1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,160 In 1 Corinthians 3, there are various metaphors in the New Testament for the Church of Jesus 2 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:13,760 Christ. 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:21,080 Those metaphors give a rich meaning to the Church. 4 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:30,480 These metaphors or analogies can be grasped by the diverse elements of any local fellowship 5 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:37,560 to help us understand who we are and what we are to do, how we are to function in this 6 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,640 world. 7 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:46,080 There are metaphors that we have discussed that deal with constructing a building or 8 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:55,680 with medicine and physiology, such as we saw in the slide presentation a few moments ago. 9 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:03,720 There's the metaphor of marriage, of family relations, of household items like a lamp 10 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,640 stand or a loaf of bread. 11 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:13,640 Then there are aspects of agriculture or agronomy that are used as analogies for the Church. 12 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:18,960 For example, the tending of sheep or the tilling of a field. 13 00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:26,880 It is that last analogy that we find in 1 Corinthians 3, beginning in verse 5. 14 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:28,840 What then is Apollos? 15 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,880 What is Paul? 16 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:37,600 Servants, servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each 17 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:38,600 one. 18 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:44,840 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 19 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:51,160 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes 20 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,160 the growth. 21 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:59,680 Now, he who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according 22 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:01,820 to his own labor. 23 00:02:01,820 --> 00:02:09,040 For we are God's fellow workers, you are God's field. 24 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:16,180 And so the Church is compared to a field which is carefully cultivated. 25 00:02:16,180 --> 00:02:20,280 This comparison is not unique to the Church. 26 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:27,000 In fact, it is used in a way of Israel in the Old Testament in several places, but I 27 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:33,680 would invite your attention briefly to the book of Isaiah, to the fifth chapter. 28 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:41,140 In Isaiah chapter 5, we have what is commonly called the parable of the vineyard. 29 00:02:41,140 --> 00:02:48,040 The Lord writes through his prophet Isaiah and says in verse 1, let me sing now for my 30 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:56,480 well-beloved a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. 31 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:05,040 My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill, and he dug it all around, removed its 32 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:10,680 stones and planted it with the choicest vine. 33 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:16,440 And he built a tower in the middle of it and hewed out a wine vat in it. 34 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:23,440 Then he expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones. 35 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:30,480 Verse 7, the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the man of Judah, 36 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,480 his delightful plant. 37 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:42,560 Thus he looked for justice, but behold bloodshed, for righteousness, but behold a cry of distress. 38 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:50,020 And so the Lord explains how his vineyard, Israel, had not produced what he had expected 39 00:03:50,020 --> 00:03:52,640 it to produce. 40 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:57,320 With all of its advantages, it brought forth only that which was worthless. 41 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:01,680 And so he took care of his vineyard by laying it to waste. 42 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:09,040 In verse 6 he says, it will not be pruned or hoed, but briars and thorns will come up. 43 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:14,760 I will also charge the clouds to rain no more on it. 44 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:20,840 And so the Lord cared for his vineyard by wiping it out in judgment. 45 00:04:20,840 --> 00:04:23,320 That is the story of Israel. 46 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,480 And in her captivity she was taken away. 47 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:32,520 But turn over a few pages to chapter 27 and you see the Lord continuing the theme here 48 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,520 talking about restored Israel. 49 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:44,120 Beginning in verse 2, well actually let's begin in verse 1, chapter 27, in that day 50 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:49,620 the Lord will punish Leviathan, the fleeing serpent, with his fierce wrath and great and 51 00:04:49,620 --> 00:04:55,640 mighty sword, even Leviathan the twisted serpent, and he will kill the dragon who lives in the 52 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,240 sea. 53 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,420 Probably verse 1 is speaking about Satan and all of those who declare themselves to be 54 00:05:02,420 --> 00:05:04,480 enemies of God. 55 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,960 He is saying there is a day coming when destruction will be theirs. 56 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:16,160 And then in verse 2 he says, in that day when the enemies of the Lord are judged and punished, 57 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:21,480 a vineyard of wine, sing of it, I the Lord am its keeper. 58 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,480 I water it every moment lest anyone damage it. 59 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,080 I guard it night and day. 60 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:33,260 And so here he speaks about his vineyard coming back. 61 00:05:33,260 --> 00:05:40,660 And in verse 6 he says, in the days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom 62 00:05:40,660 --> 00:05:45,740 and sprout, and they will fill the whole world with fruit. 63 00:05:45,740 --> 00:05:48,240 My friend that day has not come yet. 64 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,980 Now either God meant what he said or he didn't. 65 00:05:51,980 --> 00:05:55,580 And if he didn't, why did he write it? 66 00:05:55,580 --> 00:05:58,360 Obviously God did mean what he said. 67 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:04,720 And there is a day coming when Israel will be restored as is prophesied here, as a vineyard 68 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,000 that is blossoming anew. 69 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:18,000 Now turn to Isaiah chapter 61. 70 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,640 Even if you have not read the book of Isaiah, you should be familiar with these verses if 71 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:28,480 you have read the gospels because Jesus read from these. 