The Honest and Good Heart Luke 8:4-15

Parable of The Sower Different soils –Only four kinds –Different hearts Really only two –Do not receive the Word effectively –Others will be saved

Attentive “Having heard the Word” –Power in the Word (Romans 1:16; 10:17) –Need a clear, unprejudiced mind

Attentive God speaks; men listen –Old Testament warnings (1 Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 6:19) –Revealed by the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20)

Discerning Not gullible –Bereans searched (Acts 17:11) –Knew its power (Philippians 1:10) –From God (Matthew 21:25) –Received as God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

Discerning Truth shines brightly –“Prove all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) –“Try the spirits” (1 John 4:1)

Discerning Failure to study –Self-condemned –Don’t we love the Truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12) –Anything worth believing is worth defending (Jude 3)

Faithful “Holds fast the Word” –“Fast” means “to hold firmly, to keep firm possession of, allowing Truth to influence disposition and deportment continually” –Faithful to the Word (1 Corinthians 15:1, 2) –Stand firm (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Faithful What are the implications? –Complete control and will not compromise (2 Timothy 4:1-5) –Not drifting along (Hebrews 2:1) –Even when we are “tempted and tried”

Fruitful Connected to the Word –Glorifies God (John 15:8) –The Word works in us (1 Thessalonians 2:13) –Paul’s prayer (Colossians 1:10)

Fruitful Cultivate this heart –“By their fruits, we will know them” (Matthew 7:20) –Importance of the heart (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 12:34-37)

Conclusion Have an honest heart? God knows (Hebrews 4:13)