| The Parable of the Sower, Part 4 |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, September 07 2009 00:00 |
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The third case study of soils in Jesus’ parable of the sower involves seed sown among thorns and then choked out. Jesus explains this section by saying that it represents those who hear the word but then the worries of this life and deceitfulness of wealth choke it and make it unfruitful. Mark says “deceitfulness of wealth and desires for other things,” and Luke writes that they “hear but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures so that they do not mature.” If you are this kind of person, you will hear the gospel, but you are simply too busy and occupied with other things to give it much attention. You have a job to do, you have a family, you need your time for recreation and pleasure, there are exciting and wonderful things to buy and enjoy, so you need to accumulate as much wealth as possible, there are things that occupy your mind and attention, many of which cause you worry and distress – so, you cannot be expected to get carried away with religion. You simply do not have enough time. There are other things more important to which you must attend. The Christian religion is fine for those who can devote time to it, but there are simply too many other things going on in your life right now. You might even say, “One day, when I have time, I’ll think about going to church or reading the Bible…” You do not see the hand of the devil in all this. He controls your mind much as he did the person whose heart was so hard he never understood, and the one who got all excited initially but turned away when bad times came. He just uses a different methodology with you – the things of the world, all of which seem to you logically important and demanding of your time and attention. The words I am about to write will have no lasting meaning with you, but they are nonetheless true. There will come a day when none of these things that now are so important to you will matter at all. You will still be very much alive in spirit and some day again in body; you will not escape into nothingness in death. You will stand before the holy God with nothing but regret and remorse for putting Christ “on the back burner” (as someone once told me). Then it will be too late, eternally too late! |
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