New Crops!

Jesus often communicated by telling His listeners a story. One particular story is quite familiar to us; perhaps, familiar to the point where we know the story but neglect its depth of meaning.

The Parable of the Sower (or the Parable of the Soils):

You can read the content of the Parable in Matthew chapter 13. As was often the case, the disciples of Jesus just didn't get it so they secretly asked for an explanation. Here is where we pick up the account:

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

For purposes of this discussion we will assume that most have passed the two first descriptions. We still have at least a modicum of faith. The latter two positions are the contrast in this discussion.

Does this description: the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful, sound familiar? Where is your heart?

According to the explanation that Jesus gave the measuring stick for evaluating one's position is: He produces a crop.

Oh, it is so easy to explain this away. "I am not an evangelist", I am not "gifted", I am not "knowledgeable enough".

WRONG! Jesus said that it was none of these things that produces the fruit. It is the seed of faith planted within us at the beginning or our relations with Him that determines our effectiveness of reproducing His work.

There is only one attraction that the world has no counterfeit for. That is the deep abiding joy that faith brings. Circumstances; the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth, have no power over the faith that is planted in good soil.

I am not sure exactly where you are with respect to this message but God wanted me to write this for someone. Perhaps, we can all stand to be reminded about what the passion of God is directed toward: new crops!