(ill) Three people were travelling inside a cramped coach of a train. There was a Lieutenant, a Private and a very beautiful young lady. During the trip they passed through a mile long tunnel where they were engulfed with darkness. Half way thorough the tunnel, the sound of a passionate kiss followed by a loud slap. When they came back into the light, the Lieutenant was nursing a very swollen jaw.

The young lady thought that the Lieutenant must have tried to kiss me and accidentally kissed the Private, so he slapped him.

The Lieutenant thought that the Private must have kissed her in the darkness, and she tried to hit him and instead hit me.

The Private just leaned back and thought: ?Where else but America could a private kiss the back of his hand, slug a Lieutenant, and get away with it?"

T/S: "America, America, God shed His grace on thee." Tomorrow as a nation we will celebrate Memorial Day, and remember that along with God?s grace, there has been much blood shed for this country. Ordinary men and women who answered the call, stepped up to the challenge, and gave the ultimate sacrifice so that all of us may be free.

That?s why American citizenship is so valuable: it is freedom earned by determination and selflessness. Freedom that we can enjoy, freedom that we can defend, freedom that we can lose if one generation stops upholding it. That?s the nature of citizenship.

(I want to take a moment and remember those servicemen and women in your family who have already passed away. Thank God for them.)

(Now I?d like to recognize those here today who have served in the Armed Forces. Would you stand and allow us to honor you?)

As much as I believe that God?s blessings and favor have been the cause for America?s prosperity, the Bible teaches that Christians are in the unique situation of being dual citizens: while we maintain our residence in this country, we actually belong to another kingdom. Colossians says that we have been raised up with Christ into the heavenlies, so we should set our mind on things above. While we celebrate our American citizenship, I would like to spend the next couple of weeks thinking about our citizenship in God?s Kingdom.

Jesus taught a series of parables on the kingdom of heaven. There are seven parables recorded in Matthew 13, and some of them are also included in the other Gospels. But I?d like us together to examine these passages in Matthew?s Gospel, and celebrate our citizenship in God?s Kingdom.

I?m going to begin with a familiar parable, perhaps in popularity, only less recognized than the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. It is Jesus? story about a sower and some seeds, and it is the first parable in this string of kingdom parables told in Matthew 13. [Matt 13:3-9, 18-23]

There are three steps to studying the Bible: one is asking "What does this say?" We try to correctly draw out the content of the passage. Secondly, we ask "What does this mean?" Our goal is to determine how the content is to be interpreted in the context of life. Much of preaching and teaching and Bible study is consumed with these two steps in the process. In this passage, Jesus has taken care of that.

This story is pretty clear: seeds are sown, and for various reasons some do not make it to maturity, but those that do - bear fruit.

Then Jesus explains the interpretation: the seed is the Word of God. Satan is out to steal away the Word from those who hear it. Troubles and trials cause some others to abandon the cause of Christ. Concern for the world, especially for the material and money of the world - is the other reason people fall away from Jesus.

The person who hears the Word, and understands it, is the person who will bear fruit.

* If you have had any gardening experience at all, this story will resonate with you. not every seed planted comes up. Not every sprout that comes up makes it to maturity. Not every mature plant produces the same crop. This is not complicated teaching, AMEN?

It?s the third step in Bible study that often trips us up, but it is today where I want to spend the bulk of my time. First, What does it say? Second, What does it mean? Third, How do I do that? The Bible itself tells us that it?s purpose is life change -- the transformation from seed to fruit-bearing mature plant- --- but that cannot happen unless we are making personal application of the principles that we glean from Scripture.

This parable is primarily concerned with the work of the kingdom of God. The sower pictured here, is not Jesus, but Christians -- the Church. In other words, it?s you and me. Working for Jesus. Spreading the truth about Jesus. Sowing seed.

There are three points of reflection that I would like to direct you to this morning, three words that represent three applications that each of us need to make from this parable. The words are: responsibility, return, reward.

There are many privileges and benefits to being an American citizen, but those advantages come attached with responsibilities, as well. American citizens have a responsibility to vote, to participate in the process. American citizens have a responsibility to provide for themselves and their family, and pay taxes to provide for the government. American citizens have a responsibility too defend their country if they are called into duty.

This list may be partial, but you get the idea. To abandon these responsibilities a person incurs some price or consequence. To not vote excludes your voice and opinion from the process, and leaves us with a lesser pool of qualified candidates. To fail to provide for your family may cost you custody of your children. To fail to pay taxes may cost you your freedom, or at the least, some of your money.

So what is the responsibility of the citizen of the kingdom of God, according to the parable of the sower and the seed? Before you answer, I want to show you a parallel passage from Acts 1:[6-8].

The disciples still didn?t have a clear handle on the kingdom of God, so they were asking when Jesus would establish His throne in Jerusalem. There?s a tension in the kingdom of heaven, between the already and the not yet. Jesus has already established the kingdom of God -- in men?s hearts. We are taught in Scripture that one day Christ is coming again, and the kingdom will be established in glory and majesty and power. Until that physical kingdom is perfected, we live in a spiritual kingdom.

