Dear Friends in Christ,
Last Sunday, we reflected on Jesus’ parable of a farmer who sowed his seeds. In his first three attempts, he planted seeds in places where the seeds did not sprout: along a path, amongst rocks, and weeds. He might have become discouraged and given up. But, then, he planted in better soil and, lo, and behold, his seeds produced a bumper crop! Jesus’ point: When spreading gospel love, it’s critical that we harbor a faith’s hope and trust in God – with whom all things are possible!

Quickly, some of Jesus’ followers interpreted the story differently and changed its focus. They interpreted it as an analogy about different kinds of soil that represented Jesus’ hearers and their mostly negative responses to him instead of a farmer’s – and their own – faith when spreading the gospel.

This distinction is important for us today as we try to be – and spread – Jesus’ Good News. It’s tempting for us to become discouraged, and maybe even blame people for not coming to church on Sunday mornings. But, it’s more important for us to take responsibility for sharing gospel love in more appropriate places.

Today, many of these kinds of places – and times – are outside the church, on other days of the week than inside a church building on a Sunday morning. The question is how will we respond to today’s cultural norms and societal patterns: sit inside the sanctuary and wait for someone to show up at our door, or sow seeds of gospel love in new places and times, ones more likely to produce new followers of Jesus?

Blessings of “Gospel Seed-Sowing,”
Pastor Ed