The Parable of Spiritual Growth

Notes: The Parable of Spiritual Growth

Luke 8

Pastor Greg Laurie

MUSICAL GUEST:

Marty Goetz

WORSHIP TEAM:

Harvest Worship Band

Thursday, September 10, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Series: What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know

As Christians, we will always need the essentials to continue to grow. Life will begin to unravel if we believe we can outgrow the essentials.

If you want to continue on spiritually then you will, if you don't want to continue, then you won't.

When someone makes a profession of faith at the Harvest Crusade there is follow up done by churches that participate. The people are encouraged in their walk, but not pushed. It's up to the individual to follow Jesus.

Everyone is either progressing or regressing in their spiritual life.

Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV

[19] I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

God gives us a test and the answer. Choose life.

Philippians 2:12 NKJV

[12] Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

Philippians 2:13 NKJV

[13] for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

God will work through you, but you have to carry it to the goal.

2 Peter 1:3 NKJV

[3] as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

Luke 8:4-15 NKJV

[4] And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: [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. [6] Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. [7] And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. [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!" [9] Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" [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.' [11] "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. [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. [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. [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. [15] But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

You have four kinds of people, soil is the comparison.

Evangelism is like sowing seeds in the past, we proclaim the Gospel wherever we can. We don't know where the soil will let it grow.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 NKJV

[6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. [7] So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. [8] Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

We all have our role, but to God goes the glory.

Can someone lose their salvation? No, they never had it.

Only the test of time will confirm.

1 John 2:19 NKJV

[19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

You can be a prodigal, but a prodigal will always return home.

1. Highway hearers.

The seed hit the ground, but it never touched soil. Just like hitting the highway.

Satan gets that person back immediately.

2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV

[4] whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

The word of God, runs off like water off a ducks back.

Someone who doesn't want to hear it.

2. Rocky-road Hearers.

Luke 8:13 NKJV

[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.

These are the people that do come, they are excited! It appears to be an amazing conversion. Couple weeks later, they never come back to church.

They are the ones that say they "tried Christianity"

They are impulsive by nature.

Matthew 13:21 NKJV

[21] yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

These people will run at the smallest sign of persecution.

Jesus said we should rejoice if we are persecuted for Him.

A true believers faith will be strengthened in trial.

Only build your faith on Christ.

3. Thorny Hearers.

Luke 8:14 NKJV

[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.

These people are slowly choked out.

The second best, is often the worst enemy of the best.

God eventually gets crowded out by all the things of this world.

Philemon 1:23-24 NKJV

[23] Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, [24] as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

2 Timothy 4:10 NKJV

[10] for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica-Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

Demas fell away over time.

Put God first and all these things will be added to you.

4. Fruitful Hearers

Luke 8:15 NKJV

[15] But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

You need to get as much of Gods word in you as possible.

You can't just hear, you have to listen.

The success or failure of the Christian life depends on how we hear it.  

Healthy people are hungry people. Are you hungry for God's word?

Be bold, be brave and be strong for Christ!