2-26-23 Don't you understand this parable?

Scripture                                                      Mark 4:13

DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE?

IT'S OBVIOUSLY ALL ABOUT YOU - THE SOWER!

For a moment, become an amateur pastor or theologian, and see if you can give an answer to the following three questions:

1. If the gospel is the power of God—why doesn't everybody that hears the gospel become

a Christian?

2. If the Bible is the Word of God—why doesn't the Bible have the same effect on everyone

who reads it?

3. If Jesus is the Son of God—why doesn't everyone believe in Jesus?

 

If an alien were to come to planet earth and ask for a report on what god is worshiped, what religious book is followed, or even what religion is practiced, Christians would have to give a minority report because the vast majority of this world is not Christian. Major religious groups:

Islam (24.1%)   Irreligion (16%)   Hinduism (15.1%)   Buddhism (6.9%)

Folk religions (5.7%)   Sikhism (0.3%)   Judaism (0.2%) (total 67.8%)

Christianity (31.2%)

Jesus told a parable to answer all three of the previous questions. In fact, it is one of the most well-known parables in the Bible. It is known as the parable of the sower.

As you listen to this parable you will find three main components: the Sower, the seed, and the soil. The Sower is the Christ follower, the seed is the scripture, and the soil is the soul of the unbeliever.

HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD

Mark 4:1-20

Again, Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:

"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying 30, 60, or even a 100 times."

          Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

          10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, "'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"

          13 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?

The farmer sows the word.

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop — 30, 60 or even a 100 times what was sown."

 

Now a seed cannot plant itself, it needs a Sower. In the parable the Sower is the Christ follower—it's you and me. That's what God has called every Christian to be—a seed Sower. Psalm 126:6 says, "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

 

DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE?

IT'S OBVIOUSLY ALL ABOUT THE SEED - THE WORD OF GOD!

Now how do I know this? Because Jesus tells us.

In Luke 8:11 Jesus said, "The seed is the word of God." A seed is productive. The very purpose of a seed is to be planted, grow, and produce fruit. The word of God produces spiritual fruit in Christ followers. 1 Peter 1:23, "...having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."

There is no more powerful influence that can be planted in someone's heart than that of the logos, the Word, Jesus who is found in holy scripture. We can say we are responsible to spread the word, which is true. But it would be much better to be like Jesus and turn it into a question. Is it possible, that I am qualified and so blessed that I get to spread the seed of the Word of God?

          When we interpret this parable as something evangelistic - three soils that receive the word ultimately don't get the goal - salvation of the soul. That doesn't mean the word is ineffective. It means the soil is not ready to fully receive the seed - the word. Seeing this as evangelistic, we can let ourselves off the hook at least 3 out of 4 times that we sow the seed.

Jesus is using this parable to teach us what the kingdom of God is like. What if it is not about how to get into the kingdom, or about the word, but how people live by the word once they are in the kingdom?

DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE?

IT'S OBVIOUSLY ALL ABOUT YOU - THE SOIL!

The real focus of this parable is not on the Sower or the seed, it's on the soil. Even the best Sower, with the best seed, will never have a harvest unless he/she has good soil. Now the soil is the soul, or the heart. Jesus said in verse 19, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart..."

Hopefully, the reason you came to church today was to hear the Bible read, taught, and preached. I cannot over emphasize how important it is to read the Bible and hear the Bible. But listen carefully. Jesus is going to teach us that though you read the Bible with your eyes, and hear the Bible with your ears, you receive the Bible with your heart! The soil of this parable is, in fact, not about the unbeliever, but about the follower of Jesus.

Did you know the Bible is the only book ever written that requires the right heart to benefit from it? You can read a novel or a newspaper with a cold, hard, wicked, indifferent heart and get all the information you need. But the Bible is a closed book to anyone whose heart is not right with God. Jesus talks about four kinds of hearts, and they are all likely represented in every church today. You are listening to me right now with one of four kinds of hearts. I want you to identify which heart is yours as you listen to these descriptions.

