Sleeping Beauty

Beautiful Dreamer…on Pew No. 3

Luke 8:4-8<= /p>

Several years ago, I heard a song by Dan McBride, who = was a minister in Texas= at that time. He had taken the song, Beautiful Dreamer, and put words to it that only a preacher could fully appreciate. I don’t remember all the lyr= ics, but I do recall how it began:

&nb= sp; “Beautiful Dreamer, wake unto me. I’m speaking to you there on= pew number three…”

By the way, if this becomes a problem this morni= ng and someone seated beside you nods off, you have my permission to throw an elbow!

Jesus evidently recognized the problem. He told a parable to illustrate the point that just because the Gospel is preached, this doesn’t mean it = will be heard. Three of the Gospel writers relate this story. We= hear it today as told by St. Luke:

Luke 8:4-8 ⁴While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: ⁵&qu= ot;A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell a= long the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. ^{6Some
fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no
moisture. ⁷Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it a=
nd
choked the plants. ⁸Still other seed fell on good soil. It came =
up
and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he
said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."=
;}

Jesus saw the problem. People may have fully functioning ears—and we have friends wit= h us most Sundays who don’t—but even for those with good auditory function, it doesn’t mean they’ll actually hear anything.

I can’t imagine that anyone ever went to sleep w= hen Jesus was speaking-although they probably did--but we have it on the author= ity of Scripture that this happened to Paul.&n= bsp; The young man’s name was Eutychus—which may not ring a b= ell for you, but I’m sure some of you will remember his story.

When our oldest child, Claire, was a senior in high sc= hool, her English teacher gave the class an assignment to write a humorous adapta= tion of something found in the Bible. She chose the story of Eutychus.&nb= sp; I’ll read a portion of the account from Acts, and then I’= ;ve asked Claire to come and share with you her poem.

Acts 20:7-10 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the pe= ople and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midni= ght. ⁸There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meetin= g. ⁹Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sle= ep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground f= rom the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!"

Since everything turned out okay, it’s really ki= nd of a funny story, isn’t it? Claire, come, please, and share with us your interpretation.

SLEEPING ROOTY by Claire Thomason

See, this is why I try to get you out from under the balcony—it’s dangerous under there! Now, I understand that some of you = find it humorous when somebody falls asleep during the sermon—but preachers have a little different perspective on this!

That person in the pew maybe snoozing away—even = having sweet dreams--but we have trouble finding any beauty in it!

Maybe those of us who attempt to preach, though, shoul= d take comfort in the story of Eutychus—I mean, this even happened to the Apostle Paul.

Or perhaps we should make everyone sit on third-story = window ledges during church. The fea= r of falling might keep some folks awake—although it didn’t work out that way for Eutychus!

Okay, I’m not picking on anyone. I’d rather have you here and sleeping than not here at all. But what I do want us all to see is that Jesus told us the preaching of the Gospel i= s a shared responsibility. ItR= 17;s the preacher and the listener. It’s the sowing of the seed and the ground on which the seed falls.

Jesus told this parable at a time when people were com= ing out in droves to hear him preach. The disciples were ecstatic about this, but Jesus was realistic about it. He knew that many would c= ome to hear him, but few would actually follow him.

Thousands would turn out for a show, you see--theyR= 17;d wait around all day for a miracle or a free meal. But the crowds would quickly melt = away when Jesus talked about putting God first in their lives and being willing = to sacrifice for His Kingdom.

Jesus explains what happens like this. He says it’s like a farmer s= owing seeds in his field. The seed = is the Gospel, and the farmer sows the same seed throughout his field.

The only thing that’s different is the soil̵= 2;not the seed, but the soil—not the Gospel, but the way the message is hea= rd and received. Jesus explains = the differences in these ways:

1. First, some people never hear (THOSE WHO NEVER HEAR). They’re within earshot, but = the soil of their lives is hard, packed down.&= nbsp; The seed can’t get into such soil, so the birds come along and have a feast. Something like = this happens when I over-seed my lawn—I make a lot of birds very happy, an= d very full!

Some people’s lives are like a well-worn path, J= esus said. Lots of traffic, lots of busy-ness and activities and amusements—far too much to allow time and space for God.

This can even happen in church—people can show up without ever intending to really listen.&n= bsp; They’re so indifferent to the Gospel that the Word cannot penetrate them.

There are many causes. Some are too set in their ways to hear anything new or challenging—but this is the word of the Lord, and He makes all things new!

Self-righteousness may be the hindrance—we assum= e the message surely must be for someone else, and not us!

Or maybe some terribly painful or disappointing experi= ence in life has hardened us to the point that even the grace of Christ can̵= 7;t get through.

For so many, life is simply too busy to give God the t= ime of day—even on Sunday. We’re always on the go, too rushed to rest, or worship, or live. We mistakenly believe t= hat we are great because we’re so busy; but it’s sad when we’re = too busy for God.

