Sermon: Discipleship on the Path | Pastor Ben Berteau | Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

This summer, we focus on the Parables of Jesus, stories meant not just to teach but to transform his disciples. The series began with the parable of the unforgiving servant, emphasizing the command to forgive others as God forgives us. The following week covered the parable of the lost sheep, highlighting God's character and the Christian mission to seek the lost.

This week's parable is the sower, which is both familiar and confusing. It illustrates that discipleship involves actively listening to Jesus and allowing his word to transform us, yielding a harvest of righteousness. Pastor Ben uses various examples to show that what we love, we tune into and practice, and urges us to examine what or who we give attention to in our lives.

He challenges all of us, and especially fathers on Father's Day, to reflect on whose voice and teachings our actions echo. Pastor Ben goes on to emphasize the importance of listening to Jesus, rather than being quick to speak or argue like in today's noisy culture, as this particular parable encourages a shift from speaking to listening, and calls for actively receiving and practicing Jesus' word to bear fruitful lives.

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