One’s True Color
By Pastor Kim, Yong Doo sermon
1/15/18 Friday
Matthew 13:18-30 (AMP) “Listen then to the [meaning of the]parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom[regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.20 The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy; 21 yet he has no [substantial]root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation]. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries and distractions of the world and the deceitfulness [the superficial pleasures and delight] of riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times [as much as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.” 24 Jesus gave them another parable [to consider], saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [resembling wheat]among the wheat, and went away.26 So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also. 27 The servants of the owner came to him and said, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have weeds in it?’ 28 He replied to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Then do you want us to go and pull them out?’ 29 But he said, ‘No; because as you pull out the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First gather the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
When Jesus delivered the Word of God, He had delivered it to all common people. These common people gathered as they had witnessed miracles, power , the authority of Jesus , and witnessing the casting out of demons. The people followed as Jesus performed signs and wonders. There were certain Words Jesus preached when many common people had gathered, and there were certain Words Jesus preached when He was with His personal disciples. He had preached differently. When many common people had gathered, He preached a general message mixed with parables. But when Jesus was with His personal disciples, He would precisely interpret His message. It is the same when perceiving heaven. The common Christians think about heaven this way. They think they will go to heaven once they start attending church service, just believe in Jesus, pray, worship and praise. But in reality, in order to make it to heaven, within the context of salvation, people do not know how delicate ,different variables, how thorough , and there are things that we need to put much effort and striving to enter the Kingdom of God. The Bible explains it all. You don’t lightly come to church, pray, and you do not just believe in Jesus with a light heart.
There is a certain color when it comes to faith and believe . There is some kind of true color in each person’s heart or field . What do I mean by color? It is about the soil. In other words, it is your heart. In order to have deep roots grow into your soil, you need to have good a heart/soil. You need to have faith, a good heart/soil, a good state of mind, a good state of mentality, a good state of spirituality, and a good personality and character.
When you read the four gospels as Jesus preached and interpreted His words, there was a difference when common people gathered and when His direct disciples gathered. To the common people, Jesus preached the easy and subtle words. But to His direct disciples, He did not preached such a way. Plus, His disciples wanted to know the parables. So they had asked Jesus. Jesus said, that His disciples were allowed to know the secrets of Kingdom of God but not to the common people. Anyone can follow Jesus and even becomes a fan. But when it comes to becoming His real disciple, it is different a story. The common people will not see or understand.
Matthew 13:13-14 (AMP) This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while[having the power of] seeing they do not see, and while [having the power of] hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand and grasp [spiritual things]. 14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will hear and keep on hearing, but never understand; And you will look and keep on looking, but never comprehend”
The secrets will be interpreted by Jesus to His own disciples. God also expressed His words as yeast. But no one knows when yeast will work and expand. It is because yeast works inside. The transformation of a person begins from the inside of a heart therefore, no one really knows. The original meaning of “yeast” is “boiling passion.” In order for yeast to boil, it has to have passion. Therefore, whenever we listen to the Word of God, some kind of passion must come alive. Even though we may hear the word of God, but if passion inside of us does not come alive, we fail to make the Word of God the yeast. We are required to make the Word of God as yeast. It is our homework to ferment the Word of God when we hear His words.
Jesus had spoken about the parable of sowing seeds. He first spoke generally . Jesus said, “anyone can hear the word of the kingdom..” . Anyone can hear the kingdom of God. Whoever wanted to hear, they were allowed to come and listen. But not everyone can understand. When we fail to make God’s word as yeast and let it ferment in us to work, this will happen, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom[regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” Whoever believes in Jesus will have thepossibility to be saved. Jesus is basically telling them that although they came to Him to listen to the Word of God and to go to heaven, it will not be easy. Why can they not go to heaven? It is because they did not understand, realize, and recognize even after listening to the word of God. These kind of heart/soil is always opened to other things. The people with the such heart likes to listen to many other sources or people. In order for us to fully settle the word of God in our hearts, we need to put the word of God above all things in our lives. The Word of God must be above all other things, even above our family members such as children, wife, husband, work, job, and money. If we like to listen to the other sources or people and put other things above the Word of God such as family members and work, there will not be room for the Word of God to be firmly settled. You may have the Word of God in your head, but the Word of God does not sink into your heart or free will. This kind of heart/soil is like the road. This kind of heart is always distracted.
“20 The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy;” This kind of heart/soil has no strength to keep the word of God. It lacks spiritual power. Most churches preach generally. But they do not know or preach what may prevent us from going to heaven. They do not preach why we need to perform spiritual warfare. If we desire to know the concealed spiritual things such as why Christians stumble, why they face tests, suffering, discipline and tribulation, God will lead us to know. There is a empty spiritual void or space within people. What does this mean? What is the spiritual thirst, spiritual impatience, or this earnest desire?
“This is it? Why do I face frequent test? For what reason do I suffer? What is the problem?”
Sometimes, proclaiming does not work. Sometimes, clinging to the words “Jesus crushed the head of Satan” does not work. We may know it theoretically but in reality, there are many things that do not work. Even in the classroom, the teacher teaches equally to all students. But each student has a level of receiving the teaching. The one who receives the word or teaching is required to properly apply it. Some people learn quickly and some do not.
