Matthew 13:3-9 KJV  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:  (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.

Seeds in Jesus’ parables are a picture of God’s Word.  The sower threw seeds on the ground (Mat. 13) representing the spreading of God’s Word.
Birds seem to be negative, demonic in nature.  Some of the birds (Mat. 13) ate the seeds, being a picture of Satan destroying the work of God in people’s lives.
Also, though a mustard seed is little, and though a mustard seed grows into a large bush, they don’t grow into a “great tree”.  There is something bizarre, abnormal about this kind of growth.

Luke 13:20-21 KJV  And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?  (21)  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Leaven is ALWAYS a picture of sin or evil.

Paul warned the Corinthian church to take care of the sin that had become to be accepted in the church.  He warned the Corinthians that they would all be affected by sin that was not dealt with.

1 Corinthians 5:6 KJV  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

The way leaven (or “yeast”) works is through decay and putrification.  As the leaven mixes in with the bread dough, it begins to break down the flour and produces chemical reactions that release gases and the dough rises.

You only need to put a little pinch of yeast into a lump of dough and if you let the lump sit long enough, the yeast will eventually permeate the entire lump of dough.

Again, this parable is very similar to the preceding parable.  The idea is that sometimes a little wickedness can creep into the church.  And if you aren’t careful, it can eventually affect everyone.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV  (3)  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Acts 20:28-30 KJV  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.  (29)  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  (30)  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

2 Peter 2:1-22 KJV  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  (2)  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  (3)  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.  (4)  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;  (5)  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;  (6)  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;  (7)  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:  (8)  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)  (9)  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:  (10)  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.  (11)  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.  (12)  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;  (13)  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;  (14)  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:  (15)  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;  (16)  But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.  (17)  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.  (18)  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.  (19)  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  (20)  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  (21)  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  (22)  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Are we seeing that???? Oh yeah.

Luke 13:22-30 KJV  And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  (23)  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  (24)  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  (25)  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:  (26)  Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.  (27)  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.  (28)  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.  (29)  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.  (30)  And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Lord are there few that be saved??

strive – agonizomai – to enter a contest: contend in the gymnastic games; to contend with adversaries, fight; metaph. to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers; to endeavour with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something

Matthew 7:13-14 KJV  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  (14)  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Narrow, Straight gate.

The world does not like that. Only one way to God. Narrow minded Christians the world says. Many try to go in the broad way.

There is only One Way into heaven, and it’s through Jesus.

Jesus said,
John 14:6 KJV  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

He also said,
John 10:7-10 KJV  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. {8} All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. {9} I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. {10} The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Luke 13:25 KJV  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

The point here is that there will be a time when the “door to heaven” will be shut.

Hebrews 9:27 KJV  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Luke 13:26 KJV  Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

Going to Church wont save you.

Going to Burger King doesn’t make you a Whopper.  Going to Krispy Kreme doesn’t make you a donut. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian.

The Bible says,
John 1:12 KJV  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Jesus said,
Revelation 3:20 KJV  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

There must be a time where a person actually chooses to follow Jesus. They must choose to open their heart to Jesus, to allow Jesus access to their life, to choose to follow Jesus.

Luke 13:27 KJV  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Jesus rejects these people.  Even though they can claim to have hung around him, eating, drinking, and being taught, He replies that He doesn’t know them.

What a tragedy if you are churched (know the bible) but have never opened your heart to Jesus Christ.

If you are a believer you should be characterized  by following in obedience to Jesus.

If you aren’t characterized by that you need to search your heart.

John 14:15-24 KJV  If ye love me, keep my commandments.  (16)  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  (17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  (18)  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  (19)  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  (20)  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.  (21)  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  (22)  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  (23)  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  (24)  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

Jesus says if you love me keep my commandments. What is your life characterized by?

Have you opened your heart to Jesus?

Luke 13:28 KJV  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

When you die the door to salvation is shut. Which side are you on? We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Now is the time of salvation.

Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don’t miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:

“Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You.”

If you need a church here is a link to find one in your area.

Don’t seek great things for yourself. It doesn’t matter what you have on earth. Your reward is in Heaven not here on Earth.

Eternity is more important then things of this Earth. What go is it if man gains the whole world but looses his soul?

There were two monks in a monastery doing their daily rituals. They were about to bow to their deity. One got on his knees and said, “Oh, Master, I am nothing, I don’t exist, all there is is You.” The next monk bowed down even lower and said, “Oh, great one, I am less than nothing! I don’t exist and I never did. You are all there is!” In the corner, a janitor was sweeping the temple and watching the monks. He thought to himself, “Hmmm, that looks pretty good! I think I’ll try that.” He walked over to the deity and bowed while the monks watched him. He said, “Oh mighty one, I too am nothing, you are everything.” As the two monks looked on with disdain, one said to the other, “Humph! How dare he! Look who thinks he’s nothing!”

Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking we’re “humble”, but in reality we’re “proud” of our humility.

A real test of humility is when something negative happens to us, how does it affect us?

Baruch was hearing about all the trouble that was coming and somehow, because of his “pride”, because of his desire for “great things”, he was discouraged.

Humility is all about dying to self and living to God.

Gal 2:20 NKJV I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

If you stick a knife into a dead body, does it cry in pain?

The Bible says that a leader, an elder, was not to be a “novice”, a “new believer”:

1 Tim 3:6 NKJV not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

Pride is what got Satan into trouble. Pride will get a new believer put into a high position, into trouble.

