​Imagine sowing good seeds in hopes of a fruitful crop. But as you observe the first seedlings, you notice something: though all the sprouts look similar, some are weeds. The crop is compromised because an enemy secretly sowed bad seeds within your field. And it’s too late to do anything about it now. The roots of the weeds are intertwined with the wheat you planted.

Satan secretly sows counterfeits that are harmful and destructive to the good seed. Even though we know it’s happening, yanking the weeds out will harm the crop. And so, the weeds grow along with the good seed.

This reality can be discouraging and disheartening for those who sow the good seed of God’s Word. Scattered among believers are counterfeit Christians who harm genuine Christians—entangling their roots, leeching nourishment, and causing chaos. But Jesus tells us not to rip out the weeds, or genuine Christians would be harmed too. 
So what can be done? Wheat with strong roots will prevent the weeds from thriving. One day, the weeds will be dealt with. But until then, caring for and nurturing the growth of the good seed will starve and stave off the weeds, preventing them from flourishing.

So disciples, sowers, ministers—keep sowing. Keep caring. Keep cultivating. Just don’t give up!

​Jesus gave His disciples the interpretation of the Parable of the Sower—those who lingered longer to learn from Him. They would also be sowers, sharing the Good News with others. But they needed to know that Gospel ministry was not inherently successful. Sowing the good seed of God’s Word will be difficult, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching—yet worthy work.

But most sowers don’t give up, even though this worthy work can be difficult. Most give up over what Jesus articulates in His next parable in Matthew 13. Watch our study as we consider the Parable of the Weeds and find encouragement to not give up.

​Jesus used parables to weed out those who weren’t interested in hearing what He had to say. If people didn’t want to hear The Word of God or to know Him more, they wouldn’t get anything out of His teaching. In fact, it would be worse for people to stay for the wrong reason, for if they heard and didn’t act, they would be accountable for what they heard but didn't do.

Just as Jesus experienced, we will encounter those who look but don’t really see. They hear, but don’t really listen or understand (see Isaiah 6:8-10). Jesus understands the condition of the human heart and how it can’t be controlled, which is what the parable of the sower is all about. All you can do is be faithful to sow the seed and realize it will land on bad soil far often than good soil. Don’t let this discourage you—keep on sowing!

​After a long day of ministry, Jesus sat by the Sea of Galilee. When the multitudes gathered around Him, He got in a boat and taught them from the water using parables. Jesus knew that parables aren’t easily or immediately understood. And so, He ended His first parable by saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

But wouldn’t Jesus want everyone to hear and understand? Yes—but only those who genuinely desired to understand Him. For hard-hearted hearers, parables protect them from further accountability. Jesus used parables to weed out those in the multitudes who were following Him for a multitude of reasons—not simply to worship Him and hear The Ministry of The Word.

Watch our study in Matthew 13:1-23 as we consider how and why Jesus used parables to teach.

Eternal life is not only a quantity of life, but a quality of life. This quality comes not just from knowing about God, but from knowing Him. God wants us to know that we have eternal life, but how can we know for sure? Eight times in 1 John, the Apostle John writes, “By this we know…”

1. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (1 John 2:3)
2. “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” (1 John 2:5)
3. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)
4. “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.” (1 John 3:18-19)
5. “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24)
6. “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6)
7. “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” (1 John 4:13)
8. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” (1 John 5:2)

Loving God looks like keeping His commandments and laying down our lives for others. This kind of love is made possible through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us when we are born again. The word of God says that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation—the old is gone and the new has come (see 2 Corinthians 5:17)! 

You can know that you have eternal life—simply confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. The Bible says that if you do this, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Repent (turn away from) your sin and ask God for forgiveness. Believe that Jesus died for your sin and that God raised Him to life. Trust Him as your Savior and follow Him as the Lord of your life.

​Join us for a special evening on worship on Friday, November 21st at 6:30pm as we gather together for a time of worship and baptisms. If you are interested in being baptized, connect with Pastor Dom.

​Have you ever wondered if you truly have eternal life? Many hope, wish, or even strive for it, but still aren't sure. So how can we be certain about eternal life? What are the criteria? How can we know for sure?

God’s word is clear—He extends eternal life to all who believe in the name of Jesus, and wants you to know that you have eternal life. In fact, in the letter of 1 John, there are 8 times that John emphatically tells us, “By this we know…” Watch our study from Sunday as we unfold the amazing, beautiful, and indestructible eternal life we have in Jesus.