I. Stubborn Hearts Reject The Word

"And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and devoured them." (v.4) When Jesus talked about the path He was talking about something similar to our sidewalks. In Israel people would walk through fields, and they would take the same path over and over again. So as many people walked along the same path, the ground would become rock hard. This was soil where the seed could not get in. It could get on the ground, but it could not get in the heart. Jesus said there are some Christian hearts just like that.

There are people who come to church every Sunday, and when they hear a sermon it goes in one ear and out the other. It literally hits them like water running off a duck's back. Their heart is a roof surrounded by gutters and all the water of the word of God just washes right off of the roof into the gutters, down the drain, and never does them any good.

Hebrews 4:7 says, "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."

Every time you hear the truth preached it will either soften…or harden your heart. Truth is just like the sun. The same sun that melts the butter also hardens the clay.

 

II. Shallow Hearts Remove The Word

"Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away." (vv.5-6) If you've ever been to Israel, you know that much of Israel is limestone and bedrock that is covered over with a thin layer of soil, identical to our property at Put in Bay. Whenever you plant seed on this soil it cannot take root because though it appears to begin to grow, it runs into hard rock.

You see, the first soil was soil where seed could not get in; this is soil where seed cannot get down.

"For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles." (v 21) They're like a person who wants to march in the army as a four-star general, but when the first fighting starts, and the first bullet flies, and the first bomb hits, they are the first one to desert.

There's an article titled, 178 Seconds to Live. It was about the results of twenty pilots in a simulator. Each of the pilots were skilled aviators but had not taken instrument training. As long as the weather was good they were all experts in flight and had no trouble flying the plane. But these pilots were placed in a simulator and asked to keep their plane under control as they flew through simulated clouds and bad weather. All twenty of the pilots lost control of their planes and crashed in an average time span of just 178 seconds. These pilots who were very capable at keeping the plane aloft in good weather, couldn't survive three minutes in bad weather.

 

III. Strangled Hearts Restrict The Word

"And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them." (v.7)

Now the first soil was where seed could not get in. The second soil was where seed could not get down. But this is soil where the seed cannot get out. It is sown among thorns, weeds, and briars, and the life of it is literally choked out.

What did Jesus mean by this? "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." (v.22) There are three things, according to the Lord, that can literally choke the spiritual life out of a person, and can prevent them from having a true relationship with God.

1-There are the problems of life that we all have, and unfortunately people don't realize that Christians have problems just like non-Christians.

2-There are the prosperities of life; the tendency to make this world your home, and care everything about the world that is here, and nothing about the world to come.

3-There are the pleasures of life; the desire to make sure that you live in comfort and ease and not count the cost of following Jesus Christ.

Jesus here is describing people that probably makes up most of the church worldwide today, who are trying to hold Jesus with one hand and the world with the other. These are people who make a decision for God because they are broken over their sins, but they're never broken from their sins.

This describes a heart that was unprepared because it was so full of malignant weeds and thorns it never really allowed the seed of the gospel to bear fruit.

Many years ago there was a famous gangster who lived in Los Angeles named Mickey Cohen. He was known for several things: He was Jewish, he lived an extravagant lifestyle, and he was a friend of many of the Hollywood celebrities. He met a man by the name of Bill Jones. Bill Jones was a Christian who served time in prison and had gotten to know Mickey Cohen and began to share Jesus with him.

