by David Brenneman
"Again He began to teach by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat on the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, “Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. And when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.” And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve disciples, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything comes in parables, so that while seeing they may see, and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear, and not understand, otherwise they might return and it would be forgiven them.” And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. And in a similar way these are the ones sown with seed on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and yet they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown with seed among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And those are the ones sown with seed on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.”" Mark 4:1-20 NASB
Some have heard the phrase in their lifetime "It happens to the best of us". The thing is life happens to all of us.
When we look into this particular parable...what at least I see this morning is that it really covers everyone possible in this world. Jesus left nobody out.
When we consider another this particular passage in light of another in Romans 1:20 NASB "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."
Going back a little to get the full context "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who supress the truth in unrighteousness, because that wich is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them."
Everyone who has ever lived and had enough understanding in living life...that is the knowing of good and evil...are without excuse when standing before Jesus.
And everyone WILL stand before Jesus.
Consider it well that everyone will see His power revealed not just in the beginning of things with the Rapture of the Church, but will indeed see it in the 7 years called the Great Tribulation before He once again fully steps down from Heaven into human history to personally rule the Earth for a thousand years. Judgments are determined and will be carried out during that 7 years. The world WILL see with beyond HD clarity that God's will WILL be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
That indeed there is just cause for the Holy Righteous One to judge the world concerning sin.
But oh so many think it's an inconsequential thing and disregard the truth of God. Even those people fit in to this parable.
The truth is everyone can fit into every part of this parable. It covers everyone from those who are staunch in their disregard and hatred of anything to do with the Word of God to those who listen and are fruit bearer's of that Word implanted.
Which are you? Where do you fall in this parable? You're in there somewhere, just as I am. If we indeed believe or do not believe we are somewhere in that parable.
In my evening Bible reading time in my Life Principles Daily Bible...Dr. Charles Stanley had something to say concerning the Unpardonable Sin. This is a portion of it: "Jesus is our ultimate, final, and complete sacrifice. Today, salvation is open to every person. When Jesus is your Savior, you cannot commit the unpardonable sin as the Pharasee's did. Their situation cannot repeat itself because of what Jesus provided for us on the Cross. However, understand there is still a way for a person to sin against the Holy Spirit in such a way that is unpardonable. Instead of the unpardonable sin, I call it the unpardonable state.
Hebrews 10:26, 27 tells us, "for if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice of sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment". The unpardonable state is when people deliberatly chooseto reject the Lord Jesus after hearing the good news of salvation. They completely turn away from God and willfully choose not to believe in Christ as their Savior under any condition. What have they done? They have chosen to remain without forgiveness for their sin (John 3:17,18).
Friend, if you've never received Jesus as your Savior, do not remain in the unpardonable state. Turn to Him, ask Him to forgive your sins, and trust Him to save you. It's the best decision you'll ever make."
Consider that last part of what Dr. Stanley has to say if you've indeed been rejecting Jesus's message to you. I'm reminded of the scenes in the movies of the masses out in the water after a particular ship struck an iceberg. Jesus is the one in the boat calling out to all who would listen. Wanting to bring them into His boat, to safety. Soon He won't be calling as He has been. When the Rapture of the Church takes place, and it WILL take place, things are going to be insanely different here on Earth.
Wait not another day my Dear Reader. Wait no longer to listen and obey if indeed you've heard the Word of God and are saved, to begin living life as He intended for you. We're not to be lovers of self...we're not to be putting our wants, needs and desires ahead of what God wants for us in this life. Those who are at the end of that parable are the one's who listened and obeyed...and saw the blessings of God pour out in their lives.
You're somewhere in that parable...so where are you in it?
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