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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000644S
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00:00 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:06 Sermon #B644 - Revive 00:21 Byrd: Matthew 13:1 says. 00:25 Matthew 13:1, the Word says, "The same day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 00:34 Great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, 00:40 and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 00:43 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 00:50 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 00:56 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: 00:59 and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 01:02 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 01:10 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 01:14 But other fell into good ground, brought forth fruit, 01:18 some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." 01:25 I skipped down to verse 18 for the interpretation. "Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 01:31 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, 01:35 and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 01:40 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, 01:44 and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: 01:50 for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 01:55 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; 01:58 and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 02:04 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, 02:10 and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, 02:17 some sixty, some thirty." Revive. 02:25 Our text records the parable of the sower, and in case you didn't know 02:31 this parable in that Jesus talks about how important God's word is. 02:36 The fact that we need a revival. But we don't need any old revival. 02:42 Jesus is saying, we need a revival in the Word of God. 02:47 Now, what's interesting about this parable is that 02:49 it's one of the few parables that Jesus doesn't let us try to figure out its meaning. 02:56 Jesus shares the parable of the sower and he tells us what it means 03:01 so there's no question as to what he's trying to tell us. 03:03 In this parable, Jesus says, there's a sower who goes out to sow seed. 03:09 As he throws seeds on the ground, the seeds fall on four different types of soil. 03:15 The seed represents the Bible. Represents somewhat everybody? 03:19 And the four different types of soil represent the different types of hearers to the Word of God. 03:23 In soil type number one, the farmer throws seeds on the soil but the birds come by and eat them up. 03:31 In soil number two, the farmer throws seeds on rocks and the seeds spring up 03:36 but then the sun cuts them down. 03:38 In soil number three, the farmer throws seeds on soil among thorns 03:43 but the thorns spring up and choked the seeds out. 03:47 But then in soil number four, the farmer throws seed on good soil. When the seed falls, it grows. 03:56 It develops and it produces a great harvest. 04:00 In this parable, Jesus is asking all of us, what kind of soil are you? 04:06 The first soil, we're dealing with way side seed. Everybody say way side seed. 04:12 Jesus said the seed is thrown on the ground but because people had walked on the ground so much, 04:18 the ground has become hard and because of the hardness of the ground, 04:22 the seed has no opportunity to develop, no opportunity to grow, no opportunity to take root. 04:27 And so, after the seeds fall by the way side, 04:29 the birds represented by the devil come by and eat them up. 04:34 Somebody is not getting it, let me try it this way. 04:36 When I was a little boy growing up in Florida, 04:38 my parents just always tell me, "Don't walk on the grass. Walk on the sidewalk 04:43 because if you walk on the grass, you're going to beat a path on the ground 04:47 and the more you walk on the ground, the more the ground is going to become hard 04:51 and the more the ground becomes hard, the more likely the grass won't grow 04:55 because the soil has been beaten down so much. 04:57 It's no longer good for production." Jesus is saying, 05:01 there are some of us whose hearts are like hard rock soil. 05:06 We have allowed negative influences to walk in our lives so much that our lives are hardened to God. 05:14 So when the seed, when the Word of God falls on the ground, it's like concrete. 05:19 It doesn't take root. It doesn't grow. It doesn't develop. 05:23 It just lays on the top and it's just a matter of time before Satan comes along 05:28 and picks the word right up from the heart of the believer. 