He finally persuaded Mickey Cohen to go to a Billy Graham Crusade. Cohen heard the gospel and prayed to receive Christ into his heart. Bill Jones was so elated! What an impact this famous gangster could have for Christ; not only because he was Jewish, but also because of the influence he could have on the underworld.     It wasn't long after his so-called profession of faith, he dropped Bill Jones and began hanging around with his underworld mobster buddies again. Well, this very much upset Jones who went to see him one day, and said, "Mickey, you're a Christian, and as a new Christian you don't need to be hanging around these mobsters anymore unless you are going to try to win them to Christ."     This is what Mickey Cohen said: "Jones, you never told me that I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. You never told me I had to give up the way that I make money, and the way I stay on top of the world. I mean, after all, there are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, and Christian businessmen; what's the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up that; if that's what Christianity is, count me out." That is exactly the kind of heart that was strangled by the prosperities and the pleasures of this world, and the spiritual life was choked out.

 

IV. Surrendered Hearts Reproduce The Word

"But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a 100-fold, some 60, some 30." (v.8) Here Jesus talks about a soil that is fertile and a soil that is fruitful. Now what kind of heart is this?

First of all, it is receptive to the word of God. This is a person who "hears the word." That means instead of "going in one ear and out the other" this is a person who has the word go into his ear, get into his mind, and down into his heart.

But this is also a soil that is responsive to the word of God because it not only hears it, but understands it. The word "understands" means to understand with comprehension and to be willing to do what you understand.

That's why Jesus said this soil is reproductive of the word of God because it bears fruit. That is the real key—fruit. Everything else is just talk. If the word of God is not bearing fruit in your life, you're not studying the word of God; you're not hearing the word of God; you're not receiving the word of God. You're not living the word of God!

I heard about a woman who came into the house one day and said, "Honey, we've got trouble with the car; it's got water in the carburetor." The husband said, "Water in the carburetor, that's ridiculous." She said, "I'm telling you, the car has water in the carburetor." The husband said, "You don't even know what a carburetor looks like. Where is the car?" She said, "In the swimming pool." Right actions, which the husband was missing, not only come with the right hearing, but also the right understanding.

The Gospel is the power of God, the Bible is the word of God, and Jesus is the Son of God, but you will only believe this and receive this with a surrendered heart.

There is not a greater joy in a pastor's life than to see when that very thing happens.

Some time ago, a pastor got a call that a man in Laurel, Mississippi died. Interestingly, his name was also Cohen, and like Mickey Cohen he was Jewish. But his story had a different ending.

The church where this pastor served sponsored a Starlite Crusade, and had invited Terry Bradshaw, who at that time was the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, to come and give his testimony, after which this pastor was going to preach.

He writes, we were meeting in the football stadium. Unbeknownst to me, a man by the name of Pacey Cohen was driving by that stadium on his way home to commit suicide. He didn't even know the crusade was going on. But he saw the big marquee out front that said, "Hear Terry Bradshaw, Quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers." Well, it just so happened that Pacey Cohen was a big Steelers fan. So he pulled into the parking lot, walked into the football stadium, went up into the stands, and his intention was to hear Bradshaw, enjoy one last slice of life, and go home and blow his brains out.

After Bradshaw finished, there was really nothing to keep Pacey Cohen there, but he said later for some reason he didn't get up and leave. He had never heard the gospel or the Bible preached in his life. I got up and preached a simple gospel message and gave the invitation.

Pacey was sitting on the very top row of those bleachers, and inside he was literally dying because the Holy Spirit of God was moving on his hard heart. At first he did not respond. Then before we sang the last stanza of the invitation, I looked up into the stands and said, "There is someone here that tonight will be your last night on earth if you do not come and give your heart to Jesus Christ. If you do not come tonight you will spend eternity separated from God." Now the amazing thing is, Pacey swore I was looking him right in the eye. But I don't remember it, and besides there were 3,000 people there that night.

Pacey stepped out, and I will never forget it because out of that 3,000 people, even though we already had close to 70 people saved that night, he was the only one who came forward on the last verse. He gave his life to Christ and joined our church. I baptized him, and can you believe this—he became a full-time evangelist for Christ.

