Be Rooted in God’s Word is a sermon teaching us to grow in the Word of God and not be swayed by false teaching.
Key verses:
Mark 4:1-20
Let’s take our Bibles and go to Mark chapter four, Mark chapter four. We’re only going to stay there. We’re not going to move around anywhere else. Any verses that will be mentioned will just be quoted out this evening. But Mark chapter four if you have your Bibles with you. I encourage you to have your Bible with you all the time. It is our Word of God. It is the answer to all the questions and all the needs that you have, and it is a trusty sword from long ago. It still defeats the strongest foe as we win the battle for the Lord, our good old trusty sword.
Hearing the Word of God
We hear the Bible preached faithfully in this church and other churches of like faith each week. People can hear the Word preached consistently and accurately every week, yet they can still fall from the true doctrines of the faith. The enemy is constantly on the lookout, trying to deceive people every day and week from what they believe in. Can the enemy attack a Christian and cause them to turn away from the faith or misguide them and have them come under some false doctrine or false teaching? Absolutely. It can happen. It can happen to anybody.
Tonight, we’re going to look at a parable here. This evening we’re going to see how we can be rooted in God’s Word in Mark chapter four. As we start to read these words, someone once famously said, “When you open up the Bible, you open up the mind of God.” And so, let’s take a look at what the Bible says for us this evening.
Mark 4:1: “And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.”
Mark 4:2: “And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,”
Mark 4:3: “Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:”
I submit to you this evening as we look into this passage here into this parable in Mark 4:1-2 that we need to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God, our final authority for faith and practice. Why do I say that? Well, because there are people out there, and we’re going to look at that through this parable this evening, who are going to try to sway you to believe something else. And what I want to tell you is don’t believe man, believe the Book because man will try to have their own interpretations. But if it’s not accurate with what the Word of God says, it’s not true, it’s false and it’s not going to be on a firm foundation.
So, first of all, in verses 1 to 12, we see that the parable here is given. Let’s go back to verse number one. “And he began (Jesus did) to teach by the seaside.” When? Why was that? Well, he was teaching in Mark chapter three. He heals a man who has a withered hand. He brings the disciples and ordains them and calls out the 12. Then He mentions a parable about a divided kingdom and He’s going through all this, talks about the family, but then He gets into Mark chapter four.
When you read the book of Mark, let’s understand the fact that when Mark writes, you’re going to see a lot of terms of “immediately” and “here we go.” Basically, Mark was a book of action. You don’t really see many parables in the Book of Mark, whereas you do in the Book of Matthew. Why? Because Mark was written primarily for a Roman audience. Romans liked action, and so because of that, the book is constantly going, one after another, after another, after another.
So, we don’t know how long it has been since chapter three was written. But chapter four comes along some time, and He begins to teach again, it says. So, verse four continues. Chapter four verse one, so that he entered into a ship. Oh, there’s a great multitude, by the way, that’s important to know, and he sat in the sea and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them – verse two – many things by parables. Parable for those who may not be familiar is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Let me get that right. So, it’s teaching us something down here from above and helping us to understand it and how we view things. So, he’s teaching by parable.
Look at the last phrase there. This is an important phrase here, “And said unto them in his doctrine,” – not in any other doctrine, not in what people think,” in his doctrine.” Who’s the “his”? Jesus, right? And Jesus is God, right? So, it’s God’s Word that’s about to be said here. Here’s what’s going to happen.
Sowing Seeds of the Gospel
Verse number three, “Hearken [listen]; Behold” – trying to get their attention two times in a row; getting a big word to try to get their attention – hey listen:
Mark 4:3: “Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:”
Okay, cool, that sounds good. A guy went out to go plant.
Mark 4:4: “And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.”
Oh, that’s not fortunate. How many of you have ever tried to garden and it doesn’t come out that well? I’ve never tried. Let me take that statement back. I do remember. I took the five to seven group, five- to seven-year-old group for camp one year. I don’t know what possessed me to do this, but I did. Right behind over here, there’s a little square area and we wanted to try to plant some plants. We had the beginning part down to plant it. But then we failed to water it. And it happened to be in that particular summer that it didn’t rain every day like it did this past summer. So, do you think those seeds grew? Of course not. They fell by the wayside. Thankfully, birds did come and eat it up. But I mean it’s disappointing to have that.
