ALL ABOUT YOU: GIDEON, CHAPTER 42

ARE YOU A WALKING TALKING GARDEN OF EDEN? OR A DEAD TREE?

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08-01-04

(1 Cor 3:5-9)  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers [(servants, to run on errands); an attendant, (gen.) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties)] by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man [his own task]? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase [to grow, enlarge: grow (up) (give the ) increase]. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase [i.e. life]. Now he that planteth [the seed] and he that watereth [the seed] are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry [farm; garden, vineyard, field (under cultivation)], ye are God's building.

1.       What is planted or sown? (Luke 8:11)  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word [logos] of God.

2.       Who is the seed/logos word? (John 1:14) And the Word [logos] was made flesh, and dwelt among us [en; prep. denoting (fixed) position; “in”], (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth [i.e. the word of God is the Bible made the flesh of Jesus Christ].

3.       With what is the planted seed watered? (Eph 5:26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [i.e. the word of God, the words of the Bible – as you hear and receive the words of God, they wash your sinful nature away and Truth dwelling inside you is revealed],

4.       What is the increase - growth? (Rom 10:17) So then faith [belief] cometh by hearing [having open and receptive ears, i.e. being willing to consider what you hear], and hearing [understanding] by the word [rhema - revelation] of God [through the Holy Spirit].

5.       (Phil 1:5,6)  For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day [that you became saved] until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [i.e. the return of Jesus Christ, the Second Coming]:

 

THE INCREASE

(John 16:13)  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come [the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Comforter)], he will guide you into all truth [John 14:6]: for he shall not speak of himself [He will not originate; He will not sow new seed into your heart]; but whatsoever he shall hear [of God’s word – that is, the seed (logos) that has been and is being sown into your heart], that shall he speak [explain, expand, expound]: and he will show you [announce (in detail): declare, tell] things to come [i.e. revelations].

1.       The Holy Spirit hears the sown logos seed (He does not add to God’s word – He does not add to the body of Jesus Christ), and He speaks of, gives the increase to grow upward, or expands upward (uncovers) the hidden meaning (fruit) contained within the covering shell of that seed pod, which growth we call a revelation – it is the fruit of the Lord. From seed (growth) to fruit.

2.       (Rom 1:17)  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed [to take the cover off, disclosed (uncovered)] from faith [belief] to faith [belief]: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

3.       (1 John 2:26,27)  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing [chrisma; an unguent or smearing, i.e. (fig.) the spec. endowment ("chrism") of the Holy Spirit] which ye have received of him abideth [dwells] in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

4.       “unguent” = Dict: any soft preparation or salve, applied to sores, etc.; an ointment.

5.       “seduce you” = Gk: to cause to roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way /// fraudulence; subj. a straying from orthodoxy or piety: deceit, to deceive, delusion [2 Th 2:11], error /// roving (as a tramp), an impostor or misleader:--deceiver, seducing.

6.       Summation: 1. seed + water = fruit (through the process of growth, i.e. revelation). 2. word + word = word. 3. Jesus Christ + Holy Spirit = (more of) God.

7.       (2 Th 1:3)  We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet [deserving: worthy (fitting)], because that your faith groweth [increases] exceedingly, and the charity [love] of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth [to be more, increases; superabounds];

8.       (John 6:63,64) It is the spirit [rhema] that quickeneth [vitalize: make alive, give life]; the flesh [logos] profiteth nothing [John 12:48]: the words [rhema (revelations – increase, growth)] that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not [have not faith]. For Jesus knew from the beginning [of the world: John 1:1; 1:14] who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

THE PARABLE OF THE INCREASE = UNDERSTANDING

(Mark 4:13,14)  And he said unto them, Know [understand] ye not this parable? and how then will ye know [understand] all parables? The sower soweth the word.

 

THE SEED THAT IS SOWN IN YOUR HEART

(Mat 13:18-23)  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower [i.e. farmer, husbandman: John 15:1]. When any one heareth the word [seed] of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places [“in his heart”], the same is he that heareth the word [seed], and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth [endures] for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns [“in his heart”] is he that heareth the word [seed]; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground [“in his heart” – prepared or tilled soil that allows prosperous growth] is he that heareth the word [seed], and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit [to be fertile], and bringeth forth [i.e. the increase], some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

1.       (John 5:24)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

JESUS, WHY DO YOU SPEAK UNTO THEM IN PARABLES?

(Mat 13:10-17)  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables [i.e. dark sayings]? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know [understand, get the increase of] the mysteries [secrets] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given [to know, understand, get the increase]. For whosoever hath [understanding, gotten an increase], to him shall be given [more understanding, more increase], and he shall have more abundance [of understanding, of increase]: but whosoever hath not [understanding, an increase], from him shall be taken away even that [understanding, increase (stony ground) that] he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand [neither do they increase]. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand [not increase]; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross [thickened, rendered callous], and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand [get an increase] with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them [make whole]. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

1.       The purpose of parables: 1. They are interesting because they deal with common experiences and grab the listener’s attention. 2. Such stories are easily remembered. 3. They reveal truth to those who are ready spiritually to receive it. 4. They conceal truth from those who have hardened themselves against the message of Christ.

 

Amen 

 

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