72 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:34,680 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news 73 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:35,680 to the afflicted. 74 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,880 Now who is speaking here? 75 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,280 Messiah, Christ. 76 00:06:41,280 --> 00:06:47,720 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom 77 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:53,040 to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. 78 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:57,240 And you'll recall that when Jesus read that passage in the synagogue, He stopped at that 79 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:04,840 point and then told the people very clearly that that day had come when Messiah would 80 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:07,040 come to do those things. 81 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,600 Why didn't he go on? 82 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,640 Because beginning with the next phrase, he describes what he will do with his second 83 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,520 advent, his second coming. 84 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:21,260 He speaks about the day of vengeance of our God. 85 00:07:21,260 --> 00:07:27,180 He says, to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland 86 00:07:27,180 --> 00:07:33,800 instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead 87 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,080 of a spirit of fainting. 88 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:45,000 So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified. 89 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,500 And so when is it that Israel will be restored? 90 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:50,680 At His second coming. 91 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:56,440 When He comes first to take vengeance upon those who are His enemies, but then to restore 92 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:00,880 to a place of prominence and blessing His people Israel. 93 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:06,200 He is speaking here regarding the millennial conditions, the thousand year reign of Jesus 94 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:07,200 Christ. 95 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:14,060 And again in verse 11, he uses this metaphor from agronomy to speak about that. 96 00:08:14,060 --> 00:08:20,880 He says, for as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes things sown 97 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:27,980 in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before 98 00:08:27,980 --> 00:08:30,860 all the nations. 99 00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:38,720 And so we see in the Old Testament pictures from agriculture describing the people of 100 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,960 God. 101 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:47,440 As we come into the New Testament, we come in Matthew 13 to several parables that deal 102 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,680 again with agriculture. 103 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:55,160 And there in that context the Lord is speaking about the present form of His kingdom. 104 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,360 It is in a mystery form. 105 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:04,440 He is speaking there both about the church and about Christendom. 106 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,180 We don't have time to turn there and read those by the way. 107 00:09:08,180 --> 00:09:14,120 In addition to Matthew chapter 13 where He uses agricultural analogies, our Lord in a 108 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:23,440 number of parables employed agriculture to explain truth to His people. 109 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:28,440 Now as we come to our text today, we see the Lord doing that again through the Apostle 110 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:29,440 Paul. 111 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:35,680 In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, He takes a picture from agriculture and applies it to the church 112 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:37,620 of Jesus Christ. 113 00:09:37,620 --> 00:09:42,960 And He says that the church is a cultivated field. 114 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,920 We are the field of God. 115 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:53,520 Although this picture of the church, that of a field, is not prominent in the New Testament, 116 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:58,440 it nonetheless suggests several truths which are worthwhile for our study. 117 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:04,640 It is helpful if we remember that Corinth was an agricultural city. 118 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,040 It was famous for its agronomy. 119 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:14,740 Indeed, in the plains below the city of Corinth, there were many crops that were grown including 120 00:10:14,740 --> 00:10:19,120 grapes and currants. 121 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:25,240 In fact, the word current is a medieval corruption of the word Corinth. 122 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,000 It was famous for what it grew. 123 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,420 And so as the people read this letter from the Apostle Paul, immediately they could identify 124 00:10:32,420 --> 00:10:39,800 with what He was saying when He said, you are God's field. 125 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:47,160 Let's talk about that this morning and first discuss the purchase of the field itself. 126 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,640 For if one is going to have a field, he must buy the property. 127 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,760 Is that not true? 128 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:58,560 He must buy it in order to cultivate it and use it for his purpose. 129 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:04,560 Jesus in Matthew 13 told a parable about this when He talked about a man who found a treasure, 130 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:09,560 hid it in a field, and then went out and bought the whole field so the treasure could be his. 131 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:16,960 Let's talk about the purchase of the field and do that by turning to Acts chapter 20 132 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,920 and verse 28. 133 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:26,000 The Apostle is here speaking to the elders of Ephesus and He says to them by way of a 134 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:36,520 charge, be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit 135 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:41,200 has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God. 136 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:50,380 Now notice how He says this, which He purchased with His own blood. 137 00:11:50,380 --> 00:12:00,320 The blood of God Himself in human flesh was the purchase price for this field, the church. 138 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:07,320 You and I are the purchase of blood, the blood of Jesus Christ. 139 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:13,400 As Paul writes to the Ephesians in the letter addressed to them regarding Jesus Christ, 140 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:19,440 in whom you have redemption through His blood. 141 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:25,640 That word redemption suggests the Old Testament concept of kinsman-redeemer. 