Getting Into the Word

Is the Word regularly having a genuine impact in your life?

Mk 4:1-20

Initial observations:

In some ways an understanding of this parable is basic to the understanding of the others (v. 13 "if you can't understand this one, how can you understand the others?"). Why? Because the word is the source of our growth in Christ.
The Word is a basic requirement for growth and productivity. Fruit in one's life results from how one interacts with the Word
It takes more than just "hearing" the Word. Response is also critical.
The proper response to God's Word cannot be limited to a one time experience. The word must have an on-going effect (bring forth fruit)
The Seed is the Word - Interesting analogy: something that seems insignificant in and of itself, but those who understand its power realize that it can be the source of amazing fruit. Is. 55.
The Soil is the hearts of men. Basic principle: the result of the hearing depends directly on the condition of the heart. The character of hearer determines the effect of the word.
We are "long in the way." Is the word of God still having a genuine "Monday to Friday" impact on our lives?

There are many reasons why the Word doesn't stick. Jesus gives three. Are there more?

Doesn't stick in the first exposure. Something happens upon initial reception that completely keeps the Word from making any type of connection. Why?
- Spiritual Issues. This seems to be what Jesus was pointing to. How do spiritual powers. Matthew adds an interesting explanation. Auditors do not understand the word and Satan steals it away.
- Communication Issues. What does communication theory say here? Noise in the channel? Lack of sufficiently similar contexts between the one who delivers the word and the receptor? As a missionary, I have thought more about the reason the Gospel fails to communicate. Are we willing to shape the way we deliver the gospel to others. Are we satisfied with delivering the gospel in the way it makes sense to us? Is the presentation of the gospel too wordy? Academic? Churchy?
- Personal Issues. Closely related to spiritual issues. Attention, lack of understanding / comprehension. Indifference. People don't understand the value of the word.
Initial Excitement / Enthusiasm but No Depth. There are things that can hinder the effectiveness of the word even once it is received.
- Need for staying power. Last general council it was reported that hundreds of thousands were saved in A/G churches, but the total growth in membership was negligible. Why?
- Need for more than a surface faith. Unless the word becomes more than a surface experience, it cannot last. Christianity is "All or nothing."
Received, but choked out. The word is there, but it can't grow because it isn't given the proper space. The point seems to be that the busyness of life overwhelms the impact of the word. Nothing bad or sinful, just too busy. What type of thorns do we have in our lives?
- What are the thorns in your life?
  "All the things they have to do and all the things they want to get" (MSG)
  "the worries of this age, the seduction of wealth and the desires for other things" (HSCB)
  "A love for riches and always wanting other things let thorns grow." (NLT)
- Thorns. Most of these are not sin in and of themselves:

§ Worries of this life. Fear of ridicule, busyness of schedule. A person has only so much emotional energy. When we give these things priority, there is no emotional energy left for the word to grow

§ Deceitfulness of wealth. (apath - deception, pleasant illusion) We are convinced that wealth brings security. It is not possible for man not to worship. When wealth takes the priority of our worship, the word does not grow

§ Other desires. Indulging in other desires. Need for entertainment, giving priority to self.

o Dissipation of focus / lack of proper priority. Does this imply more time in church, attend more meetings, read more verses?

o External Activity replaces heart activity

o How are we different from the rest of the residents of Springfield as it relates to: spiritual priorities, pursuit of the dollar and materialistic tendencies to want more and more.

o Ruthless Uprooting. Palestinian farmers cropped or burned off the thorns without pulling up the roots. Without ruthless uprooting, the thorns will return! UGH!

All of these cause the word NOT to produce fruit.

How the Word should be operating in our lives.

How are we doing? How do we interact with the Word when we have heard 1000's of sermons (maybe even given them!), have a true mental knowledge of the content of the scriptures, hear the word regularly and yet don't always grow into spiritual giants?
Fruit is the Ultimate Goal The ultimate goal of the sowing of the Word is not just to make us "spiritually fat." One cannot say he/she has received the Word if we see no fruit/effect in their lives. When the word does bear fruit, it bears a lot of fruit. (30x, 60x, 100x) Points to the power of the word, properly accepted and applied. What type of fruit:
- Spiritual growth/gifts.
- Spiritual reproduction.
- What other types of fruit should the word be bearing in our lives? Practical examples?
How do we encounter the word?
- Prepared - Good soil is prepared soil. Fallow ground may be fertile, but it is not productive until it is plowed.
- Personally - It must take root in the soil of our hearts. It must be encountered personally. This implies that we must learn how to feed ourselves.
- On-going basis. It doesn't produce fruit overnight. It takes time, patience. The seed is powerful, but not instant. Word Fruit requires a regular exposure over a long period of time before we will see the real results.

Some conclusions:

While powerful in itself, the word depends on the heart of the hearer to bear proper fruit/have proper results
A lot of the word is wasted
A lot of people are exposed to the word but fail to respond for a variety of reasons.
There is a lot of untapped power in the word

Pastor Bradford message on 2/1 added some thoughts that I wish I had the verbal skill to enunciate! I am including them here because they express perfectly what I should have said!