Point is, the disciples are clearly concerned with the future of the kingdom, and Jesus clearly gives them a command as to what is expected of citizens in the kingdom until He comes again. You will be My witnesses. the responsibility of citizens in God?s kingdom is to be witnesses to Christ. To be seed sowers!! I don?t even want to use the word evangelism, because that word makes us get shaky, and our eyes glaze over. Most Christians will readily agree that evangelism is the work of the church, but most Christians believe it is someone else?s work!@

(ill) A man rushed into a dentist?s office and announced "I need a tooth pulled right now! I don?t have time for painkillers, no gas, no Novocaine. Just pull this tooth!"

The dentist was impressed. "Sir, you are really bold. Which tooth is it?"

The man turned to his wife and said, ,?Show him your tooth, honey."

T/S: It is easy to be bold when it?s somebody else?s tooth! But it is a necessity in the church for every follower of Jesus to recognize that we each have a duty -- a responsibility-- to share the Good News. Every one of us needs to become seed sowers.

(qu) The lead singer for the band U-2, Bono, was quoted as saying "Whenever you see darkness, there is an extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter."

We are surrounded by darkness, but that just means there is an incredible opportunity to shine. Don?t hide your light under a bushel, Jesus said, but let it shine.

How can you become a seed sower?

1] Invite people to church. (Dana)

2] Pray for lost people. Not generally, but specifically, by name. ( Scottie and Danny)

3] Know and share your story. Jesus commanded people to ?Go tell what the Lord has done for you." Could you tell people what Jesus has accomplished and is accomplishing in your life?

4] Live out loud. The most attractive bait for fishers of men, is the lives that you lead. Commit to spiritual growth and maturity so that your life is typified by the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

5] Learn how to explain the Gospel. Jesus came. Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus arose. Jesus is coming again. If this part is scary, don?t panic-- we are going to spend some Sunday nights learning how to tell the Gospel story. because it?s not that hard.

What you need is commitment and willingness. Commitment and willingness to shoulder the responsibility of being a citizen in the kingdom of God.

There is a very clear principle in this parable that all efforts do not yield the same results. The same seed, sown in different environments, produces different returns. The same seed, grown to full maturity, produces different returns, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. * We are often guilty of creating a value structure within the Body of Christ : if you can preach, you?re up here. If you can sing or play the piano, your up here. If you can teach, you?re up here. What we focus on is the public areas of service, and then dismiss the behind the scenes work as not as important. Or we look at those whose life is producing a hundred-fold increase, and we despair of our own thirty-fold crop.

(ill) I know this firsthand. TV and radio are full of preachers preaching far better sermons, with far more results than I ever do. But is it accurate to say that God is only pleased with, or blessing the work of Southland, or Southeast? Absolutely not! God is changing lives, one life at a time.

The principle is echoed in 1 Cor 12:22-24. There is a discussion of spiritual gifts here, and Paul says:

T/S; It?s not who sees you doing, it?s that you are doing what you are supposed to do, even if nobody sees you, or sees the result.

(ill) A young engineer was going to Ireland for a year to complete a project. His girlfriend gave him a harmonica as a going away present. "this is to keep your mind off those pretty Irish girls," she said.

He wrote her letters telling of the beauty of the Irish landscape, and told her he was practicing his harmonica every day.

When he returned the next year, his girlfriend met him at the airport. He rushed to embrace her and give her a kiss, but she pushed back. "Before you kiss me" she said, "Play me a song on your harmonica."

T/S: Dedication and integrity are often forged out of sight. The diligence of your service may not be in the forefront every day, but one day the returns will be brought to light.

Are you exercising your gifts in the work of the kingdom?

1] I?m going to post a ministry opportunity list in the next weeks. There will be different tasks for different talents and gifts. Every task is important!

2] Don?t get caught up in the comparison game. He teaches better, she sings better. I can?t do anything.

(ill) You?ll be like the boy I read about recently, who told his girlfriend: "I may not have as much money as Johnny Green, but I?ll share everything I have with you. And I may not be as handsome as Johnny Green, but I?ll always look as neat as a pin for you. .And I may not be creative as Johnny Green, but I promise I?ll try to keep you entertained."

"That?s all well and good," she said, "but can you tell me more about this Johnny Green?"

T/S: Comparison tends to shut us down. So keep your eyes on Jesus, and let Him take care of the return.

There are two thoughts that I want to close with; First, that if we are going to prove our love of God, Jesus said we would obey His commands. You please God when you serve God. I cannot think of any reward greater than pleasing God. Opening the door for His blessings and His presence in your life.

Secondly, there is the reward of fulfillment. Jesus taught that the fruit-bearing plant was a person who heard and understood the Word. Not just understood the directions, but understood the purpose. Do you see, that if God?s purpose id to use us to spread see, as we align ourselves with that purpose, we stop fighting God? When we star6t to see our lives as tools in His hands, we make decisions that bring us into His will.

And we experience the fulfillment and satisfaction of doing what we were created to do. A lot of people are going through life without direction. They keep busy ... really, really busy sometimes. But they lack purpose.

(ill) Are you familiar with Lance Armstrong? The cyclist who came back from cancer? After his surgery and rehab, he laid around the house, ate Mexican food and drank beer. Listen to what he wrote:

Maybe you are bored. Or without purpose. Busying through life with no sense of accomplishment or fulfillment. Jesus Christ offers you a reward. There is the reward of heaven for all who are believers and call on His name as Savior. But there is also the immediate reward of a purpose and a destination to your life. I want to offer you the chance to commit to that purpose, or commit to that Savior this morning.