Speaking About Word of God Speak

Sunday evening I will have the real treat to speak to a bunch of teens about Jesus. Fell free to pray for me as I do this. Public speaking is not my normal gig, but I do just fine at it. Blogging has been good for me in my preparation for this talk. You, my wonderful blogging readership numbering in the tens of tens, are going to get a preview.

If anyone from the North Heights Church if Christ in Batesville, AR is reading this before 5:30 PM, the you're cheating. Log off or follow this link and wait for me to tell these stories at that time.

I am going to lead off with asking if they have ever been busted. You know, ever tried being something you are not and then get found out? I'll throw in a few self-depricating public farting stories and I should have an attentive audience.

Luke 8:4-15 tells about the parable of the sower. 4 soils. Farmer puts seed on all four soils. It grows only on the good soil.

Point #1: The seed, the Word of God, exposes you for who you are. If you are bad soil, when the Word of God comes into contact with you, then you will be exposed as bad soil.

Point #2: What kind of soil are you?
A. Pathy soil? Are you walked on a lot? Depressed, full of anxiety, beat the crap (I might actually say the word crap, still thinking about it) out of yourself all the time, no confidence? Then the word of God will expose you for that. If you are committed to nothing ever working out your way, you are committed to complete helplessness, then God's word will show you for who you are.

B. Rocky soil? Are you angry, bitter, jaded, hardened? Have you lost you ability to be influenced by anyone or anything? Been hurt so much that you don't trust anyone? Then the Word of God will expose you for being that way.

C. Thorny soil? Are you loaded, I mean real rich? Super popular or super great athlete? Are you hot? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. If you rely on these things, are afraid you might lose them - you need them, then the Word of God will expose you as a fake, a fraud, a poser.

D. Good soil? If you are humble, generous, kind, hopeful, peaceful, loving etc. Then the Word of God wil expose you as this kind of person.

Point #3: How to become good soil.
A. Pray to become good soil. "Show me what it is in my life that makes such lousy soil."
B. Listen for an answer.Although this is praying as well, I think they will associate praying with talking and not listening.
C. Accept the answer. This is the big one. Lots of people who say that they do not hear God really just don't like what He is saying and thus are merely unwilling, not being ignored.
D. Surrender to the answer of God and the God of the answer. This is the hardest part. It might require pain in order to accomplish good soilness.

I've got 30 minutes to pull this off.