Our benchmark at WRCC is only the Bible.

Jesus taught in parables... to fulfill prophecy.

Jesus taught in parables... to reveal truth.

Jesus taught in parables... to conceal truth.

Jesus taught in parables... to conceal truth.

He made a clear distinction between those who had been given “ears to hear” and “those always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.”

So then, the parable is a blessing to those with willing ears. But to those will dull hearts and ears that are slow to hear, the parable is also an instrument of both judgement and mercy.

At this moment in your life, how is your listening/hunger for God's Word?

DANGER SIGN:

Be careful not go from struggling against your sin to defending your sinful actions.

DANGER SIGN:

There are generally good people who have often made a confession of faith, but when difficulty of any sorts arises they fall because they never laid their roots in Scripture, but in circumstances and emotion.

Mark 4:19,

… but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.

Secondary Faith = a faith in which God is secondary.

DANGER SIGN:

Jesus says, the danger of such distractions is that the Word is crowded out & choked off by the energy & priority given to these other concerns. There are well-intentioned people who desire the things of God but have allowed other things to become more important than their relationship with Jesus.

Jesus said, “By their fruit, you shall know them.”

Jesus says in Luke 3:8, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

~ Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to show you how today's teaching applies to your life.

~ Which type of soil do you feel reflects the current state of your heart as you listened in to Jesus' word?

~ Thankfully, Jesus offers grace and redemption today -- what is your next the Holy Spirit is asking you to take at this moment?