WARNING: This blog contains some potentially life changing information, read at your own risk!
How often do we walk by someone in need of the Gospel, but don’t give it to them because we are afraid? Afraid they won’t receive it. Afraid that we’ll mess up. Afraid that you will be persecuted as a result. Afraid that you’re too broken… so on and so forth. There are so many reasons that prevent us from following through in our calling. I’ve struggled with this many times throughout my life, but even now while I’m on the Race.
Recently, I was waking down the street with a squad mate and we passed an older man. He heard us talking about Jesus and he proceeded to try to talk to me. He asked, “Jesus?” and I said “Yes! Jesus! He’s pretty cool, right?” but I kept walking. Something within me made me afraid to stop and share the Gospel with that man.
There have also been moments where I have failed in this calling with people much closer to me. Since being on the Race the Lord has put my best friend, Mary, heavy on my heart (shoutout to you if you’re reading this). Mary doesn’t really know the Lord. She knows who He is and what He is about generally, but she doesn’t follow Him. I pray for her all the time but finally the Lord told me that I needed to talk to her about Him. In a moment of bravery a few months ago I asked her what she thought about God and we had a great conversation! The Father told me that I should ask her to do a weekly bible study with me via Skype… He asked me to do this two months ago and I have yet to ask because I am held back by this same fear of rejection. This is my best friend we’re talking about here, this should be easy!
I have tried so hard to rationalize my failure to share the Gospel, but when I look to my example, Jesus, I know that I have been wrong. If we read the parable of the farmer scattering seed we can really see the Father’s heart in sharing His word.
“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”” Matthew 13:1-9
In just the first two verses we see the Lord’s desire to reach as many people as possible. As a crowd gathered around Him on the shore, He got into a boat and faced the crowd so that he could teach. This was an INTENTIONAL choice. If you have ever been to a lake–especially at night–then you know how well sound carries across the water. Even the slightest whisper can be heard from a distance. Jesus wanted to be sure that as many people as possible would hear His teachings. It was taking his illustration one step further.
He tells of a farmer who scatters seed wildly. Some falling on the footpath where they will never grow, some in shallow soil where they will sprout and then die, some into thorns where they will be choked out, ??and finally some into fertile soil where they would not only thrive, but multiply. To many people this farmer sounded foolish and wasteful for simply throwing seeds wherever they may fall and this made the disciples concerned.
“The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”” Matthew 13:10-17, 19-23
In verse 12 Jesus shows his true heart. Those who really listen to him will receive an abundance of knowledge and his hope is that each time he teaches more people receive. He explains that He is the farmer and the seeds are those receiving the word. Some will not understand and the enemy will stop them from growing at all. Others will be deterred by persecution or trials, but still some will grow their roots deep down in Him. Jesus is a GOD OF HOPE! He longs to see each seed grow in fertile soil but knows that those who sprout see roots will produce even more followers.
We are the seeds in fertile soil. Jesus is NOT cautious about where He spreads the Gospel, so why are we? Why do we worry and shrink like the seeds in shallow soil? We are not capable of messing up the Word of God. We are not responsible for making people receive it. If we are persecuted it doesn’t matter because we have the one true God on our side. We are never too broken because He works best in our weakness. There is absolutely no reason for us NOT to share the joy we have received.
We are called to produce thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times more than what we have received! Have no fear because the God who LONGS for his people is on our side. I pray that all who read this will join me in boldness to proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to ALL people at ALL times. Amen.