Mark 4:5: “And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:”
So, it seemed like it was set. It seemed like it was secure where it had not much earth and immediately it sprang up. Because it had no depth of earth it was not rooted. It was just kind of shallow. It wasn’t firm in there. Those of you who know how to put a fence down, you’ve got to have it in a good spot because if you don’t what’s going to happen to your fence? It’s going to fall over. It needs to have a good root you can’t just put it two feet under. You kind of have to give it some depth in order to do that and have it root. And so, this just fell on the ground and didn’t really take hold and the nutrients didn’t come into this.
Mark 4:6: “But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.”
Mark 4:7: “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.”
I remember one day riding a bike. I was four years old. This was, I think, right before we started coming to the church here. I was learning how to ride a bike one day, you know, two-wheel bikes. You parents out there, you remember that day when your child started to learn how to ride a bike.
I got so ambitious one day. The first time I got on that two-wheel bike I fell down. Great story. And then the second time I got up there and I started to ride that bike and I was able to go. But then when I got to a point where I stopped, my four-year-old mind did not understand. I put my feet down. So, to the left there was this nice cactus plant, and you can get the rest of the story. I kind of fell into that, not so pleasant. Yeah, I did eventually learn how to ride the third time after being upset for three hours and hurt, but that did happen.
Here, this plant fell among thorns, and it grew up but got choked and yielded no fruit. It was overtaken by something else; some other agent took over. But then you have a bright side:
Mark 4:8: “And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.”
He had a good result. You have three negative results, but you finally have a good result. So, then what does He say?
Mark 4:9: “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Let Him hear.
Mark 4:10: “And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.”
So, they were trying to figure out what was going on. And you’re thinking, well, what does this parable mean? Now, it does explain it in verses 13 to 20. We’ll get there in just a minute here. But here’s what Jesus says to them:
Mark 4:11: “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:”
The mystery is a secret revealed for the first time or a truth revealed for the first time. So, what is a parable? Basically, what it’s saying here is, “Unto you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without [those who are not saved] all these things are done in parables.” Why?
Mark 4:12: “That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.”
What’s He saying here? For those who are unsaved, Jesus was teaching in parables here to keep it a mystery until they come to a knowledge of Truth. What we also see is that people harden their hearts. They just don’t want to understand and open up to who Christ is or who God is.
It seems to be an attack to some people. Some commentaries seem to agree that it’s an attack, it seems, on the pharisaical belief in Jesus which they do not have at this point. Basically, the Pharisees thought that they could do all the good they could, but they did not accept Jesus Christ. Because of that, they couldn’t understand how Jesus was teaching. The lost can’t understand due to their ignorance and their faith. They just don’t know who Jesus is. And because of that, they can’t understand what Jesus is telling them until they see the light of salvation. So, He speaks this parable in verses one through eight.
Meaning of the Parable
He explains it a little bit to His disciples. But what does it mean? What does all this mean? What’s all these sowing plants and why is all this happening? Well, let’s look at verse number 13. Verses 13 to 20, number two, give us a parable explained:
Mark 4:13: “And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?”
“And he said unto them,” – to his disciples, that’s the context from verse 10. Let me pause there for a second before we get into this. Part of the message here, I want us to understand one good concept is that context is key. What do I mean by that? I mean that most, if not all, of the false teachings that are out there today, is because somebody took a verse out of context, they took it out of what it meant to try to apply it to what they believe in.
Let me give you a crazy example here. Let’s say you want to find out what the Bible says for you, and so you open the Bible. Now, this is an illustration that’s been used before. So, someone opens the Bible, and they see Judas hanged himself. Well, what are you going to learn about that? Closes it up, opens it up again, points to another verse, and it says to go do thou likewise. Now, is Jesus trying to, is God trying to tell you to go hang yourself? No. It sounds silly. Forget that.
But what’s going on? People have asked the question all the time, why is there so much false teaching out there? I’ll tell you why: It’s because they’re not rooted in the Word of God. They’ve been swayed by swelling words. I think 2 Peter talks about that, “with great swelling words” they get them, or maybe even Jude, one of those two places. What they do is they try to get you with just the wording. It sounds all good and fine and dandy. But then once they reel you in, they’re going to convince you. And what it turns into, in fact, is that people now look at the man who’s teaching it instead of what the Bible says, and they come and they say, “Hey, I need to go back to this guy and see what he thinks about it.”
You know, what is our final authority for faith and practice? The Word of God. If you look at some of the scriptures in the Bible and you don’t keep it in context you can derive many different theories and things that you don’t even want to know about.
For instance, what? Well, if you endure to the end, you will be saved. So, that means that if I make it to the end, I hope that I can be saved from whatever is going on. Now, in the context that it’s talking about, the Tribulation period – this is Matthew 24:13, context is the Tribulation. Saved from what? The wrath. Not you’re going to get saved spiritually, go to Heaven if you endure, and make it to the end. But that’s one of the things they’ll take out amongst other things too.
