Our life can be compared to an acorn. Inside the acorn is potential new life. We experience that potential new life in the physical realm when a husband and wife decide to start a family. In the spiritual realm we have potential life inside of us but just as the acorn has to die to itself, we too must die to ourselves. The acorn falls to the ground and after the shell is cracked open, usually by a squirrel, then the seed can germinate and produce life, another oak tree. We are born spiritually dead, separated from the life of God because of sin and when someone shares the Gospel with us, it opens our seed to new life, just as the squirrel does to the acorn. Is it guaranteed to germinate? It all depends on the condition of the heart. The Bible describes four different soil conditions that represent four heart conditions. If our heart condition is of the right kind, then spiritual life occurs. The other three types of heart conditions experience various degrees of growth but none that will produce new life. We, who receive this new life, will now want to go out into the world and share this Gospel with others, producing more spiritual lives. This is God’s purpose for each of us in a nutshell!
| SOIL TYPES (where seed fell) | |||
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on path |
on rocky ground |
among thorns |
on good soil |
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hardened heart Mt 13:15 |
fickle heart Jas 1:6-8 |
divided heart Mt 6:24 |
noble heart Lk 8:15 |
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rejects Gospel completely Lk 8:12. Satan convinces hearer that the Gospel is a lie.
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believes for a while, then falls away Mt 13:20,21. When trials and temptations come they abandon God. |
hears the Word but fails to produce fruit Mt 13:22. They get choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life and fail to obey God’s will.
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believes and produces a crop Mt 13:23. They hold fast and persevere and bear God’s fruit.
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EXODUS SYMBOLISM |
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Passover Ex 12:29,27 |
Red Sea Ex 14:28,29 |
Cloud / Fire Nu 9:22 |
Jordan River Jos 3:17 |
Promised Land Jos 24:13 |
| Egypt judged Israel pardoned | Death of Egyptian army | Wilderness testing | Chosen to enter battle | Promised Land appropriations |
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Judgment Pardon 1 Jn 2:2 |
Water Baptism Ro 6:4; 2 Co 5:17; |
God’s Presence Heb 13:5 |
Spirit Baptism Jn 3:5; Jn 5:24 |
Spirit filled Life Gal 5:16 |
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Our sins are forgiven on our acceptance of Christ 2 Co 5:19,20; Jn 8:24 |
Water baptism is our promise to walk in righteousness 1 Pe 3:21 |
Proves if our faith is real or not. Heb 3:12-19 |
Only God’s children are acknowledged and accepted. Mt 7:21-23 |
One by one Dt 7:22 God helps us defeat our fleshly sins. Gal 5:24,25 |
GOD GAVE YOU A VOICE