Whenever we listen to the Word of God, there will be someone who will interfere. When we listen to the Word of God, the bible says the evil one comes to snatch it away. The evil one comes to bring tribulation, persecution, test, and make Christians stumble. When the seed falls on the road, the evil one will snatch it away. When the seed falls on the rocky soil, the evil one will come with a higher strategy (수준있게 다룬다).
The evil one will whisper, “You know why you stumble? Because of the Word of God!” The Word of God may fall on the heart, but this kind of person has no power or will to keep it (하나님의 말씀을 지킬 의지). There is no root. They are very weak.
I saw a scene with my opened spiritual eyes. Usually, the evil spirits come and threaten us by saying, “Do not pray! Do not pray!” But in some cases, the evil spirits plan with certain types of people, “Let them be for she/he does not have perseverance. Even if she/he prays now, she/he will not last long.”
The devil will use the person’s nature, personality, and character. The devil hides behind the person’s nature and personality to work within their nature and personality. When this happens, no one will know, even the person whom the devil works behind. When this happens, no one will know if what a person speaks and do is by the person’s own will or the devil’s work. The devil will say, “Let us hide behind her/his speech! This person loves to speak piercing poisonous words. Their words are snappy and their hot temper makes them easily angered.” These are the abstract nouns. The evil spirits hide behind the words, thinking, nature, personality and character, habit, lifestyle, emotion, and hearts of people. If the demons had a shadow, we would know but the evil spirits hide behind the abstract nouns within us and provoke us to twist the words to make relationships twisted, and we then get angry.
Whenever I witness people complain and grumble, I feel eerie. I want to say, “If you continue to say complain and grumble, you have to know that the evil spirit also works with your words!” But I can’t really say it. God’s Spirit works with joy, happiness, thankfulness, and comfort. People who serve God helps and serves others, even if they have to lose something, and their bodies become tired as God’s work may be difficult. However, they will go wherever God tells them to go and comfort others.
When you complain and crumble towards the Lord, “I can’t do this! This is too difficult!”
This kind of attitude will not edify you. When we work a lot, we would think that we will receive many rewards but in reality and in heaven, many things we have done already have not been awarded to us in heaven. Why? Because they have had their reward with their lips. When you get angry, you will crumble your reward. What if you repeatedly get angry? Even when it comes to doing God’s work or giving, it is better that you do things as the right-hand does not know what the left hand is doing or knows. When you speak, then speak as though God himself were speaking through you as you comfort others. Speak words that will strengthen them and God will work through such attitude.
When people find out about their calling and mission, all they think about is the mission and fulfilling their calling rather than changing their nature, attitude, personality, and character. People need to find the things that need to be broken. They need to accept being broken through many suffering, pain, and difficulties. Some people become a servant of God when they have never served, comforted others, but all they have done was lived a life according to their flashes such as complaining, grumbling, and cursing. There are things that God will do but there are things that we have to do which is to crucify many things about ourselves.
God will differently handle and discipline between lay believers and His servants. God will fearfully handle and discipline servants who are actually leading and serving God’s people. The judgment of servants will be greater than the lay believers. In the midst of following the Word of God, if persecution, test, and tribulation come, and when things begin to get difficult, your true colors will come out. For some Christians, when they encounter little difficulties, they instantly lose their faith. In their wilderness, even after praising and worship as they shouted hallelujah when they can no longer find water, they will complain and grumble and will want to go back to Egypt. You must give all your worries to the Lord. Too many Christians worry. You must train yourselves daily. Please read the bible many times.
Proverbs 4:20-21 My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. 21 Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart.
We need to compare and analyze. We need to know in what kind of heart condition does slump come? In what situation or circumstance does our mood go up and down? When we aware of our spiritual condition, then we need to be cautious in certain situations. Observe your reactions. When do you react properly? When are you not able to react properly? In what area do you do good and in what areas do you not do good? Observe and find the weak areas precisely and fix them. If you neglect those areas, you are actually making strongholds within yourself. Otherwise, you will not even realize as they form strongholds. Your habit will become a stronghold as well. Some people have many hurts and wounds. Their hurts and wounds become strongholds and it puts them under darkness. Let your hurts and wounds be healed and restored by the power of the Lord. Whether it is hurts or anything else, do not neglect them but instead, bring it to the Lord. When you truly bring it to the Lord, He will work for you.
People utilize their personality and habits the way they desire and it attaches to our bodies. These types of personality and habit are a stronghold. We need to become like Jesus. People’s spirit and soul came from God but people’s mental and physical areas are in ignorance. Therefore, when we receive the power of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will lead us home.
Luke 8:8 “And some fell into good soil, and grew up and produced a crop a hundred times as great.”
Producing a crop a hundred times as great is definitely not an easy thing to do. But please pray that God will grant you the power to produce a crop a hundred times as great.
Sermon by Pastor Kim, Yong Doo
Head pastor of the Lord’s Church, Korea
Author of Baptize by Blazing Fire book series
Translated by Pastor Steve & Yoojin Kim
Pastors of Fire of God Church in San Francisco (Fremont)
Fire of God Church is a branch church of the Lord’s Church, Korea and is under the spiritual covering of head Pastor Kim, Yong Doo