142 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:30,400 Are you familiar with that? 143 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:36,960 The law regarding the kinsman-redeemer was the Leverite ruling which allowed for the 144 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:44,400 protection of life and property of an Israelite in the ancient days. 145 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:52,920 If an Israelite for some reason became impoverished and had no means to support himself, he could 146 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:57,520 sell all or part of his property. 147 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:02,080 But that was a very serious move on his part. 148 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:09,400 Very serious indeed because God intended for that property to be retained within the family, 149 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,100 within the tribal possessions. 150 00:13:12,100 --> 00:13:15,920 He did not want the boundaries moved. 151 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,960 And so it was very serious for one to come to the place of having to sell his property 152 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,600 to another. 153 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:32,880 One method of the land being retained within the family was redemption by a kinsman-redeemer, 154 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:37,480 a near relative, the Goel. 155 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:43,760 It is the male who was closest of kin to the one who was poor. 156 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:49,440 That person was the kinsman-redeemer for the impoverished one. 157 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:56,000 And he could pay the price for that land and buy it back so that the land would not go 158 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,680 out from the family's possession. 159 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:05,440 When he would do that, it would be an act of grace on his part in order to preserve 160 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:09,480 that field for the family. 161 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:20,440 Interestingly, Isaiah applied this law regarding the land in a spiritual sense to Israel. 162 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:28,480 We will not take time to read it, but in chapter 48 verse 20, Isaiah says that the Lord has 163 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:35,060 redeemed his people Israel from their bondage in Babylon. 164 00:14:35,060 --> 00:14:40,320 And the idea communicated there is that the Lord is the kinsman-redeemer of his people 165 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:47,840 Israel, for they had lost their land because of their spiritual idolatry, and they were 166 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,160 carried away into bondage to Babylon. 167 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,840 But the Lord redeemed his people. 168 00:14:54,840 --> 00:15:00,720 He acted as the kinsman-redeemer to bring them back to their land. 169 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:08,440 In chapter 49 verse 26 of Isaiah, God is called their Redeemer, and there the term is equated 170 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:14,600 in the same verse with the word Savior, Savior. 171 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:24,000 Jesus Christ today is the Redeemer and the Savior of his people, the church of those 172 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,400 purchased by his blood. 173 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:35,360 We have been purchased by God for his Son, by the blood of his Son. 174 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:45,000 We have been restored to God as his own peculiar possession by the price being paid by our 175 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:49,680 kinsman-redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. 176 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:54,040 As God, he came into the world and became man. 177 00:15:54,040 --> 00:16:00,160 Thus, he was qualified as our kinsman. 178 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:07,320 And as one of us, he went to the cross and there offered himself as only he could as 179 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:14,320 the infinite God, as the purchase price that we might be bought back from sin and given 180 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,660 to God belong to him. 181 00:16:18,660 --> 00:16:28,140 We have been purchased as a field for God by our kinsman-redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. 182 00:16:28,140 --> 00:16:30,240 Now we are his property. 183 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,240 We are his. 184 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:38,480 I hope that's true of you, that you are one of his, one of those purchased by the blood 185 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,600 of Jesus Christ. 186 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:42,520 You say, well, how can I know? 187 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,840 How can I be so? 188 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:49,720 Simply by opening your heart and receiving Jesus Christ into your life. 189 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:54,040 In so doing, you are made a part of God's family. 190 00:16:54,040 --> 00:17:00,760 You are incorporated, as it were, into God's field by your receiving Jesus Christ, his 191 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,720 living Son, as your Lord and Savior. 192 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,760 Will you today do that if you've not done it before? 193 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,960 I hope you will. 194 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,880 Because apart from that act of yours, there is no salvation for you. 195 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:19,240 You must receive him or forever be lost. 196 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:25,080 So receive him today if you've not done that before. 197 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:28,640 Let's move ahead from the purchase of the field to talk about the promise of a field 198 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:34,840 because why does one buy a field in the first place except to get something from it? 199 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:42,720 You purchase a field in order to gain fruit or produce, and that is the context of 1 Corinthians 200 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:44,920 chapter 3. 201 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:49,520 The apostle is speaking here regarding the process that had taken place in Corinth among 202 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,120 them. 203 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:57,720 He said, there are some who have planted, like myself, he says. 204 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,320 There are others who have watered the seed, for example, Apollos. 205 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:10,440 But he says, who are we anyway but the servants of the Lord through whom you believed? 206 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,400 Just servants. 207 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,620 He says, it is God who gave the increase. 208 00:18:15,620 --> 00:18:20,040 It is he who owns you, his field. 209 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:24,800 And it is God's work that is important. 210 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:29,840 He says, the servants work together in unity, though we may function in different ways and 211 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,280 God may use us at different times in your lives. 212 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:40,320 He says, we are all one, although we will receive an individual reward, he says in verse 213 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,520 8, according to our own labor. 