05:32 When the seed of the word is spoken, people hear it but they're not changed by it. 05:38 They don't listen to what the Word is saying. 05:40 They don't get excited about the Word. They are writing notes when the Word of God is preached. 05:47 They're texting when the Word of God is preached. They're Twitting when the Word of God is preached. 05:54 They're Instagramming, SnapChatting, or Facebooking when the Word of God is preached. 05:59 It wasn't that the Word wasn't good. It's not that the Word wasn't powerful. 06:03 It's not that the Word was bad but because they don't study the Word. 06:07 They're not moved by the Word. They don't get excited by the Word. 06:12 They don't appreciate the Word of God. 06:14 They don't listen to the Word of God and because they don't listen to the Word of God, 06:18 the devil steals the very thing in the Word that would've gotten them their victory in a time of need. 06:26 I understand how you folk come to church week after week and never change. 06:32 I understand how people can hear the Word and read the Word and still, no change. 06:38 But the Word of God is more than just being read. 06:41 The Word's purpose is not just for you to have more intellectual and academic 06:45 insight into the Scriptures. The Word of God is suppose to change you. 06:51 How can a person read God's Word every week and still not be changed? 06:57 Walking out of church talking about, "Wooh! The Word was good! The Word was real. 07:01 God spoke, the preacher preached." 07:03 And then you go out the door and you're doing the same things you've been doing your entire life. 07:07 Thinking the Word was for somebody else, everybody else but you. 07:11 But it's time to get serious about the Word. 07:14 People don't know the Word. Our children don't know the Word. 07:20 It's too much playing when it comes to the Word of God. 07:24 Too many folks want the Word to suit them, to appease them, to placate them. 07:28 I go to some places and preach across the world 07:30 and some folks can't appreciate the Word that has substance to it. 07:35 It has been funny. Pleasure preacher preaches that makes you feel good. 07:39 Cotton candy preaching big and sweet on the outside, hollow and empty on the inside. 07:43 But to tell somebody, "Don't give me your feel good." "Don't give me your opinion." 07:47 "Don't give me your preference but give me the unadulterated Word of God." 07:50 In the day and age we live, we don't have time to play preaching. 07:54 But the text also says number two. It says rocky soil. 07:58 Everybody say rocky soil. In this soil, the farmer throws seeds on rocks. 08:03 The rocks are thrown on there and the seeds spring up but the sun cuts the seeds down. 08:10 In this scenario, the person has no deep roots. They hear the Word of God. 08:15 When they hear it, they're excited, they're energetic. They say amen, they shout Hallelujah. 08:19 They get excited. They hear the Word of God and spread joy but because they have no roots, 08:25 as soon as trouble comes, as soon as the trial comes, they're looking for a way out. 08:30 The Gospel appeals to their emotions. 08:32 The singers sing, you jump up, you get excited and you're quick to respond 08:36 but when the hype wears off, when the excitement goes away, so does the Gospel. 08:44 They accepted seeing what seems to be good at the moment 08:47 but they fail to count the cost of discipleship. 08:51 You see, I've learned in my life, discipleship costs you something. 08:55 Discipleship means you're taking up your cross and you're following Jesus. 08:58 There's a relationship between discipleship and obedience. 09:02 You can't claim to be a disciple of Christ and not obey Jesus Christ. 09:06 Jesus said in John 8:31, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples," 09:10 which means discipleship is tied to your obedience to the word of God. 09:13 Anybody talking about that they are disciples but they're disobeying God's word, 09:17 they are not a disciple. [Congregation: Amen] 09:19 Jesus says, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." 09:24 Which means there's a relationship between obedience and being set free. 09:28 Discipleship then begets obedience, and obedience begets freedom. 09:33 This leads me to the following statement: Every disciple is free but every church member isn't. 09:41 Church membership doesn't always mean true discipleship 09:45 because there are a lot of people who have their names on the roll 09:48 but you don't know what it means to be free in Jesus. 09:51 That's why you come to church bound. You come to church enslaved. 09:56 You come to church chained up, tied up, worried about what people think. 10:00 Worried about what people say. 'Do I look nice enough? Did I say amen too loud? 10:04 Am I supposed to clap? Am I supposed to be quiet?' You come to church bound. 