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From last Sunday, Once Upon a Time – In Real Life The Parables of Jesus ------------------------------------------------------- To help people understand life in God’s kingdom, Jesus told parables that they could understand from their life experiences. Parables typically have the same number of points as there are characters in the story, and there is always a twist that shows the gulf from where we are now and where we should be in God’s kingdom. The parable of the sower is the key to understanding all parables. The sower sows the Word of God, the gospel message. This parable shows us the 3 main things that get in the way of His Word being productive: 1) Satan. This is like the seed falling on the path for the birds to eat. If a person is intent on being against God, do not make them your focus. Instead, cultivate the soil. Our role is to influence people. 2) Self. Some people are shallow and only want part of the story. This is like the seed falling on rocky ground where there is no soil. We need to surrender our whole life to Him. The Christian life is not always easy or comfortable, and some never really fully surrender to Him. 3) World. There may be persecution, or the person might chase the wrong stuff. This is like the seed falling amongst the thorns. We need to be careful not to lead someone to believe that they are right when they disagree with God. That is not love. We need to take time to build bridges and cultivate the soil. But if we don’t plant, then we won’t harvest. We need to live wide open to God’s good news to make a world of difference, and swallow the hook! Application points: -- Remember that the gospel is Jesus’. -- Cultivate some soil. -- Play the sower; share the good news. -- Don’t leave your fruitfulness in doubt: Influence people for Christ; Let the Spirit grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control in you until they show change.