214 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:48,980 Nonetheless, don't divide yourselves over us, he says. 215 00:18:48,980 --> 00:18:54,400 Put away your party spirit and realize that though we may function differently and have 216 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,400 different impacts in your life, we are one. 217 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:05,040 May I say to you very frankly, so it is with the staff of this church, each of us has a 218 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:11,160 different role to play as God has assigned us that within this body. 219 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:12,440 We function differently. 220 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,600 We have different impacts in your life. 221 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:20,360 I have the privilege of standing here and having this kind of an impact, whereas there 222 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:23,840 are others who minister to you in other ways. 223 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,120 But that does not mean that we are in competition. 224 00:19:26,120 --> 00:19:27,120 Indeed, not. 225 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:29,600 We are one. 226 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:31,600 We are one. 227 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:37,880 We are but the servants of the Lord working in his field. 228 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:45,280 He makes it clear too that the fruit, the growth does not come except the servants do 229 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,440 their part. 230 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:51,140 It's hard work planting and irrigating. 231 00:19:51,140 --> 00:19:53,720 It's hard work. 232 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,880 But when the work is accomplished, it causes growth. 233 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:01,520 God uses that, you see. 234 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,700 I don't know how many of you were raised in a farm. 235 00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:05,840 Maybe that would be an interesting thing to ask. 236 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:10,120 How many of you spent part of your years on the farm? 237 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:12,200 Maybe now you are on the farm. 238 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,180 Well, that's about a third of us, I would guess. 239 00:20:15,180 --> 00:20:19,100 An honored background is my own. 240 00:20:19,100 --> 00:20:23,600 If there is anything you learn on the farm, it is how to work. 241 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,640 If you don't, you don't stay on the farm very long. 242 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,380 You don't keep it. 243 00:20:29,380 --> 00:20:32,040 Farming is just plain hard work. 244 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:40,120 I'm grateful that as a child I grew up with chores to do and morning and night. 245 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:46,560 And it may have limited me in some other activities that people get involved in. 246 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,580 But I don't regret a bit not having some of those backgrounds in order to have the 247 00:20:50,580 --> 00:20:53,720 background of being on the farm. 248 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:58,800 Now, folks, this is a farm. 249 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,120 This is a farm. 250 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:01,120 We are God's field. 251 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:02,440 And I want to tell you something. 252 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,560 It's hard work. 253 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:09,040 Anybody who has the idea that you can serve the Lord of the church without having to work 254 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:14,560 very hard has the wrong idea about serving the Lord. 255 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:24,080 There's some people who too much put their own convenience before the work of the Lord. 256 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:28,720 You mean I've got to be here every week to do that? 257 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,720 You mean I can't sit with my family in every service? 258 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:36,480 You mean I've got to make an extra trip to the church? 259 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,200 You mean I have to spend time in preparation? 260 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:41,640 Why can't the young people do it? 261 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,400 I've served my time, to use a different analogy. 262 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:49,000 Hey, I want to tell you something. 263 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,660 If you're going to serve God, it means hard work. 264 00:21:53,660 --> 00:21:59,680 Please remember that in heaven there are no rewards for retirement. 265 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,180 There are rewards for work. 266 00:22:03,180 --> 00:22:08,000 We never get to the place, folks, in our service for God that we can say, well, I've gone the 267 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:09,000 route. 268 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:10,360 I'm over the bridge. 269 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:12,640 Now let them take care of it. 270 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,120 If we have that idea, we're carnal. 271 00:22:16,120 --> 00:22:19,080 We are carnal Christians. 272 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,580 If we have the idea that somehow we're going to serve the Lord but it's not going to cost 273 00:22:22,580 --> 00:22:27,640 us anything, then we are carnal Christians. 274 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:35,300 And if we think that we're going to please God without working hard, we are sadly mistaken. 275 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:39,400 This is a farm of God. 276 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:44,200 But if this farm is going to grow and produce for the glory of God, it means every one of 277 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:49,720 us has hard work to do and it's going to cost us something to serve here. 278 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,640 It's going to cost us time. 279 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:52,960 It's going to cost us energy. 280 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:54,760 It's going to cost us money. 281 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,320 But is it worth it? 282 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,040 Of course it is. 283 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,720 Because someday we're going to stand before the Lord, as the apostle says, in this very 284 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:08,520 context to give account of our work here. 285 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,880 It's not as though we go through this hard work and there's nothing at the end of the 286 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,240 line. 287 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:18,640 Indeed, when we get through serving the Lord and working hard, here we go before Him for 288 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:26,120 examination and there we receive our judgment and our reward. 289 00:23:26,120 --> 00:23:33,200 And so labor now that when we appear then, we'll be accepted by Him, says the apostle. 290 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,720 Let's get off the idea that somehow God has a retirement program in this world for His 291 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:38,720 people. 