In the previous podcast in this series entitled ‘In the Parable of the Sower, What is Wayside Ground’, we looked at the importance of understanding God’s Word and how to acquire it. In this week’s podcast we are going to look the next type of non-harvestable ground, stony ground.
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1 Corinthians 13:7 (AMP)
7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love Bears Up Under Everything
- Shallow roots endure a short time.
- Affliction and persecution are the realm where we are to put God’s Word to work. It is where we have the opportunity to prove out God’s Word.
- Smith Wigglesworth said great victories come from great tests.
- Where harvest is concerned, offense is a game changer.
- It is of utmost importance that we refuse to be offended when tested.
- When the enemy tries to afflict you, know that it’s not really you who he is after.
- Affliction and persecution arise for the Word’s sake. They don’t arise for your sake.
[Tweet “Smith Wigglesworth said great victories come from great tests.”]
Your Enemy Is After the Seed
- It’s the seed the enemy is immensely afraid of.
- The seed in good ground produces harvest and shortens the reach of Satan on planet earth.
- The Word, the Sword of the Spirit is what Satan is after.
- The enemy always takes a calculated risk when he brings afflictions and persecutions a believers way.
- He is hoping you won’t pick up your sword.
- He’s hoping you won’t make your stand on the Word.
- That way he can steal it from you.
- If you beat the enemy with the Word enough times, he won’t be so quick to attack you in the future.
What Kind of Ground Were the Religious Leaders of Jesus Day?
- The key to dealing with offense is to have the Word rooted in you.
Matthew 15:1–2 (KJV)
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
- Jesus answers the question in a straightforward manner in Matthew 15:3–9.
- How did these religious men receive the Word Jesus spoke to them?
Matthew 15:12 (KJV)
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
- The word ‘offended’ in Matthew 15:12 is the same Greek word as in the passage we are studying in Mark 4:7.
- These leaders did not receive what Jesus said. They were offended at His saying.
Matthew 15:13 (KJV)
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
- Jesus said the leaders would be uprooted meaning, “No root in themselves.”
[Tweet “If you beat the enemy with the Word enough times, he won’t be so quick to attack you in the future.”]
John the Baptist and The Spirit of Offence
- John fearlessly preached the Word and was arrested and put into prison.
- This is John’s moment where he is facing affliction because of the living Word Jesus.
Matthew 11:2–3 (KJV)
2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
- John was a free spirit of a man. He roamed the desert wilderness fearlessly preaching the Word.
- With his life and ministry restricted, John begins to have second thoughts.
- Maybe he had the wrong Messiah?
- Maybe he got his wires crossed?
- “Should I really be in this predicament if Jesus really was the conquering king of Israel”, John thought?
- So, he sends men to Jesus for clarification.
Matthew 11:4–6 (KJV)
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me
- Jesus warns John about yielding to the spirit of offense.
- Think about that. The forerunner of the Messiah.
- The mighty one who was prophesied about preparing the way of the Lord is in danger of falling away.
- Jesus warns John, “You will be blessed if you steer away from offense.”
- How could John be blessed in prison?
- What harvest is he going to be able to produce inside that dark, dank, musky cell?
- “The Word I have spoken”, Jesus goes on, “that you can tell I am the Messiah by the works which I do, how the blind received their sight, how the deaf heard, how the dead were raised, and how the poor had the gospel preached to them. If you hear the testimony of the very men you sent to me, how they saw the Word of God in action, that testimony will produce a harvest of hope and peace concerning your mission. You can rest easy John, you were right. All you have to do is rest in these facts.”
- As far as we know, John did just that. He rested in the Words of Jesus.
The Bread of Life
John 6:57–59 (KJV)
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
- These are not religious leaders hearing this message.
- These are full-fledged disciples.
- What was their reaction to Pastor Jesus’s message?
John 6:60–61 (KJV)
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
- Jesus asked the question, “Are you offended by this?”
- Many disciples answered that question with their feet.
- They refused to walk with Jesus from that time.
- They fell away.
- Jesus sermon, His words of John 6 did not produce harvest in those disciples.
- They were stony ground.
John 6:66–67 (KJV)
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Bitterness: One Root You Should Be Especially Aware of
Hebrews 12:15 (KJV)
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
- The writer of Hebrews warns us about being offended.
- In his words, we are to look diligently lest any fail of the grace of God.
- Failing the grace of God is yielding to offense.
- It’s falling away from grace.
- Roots of bitterness is what causes it.
- Bitter roots bring forth bitter fruit.
- The Lord warned Israel about this very thing, falling away because of bitterness.
Deuteronomy 29:18 (KJV)
18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart tur.neth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
- The ESV has it as ‘Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit,…’
- Bitterness will cause you to fail. It can cause you to fall away.
- Deal with this root.
[Tweet “The Word is saying pay attention to the root of bitterness. Guard against it.”]
The Company Bitterness Keeps
- Adjectives for bitterness may help us here.
- Bitterness is…
- Resentment
- Holding a grudge.
- Indignation or anger.
- Sourness
- Cynicism
- Hostility
- Spite or vindictiveness
- Venom
- Some are bitter against God because of the death of a loved one. They are holding grudges against God because of some unanswered prayer. These are deadly areas to walk in.
- Some have cynical and sour where the church is concerned. Maybe they didn’t receive a promotion they though they should have. Maybe they served faithfully and were passed over for someone else.
- There are any myriad of reasons why people become embittered.
- But, it’s a deadly and it can cause havoc in your life.
- Bitterness will cause you to become stony ground. Producing nothing but vile, indignation and anger.
- Bitterness will cause you to become hard-hearted
- What’s the key to handling bitterness?
- We have already looked at this in previous posts. Walking in love.
- Walking in love will keep your heart tender instead of stony.
Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
[Tweet “Walking in love will keep your heart tender instead of stony.”]
- Walk in love. Walk in forgiveness. Put away bitterness.
Call to Action:
The only way you can walk with Jesus is by making a decision to do so. It takes the same type of decision to continue to stay engaged with Him and His Word. Unless you set your heart to never allow yourself to be moved, you can potentially become a victim of the enemy’s attacks against your life.
Episode Resources
You can find more information on The Parable of the Sower by visiting the following posts:
- Introducing the Gospel of Mark
- What is the Parable of the Sower? [Podcast]
- How Important is Understanding Jesus Parables? [Podcast]
- In the Parable of the Sower, What Is Wayside Ground? [Podcast]
- In the Parable of the Sower, What Is Stony Ground? [Podcast]
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Question: In what way have you made your determination to cling to Jesus and His Word? Please share your comments in the comments section below.