His wife told me when I called her that even though he was dying of lung cancer and could only breathe sixty seconds without an oxygen mask, that on the Monday before he died, he led his nurse to Jesus Christ. God took a stubborn heart, moved it to a shallow heart, moved it to a strangled heart, and changed it to a surrendered heart. What he did for Pacey he can do for anyone, and he can do it for you.

 

The parable of the sower and the seed reminds us of the need for faith and faithfulness. This parable raises the question, "What is the Kingdom of God like? Is it like four soils?"

 

Who first named this the “parable of the Sower?” The only worse title might be the “parable of the seed.” Why either “Sower” or “seed”? The “Sower” has no presence in this parable whatsoever. The Sower does his/her job and moves on. Likewise the quality of the “seed” is never at issue in this parable. The “parable of the Sower” is really all about the soil. The soil is the only thing that can change - meaning your heart is the only thing that can change in this parable of Jesus.

CONCLUSION

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field.

What kind of soil is your heart today?

Like a hard path and you believe but want nothing else of Christ and His word in your

life?

Like the rocky soil, you believe but you spend so little time in fellowship with Jesus and

his word that you quickly dry up and just stay that way?

          Like a plant that is growing, you are among thorns and briars and allow the cares of the world to choke out what could be an amazing spiritual journey?

          Or, is your heart the way Jesus wants it to be, like good soil? Good soil is where your life is producing Holy Spirit fruit that will last and produce 30, 60, or even 100 times what you could have ever imagined?

          How do you answer Jesus today? Don't you understand this parable?

2-19-23 What do you want?

Scripture                                                      John 1:38

John 1:38     Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

John 1:35-39     The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

 

          I find this question and response fascinating. According to John, this is Jesus' first known question. "What do you want?" "What are you looking for?" "For what reason are you following me?" Ironic that Jesus wants to know why they are following him since, in the near future, he will say to them: "Follow me".

          I believe Jesus asks each of us that question when we first follow him and many times after that. When I went forward to commit myself to Jesus and let him know I believed in him was a time I will never forget. Even the ride home I remember was silent except for someone asking me, "How do you feel?" I had very little response, and now I know why. The change was not a feeling (though feelings were involved - but they were a byproduct of what happened), the change was a directional change. I no longer wanted to follow my way, but the way of Jesus.  While the car ride was quiet, no doubt Jesus was asking me, "What do you want?" Had I realized in that moment what he was asking, I would have had only one answer - to know you more. When I went forward, I had just met Jesus personally for the first time in my life and the only thing I wanted to do was to get to know him more.

          Andrew and (John) left John the Baptist and were following Jesus when Jesus asked them "What do you want?" their only response was they wanted to know him more and it came out a little clumsy and they said, "Great teacher" a sign of honored respect, where are you staying?

          That could have meant, we know it is late but we would like to set an appointment for Friday. Or, we want to know if you are staying nearby so we can walk with you. Jesus made it easy on them, he said, "Come, and you will see." They went and spent the whole day with him. They began to get to know Jesus as Jesus began to get to know them.

          My Question: Who chose whom? Did Andrew and John choose Jesus? They followed him. Or did Jesus choose them? He invited them to come and see. Who chose whom? My inclination is to say both but that is not true. Jesus chose them. Jesus is always the initiator. I don't even begin to pray that Jesus isn't already there waiting for me. On Nov 4, 1974, I didn't choose Jesus, he chose me - he invited me - and I accepted His invitation.  John 15:16  You did not choose me, but I chose you!

          That changes everything. Instead of me simply believing, I recognize that the God of all creation looked at 15-year-old Jeff Cooper and said, "I choose you Jeff!" Who am I that God would choose me to know him? After choosing me, and me accepting that choice (which can be, and is, often rejected) Jesus then started asking me "What do you want? What are you looking for?" For 48 1/2 years I have answered the same way "Where are you staying? I want to be with you. I want to know you more!" See how that changes everything. I am not a Christian for what I can get out of it, I am a Christian because I get to know Jesus more every day and follow Him wherever He is going.

