Responses of the Heart

- We make common reactions to similar events.
- What are some common reactions we make to: tripping?, getting dumped, scoring a winning goal?, acing a test, Wedding Day(some cry, some get cold feet), death.
- We make similar reactions to varying events.

Mark 4:1-9 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
9Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

- Let’s describe the different soils…path-hard, rocky-shallow, weeds-cluddered, good soil-soft and receptive.
- Vs. 9 – “those who have ears…” – why say it? People don’t have to listen. Those that have humility.

Mark 4:10-20 10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,
" 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'[a]"
13Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

- Vs. 10-12 – God wants only the right kind of hearts in heaven.
- Vs. 13-14 – lets look at the common reactions of the heart to the word of God.

TYPES OF HEARTS:
1. Hard heart :
- Vs. 15

Hebrews 3:12-14 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

o there is a way to change a hard heart, got to recognize it and then surround yourself with the right kind of people.

2. Shallow heart:
- What makes a shallow heart shallow?
o No conviction.
- What are things that make a heart shallow?
o Not wanting to get real, or have to deal with our lives.
o Not wanting to do the work to build conviction.

3. Distracted heart:
- Vs. 18-19 – weeds choke out the word.
- What are some of the most enjoyable aspects of life? What are the things that you enjoy more than any other thing? These are not bad things. However, if used improperly these things could be the things that prevent us from loving Jesus.
o What are some of the most important things in your life?(school, family, etc…)
o Lk 14:25-27 – HATE

4. Good /soft heart:
- Vs. 20 – The good heart hears, accepts, and produces fruit.
- Why do you think Jesus tells the 4 different types of reactions possible with the word?
o So we can choose to be the right soil.
o Being the good soil is a choice, make the right choice, and study the bible.