10:08 Church membership does not always mean true discipleship because when you are a disciple, 10:12 you are obedient and when you're obedient, you're free. [Congregation: Clapping] 10:17 But when you decide to follow Jesus, although you're free in Jesus, 10:23 I am a witness that it's going to cost you something. You're going to cry sometimes. 10:30 You're going to hurt sometimes. You're going to be disappointed sometimes. 10:36 In this rocky soil type, Jesus is telling us that there are some people 10:41 who enthusiastically hear the Word of God. They say, "Amen." They say, "Hallelujah." 10:46 They say, "Praise Jesus." They say, "Thank you, Jesus!" 10:50 They hear the Word but in the name of Jesus, 10:53 don't make a mistake of substituting emotional reaction for spiritual depth. [Congregation: Amen.] 10:59 Obedience is not and praise to God is not about our feelings. [Congregation: Amen.] 11:05 You can't go by your feelings. If I went by my feelings, I won't be standing up here right now. 11:10 You can't go by your feelings because some days you're not going to feel like it. 11:16 Some days you're not going to feel like preaching. You're not going to feel like teaching. 11:19 You're not going to feel like singing. 11:21 Some days you're not going to feel like coming to church but in the name of Jesus, 11:27 I rebuke the devil and I will bless the Lord at all times. 11:31 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Jesus didn't go to Calvary because he felt like it. 11:40 I love the Lord. I won't take that back. He's been good to me. 11:46 We need a revival of the Word. I'm almost done. 11:48 Point number three, thorny soil. Everybody say thorny soil. 11:55 Now, the thorny person grows but not all growth is good growth. This growth is not vegetation. 12:07 This growth is weeds and according to verse 22 in the text, this, 12:13 "the weeds are the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches." 12:18 And when these weeds take root in your life, they choke God's Word out of your heart. 12:26 Thorny soil Christians are captivated by the world and the things of the world. 12:33 They work hard for money. Now I don't condemn that because if you don't work, you don't eat. 12:39 Do I have a witness to this place? 12:41 But when you work so much that you can't go to church because you're tired, 12:49 you can't go to Sabbath school because you're worn out, 12:52 you can't go to prayer meeting because you're sleepy, 12:55 you don't read your bible because you're exhausted, 12:59 you kneel down to pray and you fall asleep on your knees. Has that happened to anybody? 13:05 That has happened to me but it's because you're so busy with the cares of this world, 13:10 the Word of God is being choked out of your life. 13:14 But not only the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches. 13:19 Don't get it twisted. I'm not saying that there's anything evil about being wealthy. 13:25 There are a lot of people who are wealthy and godly. 13:28 I'm also not saying that there is anything inherently virtuous about being poor 13:33 because a lot of people think that the poorer you are, the more spiritual you are. 13:40 Just because you're poor doesn't mean you're spiritual. There's a lot of wicked poor folk. 13:45 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 13:47 I know a lot of poor people who are ungodly just like I know a lot of rich people who are ungodly. 13:51 Are you hearing what I'm saying? What Jesus is trying to tell us is, 13:55 that when wealth becomes your major objective where you overlook God, then you have a problem. 14:02 Read your Bible. The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil. 14:06 The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. 14:10 Let's keep it real. [Congregant: Clapping] 14:14 If some of us had a lot of money, we wouldn't be able to handle it. Tell the truth, shame the devil. 14:24 Some of you know that if you have a lot of money, forget speaking to other people. 14:30 You wouldn't even be able to speak to yourself. 14:33 Your nose would be so high in the air that if it rained, you'd drown. Can God trust you with more? 14:47 Because the deceitfulness of riches will make you forget where your help comes from. 14:54 You see, your help is not in Dillards. Your help is not in Belks. 15:01 Your help is not in Hugo Boss or Tom Fords 15:05 but I will lift up my eyes into the hills from where cometh my help, my help comes from the Lord. 15:12 Don't you let the deceitfulness of riches make you forget where your help comes from. 15:19 God has blessed some of you with a little of something but don't forget where it all came from. 15:24 Where your faith is no longer in God but your faith is in what you have 15:29 because how you handle what you have right now, 15:32 would've had determined how you handle what God can bless you with. 15:35 If you can't hand handle $10,000 now, then how are you goona handle $10 million later? 