Verses 1-9, 18-23
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People's hearts are like different types of soil. The Word is like seed that can grow in a person's life, either to get them saved or to cause a believer to grow as he/she learns from the Word.
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If people don't understand the Word, if they give up on following it, when it gets hard, or if they are distracted from the Word because of sins or worries, the Word will not help them.
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Even as believers, we won't grow stronger in Christ if we don't keep good soil—keep our hearts in good condition.
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Listen to the Word, take your time to understand it, never give up on following it, don't be weighed down by sin or worries, and you'll grow well!
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Verses 10-17, 34-35
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Verses 11-15. People who don't care to listen to the Word won't understand it, and it will be confusing to them.
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The Jews were taught in mysterious parables, so that they would not understand, because they didn't want to anyway.
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Verse 12. But whoever listens well will be able to listen better, and their understanding will grow.
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Verses 16-17. Believers have been granted an understanding of God, in the Word, that is far greater than anything that was ever given to people in the Old Testament!
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Be thankful for the knowledge and understanding you have from God, and always seek to understand more!
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Verses 24-30, 36-43
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Right now, unbelievers are mixed in with believers in the world. The devil wants to get unbelievers into churches too, to try to harm believers.
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Tares looks just like wheat right up until harvest time. For this reason, many churches are full of unbelievers, and many don't recognize it.
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We wait. Soon everyone who is not a believer will be exposed, and after Christ returns He will remove unbelievers from His kingdom. We who are believers will be spared.
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Do your best to protect yourself and your community from the evil that's in this world, but don't worry about what you miss. Christ will bring final judgment in time.
Verses 31-33
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The Gospel and our faith start out small and undetectable to many. But the Word is moving and growing all around the world.
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Christ's rule will eventually become a great kingdom that will destroy all other kingdoms of this world, when Christ returns.
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Do your best to spread the Word of God in all kinds of places. Your efforts may seem small, but the outcome will be great! Don't be discouraged!
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Verses 44-46
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Being in the kingdom of heaven is more valuable that anything else we could desire. Those who are saved and enter the kingdom must be willing to give up everything to follow Christ.
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Remember this and treat your salvation like the most precious treasure!
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Verses 47-51
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As a believer, desire to pull in all kinds of people towards faith in Jesus.
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When Christ returns, He will remove the ones that cannot enter the kingdom.
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So don't judge and disqualify anyone from hearing the gospel too quickly. Try to win all kinds of people. Christ will judge and sort them out later.
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Verse 52
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When you have good understanding of the Word and the kingdom, you are able to teach from both the Old and New Testament.
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Every part of the Bible is a valuable treasure! Value and talk about all of it!
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Verses 53-58
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Jesus' family heard His wisdom, and had a chance to listen and receive it, but they rejected it after that recalled their familiarity with Him as a relative of theirs.
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It is often harder to reach those who are your own biological family. Those who are familiar with you will have more pride, and are least likely to honor or listen to you.
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Still try to reach your family, as Jesus did, just know that it will be more work!
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