292 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:39,720 He doesn't. 293 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:45,520 Whether you're 20 or 60, God has no retirement program. 294 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:49,520 God has no plans for some people to sit on the sidelines while others do the hard work 295 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,400 either. 296 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:57,560 I was handed this morning as I came to church a list of opportunities and some of these 297 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:04,840 are real needs for people to be involved in the farm. 298 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,440 There have been some who've wanted to cancel our Cubbies program in Iwana because we have 299 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,640 no one at this point who's willing to work with those little children. 300 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:16,680 Now if I have to cancel prayer meeting on Wednesday night, beginning in October when 301 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:20,760 Iwana starts, and go down there myself and do it, we're going to have a program for the 302 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,000 Cubbies. 303 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:28,380 Those little children are more precious than any of the adult small churches that we have. 304 00:24:28,380 --> 00:24:32,400 I'm sorry, that's just the priority that I give children, this church. 305 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,040 Yes, it takes hard work to be with children. 306 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,760 Yes, it's taxing. 307 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:39,760 It's tiring. 308 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,760 I know you're with children all week. 309 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,200 Maybe you teach school, maybe you have little ones at home. 310 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:45,560 It's hard. 311 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,180 But this is the work of God, folks. 312 00:24:48,180 --> 00:24:50,340 It's not easy. 313 00:24:50,340 --> 00:24:54,520 God didn't say it was. 314 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,280 We need people to help in the nurseries. 315 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,720 You say, well, I'm a grandmother. 316 00:24:58,720 --> 00:24:59,720 Good. 317 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:02,440 Great resource. 318 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:07,340 You know how to do it if you're a grandma. 319 00:25:07,340 --> 00:25:11,360 We need helpers with two and a half to three year olds in Sunday school, both during the 320 00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:14,160 first and second hours. 321 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:18,100 We need people to help in the parking lots as we move back to our church. 322 00:25:18,100 --> 00:25:19,100 We need a librarian. 323 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:22,920 You want me to go on? 324 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:27,160 There's probably 50 categories here, and some of them have multiple needs. 325 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:32,600 I want to tell you, if you're a farmer that's sitting over on your easy chair when there's 326 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:39,320 work to be done, shame on you. 327 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:45,080 If this is God's field, and it's the most important thing in the world, and it is, then 328 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:49,960 there's no place for any of us to be sitting on the sideline doing nothing while a few 329 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,440 are doing hard work. 330 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:56,460 I don't say that in anger, but I say it to you as plainly as I know how. 331 00:25:56,460 --> 00:26:00,760 If we're going to get increase in this field, if this field is going to produce the promise 332 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:05,960 that God has purchased us for, then folks, all of us have got to get to work. 333 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:06,960 All of us. 334 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:11,080 And the most important thing I need to do is to decide where I'm going to get plugged 335 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:15,400 in and do my thing that God's called me to do in this field. 336 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:20,000 And to be willing to put in the hours, the time, the energy, whatever it takes to get 337 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:25,640 the work of God done on His farm. 338 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,000 Let's talk about the preparation of the field. 339 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,920 The preparation of the field. 340 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:40,960 We see this as an example in Isaiah chapter 28, because you know if you're going to produce 341 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:45,720 something from a field, it has to be prepared. 342 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:54,560 Isaiah chapter 28. 343 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:59,400 In verse 24 he says, does the farmer plow continually to plant seed? 344 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,040 No, of course not. 345 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,600 Does he continually turn and harrow the ground? 346 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,080 No, no, he doesn't continually do that. 347 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:15,440 Does he not level its surface and sow, dill and scatter, cumin and plant, wheat and rose 348 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,840 and barley in its place and rye within its area? 349 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,520 Yes, of course he does. 350 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,480 That's how a farmer works. 351 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:28,480 In order for the fruit to come, the seed must be planted. 352 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:36,220 But in order for the seed to be planted, the soil must be prepared. 353 00:27:36,220 --> 00:27:38,920 The soil has to be prepared. 354 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:40,480 How is it prepared? 355 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:45,960 Well, you farmers know that one of the things you have to do is plow it. 356 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,160 You have to get a plow out into the field and begin to turn the soil over. 357 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:54,040 And following that, you have to come along with a disc. 358 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:59,640 In order to break up the larger pieces of soil, the clods of dirt. 359 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,840 And following the disking, you bring the harrow in. 360 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:08,600 And you begin to rake it and to go over it so that the pieces are broken down even smaller 361 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,800 and the rocks are taken off. 362 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:13,760 And then you plant. 363 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:17,520 Then you plant after doing all of that work. 364 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:25,040 Furthermore, that process of plowing, disking, and harrowing must be done every season. 365 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:30,040 Unfortunately, you cannot do it just once and have it last for five years. 