Will the Real Christian Please Stand Up

Text: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Title: Will the Real Christian Please Stand Up

I. INTRODUCTION
     - Fake is very rampant in our country (shoes, accessories, shirt, rice)
     - Fake is hard to distinguish from the real or patented products and it is a scary thing if it is food because
       somebody might get poisoned by fake products.
    - But is more horrible if someone knows what is fake and yet he/she ignores, tolerates, and accepts the
       fake products.
    - This is the same today in our church. Fake Christians are rampant in the church and must be addressed
       or else they will be in great danger. 

II. BODY

Background

• Jesus was teaching inside the house (12:46)
• The last statement that Jesus emphasized is "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
• Chapter 13 is the chapter of the Parables of the Kingdom of God
• Kingdom of God is one of topics that Matthew emphasizes so that the recipient may understand this concept.
• Kingdom of God is about a King and His way to rule
• Kingdom of God is about salvation and judgment.
• OT stories portray this idea: Flood; Crossing the Red Sea; Conquering the Promised Land
• There is salvation and judgment side by side.
• The Demand of the Gospel: Repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
• The immediate response should be repentance and faith. Why? Because the King is coming to save and to judge.
• The Two Comings is the complete idea of the Kingdom of God
• The King has come to saved us on the cross
• The King will come to consummate the salvation and execute the final judgment
• In between these, the King is saving and judging.

• Jesus illustrates the Kingdom of God to a series of parables in this chapter.

The Preparation of Jesus for telling His series of parables

• Jesus was teaching inside the house, then He went out and sat beside the sea.

• There's a great crowd gathered about him

• He got into the boat and sat down
• He told many things about the parables - these are 8 parables in the series

The Parable: The Sower, The Seed, The Soil

Title of the Sermon: Will the Real Christian, Please Stand Up!

• The Story
• Sower sowing seeds and the seeds fell from different soils
• Seeds fell along the path
• The birds  came and devoured them
• Seeds fell on rocky ground
• Not have much soil
• Immediately sprang up
• Scorched by the sun because they had no depth
• They withered away
• Seeds fell among the thorns
• Thorns grew up
• Chocked the them
• Seeds fell on good soil
• Produced grain - hundred, sixty, thirty folds

• The Explanation
• The Sower - The bearer of the Word of God
• The Seed - The Word of God
• The Soil - The People who hears the Word of God

• Seeds fell along the path (pavement)
• The one who hears but does not understand the Word of God
• These are the people whom the Lord does not give the revelation.
• These are the people every time you tell the Gospel to bunch of crowds like this church never understand the Gospel
• They are the one who keep on rejecting the Gospel
• Why because the veil in their eyes has not been removed by God
• Along the path means the pavement where the people are walking
• It is hard and the seeds cannot penetrated in their heart
• The Cause - The Word of God is removed by Satan
• Hardened Heard - Rejecting the Gospel
• Satan will deceive them telling them "Do not believe the preacher."
• They don't care about the Word of God

Point: The Real Christian Understands the Word of God

Challenge: Do you still have the Word of God in your heart?

• Seeds fell on the rocky ground
• The one who hears and immediately receives it with joy without root
• These are the people who receives the Gospel immediately
• They are not careful.
• These are those who heard the blessings, who wants to be in heaven
• No Root - No Foundation - The Gospel does not root in the heart
• Rocky ground means underneath the soil is a bedrock
• The word of God does not penetrate because of the rock under
• The Word of God has no foundation
• They will fall away when the persecution on account of the word of God comes
•  These people will not endure the persecution and tribulation because of the Gospel
• We do not experiencing persecutions...Go and preach the Gospel!

Point: The Real Christian Endures against Persecutions

Challenge: Do you know that there is a cost to stand against the persecutions on account of the truth?

• Seeds fell among the thorns
• The one who hears the word of God but the cares and deceitfulness of the world chokes the word
• These are people who are in the church lives among the Christians but the things of the world removes the word planted in the heart.
• Many in the church today suffer in this kind of dilemma.
• The troubles of life have eaten these people.
• And it proves unfruitful
• No evidence of life in Christ
• They might be the  people who make Sunday Worship optional; no time for the thing of God; no ministry in the church

Point: The Real Christian Bears Fruits

Challenge: Do you overcome the temptations of this world?

 

• Seed fell on the good soil
• Who hears the Word of God and understands it.
• These are the people who receives the Word of God and understand it.
• These are the people in the church who knows that following Jesus Christ will cost their lives.
• These are the people who treasures the things of God rather than the things of this world
• Who trust God every time the cares of the world seized them.
• They are the people who are fruitful…..who do the Will of God.

CIT: The Real Christians have the Word of God throughout his life

PS: The Evidences that the Word of God in the Real Christians

• They understands the Word of God
• They endures persecutions

• They bear fruit

III. Conclusion

• He who has ears let him hear - you heard the truth about the Kingdom of God. What are you going to do with what you heart.
• Which of the soils are you?

• Are the evidences of a real Christian in you?

• Do you understands the Word of God?
• Do you endures little persecutions because of the Gospel?
• Do you treasure the Word of God than this world?
• If you believe in your heart that you are a Real Christian will you please stand up.

Mount Zion Christian Church

7/23/17