstrong(16), haughty(17), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God(18),
3:5. having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
The chaff denies the power of the Word and worship and does not want to be filled by true teaching Word, so he keeps characteristics of flesh and is stamped by antichrist (666) to be as same as him.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
5:18. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himselfthrough Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
5:19. that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
5:20. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
5:21. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The process of life renewalis through reconciliation.
The power of true teaching Word that we receive in worship will show our sins and weakness, so we are encouraged to make peace.
Being reconciledmeans as follows:
- Confessing sin to God and others honestly, so we experience forgiveness of sin. If we are forgiven, do not sin anymore.
- Forgiving others' sin and forgetting it.
Let us be new creation by making peace.
The results are as follows:
- We are justified and live in righteousness. It means that we bring fruit before God.
- We are trusted in the ministry of reconciliation and used as the instrument of righteousness, namely we serve faithfully and truly; we are trusted by God.
For example is Saul.
1 Timothy 1:12-15
1:12. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
1:13. although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1:14. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
1:15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. - We can testify and become the pattern for others, so they can be saved too.
1 Timothy 1:16
1:16. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to thosewho are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
God writes all of our ministry and testimony. - We can worship God.
1 Timothy 1:17
1:17. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
If we can worship Jesus, the King, we can experience a miracle.
Luke 23:40-43
23:40. But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
23:41. "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."
23:42. Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
23:43. And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
The criminals who are hung with Jesus are in the curse atmosphere.
Physically, they do not have future and hope, but live in suffering and fear.
Spiritually, they are wicked and unclean.
The criminal can be remembered by God, how much more we areas the sons of God. As long as we want to make peace, the curse atmosphere will become Paradise one. God lifts us up until we enter Paradise, A Thousand Years of Kingdom of Peace and eternal kingdom of Heaven forever.
God blesses us.