366 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,800 Wouldn't that be great? 367 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,560 But you have to do that after every harvest. 368 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,260 You have to turn the soil over again. 369 00:28:39,260 --> 00:28:40,320 You have to disc it. 370 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:44,360 You have to harrow it and prepare it so that you can sow again. 371 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,840 Plowing is hard work. 372 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:52,440 I want to apply that to the heart because the Word of God does. 373 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:56,080 Our hearts are God's farm. 374 00:28:56,080 --> 00:29:05,480 Our hearts need to be kept tilled, soft, able to receive the Word of God so that it can 375 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,360 take root in us. 376 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:12,820 If you were to go out to a prairie and simply scatter corn seed on top of that prairie, 377 00:29:12,820 --> 00:29:18,600 you would get nothing except a lot of birds eating your corn because you see it has to 378 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,920 go into the soil. 379 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:30,840 And so Hosea says, break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord. 380 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:33,800 He says, get your hearts ready. 381 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:39,320 Be like the Thessalonians who received the Word that Paul preached for what it really 382 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:45,920 was, the Word of God, and the Word received there means to welcome it. 383 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:51,560 Hearts that had been cultivated and prepared took in the Word of God and it took root in 384 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:56,000 them and bore fruit for the glory of God. 385 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,040 Our hearts must be kept tilled. 386 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:05,920 Let me also say that this is a continuous process. 387 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:08,820 So you were soft and tilled last year. 388 00:30:08,820 --> 00:30:13,680 What is your heart condition today? 389 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,160 So there was a time last spring when you were walking with God. 390 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:21,360 What about this fall? 391 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,560 It is not enough to say, yes, I had an experience. 392 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:26,320 Where are you with God today? 393 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:28,120 You see, that's the thing. 394 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:29,600 Is your heart tilled today? 395 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:34,020 It's a continuous process. 396 00:30:34,020 --> 00:30:38,680 And finally, may I say regarding the preparation of the heart that sometimes God's plows hurt 397 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:54,000 – God sees your heart or mine hardened and he takes out a plow and he begins the furrow 398 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:59,680 and he digs deep and he lays over that soil of our hearts. 399 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:05,680 And then he comes back with another experience and he discs it and we say, ooh, ow, that 400 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:06,680 hurts. 401 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:14,600 It does because you see the preparation of our hearts is sometimes painful, especially 402 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:21,400 when we allow our hearts to remain fallow and untilled for a lengthy time. 403 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:25,360 Especially then does it hurt. 404 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:33,080 I'm talking to some people today who have a plow going across their hearts right now. 405 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:45,400 Your heart has been hardened by circumstances and God is taking a plow of further circumstances 406 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:48,520 and he's cutting right across the field of your heart today. 407 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:54,040 Now listen, it hurts, but the reason God is doing it is that he might plant some seed 408 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,560 in your life and bring forth produce. 409 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,880 That's why he's doing it. 410 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,840 God does never hurt us without a purpose in it. 411 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,560 It's always for our good. 412 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:13,000 So instead of becoming angry or bitter at God, will you today by faith thank him for 413 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,600 that pain? 414 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:21,040 Will you look up into his face and say, Father, thank you for that furrow that is coming right 415 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:27,280 across my heart because I know that through this you're going to plant seed in my life 416 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:33,400 and bring forth fresh fruit for your glory? 417 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:38,880 I think we can learn something regarding witnessing as we think about this as well. 418 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:46,360 Because as we witness to other people, folks, we cannot simply scatter the seed indiscriminately 419 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,720 and expect much of a harvest. 420 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,080 You see, the heart has to be prepared. 421 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:53,640 How is the heart prepared? 422 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,860 It is always in the first place by God. 423 00:32:56,860 --> 00:33:02,980 He prepares the heart of the unregenerate to receive his word. 424 00:33:02,980 --> 00:33:09,840 He sometimes does that apart from the knowledge of those of us who are planting the seed. 425 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:15,960 In other words, you may be planting the seed, throwing it out into the life of that person 426 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:20,920 at work, and it seems as though there's no reception. 427 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:25,800 But secretly where you can't see it, God is doing some work in that life and more of 428 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:32,760 that seed is falling into the prepared soil than you can imagine. 429 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:39,160 Remember this too, that often God uses us to prepare the hearts of the unsaved for his 430 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,880 word. 431 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:49,200 He uses the friendly relationships that we build with them so that they become more open 432 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:53,080 to us and to our Lord. 433 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:57,440 He uses us often to prepare their hearts. 434 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:03,800 There's a lesson here also regarding our heart condition, folks, as we come to worship. 435 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:08,280 As we think about the preparation of the field, let's think about the preparation of our hearts 436 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:12,080 as we come together to worship the Lord. 437 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:19,120 Our hearts need to be prepared to receive the word of the Lord. 438 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,080 They need to be continuously tilled and cultivated. 