Enemies of The Seed (Mk. 4:13-20) (Part 6)

THE SEED ON GOOD SOIL (4:20)

• There is no enemy here, right?
•  Think again.
• What makes this soil different from the other soils?
•  All four groups had the Word, so the difference isn’t there.
• At one point, the seed was on top of all the soils.
• All four groups heard the Word, so the difference isn’t there.
•  Only this fourth group accepted the Word.
•  They received it.
• To “receive” means to admit access, to give permission.
• This group let what they heard impact their innermost being.
•  It is not the seed’s job to push its way into the soil.
•  It is the soil’s job to receive the seed.
• If you are to properly hear, understand, and respond to God’s Word, the fourth enemy you must conquer is pride.
•  How does pride behave?
•  It rationalizes current, sinful behavior.
•  It makes excuses for the status quo.
• Pride says, “That’s good, but it’s not me.”
• Pride says, “That just doesn’t apply to me.”
• It minimizes my own sin and maximizes the sins of others.
• The problem is that other people aren’t the standard; Jesus is the standard.
• If there is no acceptance of the seed, there will be no production of fruit.
• We are called to bear fruit (Jn 15:2, 5, 16).
•  If we don’t deal with pride, our crop will be limited.