Perhaps real humility takes time to develop.

Perhaps it takes quite a few knives into the body over the years to find out how “dead” you are to your self and how alive you are to God.

God bless you and draw you close to Him.

We can see someone going through a struggle and if we are not careful we might think, wow they must have done something.

Sometimes bad times are not because of judgment.

This was the case with Job.
God considered Job to be a wonderful man.

Job 1:8 KJV  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

It seems that God allowed Job to be tested almost to show Satan how faithful Job was.
But don’t think that God was only “showing off”.  There was more to Job’s trials than just that.
God was allowing Satan to test Job so that Job might be further refined, so that he would grow.

At the end of his trials, Job said,
Job 42:5-6 KJV  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. {6} Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Even though God considered Job to be a pretty good guy, Job still went through some growth through his trial.

There are some good lessons to learn from watching how those close to Job responded to his trials.

His wife.
Job 2:9-10 KJV  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. {10} But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Sometimes the people closest to us mean well because they don’t want us suffering.  But a godly spouse ought to be encouraging the suffering one to draw closer to God, not curse Him.

His friends.
At first Job’s friends did a good thing –
Job 2:11-13 KJV  Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. {12} And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. {13} So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

We often feel like we need to have something to say, but in reality, most of the time we just need to be there for our friends.

After a week, Job’s friends decided to speak up, and their words to Job can all be summed up with the notion that they thought that Job had brought his calamities upon himself because he must have some kind of hidden sin.  They felt that God must be very mad at Job and this was why he was having so much trouble.

They were wrong.  Very wrong.

In the end, look at what God said to Job’s friends –
Job 42:7-8 KJV  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. {8} Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

I believe one of the major lessons of this passage is that we need to be careful about judging others who are going through difficult times.

That’s not to say that if we are aware of some major sin in a person’s life that we don’t lovingly and firmly talk about it.  But sometimes things are not what they seem.

Luke 13:6 KJV  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

Matthew 21:19-22 KJV  And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.  (20)  And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!  (21)  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.  (22)  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Fig trees produce fruit first and leaves second. A tree with a lot of leaves should have fruit a lot of fruit.

All leaves and no fruit = hypocrisy

Luke 13:6-9 KJV  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  (7)  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  (8)  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Sometimes the fruit isn’t what you might expect.

Jeremiah.

He had a ministry that lasted through the reigns of King Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, some forty years in length. He had some hard things to say to the nation. Did the nation pay attention to him? It doesn’t seem so. Did he have lots of converts? We don’t know of any. Was he called of God. Absolutely.

Ezekiel had the same type of ministry.

Ezek 2:1-8 KJV And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. {2} And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. {3} And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. {4} For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. {5} And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. {6} And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. {7} And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. {8} But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

God called Ezekiel to preach to a rebellious people who would not pay attention to him. He was supposed to be faithful and deliver the messages that God gave him whether or not the people paid attention to him.

Yet even for Jeremiah and Ezekiel, just because they did not have “converts” doesn’t mean that they didn’t “bear fruit”. They had another kind of fruit that proved their ministry. They prophesied and the things they prophesied about came true. Every time.

Concerning men who feel called to be pastors, Charles Spurgeon wrote,
“…there must be aptness to teach and some measure of the other qualities needful for the office of a public instructor. A man to prove his call must make a successful trial of these. I do not claim that the first time a man rises to speak he must preach as well as Robert Hall did in his later days. If he preaches no worse than that great man did at the first, he must not he condemned. You are aware that Robert Hall broke down altogether three times, and cried, “If this does not humble me, nothing will.” Some of the noblest speakers were not in their early days the most fluent. Even Cicero at first suffered from a weak voice and a difficulty of utterance. Still, a man must not consider that he is called to preach until he has proved that he can speak. God certainly has not created behemoth to fly; and should leviathan have a strong desire to ascend with the lark, it would evidently be an unwise aspiration, since he is not furnished with wings. If a man be called to preach, he will be endowed with a degree of speaking ability, which he will cultivate and increase. If the gift of utterance be not there in a measure at the first, it is not likely that it will ever be developed.”
(Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, pg.25)

If God has called you to do something, there ought to be some kind of fruit.

We are told as Christian’s to bear fruit.

Galatians 5:16-26 KJV  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  (17)  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  (18)  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  (19)  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  (22)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  (23)  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  (24)  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  (25)  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  (26)  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Luke 13:10-12 KJV  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.  (11)  And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.  (12)  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

She was suffering 18 years. She was in pain but she still came on the Sabbath. 18 years but still coming.
Some people can’t go 18 days waiting on God. She worshiped in spite of her pain. She wasn’t bitter toward God. She was still coming. She didn’t turn away from God.

Luke 13:13-14 KJV  And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  (14)  And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

The woman is happy. The rulers were mad. Jesus healed on the Sabbath.

Luke 13:15-17 KJV  The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?  (16)  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?  (17)  And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

Jesus is pointing out that the people seemed to be showing more concern for their oxen and donkeys than they did for other people.
This leader of the synagogue cared more that things were done with his approval, according to how he thought they ought to be done, than that God was at work and people were being helped.
He was more concerned that the synagogue stay a “comfortable” place, than that he be stretched and challenged, and God be at work.

What is on your tree? Fruit? or Leaves?