15:43 I don't want to make this a stewardship sermon but if you had more, could God trust you with more? 15:48 Because it's not based on what you have but who has you. You all hear what I'm saying? 15:53 If you can give God 10 cents out of every dollar now, 15:57 then how can God trust you to give $100 out of $1,000? 16:03 We live in a highly materialistic society. Folks are always trying to keep up with somebody else. 16:10 We buy things to impress people we don't know to keep up with people we don't like. 16:15 Young people, don't you come here to Oakwood, trying to keep up with somebody else? 16:23 You're here to get a college education. And your time in college is a temporary state of poverty. 16:30 Listen to me, young people, you got enough debt with student loans. 16:34 Don't pile on more debt with credit cards. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 16:38 Credit cards are for need, not wants. 16:42 Know the difference because the deceitfulness of riches is like a weed that will choke you out. 16:48 Don't get so caught up in the cares of this world, 16:50 and the deceitfulness of riches in the name of Jesus, 16:52 I can't explain to you the goodness of God. 16:58 I can't explain to you how God does what He does. 17:04 I can't explain to you today how God stretches $1. 17:09 Pastor Byrd always couldn't drive like he drives. 17:12 Pastor Byrd couldn't always dress like he dresses. 17:15 I remember those early days in ministry on one salary, my wife, myself, our children. 17:23 One salary, are you hearing what I'm saying? 17:25 But God says, "If you honor me, I'll honor you." Are you hearing what I'm saying? 17:30 I'm talking about 10 + 10. God says, He will open the windows of heaven, 17:38 and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 17:43 When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He's done for me, my soul cries out Hallelujah. 17:51 Somebody knows what I'm talking about because God delivered somebody from foreclosure. 17:56 God delivered somebody from being out on the street. God paid somebody's rent in this place today. 18:01 God paid somebody's car note in this place, and if God hasn't done it yet for you, just keep on living. 18:07 Because it is no secret what God can't do, what He's done for others He'll do for you. 18:12 Every once in a while, something will happen in your life. 18:16 Where your degree can't think you out. Your charisma and charm can't talk you out. 18:22 Your money can't buy you out. Your family can't bail you out. 18:26 God has to say, "Step back because I'm stepping in." Somebody knows he's Jehovah Jireh, my provider. 18:33 Don't let the deceitfulness of riches choke the word of God out of you. 18:38 God is still on the throne. He sits high, and He looks low. God is still on the throne. 18:45 He may not come when you want Him, but He's always right on time. 18:49 God is still on the throne. Delay is not denial. 18:55 Better learn how to trust in the Lord, with all your heart. 18:59 Lean not to your own understanding 19:00 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 19:03 I once was young, but now I'm old, but I've never seen the righteous forsaken, 19:06 nor His seed begging bread from the rising of the sun to the going down to the same. 19:10 The Lord is worthy to be praised. We need a revival and it's a revival in the Word of God. 19:17 But then there's soil type number four, I'm almost done. 19:21 The farmer throws seed on good soil and then the seed falls, 19:26 and then it grows and develops, it germinates and produces a good great harvest. 19:29 I don't know about you but I want to grow. I said, I want to grow. 19:34 Stagnation is not something I want to be a part of. God has not called Carlton Byrd. 19:40 I don't know what He called you to but God has not called me to maintenance ministry. 19:45 God has not called me to stagnant ministry. 19:48 God has not called me to isolate a ministry where we minister to nobody but ourselves. 19:54 I've been an Adventist all my life; Adventist born, Adventist breed 19:58 I'll be Adventist dead, thank God for the Adventist church. 20:02 I'm a fifth generation Adventist, you know it, paternally and maternally. 20:06 You are not out Adventist me. I've eat more grillers than you, 20:09 more dinner roast than you, had more haystacks than you. 20:12 You are not Adventist out Adventist me. But for too long, we've ministered to ourselves. 20:20 We preach to ourselves. We teach to ourselves, preaching what we want, singing what we want. 20:27 I say it all the time, we have an ancestral ministry. 