Matthew 13:1-23

It says: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

And great crowds gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat down.

And the whole crowd stood on the beach.

And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.

And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since there was no depth of soil, but when the sun rose, they were scorched.

And since they had no root, they withered away.

Other seeds," verse seven, "fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some 60, and some 30.

He who has ears, let him hear." All right, let's pray.

Lord, we, with that word from you ringing in our ears, we say to you, Lord, that we wanna be those who have ears and are hearing what you might have to say, Lord, to us.

And not just today, Lord, not just during this sermon, but we want to be people who are tuned in to your kingdom frequency, who are repeatedly, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, hearing the word of the kingdom, that it might bear incredible fruit in our lives.

Lord, we pray that you would forgive us and cleanse us from those moments where the thorns or the distractions in life choke out the word of your kingdom, where we are shallow and have no root so your kingdom word cannot grow, and Lord, where we're just beaten down by the thoughts and patterns of the world, and so your kingdom word has no room to advance in our lives.

We pray, Lord, that you would systematically shift all of that so that we might be like that good soil, bearing fruit a hundredfold or 60-fold or 30-fold for your kingdom.

So Lord, we thank you this morning and ask for your hand in helping us.

In Jesus' name we pray together.

Amen.

Amen.