(Below is the full sermon manuscript) Question for the morning: What causes a church to lose its heart? Relational pain Demonic activity Small beginnings Matthew 13:1-9, 18-32, 36-43 Relational Pain This first parable talks about 4 kinds of soil, and 3 of them end in disappointment. In the first, there is misunderstanding. We sow a seed (that means investing time and relationship into someone; sharing the hope of the Gospel; trying to connect them to Jesus), but they are blinded from seeing it. Our faith appears childish, ridiculous, and maybe even hateful to them. In the second, troubles and trials reveal that their faith was only superficial. Troubles always change us. They either drive us toward deeper trust in Jesus, or drive us away from Jesus – but we never stay the same. It is very painful to sow the seed of the Gospel in someone, to see what looks like fruit and life, only to see it disappear in the midst of suffering. We feel helpless. It hurts and brings great pain. In the third, which is by far the most painful, love for the world chokes out love for Jesus. There are few things more painful than sowing the seed of the Gospel into someone, and to grow alongside them in relationship, until suddenly they fall away and embrace the ways of the world. Only 1 of the soils produces lasting fruit. Sometimes churches lose their heart because of relational pain. We get more and more shy about sowing Gospel seed because we fear getting wounded. We can turn inward and focus only on ourselves, losing sight of our mission to make disciples of Jesus. Demonic activity The second parable talks about wheat and weeds. The wheat represents Christians. The weeds represent false believers who intentionally deceive people for various reasons. In the parable, the weeds aren’t pulled up. They are separated at the harvest, which means at the final judgment. The weeds are false teachers. They claim to be following God, but their moral commitments and their way of life actually turn people away from God. They cause damage to Christians and to churches. The Bible says the weeds “cause sin.” They breed conflict and division, and they encourage others to be suspicious of God and His Word. They don’t submit to spiritual authority, and they follow their own desires. Sometimes churches lose their heart because of this demonic activity. We can lose heart and fear spiritual conflict, or even worse, we can close ourselves off and become hardened people who begin with the assumption that everyone is a weed until they prove themselves to be wheat. Small beginnings The third parable talks about small beginnings and slow progress. The mustard seed is radically small. Growth is slow. It’s such an unimpressive start – one little, tiny seed in a field. It sprouts into a little tiny shoot. The growth is slow. But eventually it becomes large and lush enough for birds to find protection and provision in it. When you do anything with a Gospel-centered motivation, it’s a small beginning with slow progress: —Planting a church; starting an accountability relationship with a friend; hosting a Gospel Community in your home; developing a personal prayer life; leading your family in a Bible study; bringing healing to a strained marriage; seeking the heart of a wayward child; developing a ministry; discipling a new believer. Real Gospel ministry is always slow. Why? Because we’re dealing with human souls. You cannot mechanically force a seed to sprout. You can’t speed it up with some technique. You plant, you invest, you nurture, you stay faithful, you don’t give up, you stay committed, and in time – it grows into something beautiful. We’re called The Seed: Growth in the world is mechanical; growth in God’s Kingdom is organic. Sometimes churches lose heart because they want mechanical growth in an organic world. They’re too impatient to start small. They want a quick-fix: A silver bullet that brings growth and excitement and momentum – but that’s not how the Kingdom of God grows. You can grow a church by mechanical means – church buildings, systems, programs, flashy theological knowledge – but birds don’t find rest in towers, they find rest in trees. So what is the key to us not losing heart? Ephesians 2:18-22. This local church called The Seed is a household of God. We are brothers and sisters to one another, and God is using us as the building materials to be a living temple, an organic temple where people can find protection and provision. We need to be committed to one another: a family. We’re the household of God. We are not first and foremost building an organization, but a family where Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone – we are all patterned off of Him! Sample Questions for GCs: –In the parable of the four soils, 3 of the 4 end in disappointment. Look at the parable and read about the 3 soils that don’t bear lasting fruit. How does this parable protect you from being naive? –In the parable of the wheat and the weeds, the Master tells his servants to let the wheat and weeds grow together until harvest (judgment). First off, why does the Master say this? Second, how does this parable help us stay alert? –In the parable of the mustard seed, the small seed becomes a great tree, and the tree gives provision and protection to the birds. All Gospel work is like planting trees, not building towers. It’s organic, not mechanical. How does this help you be realistic and patient?