Stony Ground Hearers Part 2

The point: Pray that God will plow and prepare your hearts to receive gospel seed.

The hard, beaten footpath soil illustrates a heart hardened and indifferent to the gospel, where the seed cannot penetrate and is immediately snatched away by Satan.

So you have the three ingredients of the parable. The sower, our Lord the great sower, all his servants and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his servants, and all his ...

6:44 - 7:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Consider how much gospel seed has been sown for naught because you came with unprepared hearts to receive that seed.

The rocky soil, a thin layer over solid rock, illustrates a superficial reception of the word that lacks deep root, leading to quick growth but eventual withering under tribulation.

Initially, of course, this speaks of the unregenerate man who hears the message and does not perceive it, and therefore fails to come into possession of its blessing. But by way of application, it speaks to us as God's people how much gospel seed has been sown for naught because we came with unprepared hearts to receive that seed. And then last week we began to look at the second kind of the soil, which is the rocky soil. And it does not mean good soil which had some rocks in it, but it's a shelf of rock over the top of which there's an inch or two of soil.

8:19 - 8:57 Read in full sermon

Driving home: not all joyful response to the gospel is a saving response to the gospel.

The sun's scorching of the plant reveals its lack of root, illustrating how tribulation, persecution, and temptation do not create new conditions but merely expose the true state of the soul.

There was a joyful response to the word, but it was not a saving response to the word for a saving response to the word abides and continues for he that begins a good work in us will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ. That was the first principle we learned from this parable. The second principle was that tribulation, persecution, and temptation are the great revealers of the state of the soul. There was that little plant, such a flourishing little plant, and I imagine it brought great delight to the farmer who went out and began to see his seed germinating, to see that little fellow j...

10:43 - 11:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: these things create nothing. They simply reveal what the state of the soul is.

A letter from a mother about her niece who seemed 'gloriously saved' but showed no spiritual life after tribulation, illustrating how difficult circumstances reveal a lack of true conversion.

I had to read a letter on the prayer time the other day where a dear mother wrote in saying, I have a niece who was gloriously saved two years ago.

12:31 - 12:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the fourth principle from the stony ground soil: the existence of a 'temporary believer.' He explains that these individuals receive the word with joy and endure…

The palm tree's stability in a hurricane, with roots growing deeper, illustrates the perseverance of the righteous, while an 'imitation palm tree' (shallowly planted) reveals its true nature under stress.

You've never seen a palm tree. At least I never have. You see a picture when a hurricane or something goes through Florida. You'll see everything laid low but the palm tree stands.

13:34 - 13:42 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on why natural men might rejoice in certain aspects of the gospel (peace, security) without true repentance or self-denial. Martin provides biblical examples like…

The natural human desire for peace (psychiatrist's couches) and security (life insurance, retirement benefits) illustrates how people can embrace the 'blessings' of the gospel without embracing its demands, leading to a temporary joy.

And you and I rejoice in what is suitable and comfortable to our natures. And a natural man can rejoice in some of the, what we would say, blessings of the gospel. All men by nature want peace. That's why the psychiatrist's couches are filled.

16:50 - 17:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on why natural men might rejoice in certain aspects of the gospel (peace, security) without true repentance or self-denial. Martin provides biblical examples like…

The exhilarating experience of being in a revival where God has visited people illustrates how some may be swept up in religious excitement and manifest signs of life without true conversion.

They'll begin to read their Bibles. They'll pray. They'll even sing hymns with great gusto. This happens especially in times of revival when the Spirit of God is poured out in power and there's great revival and religious excitement of the right kind.

18:35 - 18:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on why natural men might rejoice in certain aspects of the gospel (peace, security) without true repentance or self-denial. Martin provides biblical examples like…

Demas, a companion of Paul who later forsook him, illustrates a temporary believer who loved the present age more than Christ.

Look at Demas. Here's a man who was a companion of the apostle Paul. No doubt prayed with him. Preached with him.

