This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”. We have been studying the parable of the sower for months. Today I want to go back to the parable with a message entitled, “Grace and Good Ground.”
Jesus said:
“The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people. Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.
Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.
Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop in their lives.
And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.” (Mark 4:13-20 ERV)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Jesus ushered us into a period (dispensation) of grace.
a) The Bible says, “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17).
b) There is nothing wrong with the Law of Moses. Actually, the issue for us is that it is too right. The Law of Moses is so holy that no human being could ever fulfill it. The good news is that Jesus fulfilled it for us. The New Testament now says, “We are no longer under the Law, but under grace.” (Rom 6:14).
c) God’s grace is unmerited, unearned and in most cases, clearly undeserved.
d) God does not bless us because we are good. He blesses us by grace, because He is good.
2. God’s grace does not exonerate you from the requirement to be good ground.
a) The same perfect and sinless person [Jesus] who ushered us into a dispensation of grace talked about our requirement to be good ground.
b) Some rely on God’s grace to the point where they put no requirement on themselves to do anything, and that is a perversion of the grace message. Jesus made it clear that that condition of our heart (the soil) will impact the yield of the seed (God’s Word) in our lives. Even in a period of grace, God expects us to be good ground.
c) Don’t mistake the message of God’s unearned grace to mean that you don’t need to do anything. No, learn from Jesus in the parable of the sower. You have a requirement to seek divine understanding of the Word of God, to allow the Word to go DEEP into your life, and to rid yourself of the cares of this world, the love of money and every selfish desire. If you don’t, the Word won’t produce a harvest in your life, and it won’t be because of God or His grace.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. I embrace Your unearned and amazing grace. I thank You for loving me and blessing me in spite of me. However, I refuse to make Your grace my crutch. I know what You have commanded in Your Word. I know what I am led of Your Spirit to do. I declare that I am good ground, I walk in accordance with Your Word, I will my will to align with Your will, and I follow Your ways. I live by faith, my faith taps into Your grace, and I by becoming good ground Your Word produces in my life. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