          Then I am also more privileged to tell others that they too can know God and even in the end to go where he is going. John 14:4-6  "You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

 

          After Andrew and John spent that first day with Jesus, look at what Andrew did next.

John 1:40-42  Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

 

          Bringing someone to Jesus isn't always by saying, come see Jesus. Instead, it is being so close to Jesus, getting to know him so well, responding to his question, "What do you want?" by simply going where he goes every day of your life. There is a true story that illustrates this well.

ILLUSTRATION

Her name is Donna. Donna is a member of our church. She is a mentor in our Kids Hope USA program. Every week she goes to a nearby elementary school to be a friend, encourager, and mentor to a little boy named John. John is 6 years old. Donna and John have bonded in a beautiful way. Though there is quite a difference in their ages, Miss Donna – as John calls her – has become John's best friend. Once each week, she visits him at school, helps him with his school work… and then "going the second mile" every Saturday, Donna takes John to do exciting things that without Donna, John would likely never get to do – things like the zoo, the museum, the parks.

A few months ago, Donna's husband died in his sleep. Little John came to the funeral to support his friend Miss Donna in her grief. At the reception in the Hines Baker Room after the memorial service, John stood beside Donna and held her hand. She had been there for him and now he was there for her. He would not leave her side. It was a beautiful moment and people in the room had tears in their eyes, so touched by John's intense commitment to lovingly stand by Miss Donna, his friend and mentor.

Some of us saw John eyeing the goodies on the reception table – punch and chocolate chip cookies in abundance… and some of us said to him, "John, would you like to walk over here and have some refreshments?" But no, he would not leave Donna's side. "I want to stay here with Miss Donna.," he would say. The love between the two of them was so radiant and powerful in that room.

Also, in the room that day was a man from Chicago. He had flown all the way from Chicago to Houston to be with Donna. Do you know why? Because 38 years ago when he was in first grade, Donna had been his mentor at an elementary school in the Chicago area. He flies from Chicago to Houston every summer to see Donna and to thank her for what she did for him 38 years ago – and then he made this special trip to be with Donna when her husband suddenly died. That man from Chicago says to Donna every time he comes, "I am what I am today because of the love and support you gave me 38 years ago." He says, "Ms. Donna, you were the first person in my life who believed in me." And today little John says to her in words and actions: "Miss Donna, I love you. I know you love me. You are my best friend." Now, where did Donna learn to love like that, to reach out to people in need like that, to make a difference in people's lives like that? You know, don't you? The same place the disciple Andrew learned it – from Jesus.

 

PRAYER:

Where You go, I'll go  /  Where You stay, I'll stay  /  When You move, I'll move  /  I will follow You
Who You love, I'll love  /  How You serve I'll serve  /  If this life I lose, I will follow You

INVITATION SONG: "I will follow you!"

2-12-23 What is the 2023 Church Theme?

Scripture                                                Matthew 16:15

What? Why? Where? When? Who? How?

Prayer

 

Matthew 16:15   "But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?"

 

Luke 2:46-48 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

SIMPLY PUT:

We ask questions because we need to know the answer.

Jesus asked questions, because the one he asked…needed to know the answer.

But asking questions is NOT that simple…

There are various types of questions people ask and each determines what kind of answer/or/response can be given. Not all questions are looking for an answer but every question that Jesus asks, is looking for a response!  We may ask different kinds of questions, like:

Information: What is 2+2? Easy to answer - 4.

Rhetorical - not meant to have an answer: Is water wet?

Meant to make us think: Why did the chicken cross the road?

Like 2+2 = 4 it is easy to answer but you can't be sure your answer is correct.

Why did the chicken cross the road? - To get to the other side?

Why?

Running to get dinner.

Running to keep from becoming dinner.

Just going home.

Just leaving home?

Just as we can ask questions for different reasons, so does Jesus:

Jesus Asked a Lot of Questions. Why?

