Preparing Hearts: Hearing God's Word and Bearing Fruit

Summary

### Summary

Today, we gathered to celebrate and pray for our young members as they embark on new phases of their lives. We encouraged them to seek Jesus wholeheartedly and use their gifts to serve others. We prayed for their provision, wisdom, and the importance of staying connected to Christian community. We also addressed the financial struggles many families are facing, reminding everyone that God is our provider and will meet our needs.

We then introduced a new sermon series titled "Picture This," focusing on the parables of Jesus. These stories are powerful tools for teaching spiritual truths. We began with the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13, emphasizing the importance of hearing and understanding God's word. Jesus used parables to reveal the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, and we explored why some people are unable to hear and understand these truths.

The parable highlights different types of soil, representing various responses to God's word. Some reject it outright, others receive it joyfully but fall away when challenges arise, and some are distracted by worldly concerns. The good soil, however, hears, understands, and bears fruit. We discussed the enemies of hearing God's word: rejection, hardness, and distraction, and how to overcome them through faith, humility, and focus on Jesus.

We also touched on the importance of humility, especially in the context of societal issues like Pride Month. We emphasized that our identity is found in Christ, not in our attractions or desires. True freedom and abundant life come from surrendering to God's design and following Jesus.

In conclusion, we encouraged everyone to prepare their hearts to hear God's word by being seekers of truth, digging deeper into scripture, and living in obedience. This process will help us bear fruit and grow in our ability to discern God's voice.

### Key Takeaways

1. Seek Jesus Wholeheartedly: As you embark on new phases of life, seek Jesus with all your heart. Use your gifts and talents to serve others and stay connected to Christian community. This foundational season is crucial for your spiritual growth and future endeavors. [24:41]

2. God is Our Provider: In times of financial struggle, remember that God is our provider. He cares about our needs and will meet them in creative ways. Trust in His provision and be open to receiving His blessings, even in unexpected forms. [33:20]

3. Hearing God's Word Requires Prepared Soil: The Parable of the Sower teaches us that hearing God's word begins with preparing our hearts. Rejection, hardness, and distraction are enemies of hearing. Overcome these by faith, humility, and focusing on Jesus. [46:51]

4. Humility Over Pride: True freedom and abundant life come from surrendering to God's design and following Jesus. Our identity is found in Christ, not in our attractions or desires. Embrace humility and reject pride, as it leads to destruction. [59:50]

5. Bear Fruit Through Obedience: To truly hear and understand God's word, we must live in obedience. This means aligning our lives with His truth and taking steps of faith. As we do this, we will see the fruit of His Spirit and grow in our ability to discern His voice. [01:14:55]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[24:41] - Prayer for Graduates
[32:35] - Financial Provision
[36:11] - Introduction to "Picture This" Series
[38:20] - The Parable of the Sower
[46:51] - Enemies of Hearing God's Word
[59:50] - Humility Over Pride
[01:07:30] - Protecting Against Distractions
[01:14:55] - Bearing Fruit Through Obedience
[01:17:00] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
- Matthew 13:1-23 (The Parable of the Sower)

### Observation Questions
1. What are the four types of soil mentioned in the Parable of the Sower, and what do they represent? (Matthew 13:3-8)
2. According to the sermon, what are the three enemies of hearing God's word? ([46:51])
3. How does Jesus explain the purpose of using parables to His disciples? (Matthew 13:10-13)
4. What does the sermon say about the importance of humility in understanding God's word? ([59:50])

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus say that some people are unable to hear and understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven? (Matthew 13:11-15)
2. How does the sermon connect financial struggles with trusting God as our provider? ([33:20])
3. What does the sermon suggest is the relationship between humility and pride, especially in the context of societal issues like Pride Month? ([59:50])
4. How does the sermon describe the process of preparing our hearts to hear God's word? ([01:14:55])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant life transition. How did seeking Jesus wholeheartedly impact your experience? ([24:41])
2. In what ways can you remind yourself that God is your provider during times of financial struggle? Are there specific steps you can take to trust in His provision more fully? ([33:20])
3. Identify one area in your life where you might be rejecting God's word due to worldly concerns. How can you overcome this rejection through faith? ([46:51])
4. How can you cultivate humility in your daily life, especially when faced with societal pressures that promote pride? ([59:50])
5. Think of a specific distraction that prevents you from focusing on Jesus. What practical steps can you take this week to minimize that distraction? ([01:07:30])
6. What does living in obedience to God's word look like for you? Identify one specific area where you can take a step of faith and align your actions with His truth. ([01:14:55])
7. How can you stay connected to a Christian community, especially during significant life changes? What steps can you take to ensure you remain engaged and supported? ([25:42])

Devotional

Day 1: Seek Jesus Wholeheartedly
As you embark on new phases of life, it is crucial to seek Jesus with all your heart. This means dedicating time to prayer, reading scripture, and being involved in a Christian community. Your gifts and talents are not just for personal gain but are meant to serve others and glorify God. This foundational season is essential for your spiritual growth and future endeavors. By staying connected to Jesus and His teachings, you will find guidance, strength, and purpose in every step you take. Remember, seeking Jesus wholeheartedly is not a one-time event but a daily commitment to follow Him and grow in your relationship with Him.

[24:41]

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV): "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to seek Jesus more wholeheartedly in your daily life?

Day 2: God is Our Provider
In times of financial struggle, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and anxious. However, it is important to remember that God is our provider. He cares deeply about our needs and promises to meet them in creative and unexpected ways. Trusting in His provision means letting go of our worries and being open to receiving His blessings, even when they come in forms we did not anticipate. By focusing on God's faithfulness and provision, we can find peace and assurance that He will take care of us, no matter the circumstances.

