I’d like to end the teachings on the seed and the soil this morning with a couple more thoughts.
All of Scripture and the teachings of Jesus can be summed up as seed. Every one’s reaction to God’s word is soil and the seed being planted comes from hearing and what we do with what we hear.
“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” Romans 10:17 NLT
Not being affected by what we hear is seed falling on hard ground; quick growth with no long-lasting results is seed falling on rocky ground; getting offended by the Word that is heard and distracted by riches and worries is a result of seed falling on thorny ground but seed that brings a harvest comes when we embrace the Word of God and put it into practice.
At one time or another my heart has been like every kind of soil. Ample seed and good soil result in a bumper crop.
I want to go back to two of our examples of good soil from yesterday. They are found in Luke 8, the woman with the bleeding condition and the father with the sick daughter. The woman had been weakened by her condition for 12 years. She had spent all she had and gotten no better, hope was all but gone and then she heard of Jesus, a man who did miracles.
She heard and she planted those seeds of the message of healing deep in her heart. She heard and she ventured out to find and touch Jesus. She knew if she could just get to Him, if she could just touch Him, she would be healed. The seed planted, grew and produced a harvest.
“…The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.” Luke 8:47b NLT
Jairus, the father, was in the same crowd as the woman. In fact, Jesus was on the way to his house when the woman stopped them. Now, as Jairus waited for Jesus to minister to the woman servants came from his house to say his daughter had died. Jesus was quick to counter their report.
“But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.” Luke 8:50 NLT
Jesus pulled out the thorns of worry that were ready to choke the seed of faith and stop the harvest of healing that Jairus needed for his daughter. Thorns were removed and harvest came.
“…’Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.’ 53 But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died. 54 Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, ‘My child, get up!’ 55 And at that moment her life returned,” Luke 8:52-55 NLT
Daily I plant the seeds of God’s word in my heart and daily I’m confronted with opportunities to let it lay dormant, make a momentary impact, be stolen by worry and life’s busyness or to allow it to grow.
God’s word never fails but my application of it can. I ask you to join me in making a renewed commitment to let the seed of God’s word grow in the soil of our hearts and produce a great harvest.