If you read the Gospels, you’ll notice that Jesus asked a lot of questions. Until now, though, I had yet to asked why He asked so many questions.

So, why did Jesus ask so many questions? Asking questions in teaching has been a common practice for many teachers. This is true during the time of Jesus as well. Most of the time, the purpose of asking a question is to generate a response and to encourage people to think more deeply about something. Jesus often asked very pointed questions to different audiences to get a response. The response would then be used for teaching, for testing, for believing, for proclaiming, and for rebuking. In many cases, Jesus’s purpose for asking questions falls into multiple categories simultaneously.

Let’s look at a couple of examples of Jesus asking questions and look to see why He asked them.

Questions to engage others

Jesus used simple, short questions to create a connection and draw people in. In the Gospel of Matthew, for example, he frequently asks his disciples “What do you think?” On the road to the village of Emmaus, the unrecognized resurrected Christ says to the two unsuspecting men, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” (Luke 24:17). When he takes his disciples through Samaria and stops at a well, he asks the lone woman, “Will you get me a drink?" (John 4:7).

Rhetorical Question

(Mark 8:31-37)   And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He said this plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

And calling the crowd to Him with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?.”

Rhetorical questions are meant to illicit a response within the hearer. Just not a verbal one. Jesus is using these questions to teach the crowd to be introspective, or do some self-examination. He wants each of them to come to a conclusion on their own as to how they would answer these questions.

Response Invoking Questions

This type of question requires a verbal response.

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” (Luke 10:25-28)

Jesus responded to the man’s question with a question of His own, as he often did. “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

It is clear that this question is meant to receive a verbal response. No matter how the man answers it, Jesus would use his response to teach.

Rebuking Questions

What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father? They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him." (Matthew 21:23-32)

Jesus is asking questions to rebuke the religious leaders and the people. He is rebuking them for their disbelief and subsequent rejection of God. The Son of God, Jesus, was standing in their midst. And they did not believe who he really was.

Testing Questions

Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”  So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets full. (John 6:5-13)

The text tells us that Jesus asks the question to Philip to test him. Philip did not pass the test. He was looking to what is seen. Rather than looking to the power of God demonstrated in the Messiah, Jesus. Jesus then used Andrew's response as a foundation to teach the truth.

Teaching Questions

In Luke chapter 10, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. It begins with a question from a religious authority, “And who is my neighbor?” When Jesus finishes the parable, he asks, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” And the religious authority can only answer, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Believing Questions

When Jesus encounters Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, he asks, “What do you want me to do?” (Mark 10:51). In John 5:6, at the Bethsaida springs, he asks the lame man, “Do you want to get well?” He is seeking an affirmation of their faith and a desire to change.

Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to Him and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11:17-27)

One of the most important questions that we must answer is, Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world? I do.

Martha believed.

Another time, many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that You are the Holy One of God.”

CONCLUSION

Back to where we started - just thinking about questions in general, then compared to the questions Jesus asked.

Have you ever considered the fact that Jesus only asked inspired questions?

What are Inspired Questions?

Inspired questions are the ones found in the inspired Word of God—the Bible. They help us sense the presence of God in our life and empower us to become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. They reveal our hearts in ways other questions cannot. They drive us deeper into our own reading of the Scriptures. They are a uniquely powerful tool for unlocking key information in the Bible. They are for everyone who lives on this planet for the simple fact that God’s Word is for everyone. The fact that the Spirit inspired them means we should know what they are and consider what inspired answers there might be.

End with 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 from my Living Bible

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 (LIV)

Dear brothers, even when I first came to you I didn't use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God's message. For I decided that I would speak only of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. I came to you in weakness-timid and trembling. And my preaching was very plain, not with a lot of oratory and human wisdom, but the Holy Spirit's power was in my words, proving to those who heard them that the message was from God. I did this because I wanted your faith to stand firmly upon God, not on man's great ideas.