Now, some people will say we have to go back to the Old Testament law. Well, in your Bible, do you have a New Testament too? You do, and as Pastor is going to be talking about on Wednesday night, it’s the better covenant. Don’t you want something that’s better? I mean old is good, don’t get me wrong. But if you can do something better – would you want to do something better? Absolutely. So, as a backdrop to that, let’s look at verse number 14:
Mark 4:14: “The sower soweth the word.”
So, he’s the one who’s sharing the Word – people preaching the Word faithfully, rightly, and truthfully. Let’s add that in there, but then you have four results.
Beware of False Teachers
Verse 15, result number one:
Mark 4:15: “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
You want to know why discipleship is important after salvation? Because of this. Because when someone gets saved, you know and pastor has mentioned it at the pulpit here many times, when he was saved. And then his pastor told him that you made an enemy as soon as you got saved, and that’s the devil.
He doesn’t try to turn you as quickly. Now, you haven’t lost your salvation. I’m not going to, I’m not preaching that that’s not what the Bible says, but what I’m saying is that he’s going to try to turn because you’re still trying to learn. You’re still trying to be rooted. So, there is a result of people that Satan tries to turn them off from the Word or direct them to something else. That doesn’t happen. Oh, it does, it can.
I’m not going to name people, but it’s happened even recently where somebody was recently saved. They got saved and then the next thing you know some false teacher comes, gives them whatever it is that they’re spewing at them. They come to us to talk to them about it, and we say, “This is what the Bible says. You need to look at the Word of God.”
Then they go to believe the false teacher and they fall into that cult. Why? Because they’re not grounded. They’re not firm. They’re not rooted. A tree cannot stand up unless it’s rooted in the ground. Grass can’t be in the ground and stay there if it’s not rooted in there. Yes, we cut grass, but if it’s not rooted what’s going to happen to that grass? It’s going to pop straight out and it’s going to become all dirt.
There’s even some people who have excuses. Let’s look at verse number 16:
Mark 4:16: “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;”
Actually, I’m going to come back to that in just a second here. But coming back to verse 15, as soon as they hear the Word, Satan tries to come after them. This could even mean people who weren’t even saved, and they hear the Word of God, but Satan says, “Child that’s not true, you need to find something better.”
Well, you’ve heard the excuses. “If I go to church the church is going to burn down.” People say that’s the reason why they don’t go to church. “Well, I’ve sinned too much. There is no way God’s going to save me because you don’t know what I’ve done.” I’m sure I don’t know what you have done, but God saves all sinners, and what’s all? All, right? It’s not most, it’s not 99.99999%, that some of these labels say prevents COVID on the cleaning bottles. God forgives all sins.
“What’s the difference? What’s the difference if I believe in Jesus Christ or not?” I’ll tell you it’s a life-changing difference. It’s an eternity making a difference, it is. “It’s not for me. I hear the church is not for me. It can be for you, but it’s not really for me. I want to do my own thing.” These are the kinds of people that are mentioned here in verse 15. They hear the Word of God, you tell them the Word of God, and Satan tries to immediately come and try to turn them.
Before we get to verse 16, I want you to notice that idea is at the end of verse 15, “And taketh away the word which was sown in their hearts.” What does the Word of God do?
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
God’s words should be able to penetrate into your heart, and what do you think Staan’s going to try to do? Make sure it doesn’t get there. I mean it happened in Paul’s time. He tried to preach the Word. He had two reactions: people believed, or they tried to kill him.
Enduring for a While
Mark 4:16: “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;”
So, these are people who got saved. These are people who heard the Word of God. They got saved. They were excited. But then what happens?
Mark 4:17: “And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
They’re not rooted, they’re not grounded, they’re not discipled. They’re not being taught what the Bible is, or they don’t choose to go and learn about it. And so, what happens with them? They “have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time.” They’re going to have some issues. They’re going to endure but eventually, they’re not going to stay. They’re not going to hear. They’re not going to want to be a part of it. Verse 17, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
These are people who are not rooted or grounded. Galatians 1 6-7 says:
Galatians 1:6: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:”
Galatians 1:7: “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
It’s amazing when you see people who are faithful in the Word of God and something else takes them. You’re like, “Hey, no way that happened.” Happens all the time. Why? Because people entice them, and they try to show them something that they think is a higher knowledge. “I have a better understanding of what the Word of God says.” So, what are you saying? You’re God.
