Removing Thorns: Cultivating a Fruitful Spiritual Life

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Worries

Worries can act as thorns that choke out the Word of God in our lives. Jesus teaches us not to worry about our lives, but to seek first His kingdom and righteousness. Worry can be a form of mental strangulation that stifles our faith and spiritual growth. When we allow worries to dominate our thoughts, we lose focus on God's promises and His ability to provide for us. This can lead to a weakened faith and a diminished capacity to trust in God's plan.

Jesus specifically addresses the issue of worry in the parable of the sower, highlighting how it can prevent the seed of God's Word from maturing in our hearts. By focusing on our anxieties, we can become spiritually stagnant, unable to grow and bear fruit. It is essential to recognize the destructive power of worry and to actively combat it by placing our trust in God and His provision. [46:57]

Matthew 6:25-27 (ESV): "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"

Reflection: What specific worries are currently dominating your thoughts? How can you actively surrender these worries to God today and trust in His provision?

Day 2: The Deception of Riches

Riches can divert our allegiance from God, becoming a thorn that chokes out spiritual maturity. Jesus warns that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. The love of money can lead us away from faith, causing us to pierce ourselves with many griefs. When we prioritize wealth and material possessions over our relationship with God, we risk losing sight of what truly matters.

The pursuit of riches can create a false sense of security and self-sufficiency, leading us to rely on our own abilities rather than on God's provision. This can result in a shallow faith that is easily shaken by life's challenges. It is crucial to maintain a proper perspective on wealth, recognizing it as a tool to be used for God's glory rather than an end in itself. [49:09]

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV): "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed the pursuit of wealth to distract you from your relationship with God? How can you realign your priorities to ensure that God remains at the center of your life?

Day 3: The Pursuit of Pleasures

While pleasure itself is not inherently sinful, seeking it outside of God's will can become a thorn that chokes out the Word. Jesus warns that such pursuits can destroy our relationships and our spiritual lives. We must be vigilant in aligning our pleasures with God's design. When we chase after worldly pleasures, we risk becoming enslaved to our desires, which can lead us away from God's purpose for our lives.

The pursuit of pleasure can create a cycle of temporary satisfaction followed by emptiness, as we continually seek more to fill the void. This can prevent us from experiencing the true joy and fulfillment that comes from a relationship with God. By aligning our desires with God's will, we can find lasting contentment and avoid the pitfalls of worldly pleasures. [51:58]

Titus 3:3-5 (ESV): "For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."

Reflection: What pleasures or desires have you been pursuing that may be leading you away from God's will? How can you seek to align your desires with God's design for your life?

Day 4: Theological Balance

The parable of the sower raises important theological questions about salvation and perseverance. Our church seeks a balanced approach, recognizing both God's sovereignty and human responsibility. Regardless of our theological stance, the parable calls us to deep personal application and spiritual diligence. It is essential to understand that while God is ultimately in control, we also have a role to play in nurturing our faith and responding to His Word.

This balanced perspective encourages us to take responsibility for our spiritual growth while trusting in God's grace and guidance. By actively engaging with God's Word and seeking to apply it in our lives, we can cultivate a fertile ground for spiritual growth and maturity. This approach helps us to avoid the extremes of either relying solely on our efforts or passively waiting for God to act. [56:39]

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV): "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in your spiritual growth while trusting in God's sovereignty? What specific steps can you take to cultivate a balanced approach to your faith journey?

Day 5: Cultivating Good Soil

To avoid a stunted response to the gospel, we must actively cultivate the soil of our hearts. This involves regularly hearing and retaining the Word of God, persevering in our faith, and removing the thorns of worries, riches, and pleasures. Without a gardener, there is no garden. Just as a gardener tends to their plants, we must be diligent in nurturing our spiritual lives to ensure that we bear fruit.

Cultivating good soil requires intentional effort and commitment. It means setting aside time for prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. It also involves examining our hearts and removing any obstacles that hinder our spiritual growth. By doing so, we create an environment where God's Word can take root and flourish, leading to a fruitful and abundant life. [01:03:08]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to cultivate the soil of your heart and remove any thorns that may be hindering your spiritual growth? How can you create a consistent routine for engaging with God's Word and nurturing your faith?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Living Faith! Today, we concluded our sermon series on the parable of the sower, focusing on the seed that falls among thorns, as described in Luke 8. Jesus used parables to convey spiritual truths through relatable earthly stories. This particular parable, also found in Matthew 13 and Mark 4, illustrates how the Word of God, represented by the seed, interacts with different types of soil, symbolizing various human responses to the gospel.

