Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wanted: Sowers

Today's Reading: Psalm 12, Genesis 13:2‐18, 1 Chronicles 13, Luke 8:4‐21

Luke 8:4-21 - Jesus loved to teach by telling stories. In Luke 8:4-21 he tells us two parables, the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Lamp.

The Parable of the Sower talks about several different types of soil that a sower sows his seed on. He throws some seed along the path, and that seed is trampled underfoot. Some seed falls on the rock and quickly withers away because of a lack of moisture. Some falls among thorns and when it grows it is choked out by the roots. Some of the seed falls on good soil and grows and yields a hundredfold.

Many pastor's have preached messages on this passage and said, "What kind of soil are you?"

But, I wonder if the point is less about the soil and more about the sowing. Maybe the point of the parable is that we would become sowers, recognizing that not every seed we throw will bear fruit, but we need to thrown the seed. Remember, the seed is the Word of God. Let's keep working to get His Word heard, but not just heard, let's live incarnationally and let it be seen!

3 comments:

  1. It is so easy to fall away on the path, on the rocks, or in the thorns. As I read this passage in Luke 8, I couldn't help but reflect and think about how much I can start slipping into the thorny trap of being "choked by life's worries." My prayer for myself and for everyone is that we might be people who are truly allowing ourselves to be planted in good soil. But even when we are in the good soil it isn't going to be easy to produce good fruit, but we are called to trust Him and "by persevering produce a crop." That strength will come by Christ' power as we life a life centered on Him.

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  2. I'll join you in that Monte! I'm also seeing that this parable is not just descriptive of individual believers, but also whole congregations. A congregation can be collectively "choked out" or "good soil" as they walk out the Christian life together.

    And Brian, you've made a great point. The sower didn't differentiate between the soils, he simply sowed what he had and the result was evident. Perhaps we worry too much about the response of people to whom we "sow"? Good challenge!

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  3. Great thoughts, you two! Thanks, for sharing.

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