Life With the King: Kingdom Fruit (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Series: Life With the King

Sermon: Kingdom Fruit

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Date: October 14, 2018

 

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  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.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  (Matthew 13:1-9)

Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 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.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 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.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and than the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  (Matthew 13:18-23)

 

We love King Jesus and want to please Him.

What's the King looking for?

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thrity.  (Matthew 13:23)

• Hebrews says the fruit of your lips is praise to God.
• Paul said the first people he led to Christ in Achaia are fruit.
• Paul worte to the Philippians and the Colossians about the fruit of righteousness.
• Paul wrote to the Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control

We have action fruit and attitude fruit.

Jesus says that the kingdom grows in people according to what kind of hearts we have.  We grow in relation to how we obey Jesus' word.

And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore  (Matthew 13:2)

Whether the seed grows or not depends on the condition of the soil.  That means the condition of our hearts to receive and obey Jesus determines if we grow.

What has God been saying to you these days?

Lord, what are you trying to say to me in this?

Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 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.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  (Matthew 13:18-19)

There are 4 different kinds of hearts:

1. Hard heart
   • 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.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  (Matthew 13:19)
   • What is the biggest cause of a hard heart? When we hear truth and reject it.
   • "Why do so many people who say they like Jesus not read the Bible?"  -Brant Hansen
   • Here's something else that causes a hard heart: we know God wants us to do something and we say we are just not going to do it.
   • The single greatest cause of impaired hearing of fresh truth is the refusal to live what we know already.
   • The Kingdom does not grow in a hard heart.
2. Shallow heart
   • But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 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.  (Matthew 13:20-21)
   • They just want good gifts from Jesus.  It is more of an emotional response than a real decision to go after Jesus.
   • Do I find that trials, instead of shattering my faith, actually deepen it?
   • After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.  (John 6:66)
   • The Kingdom does not grow in a shallow heart.
3. Crowded heart
   • 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.  (Matthew 13:22)
   • This is the person that has too much going on.
   • Jesus does not say, "I understand, life is busy right now and you just don't have time for Me."
   • Kingdom people's lives revolve around the King.  He is not an add-on.
   • "If God's Word is not working, you need to check the ground it landed on, because there is nothing wrong with the seed."  -Tony Evans
   • The Kingdom does not grow in a crowded heart.
4. Obedient heart
   • But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."  (Matthew 13:23)
   • But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  (Mark 4:20)
   • 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.  (Luke 8:15)
   • He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  (Matthew 13:9)
   • Hebrews says the fruit of your lips is praise to God.
   • Paul said the first people he led to Christ in Achaia are fruit.
   • Paul wrote to the Philippians and the Colossians about the fruit of righteousness.
   • Paul wrote to the Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control
   • We have action fruit and attitude fruit.
   • Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  (James 1:21)
   • "Hearing the Bible preaced is like eating an appetizer.  Once you hear the sermon, no matter how much you liked it or enjoyed it, all you got was the appetizer.  The full meal comes when you take the Word you have heard and process it, digest it, and put it to use in your daily life."  -Tony Evans
   • The Kingdom does grow in an obedient heart.