Is your heart Right for God's Kingdom?

 

In this text we are going to unpack How to Nurture the kingdom of God in us through parable of the Sower.

We are going to consider three points:

1. What is the kingdom of God

2. Why do we need the kingdom of God in our lives

3. What  types of Hearts do we have and which produces great harvest?

Introduction

The term parable  comes from the two Greek word PARA meaning side by side and BALLO meaning to throw or to cast. Therefore PARABLE means to throw side by side.

Jesus uses earthly stories to draw the message of the kingdom to their understanding. This earthly stories is to catch the attention of the audience.

Jesus always uses the earthly illustration to compare or teach the Heavenly truth. 

When people are Honest and Humble they can understand. The same story can be Mysterous and difficult to understand to the people who are proud and not honest to the truth.

On this Williams Barclay said, it conceals truth from him who does not wish to see the truth.

Truth is hidden from those who do not want to embrace it. Parables helps bring out the information and challenges the hearer to understand and take action.

Matthew 13:10-15 says and the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12.For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

What Jesus is saying here is this: you've got to get the right heart and attitude.

What is the kingdom of God

The word Kingdom is a domain or a geographical location ruled or Governed by a king so the kingdom of God is a domain ruled by God almighty.

In the Bible we have the term 'kingdom of God' and 'kingdom of heaven'. Kingdom of heaven, is talking about Jesus rulership on the earth while kingdom of God is talking about God's Soverignity  he cover everything He created.

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The Kingdom of God is in the present and in the future.  Colossians 1:13 says, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

When we're born again we become citizens of God's kingdom,

 Philippians 3:20 says, For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

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  Luke17:20-21

20. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Johm17:16 says, They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

The kingdom of God is in the present and in the future 

John 14:1-3

1 . Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2   In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 . And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Why Do we Need the Kingdom of God in our live

Matthew 6:10 says, thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

The kingdom of God is said to have come to us when the will of is done in our lives. Therefore we need this kingdom established in our lives to get things done the way we want it. It is not accepting Jesus as your lord and personal savior and not for us to receive the harvest God had ordained us to have.

Matthew 6:33 says, but seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

This means, when we put God's will and his way of doing things first we won't struggle with this world system of getting our needs mate and we don't have to beg God to receive His promises.

We need God's kingdom so that we can we able to enjoy His promises.

This kingdom of God we are taking about focuses on how you can enter in the future and how to conduct yourself now that you're already Citi,ens of it and how can you be sure you continue to be part of it. It also reveals the attitude we should portray and our conducts.

This topic is so important because it will impact our lives,add values to your lives and gives us a future till eternity.

What are the 4 types of harvest we have and how do we Nurture the Good Soil

Matthew 13:1-9

1.The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2.And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

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6. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

In this parable you will notice that Jesus is describing four kinds of soil (Heart):

1. The first soil is the hard Soil, nothing can grow there ,it is hard and sturborn.

2. The second is a Rocky Soil. There is no depth, no root in this seed.

3. The third is a thorny soil, this type of soil is fertile but there is lots of thorns and thistle in it.

4. The last or fourth soil is the good Soil.

This represents four kinda of heart and how they receives the kingdom of God and uses it to produce the harvest needed.

 Now let's get  to know what Jesus was saying in this parable of the sower

1. The Hard soil 

Matthew 13:18-19

18. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

This same parable is explained in 

Luke 8:11-12

11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

The seed is the word of God, the Bible. The devil snatches the truth, he doesn't want you to believe and be saved. The devil hardens the heart of men by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 3:13 says but exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

The sin makes the heart hardwned, the sin u forgiveness, pride and immortality etc. You see once God's spirit is convicting you about something wrong you did and you kept rejecting the voice of your conscience which is the voice of the holy spirit, the holy spirit will then leave and your heart will get hardened.