[33:20]

Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Reflection: How can you trust God more with your financial concerns today? What practical steps can you take to rely on His provision?

Day 3: Hearing God's Word Requires Prepared Soil
The Parable of the Sower teaches us that hearing God's word begins with preparing our hearts. Different types of soil represent various responses to God's word: some reject it outright, others receive it joyfully but fall away when challenges arise, and some are distracted by worldly concerns. The good soil, however, hears, understands, and bears fruit. To overcome the enemies of hearing God's word—rejection, hardness, and distraction—we must cultivate faith, humility, and focus on Jesus. By doing so, we create an environment in our hearts where God's word can take root and flourish.

[46:51]

Luke 8:15 (ESV): "As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience."

Reflection: What distractions or hardness in your heart might be preventing you from fully hearing and understanding God's word? How can you address these today?

Day 4: Humility Over Pride
True freedom and abundant life come from surrendering to God's design and following Jesus. Our identity is found in Christ, not in our attractions or desires. Embracing humility means recognizing that God's ways are higher than our ways and that His plans for us are good. Pride, on the other hand, leads to destruction and separation from God. By choosing humility over pride, we align ourselves with God's will and open our hearts to His transformative work in our lives. This humility allows us to experience the fullness of life that Jesus offers.

[59:50]

James 4:6 (ESV): "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with pride? How can you practice humility and surrender to God's design today?

Day 5: Bear Fruit Through Obedience
To truly hear and understand God's word, we must live in obedience. This means aligning our lives with His truth and taking steps of faith. Obedience is not just about following rules but about cultivating a relationship with God and allowing His Spirit to guide us. As we live in obedience, we will see the fruit of His Spirit in our lives and grow in our ability to discern His voice. This process of bearing fruit through obedience is a journey that requires daily commitment and trust in God's leading.

[01:14:55]

John 15:5 (ESV): "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to take a step of obedience today? How can you align your actions with God's truth and trust in His guidance?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "One of the things I recognize is God is our provider. He provides. And one of the things that we try to recognize is when tough times come, I believe God continues to bless his people. And that can come in different ways. That can come in creative ways. That doesn't necessarily mean loads of cash, right? But what it does mean is God continues to provide." [33:20]( | | )

2. "Hearing the word begins with preparing the soil. Hearing the word begins with preparing the soil. Hearing the word begins with preparing the soil. I want to suggest through these, each of the different seeds, each of the different soils, he presents three enemies of hearing. Rejection, hardness, and distraction. Rejection, hardness, and distraction. And of course, he also gives the key to learning to hear." [46:51]( | | )

3. "If you desire to grow in your ability to hear God's voice, this scripture is really good news. And it gives us a powerful biblical principle that I want you to write down this morning. It's the main point of the message, but I want you to take it, and I want you to let it kind of be an underlying theme on all these parables. What Jesus tells us today is hearing the word begins with preparing the soil." [45:28]( | | )

4. "The consistent teaching of scripture is that God designed sexuality, sex, as a gift to be enjoyed by a man and woman in the covenant, the commitment of marriage. That's what he did and it was good. He looked and he saw the man and his wife and he said, it's good. That's as followers of Jesus, we know that the path to real life is found in humbling ourselves before our creator and receiving his gift of life made available through his son, Jesus Christ." [01:04:19]( | | )

5. "I want to challenge you today if something in your heart is stirring, something in your heart is stirring, if there's something in your spirit and you're like, you know what, that makes sense. And I think I've heard God's voice calling me. I think I've seen God's hand moving and doing things. I want to challenge you today. Today, that's the voice of the spirit. You can say yes." [53:46]( | | )

### Quotes for Members

1. "What I want to point out is this whole parable, we sometimes call it the parable of the sower, we sometimes call it the parable of the soils. Jesus is talking about hearing. He's talking about hearing, and understanding and discerning what God has said. That key verse is verse nine, he who has ears to hear, let him hear." [42:29]( | | )

2. "Some can't hear because they're choosing not to. Some can't hear because they are choosing not to. The first enemy I mentioned is the enemy of rejection. The enemy of rejection. The seed along the path, I think that's significant where it's placed. The seed along the path isn't even in the field. It's not in the field. It's outside the field. The word is rejected because it contradicts, I want to suggest, when we are living in that place outside, and there's that sense of living outside and not being outside the field, we're not even in the field. We're not open." [46:51]( | | )

3. "The rocky soil. It's like you want the good news, but you're not willing to alter or change your life at all. Oh, I want salvation. Oh, I love the thought that God is love. I love the thought that Jesus is love. You, there's a lot of people filling up a lot of churches in this condition. The West today. It's just like, I want the gospel. I want it, but I don't really want to change. Man, I just want to know God loves me. I want to know I'm good in eternity, but I want to do what I want to do right now. That is what's called a hard heart." [55:13]( | | )

4. "The word warns over and over against sexual immorality, which is any sex outside of marriage. Look in Romans 1, the passage we just read goes on and talks about in detail. First Corinthians 6 lists a whole list, including sexual immorality. First Corinthians 7 lays it out very clearly. Galatians 5 lays it out. Hebrews 13, 4. All these passages talk about this. You wonder, well, where does it say that? All throughout the scriptures. Don't get me into the New Testament, I mean in the Old Testament." [01:04:19]( | | )

5. "The secret to hearing the word is preparing the soil. And last thing, I'll wrap up with this. Those who do hear, this is the good news. Those who do hear, open their hearts to receive his word. And in that passage of scripture, he gives us the answer to how that happens. He gives the answer to three different things that happen to the good soil. He says, they hear, they understand, and they bear fruit." [01:08:50]( | | )

Chatbot

Transcript

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