Main Text: Matthew 13:1–9; 18–23 (ESV) 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”...18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Preaching Point: The prevalence of mixed responses to Jesus should prompt us to carefully examine our own response to the message of the gospel.

Textual Points:

1. Hard-heartedness is a Reason People Reject Christ. vv3-4, 19
2. Trials Are a Reason People Reject Christ. vv5-6, 20-21
3. Worldly Pursuits Are a Reason People Reject Christ. vv7, 22
4. Followers of Christ Yield Lifelong Fruit. vv8, 23

Main Text: James 4:1–10 (ESV) 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Preaching Point: Knowing that worldly desires wreak havoc on God’s people and even oppose God, every Christian must examine their desires and, when necessary, repent and seek God’s forgiveness.

Teaching Points:

1. Keep Your Desires in Check vv1-4
2. Expect God to Pursue You vv5-6
3. Humbly Respond to God vv7-10

Main Text: Matthew 13:10–17 (ESV) 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Preaching Point: Sincerely commit to following Jesus, knowing that His truths are revealed to those who seek Him and hidden from those who reject Him.

Teaching Points:

1. Grasp the Purpose of Jesus’ Parables vv11-13
2. See the Urgency of Repentance vv14-15
3. Rejoice in Your Privileged Position vv16-17

Textual Summary: The disciples ask Jesus why he teaches in parables, and Jesus responds by revealing that they have been given the gift to know the secrets of the Kingdom, but others have not. He tells them that those who possess this wisdom will receive more, while those who do not, even what they do have, will be taken away. As a result, even though they hear and see, they will never understand. This fulfills Isaiah 6:8–13, where God tells Isaiah to preach to Israel, but God will close their ears and shut their eyes so they will not repent and will receive His judgment. Jesus then tells the disciples how fortunate they are to have eyes that see and ears that hear because many throughout history wished to see what the disciples were seeing and hearing but never had the opportunity.

Textual Point: Jesus used parables to convey the mysteries of the Kingdom to those who truly desired to follow Him while concealing the truth from those who rejected Him.