20:11 - 20:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on why natural men might rejoice in certain aspects of the gospel (peace, security) without true repentance or self-denial. Martin provides biblical examples like…

Hymenaeus and Philetus, who made 'shipwreck concerning the faith,' illustrate those who once appeared to be sailing in Christian experience but were dashed upon the rocks.

And yet Paul had to say those sad words, Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present age. Paul had to say in Timothy 1, 1 Timothy 1, Hymenaeus and Philetus who concerning the faith have made shipwreck.

20:19 - 20:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on why natural men might rejoice in certain aspects of the gospel (peace, security) without true repentance or self-denial. Martin provides biblical examples like…

Simon Magus, who 'believed' and was baptized during the Samarian revival but was later rebuked by Peter for having a heart not right with God, illustrates a temporary believer.

Simon Magus, in the midst of that revival at Samaria, says he believed, was baptized, but a few verses later Peter had to say your heart's not right with God. You have neither part nor lot in this matter. Pray that the thought of thine heart be forgiven thee. Then you have those two classic examples in the word of God which have troubled some of you perhaps for years, but I trust this parable will help open them up.

20:48 - 21:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Hebrews 6:4-10 and 2 Peter 2:20-22, showing how these passages describe individuals who experience significant spiritual enlightenment and separation from the…

The proverbs of the dog returning to its vomit and the sow to her wallowing illustrate that temporary believers, despite outward changes, retain their unregenerate nature and eventually revert to it.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, there's been some overt evidence of separation from worldly practices, through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they've come to some acquaintance with the gospel and the truth concerning the Savior. They are again entangled therein and overcome. The latter end is worse with them than the beginning, for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they've known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, the...

25:11 - 25:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: When that plant withers under persecution, and a man apostatizes and turns away from Christ and his commands and precepts, he simply reveals that he was never rooted in Jesus Christ in the first place.

The man who built a flourishing house on sand (Matthew 7) is compared to the stony ground hearer, both appearing good until a test (flood/sun) reveals their lack of true foundation/root.

I believe the answer of the scripture is clear. No, for he had no root. Do you see why I'm teaching this at the same time we're going through Matthew 7? Do you see the parallel?

32:29 - 32:38 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin addresses the question of whether a temporary believer was ever truly saved, concluding with a resounding 'No.' He argues that the lack of 'root' signifies no vital union…

David's deep misery and repentance after his sin of adultery and murder illustrate that true children of God, though they may grievously sin, cannot be at home in sin and will be brought to brokenness.

First question, was he a saved man? I believe the answer of the word of God is no. 1 John 3, 9 says, He that is born of God cannot continue to practice sin because his seed remains in him and he cannot give himself over to sin because he's born of God. A David may fall as low as adultery and murder, but he will also be a David who's in misery until he comes to repentance.

33:05 - 33:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He considers whether a temporary believer can later be genuinely saved, acknowledging the difficulty of Hebrews 6 but offering hope for those who 'petered out' due to lack of…

Martin shares his personal testimony of making 'half a dozen false starts' in his youth, appearing to be a flourishing plant for a time but withering under pressure, illustrating the experience of a temporary believer before true conversion.

Well, I have to say, I don't know if our Lord's referring to that terrible situation of Hebrew, where it speaks of a people who apostatize and then it's impossible to renew them to repentance. If he's talking about that, then it's impossible. But if he's talking about the person who embraces the gospel, not understanding its implications and peters out, but then later on comes to a fuller understanding and the Holy Spirit does a deep work, that gives me some hope because that's a picture of my own life. I made at least a half a dozen false starts.

34:50 - 35:25 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He addresses the pastoral problem of loved ones clinging to past professions of faith despite current lack of spiritual life. Martin challenges the notion of being 'saved from…

Dr. Lehman Strauss's encounter with a church member living in open adultery who claimed to be 'saved from hell' illustrates the danger of a false doctrine of assurance that separates salvation from deliverance from sin's dominion.

Some of you know Dr. Lehman Strauss, a well-known conference speaker. He made a comment on this one time when he was church, pastoring a large church out in Michigan. He had a man come in who was a member of that church for years.

42:42 - 42:53 Read in full sermon