BULLETIN BOARD
06
Dec '20
Broadcasting the Gospel
06
Dec '20
“Broadcasting the Gospel”
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
We are to be broadcasters of the gospel not salesmen.
We have a choice as to what kind of soil we will be for the seed.
“On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying, “Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. Let anyone who has ears listen” (Matt. 13:1-9, CSB).
1. We are to sow the seeds of the gospel indiscriminately (vv. 3-9).
**Show video of IMB missionary Eric Maroney in Zagreb, Croatia
2. The seed of the gospel grows persistently (v. 18-19a).
“So listen to the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word about the kingdom…” (Matt. 13:18-19a, CSB).
The Word of God has the power to change lives.
“For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do” (Isa. 55:10-11, CSB).
“Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. For
‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’
And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you” (1 Pt. 1:22-25, CSB).
“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12, CSB).
We are broadcasters, not salesmen.
“How can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher…As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Rom. 10:14-15, CSB).
3. The soils react differently to the gospel (vv. 19-23).
“When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown” (Matt. 13:18-23, CSB).
· Some may be hardened (v. 19).
“When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.”
· Some may be shallow (vv. 20-21).
“And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.”
· Some may be disillusioned (v. 22).
“Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
· Some will be multipliers (v. 23).
“But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”
We have a choice as to what kind of soil we will be for the seed.
Read more...