I think all of us can understand what the Bible says the way it’s been written for a thousand years. That train of thought was prevalent in the Catholic church it’s still there today, but in the 500s – 1500s, they had it in Latin, and only the pope could understand the Bible.
So, what happened? Guys like William Tyndale and John Wycliffe, about 160 years apart, between each other, they developed, they tried to translate the Bible into the English language so that English-speaking people could understand. Tyndale said it best, “I will translate the Bible [and I’m paraphrasing it] so that the plowboy can even understand it.”
Did you know that you and I can understand the Word of God just like anybody else? You can understand it just as much as myself, as pastor, as anybody in here. You don’t have to have a degree now. It’s good if you feel like you want to go into college and go for Bible or whatever it is and get some more knowledge. Go for it. Go to get a master’s degree, get a Bible exposition, or whatever degree. Do it.
But you can understand the Bible just as much as any of those people because it’s that accessible and that ready and there are resources that can help you. But again, when you go to resources, you go to man’s commentary. Make sure that it’s accurate with the Word of God because even though it’s man’s opinion it’s still a man, it’s not God.
So, they endure for a while when trials come, but when they’re overcome by someone who perverts or distorts the Gospel message, what happens at the end of verse 17? Immediately they are offended. They are enticed to sin. They stumble, they entrap, they scandalize. The pressure comes and they can’t handle it anymore and then they just go. That’s the second group of people.
Attracted to the World’s Delusion
The third group of people, the thorns in verses 18 and 19:
Mark 4:18: “And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,”
Mark 4:19: “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”
What’s that meaning here? Well, they care for the things of this world. They hear the Word of God, but they can’t break out. They go for it. They check off and then they go to church, and they hear it but then they just kind of live however they want. The world’s philosophy chokes them in, and the Word of God can’t come in. Why? Because they’re trying to hear what man thinks instead of hearing what the Word of God says.
2 Peter 1:8: “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:9: “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
The idea of deceitfulness here in verse number 19 is this: delusion. So, people have an idea of the delusion of riches. “I’m going to go to church, but I also want to make a lot of money,” or “I want to do this and gain all this so I can give it back to the church.”
1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
I want my riches in Heaven. I want my riches to be for the Lord. It doesn’t matter if my bank account has thousands of dollars in it. It really doesn’t matter. God is going to supply my needs according to his riches and Glory by Christ Jesus.
They strangle, they drown out the crowd, they’re unfruitful, they’re deceived, they lose interest in the faith. You’re thinking, “Man, it’s all this negativity. What about the good stuff?” I’m glad you asked.
Being Grounded Brings Fruit
So, we have three different classifications. First, we have those who fell by the wayside, people who heard where they’ve fallen, and people who were on stony ground, but they weren’t rooted. You have people who were choked up and pushed out by thorns. But then, finally, you have those that are on good ground.
Mark 4:20: “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”
“And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word,” and notice the next two words “receive it.” They hear it, and they receive it. “Wait, I’ve heard a verse like that.” I know you have:
James 1:22: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
Colossians 2:7: “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
“Rooted and built up in him,” – in Christ is the context there. Read it through, and you’ll see how it lines up – “and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” This is Paul writing to the Colossian church there, telling them to be rooted, to be built up, to be established in the faith as you’ve been taught, be taught in the faith.
Acts 17:1 talks about studying the scriptures daily. We ought to have that mindset. And what happens in verse 20 is they hear the Word, they receive it, and bring forth fruit. They reap what they sow.
Galatians 6:8: “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Proverbs 11:30: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
Some yield a little, a good amount, and a big reward for their fruit and their faithfulness. What’s that? Well, the end of verse 20, “Some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”
You see someone being blessed by the Lord, praise the Lord. You think, “Well, why is He blessing that person more than me? Why is that person famous and I’m not.” In the eyes of God, you’re his child, and you’re just as well known if you’re saved in here tonight.
I’m sure we’re going to hear about people when we get to Heaven that we’re like. We’ll be like, they did that, but we didn’t know their names. They weren’t a Billy Sunday, they weren’t a D.L. Moody, they weren’t a Charles Spurgeon, or a George Whitfield or Jonathan Edwards. Do we hear them in history? No.
And there are some people in this world today who don’t even know of the people who have been serving here faithfully these years, an Ann Booher or someone else, and all the things they’ve done. Someone in Montana probably won’t know that until they get to Heaven. But being faithful, being fruitful, and letting it grow and letting it abound 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold. Allow the Word of God to dwell and be rooted in it. Don’t let men sway you because they will at the drop of a hat. They’re going to do it.
