Note: These gospel friends are categorized according to the area of the heart that the Holy Spirit has prepared or is preparing. In the Lord Jesus' parable of the sower (Matt 13:3–23), the heart is pictured as ground. Preaching the gospel is like sowing seed into that ground: if the ground is good, the word is received well and bears fruit.
As those who are "sowing seeds" of the gospel, we want to sow into good ground. With our gospel friends, it is the Holy Spirit who prepares the ground of their hearts to be soft and ready to receive the gospel. Those who are wise in sowing will cooperate with Him and sow the seed in the area of the heart He has been preparing or is still preparing.
The Four Areas of the Heart
Compare Hebrews 8:10 with Hebrews 10:16 — the words "heart" and "mind" trade places, showing that Scripture uses them interchangeably.
The Ground of the Conscience
The Conscience Prepared
These gospel friends are convicted of, or conscious of, their sins. They are already prepared to hear about forgiveness.
- The woman taken in adultery John 8:1–11She only needed to hear, "Neither do I condemn thee."
- The woman with the alabaster box of ointment Luke 7:36–50She only needed to hear, "Thy sins are forgiven."
The Conscience Being Prepared
These gospel friends have been pricked or troubled in their conscience, yet they are still hardened. They are trying to excuse the conscience or even silence it.
- The thief on the cross Matt 27:44; Luke 23:39–43At first he reviled the Lord along with the other thief; then he repented.
- Saul (Paul) of Tarsus Acts 9:1–19; 26:14He was "kicking against the pricks."
The Ground of the Will
The Will Prepared
These gospel friends desire to know God. They want to be saved but need to know how to come to the Lord. They are being drawn and are already seeking Him.
- The Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8:26–39His desire had him reading Isaiah 53; he wanted the Lord.
- Zacchaeus Luke 19:1–10He climbed a sycamore tree to see the Lord; he sought after Him.
- Cornelius Acts 10He was praying, fasting, and seeking God with all he knew.
The Will Being Prepared
These gospel friends are torn between their desire for the world and their desire for the Lord. They are being drawn by Him, yet they still want something else more than Him.
- The rich young ruler Luke 18:18–23His desire for riches was stronger than his desire for the Lord.
The Ground of the Mind
The Mind Prepared
These gospel friends are open to an explanation of the gospel. They may be seeking the truth and ready to hear it preached. Or they may know the gospel messenger and be open to what he says because of his testimony or their relationship. Sometimes a mind is opened through an event or by witnessing a miracle.
- The Philippian jailer Acts 16:25–34The earthquake and Paul's testimony opened his heart.
- Peter and Nathanael John 1:40–49Each was brought to the Lord by someone he knew and trusted — Andrew and Philip.
The Mind Being Prepared
These gospel friends are wrestling with thoughts or teachings that oppose the gospel, and those thoughts keep them from being open. Yet there is a desire to know the truth, and a clear explanation can bring light where there is darkness.
- The philosophers in Athens Acts 17:16–34They needed an explanation that addressed their specific thoughts.
- Nicodemus John 3:1–10A teacher of Israel, yet he could not understand the new birth.
The Ground of the Emotions
The Emotions Prepared
These gospel friends have been softened in their emotions, usually through difficult circumstances. They have become broken and are ready to find relief in the Lord Jesus. They may feel lonely, depressed, weary, burdened, or anxious, or they may sense how purposeless and vain the world is.
- The Samaritan woman at the well John 4:5–29After a life of broken relationships, she was empty and thirsty for living water.
The Emotions Being Prepared
These gospel friends are going through a difficult time but are still trying to get through it in their own strength. They are not yet soft ground; their emotions are still cold. The Holy Spirit is bringing them to the end of themselves.
- The woman with an issue of blood Matt 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34; Luke 8:43–48For years she went from physician to physician, spending all she had, until every other hope was gone (Mark 5:26).
More on the "farming" concept with evangelism ...
"But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit…" — Matthew 13:23
Comments
Post a Comment