Bill Johnson teaches from Mark 4 on how to steward the seed of God’s word. When God speaks, the power for transformation is in that word. As we steward God’s promises and plant His word deep in our hearts, we will see those seeds take root in our lives and experience His transforming power.
the ability is in the word of god
the life is in the word not the soil
the soil creates the condition the
atmosphere but the energy of god is in
what he said
in the gospel of mark
jesus says if you don’t understand this
parable how will you understand any
parable
he’s identifying something that this
parable
is actually key
to unlocking all the others
in this parable is
the illustration of the nature
and the purpose
for the word of god
i value the voice of god
just more than anything in life
but my value for the voice of god has to
be represented in my value for scripture
if i value the voice above scripture
then i’m very open to deception
the voice will never contradict the word
in a day when it’s so easy to have the
bible imprint in various translations
there’s no excuse for biblical
illiteracy
so we give ourselves to the study of
scripture but it is a voice
that brings causes things to come alive
the
scripture excuse me the word of god
is the seed
the heart
is the soil
tender soil
receives a word deeply
and the life of god then brings about
the change that god intended
in thessalonians
paul uses this phrase he says that the
word of god actually carries in it the
the greek word
actually represents the energy of god
that that the word of god has the energy
of god in it so when god speaks to you
it comes in seed form to produce in us
through the energy of god functioning in
us bringing about the fruitfulness that
he intended
so the the heart
is the soil
the seed is the word of god
jesus gives us an illustration now a
parable if you will
in mark 4 it’s also matthew 13
and this parable is to help us to
understand the process
and purpose for the word of god being
deposited in our life
i want you to look at two passages
before we go to mark four
so if you would open your bibles with me
to hebrews chapter 5
and then we’re also going to read out of
james chapter 1. i need to
set the stage here for a few minutes so
just be patient with me as we
try to lay the groundwork for this by
the way i found a quote this week that i
love so much
it’s from martin luther he says we need
to hear the gospel every day because we
forget it every day
we need to hear the gospel every day
because we forget it every day and
hearing the gospel
is what recalibrates the compass of the
heart so to speak as to where it’s true
north why we’re alive what we’re on the
earth to do
what is important in god’s eyes what is
to become important in ours and all of
that stuff becomes defined in hearing
the simplicity the purity the power of
the gospel every day
hebrews chapter 5
verse 12.
how many of you have your bibles let me
see them
say this with me i love my bible
oh i do i love my bible all right
verse 12
for though by this time you ought to be
teachers
you need someone to teach you again the
first principles of the oracles of god
and you have come to need milk and not
solid food
for everyone who partakes only of milk
is unskilled in the word of
righteousness for he is obeyed all right
this tells us two things
the word of god comes to us in several
forms or the word carries several
different roles or assignments one is
the milk of the word
the milk of the word is that which
comforts and encourages
the meat of the word he identifies here
as the word of
righteousness the meat of the word is
that which provokes and brings about
change
it’s the transformational word of god it
provokes us to recognize what god is
saying needs to happen and it brings us
into a place where we yield to that
which god has purpose so there’s the
milk that which comforts that which uh
gives encouragement and then there’s the
meat that which confronts exhorts and
provokes us to change but the third area
that is going to be especially important
for this morning
is the area of promise
there are over
7 700 promises of god in the scriptures
in the word of god
and what happens is the lord with his
word deposits promise in us to describe
our hope-filled future
what is possible for us
should we embrace what god has said over
our life and we’re going to we’re going
to go over that process in a moment here
so we’ve got the word of god comes uh it
may come in dozens of forms but there’s
three that i understand clearly one is
the comfort of the words the milk it’s
that which soothes gives peace gives
comfort encourages me the word of
righteousness that which exposes what’s
in me that needs to change and it gives
me the motivation if you will to pursue
the transformation that is the result of
the word of god and third is that which
gives hope
it’s a promise for a hope-filled future
all right three things now i want you to
look at james chapter one
we’ve got one verse to read here and
then we’re going to end up in mark 4 and
read that parable all right
james chapter 1 verse 21 therefore lay
aside all filthiness
and overflow of wickedness
and receive with meekness the implanted
word which is able to save your soul
receive with meekness the implanted word
okay so it’s a wonderful picture that
james is giving us here
new american standard puts it this way
in humility now that’s that’s uh
condition of heart
in humility receive the word implanted
which is able to save your soul the
ability is in the word of god
the life is in the word not the soil
the soil creates the condition the
atmosphere but the energy of god is in
what he said
the energy of god takes root in a person
to illustrate who god is
it’s always to reveal him
so he says in humility so that’s heart
condition receive the word implanted and
here’s the phrase which is able to save
your souls
you say well bill i was already saved i
saved 20 years ago at a camp meeting
that’s awesome
you were saved
but you’re also being saved and someday
you’re going to be saved
there’s those three realities all
through scripture i was saved the moment
i received christ
but paul exhorts uh his the disciples of
jesus he exhorts them
to work out their salvation daily
with fear and trembling trembling daily
work out your salvation so that’s that’s
the right now process so there was
yesterday when i received christ there
is
today and then there’s the future when
jesus returns or i die and i go to meet
the lord then i will be saved salvation
will be complete for me
past present future
this word
in humility receive the word implanted
which is able to save your souls is
present tense
it is the transformation that takes
place in a person’s life because of our
yes to whatever god says
it’s our ability our willingness our
desire to hear and to receive what god
says and his very life and power come
into the heart of a person to bring
about the transformation they could not
bring about for themselves