John 10:9-13 shows us to be aware of those who will deceive. They knowingly do, and they want you for their profit. They just want you for you, and they don’t, once you have no use to them. They’ll cast you aside.
Jesus is speaking here. John 10:9: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
These are the false teachers that are out there today:
John 10:12: “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.”
Oh, yeah, they sound good. They look promising, but then when that time comes, they flee away. You’re left alone to defend yourself.
John 10:13: “The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.”
Those who are false teachers, you know that most of the time, they probably do not even care a lick about you. They just want you for what you can give them and then when you have no use, they’ll find someone else. That’s really what it kind of boils down to. We need to be on guard to make sure we stay rooted in the Bible and the accurate teaching of God’s Word.
Acts 17:11: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica,” – talking about the Bereans – “that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” What’s he saying? Back in verse eight, “Other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased.”
Mark 4:20: “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”
Be rooted is what He’s trying to say. Be rooted and grounded in the Word of God.
Rooted in God’s Word
In conclusion, be rooted in Christ. Be rooted for Him. Be rooted in the Word of God. You want to know what God says? It’s right here. But people will take this Word of God, this precious Word of God and they’ll teach people false doctrine off of it. What a shame. Most of the time, they know that they’re doing it, unless they were taught wrong by someone else. But they know what they’re doing.
There will be those who will deceive you with just a little bit of Word to turn you away from the doctrine, from the truth. There are people who are not rooted, and those who will take advantage of that person. Don’t be that person who can be easily swayed from what “thus sayeth the Lord” is. You hear false teaching, run from it, flee from it. You’re not sure about it? Talk to somebody. Find out for sure. There are people who sound good until you really get into what they really truly believe. Be rooted. Be in your Bible daily.
How are you going to be rooted? You need to read the Word of God. You don’t read the Word of God, you haven’t established a devotional life, you’re not going to know when someone tells you something that doesn’t seem right. Know your Word of God. Be in the Bible daily. Have your devotions be in tune with what the Bible says. If you’re one of those who writes notes down as you do your devotionals, do that.
Myself, I write notes in my Bible all the time in all of them. I have 11 Bibles. You think that’s a lot of Bibles? Yes, it is, but there’s a few of them in particular that I have a lot of notes written in there. Why? So, I can remember it. But pastor tells us you have a great memory. I do for the most part until I forget. Lately, I’ve been forgetting a lot maybe because it’s a lack of sleep because of a six-month-old who wants to wake up in the middle of the night. I’m not sure.
But be rooted, be in the Bible daily. Have your devotions. Be in tune with what the Bible says. If you have questions never hesitate to ask. We want to search the scriptures to make sure we interpret the Word of God correctly. The parable this evening tells us to be rooted, to be able to know what the Word of God says and be rooted. Don’t be one of those who can be swayed away. It can happen to anybody.
I’ll close with this illustration. I knew of somebody in college, who if you looked at him and you knew him, he was as on fire for the Lord as you could be. He was as on target as you could be. He was a man that I look up to.
I look up to my wife spiritually. I think she’s a great role model and I appreciate who she is. But this man I went to college with many years before I met her. You could look at that person and say, “Man, this guy’s going to do great things for the Lord.” He wasn’t a Bible major. He was an English major. But you could think that he was going to be that guy that was on fire, that would know it well.
A certain summer came along, and he fell into sin, and he fell in error, and he rejected the Word of God. Now, on the outside everything looked pretty good, but he wasn’t as rude as he should have been. Maybe he was more on stony ground. Maybe he was more with the thorns and being choked up. Either way it can happen to anybody, could happen to one of us on the platform, or happen to you. How do we avoid that? Be rooted. Colossians 2:7, be “Rooted and built and established in the faith.
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Father, we come to you in prayer. We thank you for the day you’ve given us. We thank you for the opportunity we have to be here this evening. Father, I pray that you’d help us, you’d encourage us. Father, this was more of a message of an encouragement and a warning to be aware more than anything else this evening.
Father, I pray that you just help us to pray tonight when we have this invitation hymn. To be on guard, to be faithful to you, faithful to the Word of God, to be aware of those who might try to sway us with great swelling words or things that try to turn us away from the faith. Father, I pray just encourage us this evening, strengthen us, build us up. Help us to be rooted in you. We ask these things here in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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About the Speaker
Rev. Christopher K. Lewis
Assistant to the Pastor
Christopher K. Lewis is the Assistant to the Senior Pastor of West Park Baptist Church. Rev. Lewis helps the senior pastor with various church duties and guides others to a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.