439 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,240 You say, how is that done? 440 00:34:24,240 --> 00:34:25,240 Let me give you some suggestions. 441 00:34:25,240 --> 00:34:33,120 In the first place, by the immediate confession of sins as we are convicted of them. 442 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:37,940 Don't allow sins to accumulate, unconfessed in your life. 443 00:34:37,940 --> 00:34:42,480 But the moment that you become aware that in some way you have disobeyed the Lord, immediately 444 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:43,960 confess it to him. 445 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:50,640 First John 1, 9, the claim is forgiveness, is cleansing. 446 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:55,800 Don't allow them to build up, not even through a day. 447 00:34:55,800 --> 00:34:59,520 Don't even let them accumulate for 12 hours and then before you get in bed tonight and 448 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,040 say, and God forgive me for all of my sins. 449 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:06,160 That kind of a prayer isn't really worth a whole lot anyway. 450 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:12,320 As you become aware of specific transgressions, right at that moment, acknowledge it to the 451 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:14,600 Father, confess it. 452 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:21,160 Immediately check any attitude that tends to harden your heart, whether it be the attitude 453 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:28,860 of doubting God or an unforgiving spirit toward another. 454 00:35:28,860 --> 00:35:34,680 Whatever that attitude may be that tends to harden your heart, check it immediately. 455 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,120 Get rid of it. 456 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:44,520 Or else you will find that that sin will scorch your heart and harden its soil. 457 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:51,440 Third, remove any obstacle, hindrance or distraction that keeps you from hearing and receiving 458 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:53,280 the word. 459 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:55,080 Is there an obstacle or a hindrance? 460 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,480 Is there some distraction? 461 00:35:56,480 --> 00:36:00,040 Maybe it's a relationship to somebody else. 462 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:05,160 Is there something that keeps the word of God from taking root in your life as it needs 463 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:06,700 to? 464 00:36:06,700 --> 00:36:09,040 Then remove that. 465 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:16,120 Number four, receive the word of God with an advance commitment to obey it, whatever 466 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:19,400 God says. 467 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:24,840 Never go to any worship service, never listen to any message with the attitude, I'll take 468 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:29,960 what I want and I'll leave what I wish. 469 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:35,040 Always come saying, Lord, what is it today that you want to say to me? 470 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:37,720 Whatever it is, I will obey. 471 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:41,920 I will do it. 472 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:49,640 So easily are our hearts hardened. 473 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:55,080 I wouldn't suspect that even what I said a few moments ago about hard work in the church 474 00:36:55,080 --> 00:37:00,680 and the importance for all of us to be involved has bounced off the hearts of some who've 475 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:05,560 listened here, whose hearts are hardened for one reason or another and have said, I'm not 476 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,360 going to do that. 477 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:11,320 How tragic. 478 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:17,360 Because you see our hearts need to be prepared. 479 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,880 Number four, let's talk about the problem of the field. 480 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:24,920 Very simply put, the problem is weeds. 481 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:30,880 I don't know a farmer that doesn't battle weeds and there must be a thousand different 482 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:33,560 varieties. 483 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,360 And I want to think of weeds in two applications. 484 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,520 First, the church corporately. 485 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,840 The problem of the field, weeds. 486 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:46,840 Remember the parable that Jesus told in Matthew 13, he said there was a man who went out to 487 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:48,480 sow, he sowed wheat. 488 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:55,960 But then the enemy came and he sowed tares, weeds. 489 00:37:55,960 --> 00:38:00,620 And the understanding of that parable is that in this age, our Lord is sowing his word and 490 00:38:00,620 --> 00:38:05,960 there are people who are in truth responding, who are genuine believers. 491 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:10,780 But Satan also is out there sowing in Christendom today. 492 00:38:10,780 --> 00:38:16,260 He is sowing not the true word, but false messages. 493 00:38:16,260 --> 00:38:20,280 And there are people responding and there are the tares. 494 00:38:20,280 --> 00:38:23,960 And what do we do about this field and its problem? 495 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:25,360 Our Lord told us what to do. 496 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:31,400 He said leave it alone because at the end of the age the difference will be made. 497 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:37,600 And the wheat will be gathered into the garner and the tares will be torn up and cast into 498 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,080 the fire and destroyed. 499 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:43,960 The application is obvious. 500 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:49,500 Application today would seem to have a lot more tares than it does wheat. 501 00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:52,360 But that's what we were to expect in this age. 502 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:55,800 And when our Lord returns, He'll care for that. 503 00:38:55,800 --> 00:39:00,500 But let me bring the application down to another level and that's to church members personally. 504 00:39:00,500 --> 00:39:09,920 And to do this, let's go to James chapter 1 and with this we'll close. 505 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:17,240 James chapter 1 verse 21. 506 00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:23,000 He says, Therefore putting aside all filthiness. 507 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:27,840 That word really was used in that day of dirty clothes, but it has the idea here of moral 508 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:32,040 defilement, moral dirt. 509 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:39,400 He says, Putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness. 510 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:45,480 I think the King James puts it superfluity of naughtiness. 