"SEEDS"
Generations Series #1
June 24, 2007
Mike Matijevich
mmatevich@aol.com

Intro:
* Amazing how you plant little seed and tree comes up LASTS for generations to come.
* My question is it possible to live a life that lasts for generation?
* Is it possible to live your life in such a way that its impact last for a 1000 years?
Ps 145:1-4 key verse (4) - impact comes from, "declare thy mighty acts." (Telling a story)

* How do you impact generations to come?
Comes down to the power of a SEED!
Parable of the sower…
Mt 13:3-8
* This a parable about FAITH.
- The farmer has faith in the SEED.
- He plants a kernel corn & he has faith in the POTENTIAL of that seed that it will grow…
Essentially plant a seed of FAITH…
*** If I want a life that outlasts me I have to CONTINUALLY plant a seeds of faith.
- The parable FARMER = God; Always sowing GOOD things into our lives…
* I want to flip this parable around- ask "what kind of seed are you & I planting?
* Every day I, in fact, I am planting by the way I live etc.

I. The question is, "how do I know WHAT I am planting has LIFE? I have to ask myself a question…

A. Is it a SELFISH or UNSELFISH seed? Jn 12:24
* It has to go into the ground & in the silence of the ground it dies.
My selfish desires & goals & dreams- die to myself. SO I can plant an unselfish seed.

* Two things last forever: If I invest my life in those two things then MY LIFE will last FOREVER…
1) The WOG- Isa. 40:8 "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."
2) Souls of men

II. Second question is, WHERE are you planting?

* A seed can have life BUT if I plant it in BAD Soil still NO FRUIT.
A. The soil here= the different types of live & hearts.
1. The calloused life- Mt 13:19
* They living for themselves sowing selfish seeds- impact= footprints on the beach.

2. The comfortable life Mt 13:20-21
* This is the person that becomes a Christian & thinks that everything is going to be COMFORTABLE; PERFECT.
*** The Christian life is NOT about our COMFORT, but about our CHARACTER!

* God grows our character when we step out & sow seeds of faith- we stretch & are uncomfortable.
* In fact if we are not uncomfortable probably not in God's will.
It is when I am stretching in faith that God grows me. I find FULFILLMENT & PEACE.
It is when I say to God, "I am so uncomfortable". God says, "That is great let go & trust me".

3. The crowded life (most Christians today) Mt 13:22
* This is the person receives Christ but they plant all these things that don’t last.
* The person that plants OK things, but they are not the things that last.
In a short time it chokes out.

? What did we do THIS WEEK that will last for all eternity?
* Sometimes our lives become so overloaded & crowded with ok things that when we are gone so will they.

4. The complete life (the good soil)Mt 13:23
* The picture of a Christian that plants seeds of faith, that are alive so it produces fruit that lasts.
Some 100, 60, 30
* But you have to plant a seed that is alive & have to plant in GOOD soil.

B. What is good soil?
1. Faith in Jesus is good soil… not the AMOUNT of faith, the OBJECT of your faith. (not in yourself)
* A little faith in a great God can do great things!

2. The church is good soil…
* Lot of good organizations out there but there is only ONE that can change the world.
- The Church the Bride of Christ! The Church the Body of Christ! We are his hands & his feet, His voice His ONLY plan to heal this hurting world!
* Today the world sees TOO much RELIGION & not ENOUGH of Jesus!
*** God will always bless you when you plant seeds of faith in the church!

III. Why am I planting? Gal 6:7-10

* If you sow temporary things then temporary things is what you reap.
If you sow eternal things then eternal things are what you'll reap.
If you sow generosity then you'll reap generously.

Why do we at Paradise do what we do?
* For people- whether it is building, selling, moving, greeting, parking, teaching, camps, tracts, etc= eternal things. Whatever we do here…it will be for people!
2 things are eternal WOG & Souls of men.

CONCLUSION:
What are you building (planting) with your ONE & ONLY life that will outlast you. TIME to plant / serve.
* We want children growing up here falling in love with Christ, young couples to know the Lord, teenagers that will yield to the call to serve Him as a missionary, pastor or whatever God calls them to.
* THAT is worth MY LIFE & YOURS!