Planted

Are you planted by the Word?  The Extraordinary Ordinary Life of a Christian isn’t always exciting to watch.  As we enter week three of our study, I think you’re starting to see a pattern.  The power and “excitement” – if you will – all find their source in our amazing God.  For this post I want to look at the three take-aways from the Parable of the Sower.  Allow me to use the verses of Martin Franzmann’s beautiful hymn Preach you the Word.  It’s a bit of a dirge so we didn’t sing it during the service, but the words are incredible!

Preach you the Word and plant it home To those who like or like it not,

The Word that shall endure and stand When flow’rs and mortals are forgot.

Do you care if people want to hear God’s word?  Some people don’t want to hear what your God has to say.  Make no mistake even though the words are crossing your lips – they are the words of your God.  God’s word is the only things that will endure in the end.  First – plant it home to those who like or like it not.

Though some be snatched and some be scorched And some be choked and matted flat,

The sower sows; his heart cries out, “Oh what of that, and what of that?”

Dear friends, it’s easy to get caught up in the different areas of where God’s word falls.  Don’t.  The success and the failure of God’s word is too great a thing for you or me.  How careful was the sower when he sowed his seed?  As careful as you can be with a broadcast spreader.  The awesome responsibility is just to plant it home.  Don’t tell me you’re not qualified to tell someone they are loved by their creator.  You are the perfect person to speak the love of Jesus.  Second – oh what of that, and what of that.

Preach you the Word and plant it home And never faint; the Harvest-Lord

Who gave the sower seed to sow Will watch and tend his planted Word.

The results are up to God.  This is something that the farmer the sower understood better than us.  After the seed was planted.  The sunshine, the rain, the growth – all of that is in the Lord’s hands.  We can keep on going into God’s word, but finally we trust that God will grant the increase.

Want to hear more?  Watch this Sunday’s message taken from Matthew 13.