511 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:50,600 What it's talking about there in the second place is that we are to get rid of the overgrowth, 512 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:56,280 the excess of weeds, of wickedness in our lives. 513 00:39:56,280 --> 00:40:01,380 And James seems to picture going out to the garden and pulling up the weeds, getting them 514 00:40:01,380 --> 00:40:06,600 out of the garden because they'll take over if you leave them there. 515 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:11,720 The application to you and to me in our own personal lives is this, we need to pull up 516 00:40:11,720 --> 00:40:15,200 the weeds that are there. 517 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:20,600 The overgrowth of wickedness so that in humility we might receive the word implanted which 518 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,280 is able to save our souls. 519 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,000 You say I'm already saved. 520 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:29,640 James is talking about a different aspect of salvation, saving ourselves from life's 521 00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:37,640 troubles and its pitfalls and its sorrows by allowing the word of God to take root in 522 00:40:37,640 --> 00:40:42,300 our lives and give us direction. 523 00:40:42,300 --> 00:40:44,320 God desires to plant his word in your heart. 524 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:45,320 Is your heart prepared? 525 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:48,720 Is it able to receive it? 526 00:40:48,720 --> 00:40:52,600 Are there weeds in your life that need to be pulled out so that God's word can take 527 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,240 root and bear fruit? 528 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:59,960 Did my brother and sister care for that today? 529 00:40:59,960 --> 00:41:03,360 Plow up your heart. 530 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:11,080 Pull up the weeds and allow God's word to bring forth fruit in your life. 531 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:18,640 I would like to think of a church, our church, as a lovely garden filled with luxuriant vines 532 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:27,760 and flourishing plants which bear abundant fruit, a field which has fragrant flowers 533 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:30,800 that sweeten the air. 534 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:35,800 If the church is going to be that kind of a place, then you and I who are a part of 535 00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:40,600 that field need to be sure our lives are that way. 536 00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:44,720 What kind of soil is in your heart? 537 00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:52,360 The Spirit of God in this hour has searched out our hearts, and he has spoken tenderly 538 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,760 as only he can. 539 00:41:55,760 --> 00:42:00,880 Right now, I would say that most of us, if we have been listening at all, are being brought 540 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:08,160 face to face with the condition of our hearts and the kind of soil that is there. 541 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:15,400 God is right now making us aware of the fruit or its absence in his field. 542 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:20,760 As the Spirit of God does his work in your life, will you right now respond to him and 543 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:23,720 say, Lord, plow it up. 544 00:42:23,720 --> 00:42:26,080 Lord, pull up the weeds. 545 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:28,560 I receive your word. 546 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:29,800 Bring forth fruit in my life. 547 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:32,360 I'll do what you want me to do. 548 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:38,920 I'll be your field, cultivated and fruitful. 549 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:45,520 Let's bow together in prayer. 550 00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:50,560 I wonder just before I pray, if right where you're seated, the Spirit of God has done 551 00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:58,200 a work in your life and you want to say to the Lord, but in a way so that I can see and 552 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:06,240 pray for you, yes, have your way today, Lord. 553 00:43:06,240 --> 00:43:09,000 Plow up my heart. 554 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:11,680 My heart is hard. 555 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:13,840 Or my heart has weeds in it, Lord. 556 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:18,200 Let's get the weeds out. 557 00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:22,520 Will you say to the Lord, have your way today? 558 00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:29,680 As the Spirit of God moves, as he searches us, as he knows us, as he reveals to us what 559 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:35,560 we are, would you lift your hand and say, yes, pastor, today I'm one who needs prayer 560 00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:37,600 in regard to the message I've heard today. 561 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:42,240 There have been aspects of the message that God has struck me with and today I want you 562 00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:43,600 to pray for me in closing. 563 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:47,400 Would you lift your hand and then put it down? 564 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:50,800 Thank God. 565 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:59,840 Oh, Spirit of Lord, I pray that as we respond to you, we may respond in humility and honesty, 566 00:43:59,840 --> 00:44:04,760 that we may be all that you've called us to be. 567 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:11,320 Do the work in our hearts that's necessary so that we'll be the kind of field that we 568 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:12,800 ought to be. 569 00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:21,720 And as the Spirit of God moves and as the choir sings in closing, if today you need 570 00:44:21,720 --> 00:44:26,960 prayer and you want to talk with someone, our staff will be standing here at the front. 571 00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:37,120 You simply get up from your seat and come as all of us remain in the attitude of prayer. 572 00:44:37,120 --> 00:45:06,080 Do what He tells you to do right now. 573 00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:09,440 Would you stand together with me, please? 574 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:20,860 Oh, Spirit of God, we would not place ourselves in the dangerous place of hardening our hearts. 575 00:45:20,860 --> 00:45:33,240 We would today, in humility, say to you, break our hearts, expose our stubborn wills, and 576 00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:39,800 cause them to be broken down so that you might have priority and be truly the Lord of our 577 00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:42,080 lives. 578 00:45:42,080 --> 00:45:51,440 Lord melt us, move us, fill us. 579 00:45:51,440 --> 00:46:00,440 May we be the field you've called us to be, cultivated and fruitful for the glory of God. 580 00:46:00,440 --> 00:46:04,600 Would you sing with me? 581 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:18,640 Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. 582 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:44,640 Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. 583 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:53,040 Fill me, use me. 584 00:46:53,040 --> 00:47:11,080 Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. 585 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:15,960 God bless you this week as you walk with Him.