The broad theme that we are addressing in these few weeks is this:
What are the words of Jesus that we are “taking for granted”?
What does that term mean?
Taking for granted: To believe that someone or something will always be the same or remain available or a benefit like it is today. To act like you can do whatever you like without any consequences of what has been stated. Failing to appreciate someone or something, especially as a result of over-familiarity. To underestimate the value or the importance of some counsel, advice, or a thing expected of you. [Giving little or no thought to things that are really important to our lives, our relationships, and especially our eternity. /SR]
Some examples that you might more easily relate to are these
* We take for granted that our grocery store will always have plenty of food (so we do not have anything stored up for a serious local or regional crisis).
* We take our transportation for granted; most people do very little to keep their cars in good running condition believing they will always start and get the owners here and there and home again.
* No matter how we might abuse these critical issues of our bodies (taking them for granted), we believe we will always have good hearing, eyesight, blood pressure and glucose levels, and pain-free joints and mobility.
* And for professing Christians, “If I don’t know what Jesus has said, I am not bound to obey it”, or worse, “I know what He has taught but there’s just too much for me to keep up with—the Lord understands my limitations.”
Most take for granted: “underestimate the value and importance” to our lives and eternity what Jesus taught and commanded of his followers; we do the same with the many other things we are to learn and practice given to us throughout God’s written Word.
Let’s try to undo our “taking for granted-ness” what God by His Spirit recorded in the Bible about its value for our lives. From Psalms and Proverbs, the New Testament letter writers, and then what Jesus said about it:
† Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever ... † 119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it ... 160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
† Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
† Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
† Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
† Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
And what did the apostolic writers teach and record about God’s Word ? ~ That which now is from Genesis through Revelation ~
† 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
† Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.
† Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
† Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…
† Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone (only), but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Deut. 8:3)
† John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
† Psalm 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
† 2 Timothy 2:15Study (make effort, be earnest, be diligent) to shew thyself approved (acceptable) unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (understanding correctly) the word of truth.
So the Word of God as written in our Holy Bibles and as spoken to us by God-called apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, preachers and teachers is food for our spirit and guidance for our souls but it is also that which is to produce fruit.
What kinds of fruit, you ask? The fruit of strong faith, righteousness, holiness, and God-inspired good works—the Word of God is the seed sown into our lives that is to beget many good results—much fruit.
† Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? ... 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
† John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
† Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
We conclude today by briefly restating the four ways in how the seed of the Word of God is received in the lives of people. From † Luke chapter 8:
† Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Of course, this is pointed at unbelievers that hear the Gospel message but are dull of hearing by busy secular lives and their consuming interests and easily forget or ignore the Good News. However, there are a lot of professing to be Christians that by their love of the world and its things they, too, having the Word spoken to them by faithful spiritual laborers in the plantings of the Lord have it quickly snatched from their minds and hearts, and it does not do any of the good it was intended and needed to to transform the worldly believer into living and walking in the ways of righteousness and holiness.
† Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Over the many years of my teaching gift I’ve had many that have said to me after the service, “That was really good, Brother Scott—I really enjoyed that message,” and yet the seed of God’s Word did not take root because of the stony ground of their hearts and minds (they enjoyed what they heard but failed to receive the seed into their hearts). The ground that could have given root to the good seed was well below the rock-hard ground of their lives. When the difficulties and trials of life rise up, what the Word could have done to comfort, encourage and lead the way through—had never taken root and grown; the help of the Word was absent.
† Luke 8:14 And that [seed] which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Our brothers and sisters in Christ today have more thorny weeds in their lives than at any time in the last 2000 years that the church has been on the earth (we have such physical thorny weeds here that grow to be 6 feet high). Cares can be the responsibilities and ambitions that have entangled and constricted the hearts of many. Others striving for success, possessions and wealth squeeze out the priority needed to read or hear and then nurture the seed of God’s Word. And for 21st century believers pleasures have seized any time that should be used to cultivate fruit-bearing spiritual growth. These things are like the suckers on an orange tree that not only steal needed nourishment to produce oranges but are worthless growth that produces sharp thorns to prevent their easy pruning and removal of the high-growing shoots.
† Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience (cheerful endurance, constancy).
This verse speaks for itself! You and I are to do all that we can to prepare and keep the ground of our hearts and minds always ready to receive the good seed of God’s Word to us whenever we read it or hear it from His ministers.
† 1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
And regarding His life, on the day that you and I stand before Jesus in a review of our lives, He will ask, “What did you do with the life I gave you?” By a panoramic review of our individual lives we will witness what the Lord already knows. Were we followers with good spiritual disciplines, followers having frequent spiritual victories, and those having fruitful works of our lives—or not? These things the Lord desires of us are the results of His life in us and the Word being our road map and compass. We must be lifelong students of the Word of God!
† Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read(?)…
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