          Yet when I am among mature Christians I do speak with words of great wisdom, but not the kind that comes from here on earth, and not the kind that appeals to the great men of this world, who are doomed to fall. Our words are wise because they are from God, telling of God's wise plan to bring us into the glories of heaven. This plan was hidden in former times, though it was made for our benefit before the world began. But the great men of the world have not understood it; if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of Glory.

          That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. But we know about these things because God has sent his Spirit to tell us, and his Spirit searches out and shows us all of God's deepest secrets. No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like except that person himself. And no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) to tell us about the wonderful free gifts of grace and blessing that God has given us. In telling you about these gifts we have even used the very words given to us by the Holy Spirit, not words that we as men might choose. So we use the Holy Spirit's words to explain the Holy Spirit's facts.

          But the man who isn't a Christian can't understand and can't accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit teaches us. They sound foolish to him because only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. Others just can't take it in. But the spiritual man has insight into everything, and that bothers and baffles the man of the world, who can't understand him at all. How could he? For certainly he has never been one to know the Lord's thoughts, or to discuss them with him, or to move the hands of God by prayer. But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.

2-5-23 Who likes to cook? Who likes to eat?

Let's come together at the communion table!

Scripture                                            1 Corinthians 11:17-34

 

In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days, he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus, he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India.

One Sunday, he decided to attend services at a nearby church and to talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. Gandhi commented, "If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu." That usher's prejudice turned a person away from trusting Jesus as Savior and meant he would never be able to feast together with other believers at the Lord's table.

 

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

FOOD ILLUSTRATIONS

          1. Last weekend people could have shared the little there was till more came.

          2. On the flip side, my first church potluck as a teenager, I didn't know we were supposed to bring something to share, so a family who noticed adopted me for the night so they made me feel like I was a part of what they brought, instead of just saying - "don’t worry about it there is plenty" they made me feel like a belonged.

 

FOOD AND HOSPITALITY AS YOUR LOVE LANGUAGE

          Do any of you have "food" as one of your love languages? Nathan does.  He fixes our entire Thanksgiving meal from scratch - and I mean scratch. He doesn't even do what my family growing called the real cranberry sauce - you know - the kind shaped like a can…none of that for him. Or maybe you are the opposite and your love language is receiving food. That is 100% Skipper's love language - he loves receiving food any time anywhere.  In either direction, my love language is not food.

          A closely associated love language is 'hospitality". How many of you have this as a love language? You invite people to your home. You make sure everyone is welcomed and comfortable no matter where you are?  Diane Karoly has this as a love language. I have been to their house for church meetings, a church picnic, a Christmas Eve fellowship which she organized at the church this year, and today is introducing what may become a once a month fellowship time after worship. Or maybe your love language is receiving hospitality. I love being someone's guest at a country club where someone comes to you with a golf cart and loads your clubs for you and asks if you would like a beverage before heading out. Or, being invited to someone's home for dinner, or a party, or a game night.

 

THE LAST SUPPER SHOWS JESUS' LOVE LANGUAGE

          Jesus has food and hospitality as two of his many love languages. His last supper makes that obvious. He made sure the room was acquired, the food was prepared, and made sure everyone received his special part of the meal with the bread and the cup. As to hospitality, he washed everyone's feet and addressed these men as if they were his brothers.  Jesus knew Peter, Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, James-son of Alphaeus, Thomas, Jude, Simon-the zealot, and Judas all by name.

 

DO YOU KNOW EVERYONE'S NAME?

          How many people's names do you know of those who are here this morning? The food is prepared but the church provides the hospitality. Knowing someone's name is the first sign of hospitality.  In one church I had a person who knew everyone's name - her name was Teddy. She introduced herself to everyone who came to church and she wrote down the names of new people in a little note pad she always had with her to help her remember. It wasn't rocket science - it was simple hospitality.

