Preached Jan 3, 1999 at Faith Baptist Church
By Pastor Steven E. Mays
"Sowing in the Snow"
MATT. 13:3-8
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
THE PROCESS OF MY CHRISTIAN LIFE BEGAN IN A SNOW STORM.....
God used a snow storm to bring me closer to Himself. While I was a Sr. in High School a bad snow storm hit. (God was in control of that.) For several weeks the school was closed…
*FOR APRX. 2 WEEKS WE HAD NOT MUCH TO DO.... *THANK GOD I WENT TO CHURCH DURRING THAT TIME... (THAT WAS SOWING IN THE SNOW STORM) I WAS WITNESSED TO DURRING THAT TIME, (SOWING IN THE SNOW STORM) I WAS PREACHED TO DURRING THAT TIME... (SOWING IN THE SNOW STORM) I BEGAN COMMING UNDER CONVICTION OF MY SIN DURRING THAT TIME.... (SOWING IN THE SNOW STORM) *MAY I SAY I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT ABOUT MY WIFE'S FAMILY (I DIDN'T HAVE A WIFE THEN, BUT THAT WAS WHEN I FIRST MEET MY FUTURE WIFE), (SOWING IN THE SNOW STORM) THEY WERE THE ONES DOING THE WITNESSING AND TAKING ME TO THE PREACHING.... *THAT DIFFERENCE IS WHAT CAUSED ME TO BECOME POLARIZED AND REALIZE THAT I WAS MISSING SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. (SOWING IN THE SNOW STORM)
TODAY I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOME VERY IMPORTANT TRUTHS ABOUT THIS PARABLE THAT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION, THAT I HOPE WILL CHALLENGE YOU TO WIN OTHERS, THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING OUT THERE.....
I. THE SOWER & THE SEED
MATT. 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Lu 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed,
Lu 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
THANK GOD WHEN WE SOW THE WORD OF GOD THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT CAN HAPPEN... SEED CAN TAKE ROOT IN SOME STRANGE PLACES, BUT THE SOWER DOESN'T SOW ANYTHING BUT SEED.
NEVER FORGET WE ARE TO BE SOWERS FOR GOD! HOW MUCH SEED HAVE YOU SOWED THIS YEAR? YOU CAN'T EXPECT TO REAP IF YOU HAVEN'T SOWED!
THAT'S WHY WE ARE GOING TO GIVE OUT TRACTS... THAT WHY WE ARE GOING TO QUOTE SCRIPTURE....
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
WHERE IS YOUR SEED AT? IT DOESN'T DO MUCH GOOD IN THE BARN.... IT DON'T DO MUCH GOOD IF IT'S STILL AT THE STORE.... WHERE DOES SEED HAVE TO BE IF IT'S GOING TO PRODUCE ANYTHING? IN SOIL, RIGHT?
LET'S NOTICE THE NEXT POINT!
II. THE SOILS ARE SOULS
FROM OUR TEXT WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT 4 KINDS OF SEED WE ARE LOOKING AT FOUR KINDS OF SOIL...
BUT WE'VE GOT 4 KINDS OF SOIL, THIS MORNING DETERMINE WHICH ONE YOUR ON, WHICH ONE YOU NEED TO BE, AND WHICH ONE THAT PERSON YOU LOVE AND ARE BURDENED FOR IS ON RIGHT NOW....... FIRST WE HAVE..
A.) SOIL BY THE WAY SIDE
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
THIS MORNING IF WE COULD JUST REALIZE THE BATTLE WE ARE IN FOR SOULS.....
THE WICKED ONE IS GOING TO DO HIS BEST.... NOTICE HE'S CALLED A BIRD.... I BELIEVE WE NEED SOME SCARE CROWS TO SCARE THAT DEVIL OUT OF HERE... WE NEED SOME BLASTERS TO GO OFF AND GET HIM TO ANOTHER QUIETER FIELD...
THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE PASSAGE IS IMPORTANT.. THE DISCIPLES ARE ABOUT TO HIT THE GOSPEL TRAIL AND THEY JESUS IS PREPARING THEM.. YOU BETTER KNOW THIS AS WELL. THE SEED IS always THE SAME, THE SOIL WILL always BE DIFFERENT.
B.) SOIL ON STONY PLACES
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Watch the progress of the hardened heart…
Exodus 8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
Exodus 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
Exodus 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
Exodus 10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
Exodus 11:10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus 14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
I CAN'T COUNT THE TIMES WE'VE GIVEN THE GOSPEL, AND SEEN SOME WEEP THERE WAY TO THE CROSS, COME TO CHURCH AND GO FORWARD A WHILE AND STOP OR JUST FLOUNDER… WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
LOOK AT VERSE 21…. "HE HATH NO ROOT IN HIMSELF", NO CHARACTER… NO GRIT, NO BACKBONE, NO DETERMINATION… THEIR FEELING ARE LORD IN THEIR LIFE… THEY DO ONLY WHAT THEY WANT… PARENTS ARE TRAINING A GROUP OF CHILDREN WHO'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO A HILL OF BEANS… NO ROOT KIDS..
(PARK HERE UNTIL THE DEVIL THE WORLD AND THE FLESH ALL HAVE A BLACK EYE.)
C.) SOIL AMOUNG THORNS
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
THIS FELLA HAS ALL KINDS OF CHARACTER, tons of character, MAYBE HAS A DEGREE, MAYBE IS SELF MADE, IS EXTREMELY INDEPENDENT, AND FULL OF VIGOR, BUT, THE DEVIL AND HIS FLESH HAVE SOLD HIM A BILL OF GOODS… HE WORKS FOR MAN WHEN HE OUGHT TO WORK FOR GOD! SHAME ON HIM… HE HAS ROOT, BUT HE'S ROOTED MORE TO THIS WORLD THAN TO GOD…
MOMMAS AND DADDYS FOSTER THIS WHEN THEY PUT THE PREMIUM ON THE APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE WORLD INSTEAD OF GOD. IF GOD CAN'T TAKE CARE OF YOU NOW WHY DO YOU THINK HE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE YOU FOR ETERNITY.. MY GOD IS BIG! HE'S MIGHTY.
THE SAD STORY OF THE RICH YOUNG RULER..
Mt 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
You be careful…. you train your kids this way and when they get divorced, (they will), you may not get to see your grandkids much!
D. SOIL ON GOOD GROUND
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Pr 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more
III. THE SUPPLEMENTS…
WE SAW THE SEED, WE SAW THE SOIL, WHAT ELSE DOES A FARMER, A SOWER, HAVE TO WORK WITH?
A. TRACTORS…. REAL PREACHING PLOWS DEEP… THE MAN OF GOD IS TOLD IN 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
B. FERTILIZERS… DEFENCANCY HELP… 10-10-10 IS WHAT YOU GET A LOT OF HERE AT THIS CHURCH… 1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
C. IRRIGATORS… JESUS BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAN SUPPLY YOU WITH LIVING WATER.. . John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Praying for that soul on that poor soil is Irrigating…
D. PESTICIDES… NAME CALLING… IDENTIFING THE BUGS AND SQUASHING THEM… YOU DON'T MAKE FRIENDS WITH STINK BUGS AND BOWL WEAVELS, YOU KILL EM… 1 Timothy 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. 2 Timothy 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; PAUL BUSTED THEM, HE IDENTIFIED THEM… 1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
CONCLUSION....
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH SEED?
WHAT TYPE OF SOIL ARE YOU ON?
WHAT are YOU doing about It?
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