20:30 I'm not talking about Oakwood, I'm talking about everywhere. 20:33 The fruit of incest is always something retarded. 20:36 We've got retarded churches because we care more about ourselves than we do about reaching the lost. 20:44 Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, teach all nations." 20:48 Folks are tired of revelation without relevance." 20:53 I believe I've got some Bible-believing folks in this place, 20:57 that you're living by the Word of God. 21:00 That you know you would have been dead had it not been for God. 21:05 That you would have been at a hospital room had you not been trusting God's promises in His Word. 21:09 That you would have been strung out somewhere if it had not been for the Word. 21:13 That you would have been locked up in somebody's jail if it had not been for the Word. 21:18 That you would still be in the Student Accounts line if it had not been for the Word. 21:23 That you would have lost your mind had it not been for the Word of God. 21:28 But God says, "If you just follow my words, when you follow my Word, 21:33 I'll give you thirty folds, sixty fold, 100 fold. 21:39 Your latter will always be greater than your past. 21:43 When the devil reminds you of your past, 21:45 you remind him of his future because God is gonna bless somebody thirty fold, 21:50 sixty fold and 100 fold. Restore, renew and give me a revival in the Word of God. 21:57 I'm not talking about any of your word, but I'm now talking about the living Word of God. 22:01 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, 22:05 and the Word was God but the Word became flesh. 22:09 Jesus became the living Word for me. Jesus went to Calvary to save a wretch like you and me. 22:16 They hung Him high, they stretched Him wide, He hung his head, for me He died. 22:21 But that's not how the story ends. In three days, He rose again. 22:26 Anybody wants Jesus today. Anybody wants a living Word today. 22:30 Anybody wants to be revived today, restored, renewed, revived. Anybody wants Jesus today. 22:38 He's bigger than your problems, bigger than your circumstances, bigger than your situation, 22:43 bigger than people, bigger than your enemies, bigger than your fears, bigger than your bills. 22:49 He's bigger than your tuition. My God is so big. He's all so strong and mighty. 22:55 There's nothing my God cannot do. [music] [Congregation: applause] 23:02 We need revival. Revival. 23:11 Seed is thrown on wayward soil, 23:17 rocky soil, thorny soil. 23:24 But if I want to revive on the Word of God, 23:26 I've gotta ask God to throw some seed in my soil 23:29 and my soil has got to be good soil. 23:33 And He promised me that He'll give me thirty fold, 23:38 sixty fold, 23:42 100 fold. 23:47 And if He doesn't give me anything else, 23:53 He's already given me enough. 24:04 Any Homeletician will tell you, 24:11 always in at the cross. 24:18 Any preacher worth their salt will always tell you, 24:22 end at the cross. 24:27 If Jesus, the living Word doesn't do another thing, 24:34 2000 years ago, He did enough. [Congregation: applause] 24:40 He hung on the cross, 24:48 and His blood 24:52 is available for you today. 25:00 You may have been a wayward soul, 25:04 a rocky soul, a thorny soul, 25:13 but His blood, 25:16 His blood flowed for you. 25:25 And if you just trust Him, you trust His word. 25:30 He has promised that He will give you thirty fold, 25:36 sixty fold, and you might just get 100 fold. 25:45 We need to be restored, renewed, and revived. 25:50 Byrd: [singing] Jesus went 25:51 Choir: [singing] Jesus went, To Calvary 25:56 To save a wretch like you and me 26:02 That's Love, that's love 26:10 Byrd: [singing] He did not do it , He could have set Himself free. Jesus 26:15 Choir: [singing] Jesus went, To Calvary 26:20 To save a wretch like you and me 26:25 That's Love, that's love. 26:35 Byrd: [singing] They hung Him high... 26:37 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 26:42 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 26:46 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 26:49 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 26:55 Or, call us at (256) 929-646 27:03 [END] 27:07 Social justice is embedded in Breath of Life's commitment 27:13 to carry this wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ. 27:17 I believe in social justice. I believe in equality of all people. 27:25 And I also believe that Jesus died and His blood was spilt for all of us. 27:33 With that in mind, I've had the privilege most recently of authoring a sharing book entitled Free. 27:41 I want to encourage you to secure your copy of this sharing book, Free. 27:48 Which shares how Jesus is the ultimate freedom fighter 27:54 and that we, His people, should all be free. 27:59 www.breathoflife.tv |
Revised 2020-03-04