          How many of you find it a little embarrassing if someone has told you their name and you can't remember it? Or, you know that person has been coming for a few months and you would feel embarrassed asking them their name? (Tara Williams)

 

          The first church I served, the deacons would meet new people and publicly introduce them to the congregation. More embarrassing was asking people to introduce themselves. We learned not to do that. However, I thought, maybe just this one time we could do that. It will not suddenly make you know everyone's names, but it might help you learn the name of a person or two you have been too embarrassed to ask their name.

EVEYONE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES

 

COME TO THE TABLE IN UNITY

 

Last weekend I met a medical student who was from India. I asked if he was a Hindu. He shared that he was raised as such but believed that all religions were equal and one could serve you as well as another. He added that he no longer actively participated in any religious group setting. I shared with him the uniqueness of Jesus, that it is not about following a set of rules or guidelines to be a better person, but was about a personal communion between God and man that also brings unity between those who choose to follow Jesus.  Speaking to someone from India, reminds me to do all I can to live in unity and welcome everyone into our Ashland community. Not to ever treat anyone like that usher had treated Gandhi.

 

Ben Kingsley starred as the main character in the motion picture, Gandhi. He spent months preparing for the role, visiting the various Indian locales Gandhi had frequented. He even learned to spin cotton thread on a wooden wheel while holding conversations as Gandhi did. The physical resemblance between Gandhi and Kingsley was startling. After filming a scene in a village south of Delhi, Kingsley stepped out of a car, and an elderly peasant knelt to touch his feet. Embarrassed, Kingsley explained that he was merely an actor playing Gandhi. "We know," replied the villager, "but through you he will surely live again."

Let me ask you, Does the Son of God live again through us?  Will they know we are Christians by our love?

That's Jesus' prayer for us. That the world will see Christ in us; through our unity and through our love. Let us come together and partake of the one loaf - his body given for us, that we might be his unified body for the world.

 

COMMUNION   (singing "Blest be the tie that binds")

 

SING: "The Blessing"

 

 

HINTS FOR THE THEME

 

Why do we have a yearly preaching theme?

 

What do you think this year's theme might be?

 

What clues would be helpful to guess the theme?

 

Who do you think will be the central character of the theme?

 

This year's theme might put you in Jeopardy.

 

 

Picnic with the Pastor

 

Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the unity of the body of Christ.

Props: A hula hoop.

Lesson: Today I want us to play a game. It is called "Pass the Hula Hoop." Do you want to play? (response) Okay, let's stand up. Form a circle and join hands. Place the hula hoop on one of the children's arms and then ask the children to form a circle holding hands. If there is not enough room for a circle, form a straight line. The object of this game is to make the hula hoop go all the way around the circle, but you cannot let go of each other's hands. And you cannot touch the hula hoop with your hands. You have to wiggle your body and step through the hoop in order to pass it to the next person. Are you ready? Go! Allow the children to wrestle with the problem. They will figure it out soon enough. Once the hoop has successfully passed around the circle a couple of times, have the children sit down. Did you like the game? (response) Good! Let me ask you a question about the game. What were the different things that you had to do in order to pass the hula hoop? (jump, bend down, move the head, move the legs, etc.) Did you do all of those things at once, or did you have to do them at different times? (response) Yes, different times. And if someone on the other side of the circle was passing the hoop, were you still doing something? (response) You were still holding on, and some of you gave encouragement to those who had the hoop. But you were still one group doing one task.

Application: In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul reminded the Christians that the body of the church is one big body but it has many members. Your body has arms and legs and a head and feet. They don't do the same things, but they are still part of the same body. The same is true in your game. Not all of you did the same thing, but you were part of the same group. In the church, many people do different kinds of work, but we are all one church. Some people are good at encouraging others, some people pray, some people spread the word, some people help others a lot. But we are still part of the same church. All of you have something that you can do for the church. No matter what it is you can do, it is important. So I want you to think about what God wants you to do for the church. And remember to help others when they are doing what God wants them to do. Because the body is one and has many members.