Adult Bible Study ABS

JESUS SAID, IF YOU LOVE ME FEED MY SHEEP!

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH, and THIS IS MY PRAYER

Monday August 16, 2021

Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23
A SOWER, HIS SEED AND THE SOILS, Lesson 40b

THE POTENTIAL OF THE SEED

Every seed that was sown by the sower had the potential to produce much more seed. (Verse 8 and 23) bear this out. One little seed had the potential to multiply itself 3000%; 6000% and even 10000%. Those of you who farm have seen this principle in action. You can plant one bean seed and from that seed reap many beans, with each pod containing several more seeds. Sow one squash seed and it will produce a plant that yields several fully grown squashes, each containing dozens, if not hundreds of new seeds. Plant one corn seed and watch it produce a plant that will yield several ears, each containing many rows of fresh seeds. The seed had the potential to reproduce itself many times over.

Such is the seed of the Gospel of grace. When it is sown in a ready heart, it will germinate and reproduce itself over and over again. The seed has the potential to begin small and to reproduce much.

It is worth noting that the seed always changes ground in which it is planted. What had been bare earth is now yielding a harvest to the glory of the sower. When the seed of the Gospel finds a lodging place in a heart that has been plowed by the Word of God and tilled by the grace of God, it will germinate and leave that heart forever changed and producing a harvest of spiritual fruit to the glory of God. This is what the Lord wants from your life and mine! He wants to produce His fruit in the hearts of His redeemed. Here is a brief description of the kind of fruit He will produce within us when we are the right kind of soil sown with the right kind of seed:
Sanctification - That is, we become more like Him – (Rom. 6:22; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10).
Spirituality - That is, we behave more like Him – (Gal. 5:22-23).
Souls - That is, we are burdened like Him – (Rom. 1:13).

TODAY’S HYMN!
“In Moments Like These” By: David Graham (1980)

In moments like these I sing out a song
I sing out a love song to Jesus
In moments like these I lift up my voice
I lift up my voice to the Lord.

Singing, I love You, Lord
Singing, I love You, Lord
Singing, I love You, Lord
I love You

In moments like these I sing out a song
I sing out a love song to Jesus
In moments like these I lift up my hands
I lift up my hands to the Lord.

Singing, I love You, Lord
Singing, I love You, Lord
Singing, I love You, Lord
I love You

TODAY’S PRAYER!
Sovereign Father, Reigning God!
Help us to trust You, for You are sovereign over everything, and You can fit any problem we have into a pattern for good. Such is You amazing power. Make every problem we have to teach us Your transforming power , little by little, into Your Masterpiece You want to create in us. Help us to befriend our problems to our good and to Your glory. Enable us to bring every problem to You, to embrace them in Your presence, and allow Your Wisdom to be sufficient to bring the good You intend for us to receive. Thank You Father! Thank You Jesus! Thank You Holy Spirit! This we pray in Jesus’ Holy name. Amen!

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH, and THIS IS MY PRAYER

Friday August 6,2021

Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23
ONE MESSAGE YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE, Lesson 39a

Sometimes I will hear a TV or radio preacher make this startling claim, “You need to get a copy of this message! It may be the greatest single message you will ever hear! This is the one message that you cannot afford to miss!” Maybe they are right. I will probably never know. But, there is one thing I know for sure. The message I am about to teach today is one message you cannot afford to miss.

The truths that are revealed by Jesus in this parable are life altering, if they are heard and heeded. They teach a truth so powerful that they cannot be ignored. I want to look into these verses for a few moments today. I want to try and deliver the “One Message You Cannot Afford To Ignore”. Let’s look into the Parable of the Sower today; as we do, prepare to meet yourself in these words. Let’s hear, heed and honor the message Jesus wants to teach us today.

THE TASK OF THE SOWER

The Sower’s Identity – In the parable, the sower is a farmer who is broadcasting seed into his fields. According to Jesus and His interpretation of this parable in (Mark 4:14); the “sower sows the word” of God. The sower pictured in the parable is a reference to Jesus, and by extension, to all those who preach and teach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sowing at this very moment.

The Sower’s Intentions – As this farmer casts the seeds into his field, he does so with the hope that some will fall on good soil. He sows because he ultimately desires to reap a harvest. He casts his seed with the expectation of much more in return. The sower has one goal: to get his seed into the ground so the harvest can come.

The same is true with the seed of the Gospel message. It is sown into the field of the world with the prayer that it will fall on good hearts, take root and grow up to produce much fruit to the glory of the Lord. There are hearts that received the seed of the Gospel at one time. That seed germinated in your heart, and reproduced within your soul. Now, your life is a fruitful testimony to the power of God’s saving grace. That is the intention of the Heavenly Sower, and that is my desire as I sow today.

The Sower’s Investment – The farmer must give something away before he can expect to receive anything in return. He takes the precious seed that he saved from the last harvest and he casts it into soil, hoping that it will produce a great harvest. The seed is all that the farmer has and he gives it away hoping to receive more in return.

This is what the Heavenly Sower did. Jesus gave His all so that there might be His Gospel seed to cast into the soil of the human heart. He died on the cross and rose again, literally giving His all, knowing that some seed would fall on the good soil and that a great harvest would come back to Him. Jesus gave His all for you and for me so that we might have a Gospel to believe, (Isa. 53:4-6), and that you might produce fruit for the glory of the Lord, (Rom. 7:4).

The message we teach today is a message about a free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, (John 6:37; Acts 16:31; John 6:47). However, while salvation may be free, it certainly was not cheap! It cost the glory of Heaven His life on the cross. He gave all that He had to give us a soul saving, life changing Gospel to share and believe!

TODAY’S HYMN!
“One Day” By: J. Wilbur Chapman (1910)

1. One day when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
Refrain:
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—oh, glorious day!

2. One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!
Refrain:

3. One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!
Refrain:

4. One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!
Refrain:

5. One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
Refrain:

TODAY’S PRAYER!
Loving Father, Holy God!
Thank You for sending Jesus and His Gospel to us, for sending the light of the world, Jesus, for sending the Gospel which is Your power for salvation to everyone who believes, follows and obeys Jesus Christ, Your Beloved Son. May His Light shine through us in this world of darkness to all the lost souls in the world. Show us the truth about ourselves so that You can lead us from a life that is shattered to a life that is reflective of the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ. These we pray and ask today in His wonderful and glorious name. Amen!