Remember These Things - PT 2

Matthew 13 ESV 

3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

How do we move from barren ground to fruitful ground?

The condition of the soil makes all the difference!

Matthew 13

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

Where there’s no understanding, Satan snatches the seed away

Matthew 13 ESV

11 to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven

2 Corinthians 3 ESV

14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one[c] turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Eyes covered with a veil

It’s been GIVEN for you to know the SECRETS of the kingdom of heaven!

John 14 ESV

26 the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things

John 16 ESV

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,

HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO THE SECRET TRUTHS OF THE KINGS DOMAIN THAT WILL MAKE OUR LIVES FRUITFUL.

Luke 8 ESV

12 Satan comes to take away the seed so they may not believe and be saved.

Matthew 13 ESV

11 To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12 to the one who has, MORE will be given, and he will have in abundance, BUT from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Matthew 13 ESV

13 This is why I speak to them in parables because seeing they do not see

And hearing they do not hear Nor Do they understand.

15 For this people’s heart has grown dull and with their ears, they can barely hear And their eyes they have closed Lest they should See with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart AND TURN & I WOULD HEAL THEM.

Understanding changes everything.

MATTHEW 13:15

THIS PEOPLE’S HEART HAS GROWN DULL…

Dull = fat, stupid, callous.

2 Timothy 3 ESV

7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

We NEVER FIND UNDERSTANDING IF We DON’T VALUE IT /PURSUE IT.

Luke 8:5

The seed along the path was trampled under foot.

DISREGARD OR NOT VALUED

Proverbs 3 ESV

13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,

14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.

15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.

Why aren’t we better learners?

Why aren’t we hungry to be discipled?

Why aren’t we better students of the word of God?

Is my heart hard?

Ephesians 4 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.