The Lord Is My Shepherd – Part 6

Story Time

Parable of the Sower Review

Matthew 13:3–9

Mark 4:13 

• God is not going to go beyond the to give us guidance.
• The Word is the button.
• Whenever, you get lost, go back to home button.
• Psalm 119:105

Matthew 13:19–23

• The Level 1 listener (Wayside Soil) is led by
  • This person does not understand the support system behind the “rules”.
  • For this person, God’s rules seem arbitrary, punitive, and inflexible.
  • This person does not understand the of God’s word.
  • This person does not understand that God’s Word is an intricate system of moral conduct that provides a deep reflection of the human condition.
  • This person does not understand that “rules” are actually holy boundaries that come from a moral support system that is comprehensive, universal and sustainable.
  • This person does not understand that God’s moral system is enough to feed their hunger and thirst for .

• The Level 2 listener (Stony Soil) is led by
• The Level 3 listener (Thorny Soil) is led by .
• Level 4 listener (Good Soil) is led by the

The Level 2 Listener

The appeal to the Level 1 listener is to the Word.

The appeal to the Level 2 listener is to value Scriptural .

What does scriptural meditation look like?

Reading, Talking, Listening, Pondering, Reflecting Day and Night

Psalm 1:1–3 

Roots

Roots (Depth)

• Comprehensive
  • It cares for every part of our lives
  • Key Word:
• Universal
  • It applies to everyone across time, place and culture
  • While people change, it remains the same.
  • It is immovable
  • Key word:
• Sustainable
  • It keeps going, especially under pressure, trials and tests
  • Key Word:

Logos vs. Rhema

Logos gives us the summary of God’s thinking, His principles and main ideas.

Logos

• John 1:1; John 1:14
  • The Word is God’s reasoning.
  • Jesus is the embodiment of God’s reason.
• Galatians 5:14

Rhema

• Ephesians 6:17 
• “The significance of rhema (as distinct from logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Eph. 6:17; here the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with Scripture” (Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Atlanta: Nelson, 1996, p. 683)

In Sum:

• Logos is God’s word in .
• Rhema is God’s word to .

The Word Behind the Word

Hebrews 4:12–13 

• God wants to do open heart surgery.
• Until we submit to it, we will have logos, but no rhema.
• God hides the insight and practicality we need for daily guidance in the rhema.

Proverbs 1:20-23

• We submit to God’s surgery when we turn at his reproof.
• We see more when we turn more.
• The turn we make is towards Him.

Proverbs 2:1-7

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2021