I do believe as I stand before you now that the battle is coming to an end. We haven’t won Lostwithiel yet but we will have victory soon. However, before that happens, it seems to me that God must remove from our midst, more of the members of this fellowship. I am sad that you will go but the Lord’s will be done. God will reduce us to a remnant before He will give us victory. Listen to what the Spirit will say this morning as you decide whether to stay or go. Whether you are part of this battle for Lostwithiel or whether you are simply a bystander.

The Parable of the Good Soil

As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along. He addressed them, using this story: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
Luke 8:5-9 (The Message)

I believe that our aim in winning souls is currently wrong. We need to examine once again why we want to see souls won for Christ. Why do I say this? We are doing an evangelism course. But to what end are we choosing to evangelise? I believe God has shown me that some of us want to win souls so the church membership will be bigger. So we can have more musicians. Maybe so we can have more money in. However, whilst these might be wrong, Paul said in Philippians 1:15-18

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.[a] But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

So Paul said that even if we are preaching Christ for wrong motives, at least Christ is preached. However, what I find even more deplorable is when folks don’t want to preach Christ at all. Why? Well maybe quite simply because they like out little family as it is. It is a nice select gathering, isn’t it. We’re all friends here. I will say this as simply as possible, we’re not called to be friends here, we’re called to be brothers and sisters. A family but a unique family because we should be electing to grow this family. God’s will is to have a family in Lostwithiel. God is preparing a remnant to have victory in Lostwithiel. Remember as well that the course is a tool. It is one way to preach the gospel, there are others. But the goal must be to preach the gospel.

But does this victory simply focus on preaching the gospel. When we hear about the good soil it is nearly always in terms of winning the lost. But have you thought about what else the good soil could be? Have you thought that the good soil might be character, money, gifts, service to others. If we see the good soil simply as winning souls, then that is all we need to do, but if the good soil is character say, then we would be obliged to improve out character! This is quite a bit harder. What about the good soil being about how we use our money? Ouch that has got to hurt. If was for a reason that J John once said, “the last thing to be converted is our wallets”.

So how can we produce good soil? Jesus this morning wants us to examine out motives, examine our lives, He wants us to listen to His Holy Spirit and hear what the Spirit has to say. Jesus wants to kill us this morning in order that He might live greater in us. As the seed falls to the ground and dies so that it becomes what it is meant to be, so must we.

You must be prepared to die

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
Luke 9:23-25 (New International Version)

Or as The Message puts it:

Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:23-25 (The Message)

There is a current trend to self-help groups. Positive thinking gurus. We are currently being given multiple methods for improvements. Methods to change character, marriages, attitudes, make you less self-reliant and God say, “Forget methods, look at my Son”.

Have you died to self yet? When you asked Jesus in, you gave your life to Christ but you probably did not fully die. It takes time to die to self and I am asking you this morning to start dying for Christ. Now what do I mean? Well a small and simple death that I am currently contemplating is in driving. God’s will I confidently declare and then I get in my car. I speed, I don’t like others over-taking me, I want the journey to end. I hate stopping for anything. As I was driving along just over a week ago the Holy Spirit said to me, “Are you prepared to die?” Now when you are driving that is quite a funny thing to ask but I knew what the Spirit meant and to be honest, “I said no.” And carried on driving as I always do. But God will have victory, I declare today that I am ready to die when it comes to driving. I want Christ to be the master at the wheel of my car. No more speeding and driving like a fool. Wise driving for me. Is it that simple? No I wish it was. I will need to pray that I die and Jesus lives in me in respect of driving. It will take time but Jesus will have the victory. He will answer my prayer and kill Richard Brown in respect of driving but then there will be another area in which my will be done rather than His will be done and God wants the whole of me.
So this morning when I ask have you died, I mean start dying now. Let me list some areas that I believe the Holy Spirit has brought before me. Money, children, laziness, tiredness, illness, school, ministry, work, family, husband, ownership, possessions, property both house and land, animals, desires, gifts.
It is a start. Because those are specifics but what about driving for instance. It is a challenge to me to drive within the speed limit and laws. What thing is God saying to you this morning, “You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.”?
The amazing thing about this letting go and letting God in, is that once done, life changes. Not easier, but more peaceful, contentment comes. It won’t be easier, Jesus never said, “take up your mattrice”! He said take up your cross. It is a nasty, painful and ultimately deadly thing the cross. Why the cross? It is the same path Jesus took and He calls us to take the same path.
As I die to self I am becoming more aware of the lies the devil is choosing to feed me. I am more aware of my own vulnerabilities. I am also more aware of the strength of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am more aware of the inconsistencies, of the things that God is desiring of me. It is hard work but that is why the Holy Spirit will come.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:25-27 (New International Version)

We need the Holy Spirit to come and teach us what the Father wants. Our lives are often simply that - our lives - my life - your life - but they shouldn’t be, they should be His life. His life to do as He pleases, not as we please. This morning I believe Jesus wants to kill us, to change us, to lead us into new things. It will be costly are you prepared to pay the price because Jesus wants your whole life.

As we come to the end of the sermon I want to leave you with joy. The joy of service, the joy of salvation and the joy of sovereignty.
“All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s Authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you - that’s the agenda for rejoicing.” Luke 10 v 20
We are going to find joy as we report our victories. Both in our own changed lives and in the changed lives of others. Particularly when those changed lives mean salvation in Christ.
But our greatest joy is not found in service or even in our salvation, but in being submitted to the sovereign will of the Heavenly Father, because this is our foundation for both service and salvation.

We are indeed in a privileged position.