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Msg #585 Wed, December 02, 2009
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"Now these are the ones sown among thorns;
they are the ones who hear the word,
and the cares of this world,
the deceitfulness of riches,
and the desires for other things
entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
(Mark 4:18-19)
Warning…CHRISTmas is quickly approaching! Such a warning is not really necessary – most know that in three weeks, we will be celebrating CHRISTmas. Yet, with such a reality before us – I want to issue what has become sort of an annual CHRISTmas warning. This warning is one that I have been giving to myself in CHRISTmas seasons. The warning: Beware of missing what God is wanting to work in you during this CHRISTmas season!
CHRISTmas is a spiritually difficult time for many if not most. In one sense, the reality of this is filled with irony. We are in a season that the name of Jesus is spoken by more people than any other time of the year. The secular world will be singing His songs, speaking His name, even quoting the Bible.
Yet the question for us is whether this season will be effective? Will this be a season that God is able to work real and good things in your heart? Why do I ask this? Let me explain. In the Parable of the Sower, quoted above, Jesus pictures God’s Word like seed that is planted and sown for the purpose of bringing forth a harvest. Easy enough to understand so far, correct? The Bible is like a seed and your heart like a garden plot that the seed is sown into.
One of the issues Jesus helps us to see in this Parable is why some seed that is sown never bears fruit. In this section of that parable, Jesus shows us the seed is ineffective because it is chocked out.
"Now these are the ones sown among thorns;
they…choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
The Word is choked out! Yikes! Take a moment to picture it. Picture a garden and you planting a seed in that garden, but the ground is full of weeds. Those weeds steal the water and the nutrition from the soil and thus making that seed’s growth to be stunted and unfruitful. That is what Jesus says happens in many hearts with His Word. Do you see how sad and yet serious this is? His Word and His work in a heart is hindered!
What are the weeds that choke out the Word of God? Jesus gives us a list of three things that are “weeds” that hinder the impact of the Word of God:
the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things
Wow. Think about this list for a moment and then think of the season we are in right now. I find myself wondering if we could take these things Jesus describes and include them in a dictionary definition of CHRISTmas! For many, it is exactly these three things that occupy so much of their heart during CHRISTmas.
Cares of this world: Worry, anxiety, stress over things in this world. This describes CHRISTmas for many.
Deceitfulness of riches: Promises of satisfaction that don’t fulfill – deceitful. Yes, riches are exactly this. Think about it for a moment. CHRISTmas is a time where more money is spent and given than any other time in the year.
Desires for other things: Wanting things, selfishness, covetousness. The truth is that many will find this a more difficult season in such a regard that almost any time of year.
Do you see the difficulty and challenge before us in the next three weeks? If God’s work and word are going to impact us then we are going to have to actively and continually keep our hearts “weeded”. We will have to make sure that these things of cares, riches and other things don’t become the central focus of our lives and hearts. If your heart is a garden that will be flourishing this CHRISTmas, it will be because daily you are keeping it weeded.
Don’t let this day, this week, this season – be in vain. I challenge you to make sure that the Word of the Lord is not choked out by weeds!
""Now these are the ones sown among thorns;
they are the ones who hear the word,
and the cares of this world,
the deceitfulness of riches,
and the desires for other things
entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
(Mark 4:18-19)
Jim
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