WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE HARVEST?
Luke 8:4-15

Introduction:     Studying this parable teaches us that Jesus is not so impressed with large crowds as much as He is impressed with sincere hearts. The Lord is looking for those who with sincere and open hearts are seeking Him. Jesus taught in parables, (to lay alone side of) spiritual truths were presented in everyday terms as living object lessons. The Lord doesn’t leave us in the dark concerning the meaning of this parable (expound). There is something wrong with the harvest today, because there has never been a day when so much seed has been sown in such a verity of ways (expound). The seed is being broadcast across this area but the harvest is so small. What’s wrong with the harvest? I’ll tell you it’s not the sower, there’s nothing wrong with Jesus; it’s not the seed, the Word of God is still the Word of God. The problem is the soil! The heart of man is where the seed is planted and where problem lies. My purpose today is share three vital truths that will helps us to understand what our responsibilities are to a lost and dying world and also, to encourage you in the Kingdom work of God so that we might experience a better harvest. Note these three truths.

I.          IT IS POSSIBLE TO HEAR WITHOUT LISTENING (VV.5-10)
Some of the seed sown:

·        Fall on the foot-paths are stolen away by the birds (v.5)

·        Fall is shallow soil over bedrock and when it’s dry they shrivel up and die (v.6)

·        Falls among weeds and are choked out (v.7)

·        Fell on good fertile ground (v.8)

Jesus lifts His voice to get their attention because it’s possible the hear without listening; it’s possible to hear only with your intellect and not your soul and your heart; some come to church every week and hear the preacher preach – they get it in the brain but it’s never transferred to the heart. Folk’, listening is a matter of the heart!
The sincere seeker hears and listens with their heart (v.9-10a)
But to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand (10b).
What does that mean? Jesus knew that there were people there that were insincere and were not there to receive but to criticize. I’m going to tell my gospel in parables and only those who are sincerely searching for Me will the truth be revealed. To those who are half-hearted; only there to be seen; un-committed and unconcerned it will conceal the truth. You may not be able to hear with your heart today because you’ve taken a posture of rebellion and rejection.

II.         MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT BE SAVED (VV.11-14)
That’s hard to hear but the truth none the less. Here is the basis for this – the Bible says there are four soils here; only one bears fruit. One in four - that is only ¼ of the seed sown will have an impact on the human heart. (Illus: broad is the way to destruction) Why? The problem is in the human heart. Let’s look at those three hearts that do not bear fruit.

A.        The Hard Heart (vv.11-12) – The devil wants to steal the Word of God from you. How does that happen? The seed falls on a hard heart (path). What makes your heart hard?

·        Constantly rejecting the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

·        Just get use to hearing the gospel all the time (gospel hard).

B.         The Emotional Heart (v.13) – Seem saved; last a while; but it’s a shallow decision; only emotion (head not heart). How do you know your experience is not just emotional?

·        Look back at the fires of testing and remember you didn’t give in of give up. No doubt stole your shout. Your faith stayed in tacked. The trials didn’t make you bitter – they made you better!

·        The witness of the Spirit. You have a witness that is deeper than your emotions.

C.        The Worldly Heart (v.14)

·        “The cares of this life” There is a lot out there to worry about.

·        “The riches of this life” Living for stuff.

·        “The pleasures of this life” Not just bad things, but how can the Word of God take root in your heart – you don’t have time; your too busy!

Three out of four people in church today that hear the Word of God will walk away from the gospel and die without Christ.

III.       SOME PEOPLE WILL BE SAVED (V.15)
If the above is true then why evangelize? That farmer knows that when he goes out to sow some of the seed will fall on the wayside; some will fall on shallow ground; some will fall among the weeds and be choked. That’s why he sows so much seed! He knows that not all the seed will bring forth fruit, but does that stop him from sowing? He knows that some of that seed is going to fall in the right place; it’s going to take root and it’s going to produce a harvest much beyond its size.

·        Humble hearts.

·        Hears with their heart.

·        Continues in the faith.