Saturday study 3/21/26 Baptism series: “Born Again”

 Parable of the Sower

• READ: Mark 4
• Shema and understand! “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Mar 4.9, 23;
• 10 times on the lips of Jesus throughout the Gospels!
• The key to all the parables, v.13.

Why it matters? 

• The parables about the Kingdom parables answer the question:reveal What is the Gospel? 
• Without the Gospel, baptism is just a wet ritual. 
• Your baptism should be an intelligent, informed act/experience that equips you for your Great Commission work, i.e., to proclaim:

“The Gospel of the Kingdom and the name of Jesus the Messiah,” so you can go on to baptize (Acts 8:12).

1. What is the seed?

• The seed is given various names, all synonymous:
• The “word,” “the word of God,” “the word of the Kingdom,” i.e., the Gospel or good news.
• Cp. Pauline Kingdom Gospel Dictionary

  https://rfcogstudy.blogspot.com/2023/10/pauline-gospel-dictionary.html

What the seed is not! 

• The word is not the Bible, aka the scriptures!
• The word is not the Kingdom itself!! 
• The word is not Jesus, his Apostles or the church:

"Don't confuse the message with the messenger"!

• Christians and ministries since Augustine wrongly think they are “building” hence “growing the kingdom” now. Result = Church is the State, Crusades, Inquisitions, "Christian nations," e.g., U.S.A. today "One Nation under God"!
• But how does the Bible define the kingdom?

1. The Gospel of Peace

What is the Kingdom?

• The Abrahamic land promise (Gen 12-17) later expanded to include the whole earth (Rom 4:13; Dan 2.44; Isa 2, etc.); 
• The land "promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed… that is, the Messiah.” (Gal. 3:16); 
• So “If you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s children, and heirs of the promise.” (Gal. 3:29);
• That seed is Jesus who said the kingdom is near not here! Just like all the other prophets before him; What does "at hand/near" language mean? 

https://jesuskingdomgospel.com/the-day-of-the-lord-kingdom-is-near-at-hand/

• Like the OT prophets before him, Jesus clearly defined the kingdom as a yet future event, the restoration of the kingdom of his father David, i.e., the nation of Israel. 
• The Apostles understood this well hence their question in Acts 1:6. 

“Lord, has the time come for you to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

• The Apostles faithfuly followed the parable of the sower model, spreading the seed/message, i.e., preaching, proclaiming the coming Kingdom (Mat 13.19a people hear "the word about the kingdom"). 

What the Kingdom is not:

• Past (Preterist), Present (Millennium Now), “Already Not Yet" (Postmill, most of Christendome);
• The “mystery” of the kingdom means it has "broken into history" at Jesus' first coming or Pentecost, the giving of the Spirit/official Church start. 
• The kingdom started small and remains hidden at present, growing invisibly and spiritually among Christians;
• This "spiritual kingdom" will inevitably end in the "consummation" (i.e., visible, physical parousia of Jesus).
• The parables of Jesus both revealed this "mystery" (especially to his disciples, who received private explanations) and concealed it from those hardened against him, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy about spiritual blindness. 
• Thus, only those with open hearts receive the kingdom “spiritually”—that is, in their hearts and through the church—while those who reject him hear only stories without grasping that deeper truth.
• This view seems to overlap strongly with Amill and, to a lesser extent, Postmill. 
• This view best reflects the so-called “Already Not Yet” aka Realized/Inaugurated eschatology.
• This view often defined as your kingdom or Christian living now (e.g., we have been "transferred into the Kingdom," Col 1:13; the kingdom is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit," Rom 14:17) with that future kingdom on earth. 
• Check out my Prez + Conversation with Tracy Kingdom Now Texts Explained - Carlos Xavier (KOG Missions Conference 2022)

1. What are the soils? READ Matt 13:1-23

• Different people choices and just as important as knowing what is the seed. 

Hard Path Soil = No Understanding, Matt 13:19.

• The seed lies on the surface then the enemy (Satan/Devil) immediately snatches it away.
• Most so-called "churchgoers," are familiar with terms/sermons but message never penetrates (due to shallow/distorted preaching, e.g., reduced to "repent and believe," self-help, or prosperity).
• As a result most preach what you are saved from: sin, condemnation, wrath, death. Whereas the prophets of old, Jesus and his Apostles emphasize what you are saved for: entering/inheriting the Kingdom of God which means ruling the world with Jesus, 1Cor 6:2 Do you not understand that the saints are going to govern and manage the world? 3 Do you not understand that we will be judging angels? Then why not matters related to this present life! 

Shallow/Rocky Soil = Superficial Faith, Matt 13:20–21.

• Receives the word with immediate joy/excitement/emotion → but no depth/root system.
• Collapses under pressure, suffering, or cost of discipleship.
• Lacks sound pastoring/discipleship, scripture engagement, and counting the cost (cf. Luke 14:27–33).
• Appears vibrant briefly but withers when greater sacrifice/commitment is required.

Thorny/Weedy Soil = Worldly Distractions, Matt 13:22.

• Word genuinely received → growth starts → but crowded/choked out by the worries of life, wealth pursuit, ambition, entertainment, politics, etc.
• Often largest group in churches: sincerity, humanitarian "fruit/works," regular church attendance → but minimal Kingdom fruit due to divided loyalties.
• Reinforced by Parable of Weeds: good/bad grow together in world/church/individuals until harvest.
• Hence, Paul's Christian ideal in 1Cor 7 single life vs marriage because it allows for undivided devotion to the Lord and greater freedom in serving the Kingdom (1 Cor. 7:7–8, 32–35, 37–38, 40).
• Marriage is permitted and honorable, but it brings added cares and divided responsibilities, so Paul says, “Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife” (1 Cor. 7:27–28). 
• This fits Jesus’ own teaching that some remain unmarried “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:10–12) and that marriage belongs to “this age,” not the age to come (Luke 20:34–36).

Overall Application & Warning

• Christians hear/read the Parable of Sower but remain bad soils not from ignorance, but lack of true understanding/foundation.
• Faith comes by hearing a clear, comprehensible proclamation (Rom 10:14–17) followed by your obedience of faith, personal study/motivation, etc.; 
• Jesus warns: "Take care how you hear" (Luke 8:18).
• The Gospel will eventually be scattered worldwide and then the end will come, Matt 24:14. 
• God will eventually hold everyone accountable per truth received; ignorance is not bliss! 

 

1. Born Again Now!

• Rebirth now by the seed, the message about the kingdom you heard, understood, and retain so that you can persevere, 1 Pet 1.22-23;
• You must "produce fruits consistent with repentance," as he told Pharisees in Luke 3:8; Mat 3.8.
• That's the only way to "recognize them by their fruits. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?" Matthew 7.16;
• And that's how you become children of God, Jam. 1:18:

"He gave birth to us by the Gospel-word of truth, according to His own plan, so that we would be the first fruits of His new creation."

Summary: 

Born-Again Process

1. You hear, understand and believe the word (Eph. 1:13-14); i.e., the word about the kingdom, Mat 13:19
2. Accept this word & Repent (Mark 1:14-15);
3. Plant the word in your heart & grow in your believe, aka faith;
4. Bear much fruit, which requires commitment (Luke 13:19);
5. The obedience of faith starts with baptism (Acts 2:38); church fellowship, communion, etc.
6. Do the Great Comission, i.e., make disciples & baptize (Matt. 28:19)