He told us a long time ago: “Be still, and know = that I am God.” Knowing God re= quires some quietness, and stillness, and the gift of our time.

If we try to go about church the same way we do everyt= hing else, with a thousand other thoughts and distractions crowding our brains, = we shouldn’t be surprised if we don’t hear anything at all!

2. Next, Jesus tells of THOSE WHO SEEM TO HEAR, but really don’t. The soil = of their lives is shallow, with a layer of rock just beneath the surface. So much of the soil in Palestine is like this.

Now, an interesting thing happens to seed sown into th= ese conditions. The warmth of the= rocks just below the soil actually causes the seeds to germinate quickly and begi= n to grow.

The farmer thinks this could be a bumper crop! But the rocks prevent the young sh= oots from sending their roots deep enough to find moisture, so they soon wither = and die.

You might think of these folks as “temporary Christians.” They hear = the Gospel with joy, and respond with enthusiasm.&nbs= p; The farmer, or the preacher, expects great things; but the response = to the Gospel is soon shown to be shallow and superficial. Nothing really takes hold in this = person’s life. There’re no roots= !

Enthusiasm and emotion are wonderful things, but they = must spring from something deeper. Temporary Christians abound during times of excitement, when somethi= ng is new and different; but when the new is gone, so are they.

Don’t you find it interesting that these seeds a= re destroyed by the same thing that causes seeds with deeper roots to grow? The sun doesn’t kill the young plants. The sun is necessary = for growth--except it can kill the young plants whose roots are too shallow.

Friends, the same thing that makes the Christian grow = will destroy those who are only playing the part—whose relationship with Christ is just on the surface.

The same terrible tragedy strikes; but one is made bet= ter and the other becomes bitter. One embraces God more fully, while the other vows never to trust God again.

Two students encounter the same professor who puts them through the wringer of intellectual testing. One emerges with a stronger, more confident faith, while the other turns his back on everything he once thoug= ht he believed.

There are lots of examples. The point is that the Word of God = must get deep enough inside of us to be life-changing. Otherwise, we just seem to hear and respond to it; but when the heat is on, we wither and die.

3. Jesus points us to another group: = THOSE WHO HEAR AND FORGET.= The soil of their lives is full of thorns. It’s rich enoug= h and deep enough, but just too congested with weeds for faith to grow.

Have you ever watched satellite TV when the weather was getting bad? The signal is co= ming through, then it partially breaks up, then it goes out completely. It comes back on, giving you hope,= then goes out again. It’s frustra= ting, especially on those rare occasions when there’s something on you real= ly want to watch!

Some people try to stay connected to Christ, but can&#= 8217;t for long because there’s so much interference. Too many involvements, too many loyalties.

They think they can hold on to Christ while holding on= to everything else in equal measure, but it doesn’t work that way. With Christ, we’re either connected, or we’re not. We’re tuned in, or we’ve lost the signal.

What is it in my life, and what is it in yours, that s= tands between us and our relationship with Christ? What are the weeds in our lives, w= hat are the thorns that, if allowed to grow, will choke Christ out?

We all have them, friends—these weeds. Sometimes they are even good things which are not being kept in proper perspective. We must take care and keep cultiva= ting our lives for Christ lest the thorns choke off our relationship—lest = we hear…and forget.

4. Now for some good news. There̵= 7;s one other group in Jesus’ story.&nbs= p; We’ll call them THOSE= WHO HEAR AND FLOURISH. They hear the Gospel, receive it gladly, and their lives are like fertile soil in which Christ takes root and grows and flourishes and produces fruit.

This is how Jesus describes these Christians a little = later in Luke: “The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” (Luke 8:15)

So what evidence is the Lord is looking for? People whose hearts are in the rig= ht place, in whose lives God’s word has taken root and is growing toward maturity—devoted followers who are bearing fruit, producing a good crop.

Thank God, friends, there are folks like that right here. This church has been bl= essed and continues to be blessed by some bumper crop Christians. What a joy to see them grow and pr= osper and produce.

But we won’t see this, nor will we BE this, if we’re just slumbering our way through in our walk with the Lord—= ;a sort of spiritual sleep-walking, if you will.

Wake up! Listen as a person who is wide awake and focused on God’s word. Be fertile soil in which the Gospe= l of Christ can grow and mature and produce a crop. This is Jesus’ challen= ge to us!

So…have you been listening?—and not so muc= h to me, friends, as to God’s Spirit?&nbs= p; If you’ve really been listening, what is it that God wants to = do in your life today?

Is He speaking to your heart right now, leading you to= :

1) Receive Christ as your personal Savior?

2) Recommit your life to Him as Lord?

3) Unite with this church family; or

4) To answer His call to some ministry He has for you to do?