We revisited the first two types of soil: the path, where the seed is snatched away by the devil, and the rocky ground, where the seed sprouts quickly but withers due to lack of root. Today, we delved into the thorny ground, where the seed is choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, preventing it from maturing. Jesus warns that these "thorns" can stifle spiritual growth, leading to a stunted response to the gospel.

Thorns, both literal and metaphorical, have been a symbol of judgment and hardship since the fall of Adam and Eve. They represent the distractions and temptations that can choke out the Word of God in our lives. Jesus specifically mentions three types of thorns: worries, riches, and pleasures. Worries can strangle our faith, riches can divert our allegiance from God, and the pursuit of pleasure can lead us away from spiritual maturity.

We also touched on the theological debate between Calvinism and Arminianism, emphasizing that our church seeks a balanced approach, recognizing both God's sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. Regardless of where one stands on this debate, the parable calls for deep personal application. We must regularly hear and retain the Word of God, cultivate the soil of our hearts, and persevere in our faith to produce a fruitful harvest.

In conclusion, the parable of the sower challenges us to examine the condition of our hearts and to actively cultivate a fertile ground for God's Word. Without a gardener, there is no garden. Let us strive to be diligent gardeners of our spiritual lives, removing the thorns that threaten to choke out our faith.

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Key Takeaways

1. iy48&t=2817s'>[46:57]
2. The Deception of Riches: Riches can divert our allegiance from God, becoming a thorn that chokes out spiritual maturity. Jesus warns that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. The love of money can lead us away from faith, causing us to pierce ourselves with many griefs.

3. The Pursuit of Pleasures: While pleasure itself is not inherently sinful, seeking it outside of God's will can become a thorn that chokes out the Word. Jesus warns that such pursuits can destroy our relationships and our spiritual lives. We must be vigilant in aligning our pleasures with God's design.

4. Theological Balance: The parable of the sower raises important theological questions about salvation and perseverance. Our church seeks a balanced approach, recognizing both God's sovereignty and human responsibility. Regardless of our theological stance, the parable calls us to deep personal application and spiritual diligence.

5. Cultivating Good Soil: To avoid a stunted response to the gospel, we must actively cultivate the soil of our hearts. This involves regularly hearing and retaining the Word of God, persevering in our faith, and removing the thorns of worries, riches, and pleasures. Without a gardener, there is no garden.

### [46:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:56] - Announcements
[33:29] - Opening Prayer
[36:14] - Introduction to the Parable of the Sower
[37:07] - Overview of the Parable
[38:21] - The Path and Rocky Ground
[40:12] - The Thorny Ground
[42:02] - Understanding Thorns
[44:38] - Spiritual Thorns
[46:57] - Thorns of Worries
[49:09] - Thorns of Riches
[51:58] - Thorns of Pleasures
[55:06] - Theological Reflections
[63:08] - Cultivating Good Soil
[69:16] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In the parable of the sower, what do the different types of soil represent? ([38:21])
According to Jesus, what are the three types of thorns that can choke the Word of God? ([40:12])
How does Jesus describe the impact of worries on our spiritual growth in Matthew 6:25-34? ([46:57])
What does 1 Timothy 6:9-10 say about the love of money and its effects on faith? ([50:58])

Interpretation Questions

How do worries, riches, and pleasures act as thorns in our lives, according to the sermon? ([40:12])
Why does Jesus use the imagery of thorns to describe life's distractions and temptations? ([42:50])
How does the theological debate between Calvinism and Arminianism relate to the parable of the sower? ([55:06])
What does it mean to cultivate the soil of our hearts, and how can we actively do this? ([01:03:08])

