This week, Pastor Chris continued in our Advancing Church series teaching about sharing the gospel and being aware of how the world can choke out our faith. As believers, we advance God’s kingdom through evangelism but must guard our hearts from the world so we can bear good fruit unto the Lord. God has great affection for each one of us and desires that we walk out our salvation in true knowledge, agreement and commitment to the gospel, making disciples along the way.

  • Advance: to move forward in a purposeful way. Make or cause to make progress.

The Purpose of Jesus

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Matthew 5:13 (ESV)

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

Salt of the Earth

  • Preserving
  • Cleansing
  • Flavor
  • Makes Others Thirst

Matthew 5:14–16 (ESV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Ways We Hide Our Lights

  • Being quiet when we should speak.
  • Going along with the crowd.
  • Denying the light.
  • Letting sin dim our light.
  • Not explaining our light to others.
  • Ignoring the needs of others.
  • Indifference and passivity.

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV)

12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Matthew 13:1–9 (ESV)

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:18–19 (ESV)

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

  1. Hears With No Understanding. Result: Snatched.  

Matthew 7:24–27 (ESV)

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Matthew 13:20-21 (ESV)

 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

  • Hears and Receives with Joy. Result: No root and falls away.

Matthew 13:22 (ESV)

22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

  • Hears the Word. Result: Choked out by cares of the world and riches.

Thorns that choke out the Word…

  • Our interests, our desires, our thoughts, our passions become more and more worldly.
  • Professional sports.
  • Kids sports and interests.
  • Working more instead of attending church.
  • Wanting to find peace outside of Jesus and the fellowship of saints.
  • Comparing to and becoming more like the world.
  • Losing the gospel edge and passion for the gospel.
  • Vacations and travel become the driving force.
  • The choking can happen slowly over many years.

Matthew 24:12–13 (ESV)

12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

James 4:4 (ESV)

4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Matthew 13:23 (ESV)

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

  • Hears and Understands. Result: bears fruit 30, 60, 100x.

Matthew 7:15–21 (ESV)

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

2 Corinthians 13:5–6 (ESV)

5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.

3 Components of True Salvation

  1. Knowledge
  2. Agreement
  3. Commitment

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can you implement the principle of being ‘salt and light’ in your workplace or home?
  2. Pastor Chris talked about how the soil matters when sowing seeds. How does the parable of the sower challenge your personal response to God’s Word?
  3. Reread the “Thorns that choke out the Word…” section. Which of these sticks out as ways the enemy draws you away from the Lord? With these in mind, what are specific ways you can intentionally grow in the Lord instead of being choked out?

Application Questions:

  1. Often the world tries to choke us out slowly, and it can be difficult to detect. Take time to reflect and examine if there are any ways the world has choked you out?

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