Sermon Summary for The Second Sunday Before Lent: Luke 8:4-15
Do Not Say, “I’m Glad I’m Not The Rocky Soil”
This is not a parable in which you are to ask, “Which type of soil am I?” Because, you dear Christian are all four soils. Please do not say “Boy I feel really bad for the one who is haunted by demons and tempted by the devil. The one whom the devil wants to take the word of God right out of their lives and their heart. I feel really bad for the one is receives the Word of God with apathy – at times letting it go in one ear and out the other, not letting it convict them or comfort them or take it to heart.” Because that person is you. We are all guilty of receiving the Word this way at times and Satan wants all our destruction and demise.
Do Not Say, “I’m Glad I’m Not Shallow Soil”
Do not say, “Boy, I feel really bad for the person who has doubts and anxiety when suffering comes their way. I feel really bad for the one who sometimes has shallow faith and roots.” Because that person is you. We all sometimes question our Lord’s will for us when we are suffering. The scorching heat of the trials of this life can sometimes burn away the grip that we have on God. But God’s grip on us, dear saints, is all that much more strong in the midst of suffering in trial. When I am weak, then He is strong. When I feel my grip slipping away, I am all that more thankful that His grip on me is tight. We rejoice in our sufferings because by them we realize how truly feeble we are and by them we realize how truly strong and loving and forgiving and full of grace our God is for us and to us.
Do Not Say, “I’m Glad I’m Not The Thorny Soil”
Do not say “Boy I feel really bad for the one who’s tempted by the pleasures of this life. I feel really bad for the one who when riches increase desires to set his heart on them. Or when riches decrease is tempted to despair that he has nothing in this life.” Do not say, “I feel bad for the one who is tempted by sex and popularity and honor.” For these things are constantly trying to choke out your faith by making you think that you can look to them for the greatest good even as you are looking to God for the greatest good. We are tempted to think that God doesn’t really call for us to deny our sinful flesh and desires so that we might seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.
Do Not Say, “I’m Glad I’m Such Perfect Soil”
And finally, do not be so prideful that you have produced a hundredfold fruit. Because a soil without a seed produces nothing. All the good that we have, every time that we have served our neighbor, every time that we have begun to love our neighbor as ourselves, every time that we have went to the Lord in prayer as we are suffering, every time we have forgiven someone, every time we do not covet someone else’s lot but are grateful for the gifts that we have been given in this life, every time that we have loved the Lord’s Word and worship God and given him all the glory is all because of the seed producing those things in us, through us and with us. It is all because the word of God has produced faith that looks to God for the greatest good and knows for certain that He loves us even when things might look otherwise.
Hear From the One Who Died for You
Let this word grow deep into your heart. Let it enter your ears and go through your mind, your tongue, your heart and every aspect of your body, lest Satan come and pluck it away. Let this word produce a deep soil within you so that when the troubles of this life, we realize that we are weak, but he is strong. Let this word put to death all sinful desires in this life. Jesus knowing this world can choke out His Word as thorn choke out the plant has put on his head a crown of thorns and been choked by out sin so that we are not choked by it but instead receive his life through the word today. And let this word produce good fruit into you. The promise is that it does produce good things in you. Satan is after God’s Word, but he is defeated. Our Lord tells us to hear him so that we might recognize more the One who has the power over Satan and the one who has destroyed our enemy by becoming one us.
This word of God has enemies, but it also creative and powerful. Though His Word, God not only brought you to faith but keeps you in the faith. He not only helped to you avoid the way of the world and sins but helps you remain on this way until the end. He not only made you a child of God one time but today and constantly unites you with Christ and promises that He remains with you. He who has ears, let him hear. Keep it simple silly. It’s all about God’s Word.