Mark6:20 say for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

Herod enjoyed listening to John the Baptist but his heart was hardened, do you know why? Because John the Baptist told him the truth that it not lawful to take his brother's wife 

Mark6:18 says for John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

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And because Heros did not want to give up his sinful relationship refused to change though he enjoyed listening to the truth found in God's word but not ready to give up his sinful relationship.

Mark6:27 says and immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

He enjoyed listening to John the Baptist but at the same time he was the one that beheaded him because he had hardened his heart not to give up his sinful relationship. Hardened heart will make you do something that ordinarily you wouldn't want to do.

This same Heros wanted to see Jesus

Luke23:8-9 & 11

8. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

9. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

11. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

He treated Jesus with disdain, mocked Him. He had the privileges but hardened his heart and this made him to lose the kingdom.

2. The next heart describe by Jesus is the Rocky Soil(The shallow heart). Look at how Jesus uncovered the parable here.

Matthew 13:20-21

20. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21. Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

 

This heart  loves the word of God but when persecutions and problems comes he gives up. Jesus do not want counterfeit christians, he wants you and me to understand the kingdom message.

Luke9:57-58

57. And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

58. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Jesus was saying think twice, do you know what it takes to get into the calling? Not just to follow Jesus but knowing what it takes to follow Him. If you want to follow Jesus just for the glamour just think twice.

Luke9:23 says and he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Here Jesus is saying if you must you must not be selfish, surrender all including yourself to Him, you must do what pleases Him not what pleases you, you must be a servant and allow Him to lead you, you obedience must wholesome.

Being born again does not exempt you from this world's problems so thinking that when you come to Christ you're out of problems is shallow minded thinking. Also to think you are a Master to Jesus when you're Born again is shallow mind.

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3. The third heart or soil is the thorny heart or thorny soil.

Matthew 13:22 says he also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

This kind of soil is very fertile, it is rich but there are thorns that is competing for the nutrient of the soil. He loves the word, that is he likes being in the Bible study. His problem is not the word of God but the worry and deceitfulness of riches. The cares, worries and deceitfulness of riches choked the word that he received and this destroyed his heart.

On this John Chingsostoin said, "there is a way, if thou wilt to check evil growth and make the right use of our wealth. Therefore he said not the world but the cares if the world, not the riches but the deceitfulness of riches. Let us not let them it all starts with corrupt mind. For it is possible to be rich and not be deceived, to be in this world and not be choked with its cares".

1Timothy6:10 says for the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Jesus told us clearly no man can serve two masters

Matthew 6:24 says no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Jesus is saying here you can only love one master, either Jesus is the most important person in your life or money.

The example of people who did not finish well is Judas Iscariot

Matthew 26:14-15

14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

15. And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

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Judas ate, slept with the lord Jesus. They all live together with Jesus. Judas was among the twelve that cast demons and healed the sick while preaching the Gospel. Judas was able to receive the people when Jesus said one of you will betray me, none of them suspected Judas, so it is possible for you to think you're one of Jesus followers but your mind may not be right with him.

John 12:6 says this he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

Judas always loved Money and this his love for money made him to betray the master Jesus. His heart was not upright, he asked what are you willing to give me so that I can betray him to you.

Is your heart fully devoted to God? Or is it Jesus plus something else?

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Divided heart is a risk in the kingdom for Jesus said into them if any man wishes to come after me he must first deny Himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

4. The fourth type of heart is the devoted heart or good Soil.

Matthew 13:23 says but he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

He heard the kingdom message. He heard the word, this means listened to the word of God, knowing and understanding it, and aligning and embracing it. The evidence of having a relationship with Jesus is the type of fruits we bear.

Luke8:15 says but that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Kenneth Copeland and his lovely wife Gloria Copeland is one of the preacher that impacted on me, also David Oyedepo and the host of others.

My encouragement is that you should seize every opportunity with you to share the word. Ask the Lord to give a heart that is devoted to Him.

Questions to ponder

1. What kind of heart do you have?

2. What danger do you need to avoid so that your heart will not be hardened or divided?

3. What must you do to have a good heart?

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