Matthew 13:3-23 - parable of the sower, or of the soils

Do I make the effort to understand the Word?

It is out responsibility to make an effort to understand God’s Word.

Acts 17:1-4 - Many were persuaded after listening to Paul.

Acts 17:5-8 - The wrong attitude to God’s Word is on display.

Acts 17:10-12 - The people of Berea show the proper attitude.

Acts 17:30-31 - What is our attitude to these kinds of passages about what we must do?

Do I let the word take root?

Matthew 13:20-21

I Timothy 4:15-16 - We must always move forward in our faith.

Colossians 2:5 - Paul rejoiced in the steadfastness of their faith.

Do I let the world and wealth choke the world?

Luke 12:15-21 - the dangers of preoccupation with wealth

Do I hear the Word, understand it, and bear fruit?

John 6:66-68 - Peter’s confession of faith

Romans 3:23-24 - We all need God’s grace

Romans 6:3-4 - If we are going to be good soil, we must be receptive to the fact that we must be baptized so that we can walk in newness of life.

Hebrews 9:15-17 - The writer here is comparing old and new covenants - not the testaments. The translation in the King James Version obscures the meaning of this passage somewhat, but other translations make it clearer.

Testament:

Testator

Gift

Heirs

Conditions

Death of testator

Executor

Probated

When conditions met and the gift received, it is not reversible.

Covenant:

Covenant maker

Mediator

Death of sacrifice

Relationsip established

Must continue in the conditions of the covenant to maintain this relationship.

In this text:

There is a covenant maker.

There is a mediator.

There is a blood sacrifice.

There is a relationship established.

This relationship must be maintained to be blessed under the conditions of the covenant.

Peace with God

Acts 10:36 - Peace with God is the restored relationship we have with God through forgiveness of sins.

If we want peace with God, we can only have that through Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:34-36

Peace with self (conscience)

John 14:27 - True peace with self only comes as a result of true peace with God. A clean conscience is a blessing from God.

I Corinthians 15:9 - Did the apostle Paul have peace with self? Yes. We must recognize the difference between a guilty conscience and regret.

Peace with self does not require spiritual amnesia. It requires current service to God and humility from past sins.

Peace with people

Romans 12:18.

Everything that one has is the result of a gift.

Life - Genesis 2:7

Abilities - Psalms 23:1

This calls for us to be grateful and a giving people.

Why give?

God needs nothing that we have. Acts 17:27

But we need to give - need the blessing God bestows for service.

To have a correct view of God’s attitude toward giving, we must carefully consider what He has said:

Honors God (Proverbs 3:9

Is a mark of righteousness (Proverbs 21:25-26

Is a grace (II Corinthians 8:7

Failure to give robs God (Malachi 3:8

God hates covetousness (Psalms 10:3

Our giving is to be:

I Corinthians 16:2

Regular

Personal - every one of you

As prospered

II Corinthians 8:8

Because of love

Willingly, not because of pressure

Bountifully, not sparingly

Planned and purposed

Not grudgingly

The gift that takes care of it all

II Corinthians 8:5 - “They first gave their own selves to the Lord.”

Galatians 6:1 - how the words “spiritual” and “religious” are used in the Bible.

What must we do?

Honor God instead of self.

Colossians 2:20-23 - the danger of self-made religion

Find the true religion.

Mark 7:1-9

Many are fed up with the hypocrisy of many organized religions. Their reaction should be to find true religion.

I Corinthians 14:37 - We must be careful to not follow anything except the Bible.

I Timothy 4:1-6 - how to be a good servant of God

II Timothy 4:3-4

Realize that we cannot save ourselves.

Psalms 49:5-10 - Only God can save us.

Ephesians 2:13-18 - Jesus is our path to redemption.

Acts 17:22-31