The Third Soil - 17 December 2017 - Tyron Nel

“God can do great things through the person who doesn’t care who gets the credit.”

Mark 4:15-20Some people are like the seed along the path, where

the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes

and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word

at once and receive it with joy. But since they have no

root, they last only a short time. When trouble or

persecution comes because of the word, they quickly

fall away.

Mark 4:15-20

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the

word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of

wealth and the desires for other things come in and

choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed

sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and

produce a crop – some thirty, some sixty, some a

hundred times what it was sown.

Third Soil Characteristics

• Initially Fruitful

• Lust for What the World Holds

• Pride of Life

• Desire for Glory and Wealth

• Robbed of their Purpose

How can we move beyond the third soil?

1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s

1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s

Learn from Nebuchadnezzar

“That the Most High rules the kingdom of men, gives it to

whomever He will, and He sets over the kingdoms the

lowest of men.” Daniel 4:17

1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s

Downfall started when he wanted praise and Glory all for

himself (Third Soil)

Result:

• The king was driven from his throne

• Lived with the beasts of the field for seven years

1. Live for God’s Praise, not Man’s

Redemptive story here:

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour

the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and

His ways just. And those who walk in pride He is able to

put down.” Daniel 4:37

2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –STOP IT!!!

2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –STOP IT!!!

Saul

“Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands”

1 Sam 18:7

Fourth soil people:

• Genuinely happy for others

• Rid themselves of envy and jealousy

• Reproduce people to go ahead of you

2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –STOP IT!!!

• In the end Saul was not going against David, but God

himself

• His enmity towards David turned out to be hid enmity

towards God

2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –STOP IT!!!

How did David move beyond the third soil?

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast

spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

2. ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ –STOP IT!!!

• Respect the calling on others people

• Honour Differences

• Avoid pulling down those with great influence

• Love what God is doing in you

3. Practice ‘self-forgetfulness’

“There is a world of vices hidden in the soul, but self-denial is the remedy of them all” –John Calvin

3. Practice ‘self-forgetfulness’

Lesson from Judas

3. Practice ‘self-forgetfulness’

Lesson from Judas

• None of us are immune to being a third soil

• Need to check our hearts daily

“Without the principle of self-denial we are either led to indulgence in the grossest vices without the least of shame, or, if there is any appearance of virtue in us, it is spoiled by an evil passion for glory” – John Calvin

“God is so far from being pleased either with those who are ambitious of popular praise, or with hearts full of pride and presumption, that He plainly tells us ‘they have their reward’ ” – John Calvin

4. ‘Lift others up’

4. ‘Lift others up’

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the

morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who

weakened the nations! For you have said in your

heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne

above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the

congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will

ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the

Most High.'” – Isaiah 14:12-15

4. ‘Lift others up’

• I will ascend into heaven

• I will exalt my throne above the stars of God

• I will sit on the mount of Congregation

• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds

• I will be like the Most High

4. ‘Lift others up’

• Serve others

• Affirm and be interested in others

• Choose contentment

The Fourth Soil

The Fourth Soil

“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the

word, accept it and produce a crop 30, 60, or even

100 times what was sown.” Mark 4:20

The Fourth Soil

‘Live for God’s praise not man’s’

‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ So STOP IT!!!

‘Practice self-forgetfulness’

‘Lift others up’

Philippians 2:5-11

“In your relationships with one another, have the same

mind-set as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be

used to His own advantage;

Philippians 2:5-11

rather, He made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

He humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:5-11

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place

and gave Him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is

Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”