The message this morning is called “Low Expectations.”  Charles Dickens wrote a classic book called, “Great Expectations” where people dreamed of great wealth, fortune and happiness.  I am calling this message, “Low Expectations” because I am afraid that the Christian community has set too high expectations for themselves when it comes to evangelism.

                    I meet Christians who talk about how to lead a person to Christ.  Bring your expectations lower.  I meet Christians who give you the simplest, clearest, most relevant, most in touch with society method to reach our generation.  Though we can learn from these people, today, I want to bring your expectations lower.  I don’t want you to be concerned today about being relevant or clear, I want you to take on a lower expectation today.

                    This is the point I want to make today.  Do something. The problem today is that we feel so inadequate.  And we are.  I want to challenge you to do something to reach out for Jesus.  Bake a loaf of bread and give it to someone in Jesus’ name.  Invite someone to the Snowflake banquet.   When you do something you will find that the responsibility shifts from your back to the other person.  And you can expect four different responses to anything you do.

                    In Mark 4, Jesus teaches his disciples, through a parable, about what to expect when they talk about spiritual things with people.  These four responses apply to believers and unbelievers. 

                    I am going to give you the parable, give you Jesus’ interpretation, illustrate and apply this teaching of Jesus.

                    “1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered round him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.” 9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”” Mark 4:1-9.

                    Notice this last phrase.  It is key to the whole passage.  Notice that Jesus does not say, “He who has ears, let him hear.”  Rather, he says, “He who has ears to hear…let him hear.”

                    Jesus just got done telling a parable.  He will not blame himself if the people don’t understand.  He understands that some will and some won’t.  Why?  Because some have ears to hear and others just have ears.  In other words, the problem resided in the listener.

                    This is huge, so let me repeat it.  The reason that the people didn’t understand what Jesus said was because the people had the problem, Jesus didn’t. 

                    Let’s notice how this is played out in the interpretation of the parable.

                    “10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” 13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word.

                    This is important.  We are the farmers.  I want you to notice that this is all the farmer has to do.  Sow the word.  If you share the word with people, you are doing your part.  Share the word on the gospel.  Share the word on social issues.  Share the word on relationships.  Share the word on finances.  Share what God has to say and you are doing your part.

                    In evangelism, we focus on sharing the gospel.  But the truth is still the same.  We are to sow the word.

                  We are not told here to choose the ground.  As a matter of fact, the rest of the parable says that the seed will fall on various kinds of soil.  This farmer didn’t care.  He scattered it about wherever he could.  If it landed on a rock, he left it.  He didn’t try to avoid any kind of soil, nor does he try to prepare the ground.  He is just spreading seed.

That is what God wants us to do.  Spread seed.

15 Some people are like 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.

     Notice now, that when we share with others, we will find that people receive the word differently.  The problem is not in the presentation, it is in the people who hear.  I want to go through these quickly and then illustrate them.

                    Some people forget.  Notice the phrase, “As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.”  As soon as, immediately the word is gone.                   

16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 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.

                    Whereas the first group of people forget quickly, the second group falls away after a short time because of some trouble they face from outside themselves.  Like the sun shining on a plant, they feel the heat and wither away.  The word did not get too deep into their minds.

18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 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.

                    If the first group forgets and the second group stops because of some trouble they face, the third group develops an interest in other things that end up choking the word of God out of their lives.

20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”” Mark 4:10-20, NIV.

                    If the first group forgot, the second group left at the first sign of trouble, the third group didn’t last because they got interested in other things, the fourth group produced fruit.

                    So what do we learn?  We learn that when we say something about God or his word, that people will react in four ways.

                    Some will appear to listen, but if you ask them five minutes later about the subject, they will want you to remind them of what you said.  Satan took the word from them.

                    A second group will listen and agree.  But when they discuss it with their wife or kids or friends, someone says something in opposition to it.  So they don’t do anything.

                    A third group listens and starts to follow.  But what started out with good intentions soon gets drowned out because of work pressures or because the kids are involved in sports, or because they have to work overtime, or they get interested in racing cars or watching football.  The word, the lesson is choked out.

                    But the fourth group listens.  They understand how important the spiritual truth is.  So they apply it and it becomes a part of their lives.

                    What role does the farmer play?  He just speaks up.  The results are between the people and God.

                    What do we learn from this passage?

                    The first lesson is that we are responsible for spreading seed, sharing the word of God.

                    The second lesson is that we are to spread seed, share the word of God, on every kind of soil.  We are not supposed to be smart or discerning about this. 

                    The third lesson is that the way people receive the word has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with them.

                    The fourth lesson is that different people are facing different pressures in their lives to reject the word that is shared

                    The fourth lesson is that the credit for fruitfulness or success lies in the individual who receives the word, not in the one who lives it.

                    Paul shares this same attitude.  Each one does their part; God gives the increase.

                    So what am I suggesting to you when it comes to our focus on evangelism?  I am suggesting that you throw out as much seed as you can and let go of worrying about the results.  You don’t know what is under the skin of others, what they are going through.  So just sow seed.  Share the word.  Give out Bibles, give your testimony, pray with people who are going through tough times, pray for people who you know, invite people to services or special events, send tracts, put bumper stickers on your car, talk about where you were on Sundays and what God is doing in your life and the life of others. 

                    Understand that others won’t always accept or might for a short time seem real interested.  But that is out of your control. 

                    Recognize the pressures of the sun, the soil, and the thorns.  But also understand that when the word penetrates, there will be some fruit.           

                    I am throwing out seed this morning.  Some of you may have already turned me off.  Some might get excited, but forget by Monday.  Some might try to apply this, but find that the cares and concerns of the world are going to choke out any response.  Someone might be listening today and will act on this and be fruitful.  I have no control of that.  I am just called to share the word.

                    So also when you go home, to work, to visit relatives or friends.  You can’t control the reception, but you can spread the seed.

                     So what happens if we do this?  First, we will be blessed.  When we spread the word of God directly or indirectly, we know we are living in obedience to God.

                    Second, we raise the level of awareness of Jesus in our community.  So many people don’t know Jesus.  They don’t understand the depth of his love, the completeness of his forgiveness, the certainty of his promises.  As we talk about Jesus, each conversation raises the awareness of him!

                    Third, there will be fruit.  By faith I believe that there are people out there whose hearts are ready.  I can’t tell them from the ones whose hearts are stone.  But some are ready.  And the ones who are ready might surprise us.  If we decide to share with anyone regardless of how receptive we think they are, then there will be fruit.

                    It could be that if you asked someone to church this week, they might come.  It might be that if you offered a daily bread to someone, they might take it and read it this week.  It might be that if you asked someone if you could pray for them or with them, they might say yes! 

                    So the fruit issue is dependant on two things:  1, that we be faithful in giving out the Word of God, and 2,  the degree of openness of the person to whom we are speaking.  If we don’t give the word, there will be no fruit.  If they don’t accept the word, there will be no fruit.  But we have no control over the second option, only over the first.

                    May God find us faithful in sowing seeds.