Follow Along with the Message

Soil Inspectors?

Pastor Tom Lundeen

Today I want to help us see that  play an important part personally in helping fulfill Jesus' mission of people's lives being transformed and lost people becoming found people. 

Note Matthew 13:3-9

1. Sharing the Greatest Good News of All-Time is Something I  

Note Matthew 13:3b-4a

What every follower of Jesus needs to understand and  embrace is that anyone can be outward-focused.

You and I can be  in God's hands to be a part of His mission of reaching lost people. 

It doesn't require -year intensive discipleship programs, have huge amounts of Bible verses memorized, be an accomplished public speaker, or be a gifted apologist who can answer every person's questions and  about the Christian faith to be used by God to help reach lost people. 

2. Sharing the Greatest Good News of All-Time is Always High  and Often Low  

This parable helps  us of what Jesus also taught us (note John 6:44). 

Of course we have a part to play; but the  part is the Holy Spirit's work in people's lives. 

3. Sharing the Greatest Good News of All-Time is a  

The reality is most people need multiple  with the truth of the gospel (words and deeds) before they are ready to say 'YES!' to Jesus as Lord. 

The average person needs to hear the gospel at least  times before responding. 

The farmer expected something to happen, but knew it wasn't up to him to make the sun shine, the rain fall, and the seeds to . 

Our responsibility is to  encourage someone to take another step or two towards Jesus. 

God will use us, but ultimately, He's the One who brings people to Himself, not how  we can speak (note 1 Corinthians 3:5-8).

4. Sharing the Greatest Good News of All-Time Recognizes Different  Conditions

Not everyone is in the same place on their spiritual .

The farmer was  where he scattered the seeds. 

He didn't  the shallow, rocky, or thorny soil. 

He wasn't  that only 25% of the soil responded well...

He didn't feel  that 75% of the soil didn't respond favorably.

He was responsible to scatter the seed, not for the  of the soil.

What does it mean for Riverside to MULTIPLY?:

• Jesus is teaching us that a  minority of people are open to the gospel right now. 
• 25% of all the communities in a 10-mile radius of our Big Lake, Sauk Rapids, and future Buffalo campuses -  people!
• And when one person says 'YES!' to Jesus as Lord, the impact is far greater because they have relationships with others...that they can share their story with in  ways. 
• And also, because God is God (and we're not), He is more than able to  shallow, rocky, or thorny soil into good soil. 
• We're not to be soil , just seed scatterers. 
• An act of kindness in Jesus' Name, a loving word of God's truth that someone genuinely hears...things like this can soften a hardened heart, help open a closed mind, can awaken a  conscience, and help someone take a step closer to Jesus.

Tell someone about the next step you took today in your spiritual journey! Let us know, too, and fill out our digital connect/next step card.