WHAT IS THE SUBSTANCE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ON BAPTISM? PT 2

Sunday, May 2, 2021 - Matt 13:3-9; Luke 3:21; John 3:23; Acts 2:41; 8:12;16:15 2. The Sower (Matthew 13:3-9):

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!” The highway hearer is one whose heart doesn’t internalize the WORD of GOD, because he/she is, metaphorically, “on a moving vehicle/train,” so the Devil’s “wind” deflects the WORD from him/her; The “happy-go-lucky” person has no firm foundation, but says “Amen” to everything he/she hears without considering the consequences of his/her decision. But as soon as temptation or persecution comes, and he/she is required to declare his/her allegiance for Christ, he/she capitulates; The absent-minded person goes to church all right, but he/she has closed his/her heart to the WORD, so the sermons don’t have any effect on his/her soul. He/she may be at church on Sunday, but his/her heart is still at work or at a faraway place or entertainment, thinking about something else. The thorny ground hearer excuses himself/herself that GOD, Christ, church, the Scriptures, and family can wait until he/she has fully indulged in his/her evil pleasures, satisfied his/here sinful cravings of the world, the flesh, and the devil. His/her heart has choked GOD’s WORD, and he/she prefers to first achieve his/her degree, win his/her contract or lottery, climb Mount Everest, and tour the world instead; However, the good seed is anyone who, upon hearing GOD’s WORD, believes on the LORD Jesus Christ as his/her Savior. He/she looks into the future and reflects on the excruciating torments of spending eternity in the lake of fire. The person immediately repents of his/her sins and surrenders his/her life to Christ in exchange for the new birth, and continuously bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit out of love and obedience to Christ. If he is already a Christian, the WORD edifies him--as iron sharpens iron--and he praises GOD for the message. Then he reaches out to others to share the WORD, thereby bearing fruit of 30, 60, and 100 times. Worship the LORD Jesus Christ with First Century Gospel Church on Sunday Service @ 10:30 AM EST. Contact us: [email protected]. GOD's spiritual and physical blessings to you IN Christ Jesus! Amen!

WHAT IS THE SUBSTANCE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ON BAPTISM? PT 2