Chapter # 8 Paragraph # 2 Study # 4
February 1, 2009
Lincolnton, N.C.
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<502> Thesis:   The failure of faith is rooted in the absence of "moisture" at the point of the presence of "temptation". Introduction:   Thus far in our studies of Jesus' teaching in a parable, we have seen that He is preparing His disciples to go forth and do what He sends them to do. We have also seen that He saw fit to do that preparation by deliberately focusing His parable upon the reality of men's responses to their efforts. Last week we saw that a disciple's response to Jesus' commands are not to be determined by the responses of others to his obedience. That many are too "hard packed" to even allow the Word of God to elicit a response in them is no reason for the disciple to refrain from his own willingness to allow the Word of God to elicit a response in him. The issue in the parable is whether the disciples will preach the Word of God in its purity, or not. The issue is whether the disciples will do what Jesus tells them to do, or not. Now, as we return to our study of this first parable of Jesus, we are going to look into the issues that surround His presentation of the second kind of "fruitless soil".