Application Questions

Worries: Reflect on a recent worry that has been consuming your thoughts. How can you apply Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:25-34 to this situation? ([46:57])
Riches: Consider your relationship with money. Are there ways in which the pursuit of wealth has diverted your allegiance from God? How can you realign your priorities? ([49:09])
Pleasures: Identify a pleasure or hobby that might be taking up too much of your time or focus. How can you ensure that your pursuits are in line with God's will? ([51:58])
Theological Balance: How do you balance the concepts of God's sovereignty and human responsibility in your own faith journey? How does this balance affect your daily spiritual practices? ([56:39])
Cultivating Good Soil: What specific steps can you take this week to cultivate the soil of your heart? Consider practices like prayer, Bible study, or community involvement. ([01:03:08])
Personal Reflection: Think about a time when you felt spiritually stunted. What were the "thorns" in your life at that time, and how did you overcome them? ([40:12])
Community Support: How can your small group support each other in removing the thorns of worries, riches, and pleasures from your lives? What practical steps can you take together? ([01:06:00])

Sermon Clips

1. "The Dollar Car Wash is coming up. It is coming up on Saturday, September 7th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. And it is a reschedule from our previous car wash. And again, it is an event. It is an outreach. It is a way for us to reach out to the community. Not to take a dollar, but to give a dollar. And to share the gospel of hope. And to wash someone's car for free, just like God does for us in salvation. It's all free. It's a gift." [30:34] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "We are just nobodies speaking about a somebody. And I pray that. We could be more assured of that in our lives. And more willing to share that message with others. We come before you and recognize that you are alone our God and worthy of our praise. And so we praise you and thank you and honor you this day." [33:29] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The parable of the sower tells us not only about the seed, God's word, but also the various soils that that seed falls upon. And so there's a sense in which you could say that we could describe this parable not only as the parable of the sower, but also the parable of the soils, or the four soils. Remember what we've learned so far in this parable, about the seed. About the way the gospel message impacts various people." [38:21] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We avoid a stunted growth that could be choked by the thorns of life by having a full response to God's word firmly implanted into our hearts. So in contrast to us, we want a stunted response. We want a full response. Let's think a little bit about this stunted response. The stunted response, the word of God, the seed of the word of God falls upon thorny ground. And that represents this stunted response to the gospel that fails to produce a mature, a fully mature plant or life of faith." [41:12] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Thorns. The third example that we looked at, the shallow path, referred more to adversity, trials that might cause us to fall away. But here, Jesus is speaking more about adversity. Adversity as being the thing that takes us away. Right? And so Jesus talks about some of these things that could be distractions to us, like worries, like riches, like pleasures. And he speaks about them as life's thorns. And he says they do not mature." [42:02] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "The thorns came about as an act of judgment on the part of God, to remind the sinners that this world that they lived in was now cursed. So there's a sense in which thorns have come in as a judgment against people. Isn't it remarkable then that Jesus, the eternal king who took on human flesh, was crowned with thorns? The judgment upon Adam and Eve fell upon Jesus' head and by his wounds were healed. That's an amazing story of biblical truth." [44:02] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Worry is such a picture of thorns. Thorns adequately represent what worry is. I've heard people define worry as mental strangulation. I'm not talking about general worry. I'm talking about sinful worry that chokes out spiritual life from us. George Mueller, who was a great Christian who ran an orphanage for many, many years, basically on top of the church, he just prayed that God would bring bread to feed the orphans and God would bring someone and they'd show up at the house and say, I don't know why, but God told me to bring bread to this house." [48:01] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs wandered from the faith. That sounds like the parable that Jesus is telling us why, because they have been eager for money because they've had a love of money. This verse does not say that money is the root of all evil. It's the love of money. You can be wealthy and still have your heart connected firmly with God, but there's a chance that that seeking of wealth may choke out that desire for the Lord." [50:58] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Pleasure itself is not anti-Christian, anti-Bible, but it's using or seeking that pleasure in opposition to God's revealed will where the problem lies. And Jesus also spoke about that. Whoever lusts after a woman lustfully commits adultery in her heart. And so what Jesus is saying, though, at the end of that verse in Matthew chapter five, is that it's better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown in hell. Jesus is saying there can be a pursuit of pleasure that can destroy not only your marriage, but also destroy your life with God." [52:56] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "We know that this parable teaches that the word of God is the seed, the message of the gospel, and that people need the word to be saved. Therefore, we need to hear the word regularly and apply it to our hearts. Do we agree that if we go to a place where we're not hearing the word of God in our lives, where we don't hear the word of God, that we're in danger of not allowing the seed to be implanted into our hearts? Do we also believe that there's an element of responsibility that we have for the condition of our hearts or our soil?" [01:03:08] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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