The Seed To Sow
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On September 13, 2018, the ‘Pulse.ng‘ website carried an article written by Inemesit Udodiong with the screaming headline,
‘Sow between $1000 and $5000 for divine favor’ - Popular cleric preaches
Referring to a video that was circulating, the writer quoted the “man of God” as saying,
"Listen, do not 'sow' a seed that is convenient, choose the one that stretches."
According to him, sowing between $1000 and $5000 will result in a new connection in the sower’s business, marriage, destiny, and general favor.
The said cleric made these pronouncements to a congregation; but there are people who actually call you on phone, and tell you to sow a seed, often presenting themselves as a family or personal pastor (akin to personal or family doctor). Whatever the mode, often, these seeds never germinate or bear fruits that inure to the benefit of the sower, contrary to their name.
How did Jesus, our Lord and example, use the concept of sowing seeds?
READ Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
Jesus tells the parable of the seed
“It was on the same day that Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the lake-side. Such great crowds collected round him that he went aboard a small boat and sat down while all the people stood on the beach. He told them a great deal in parables, and began: “There was once a man who went out to sow. In his sowing some of the seeds fell by the road-side and the birds swooped down and gobbled them up. Some fell on stony patches where they had very little soil. They sprang up quickly in the shallow soil, but when the sun came up they were scorched by the heat and withered away because they had no roots. Some seeds fell among thorn-bushes and the thorns grew up and choked the life out of them. But some fell on good soil and produced a crop—some a hundred times what had been sown, some sixty and some thirty times. The man who has ears should use them!”
“Now listen to the parable of the sower. When a man hears the message of the kingdom and does not grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is like the seed sown by the road-side. The seed sown on the stony patches represents the man who hears the message and eagerly accepts it. But it has not taken root in him and does not last long—the moment trouble or persecution arises through the message he gives up his faith at once. The seed sown among the thorns represents the man who hears the message, and then the worries of this life and the illusions of wealth choke it to death and so it produces no ‘crop’ in his life. But the seed sown on good soil is the man who both hears and understands the message. His life shows a good crop, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
(Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23 J.B. Phillips)
In the parable we just read (vv. 1-9), Jesus talked about a sower who went out to sow. He said some of the seeds fell by the road-side and were eaten by birds, some fell on stones where they had very little soil and were scorched by the sun and died, some also fell among thorns and were choked, and others fell on good soil and produced crops—some a hundred times, some sixty and some thirty times what had been sown.
In explaining the parable, Jesus likens the seed to the word of God; and said when a man hears the message of the kingdom and does not grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. That is like the seed sown by the road-side. The seed that fell on stones represents one who hears the word but it doesn’t take root in him, so does not last long; the one that fell among the thorns represents the situation where the worries of this life and illusions of wealth choke the word; and the one on good soil is the one who hears and understands the word. His life shows a good crop, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Jesus used the word “seed” to refer to the word of God here.
Jesus told two more parables all talking about sowing, but with specific reference to the kingdom of Heaven: the good seed and weeds (called wheat and tares in some versions) verses 24-30, and the mustard seed in verses 31-32.
Even when Paul used the words “sowing” and “seed” in 2 Corinthians 9, he was telling the Corinthians to prepare their gifts ahead of time, and said people should give as they purposed in their hearts (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Ambushing people and demanding seed from them does not make people give cheerfully, the way Paul wrote to the Corinthians; and is not biblical! Often, the purposes for these mobilizations are not declared, making them even more troubling.
Instead of overworking what Paul said, why don’t we adopt the noble path of the seed that Jesus used: The seed being the Word of God, the grounds being the world, and the harvest being the kingdom of Heaven?
Jesus tells us in Luke 22:35 that when we do this, we will never lack.
We need to trust God’s providence.
MEMORY VERSE
“Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
(Luke 22:35)
QUESTIONS
- What seeds are you sowing for God?
- Do you know that the best seed you can sow is the word of God?
PRAYER TIP
Faithful God, please help us
to know the best seeds to
sow; into Your kingdom.
URGENT CALL
By nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God. We ultimately face the wrath of God!
But God in His mercy and love gives us a chance to reverse this trend, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want
to make that decision.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page.
God richly bless you.
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
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