Seeds falling by the way-side
Let us meditate on Mat. 13:4-23. While sowing, the sower threw some seeds by the way-side, and the fowls came and devoured them up. The evangelists sow the seeds of gospel. The wicked one, Satan, caught and devoured those seeds that lay by the way-side. Who is at fault here? Is it the sower or the hearer of the gospel? The key word is “understandeth not”.
The evangelist should preach the gospel in a manner which is easily understood by the hearer. In country which is inhabited predominantly by Muslims or Hindus, the evangelist should speak to them, according to their level of understanding. He should not attack their religions or their manner of worship and customs.
Let us read Acts 14:15-39 to know how Paul preached the gospel to the idol worshippers in Athens. Paul went to Athens and “his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry”. Though Paul was pained in his heart at the idolatry of the people there, he did not condemn their idolatry but proclaimed a message to them that appealed to their hearts. In the beginning, he appreciated their “devotions” – religious customs and faith. He did not straightaway ask them to repent of their sins, forsake their idols and accept Jesus as their Savior. Only at the end, he spoke about the divine judgment and assurance of salvation through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
The evangelist should study the religious customs and practices of the people to whom he has to present Jesus Christ.
Paul began the message with the word, “Unknown God” and ended it with the word “He (God) hath raised Him (Jesus) from the dead”. These days, many evangelists quote from the Old Testament books which illiterate people steeped in their own religious practices find it difficult to understand. They condemn their religious practices. They also give very long messages, quoting many scriptures from the Bible. When the hearer finds it difficult “to understand”, the Devil comes there as a thief and takes away the seed sown in his heart.
Falling upon stony place
The sower sowed seeds upon the stony place “where they had not much earth”. Since the germination of the seed could not take place due to want of much earth, it was scorched under the sun. Here, the hearer hears and receives the gospel “anon with joy”. Who is to blame here? Is it the sower or the one who receives it with joy?
He who received the word did not have “root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended”.
A wise sower before sowing prepares the ground by ploughing it. The evangelist has to prepare the hearts of the people by way of tearful prayers of intercession. He has to be led by the Spirit to those places which are ripe for the harvest of the gospel. Prayer is very important for the evangelist.
Seeds falling among thorns
He who has received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
The third type of sowing is different from the first two types. Here, the evangelist sows the seeds among the thorns. Here the place where the seed is sown does not matter. The seed sown has to germinate and grow in the midst of these thorns. Let the thorns be there. The rose blossoms in the midst of its thorns. Thorns are part of the rose plant. However, here, the thorns should not be allowed to outgrow and stifle the little plant. The message being given should be true to the gospel. It should not give a false promise of material prosperity. Jesus exhorted His disciples to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Him. When the evangelist preaches a message of material prosperity, denouncing poverty as a curse of God, the hearer, when faced with the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, is tempted to covet only the material prosperity of this world. He would not like to endure afflictions. Suffering for the sake of Christ is part of Christian life. Every one would face the care of this world. Facing it in our Christian life is inevitable. But, we should not be cowed down by it. We should overcome it through Christ. The evil consequences of deceitfulness of riches should be inculcated in the mind of the hearer. On the contrary, the preacher promises material prosperity to the hearer in return to the latter’s financial support or the so-called “seeds of faith”. The hearer thus becomes a prey to the deceitfulness of riches.
The evangelist should continue to minister to the people who heard his message so that the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches do not choke the words planted in their hearts. He should not forsake them after giving them the initial message of salvation. Paul, while directing Timothy to do the work of an evangelist, exhorted him to preach the word in all seasons; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. He laid emphasis on “sound doctrine”.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables…” (II Tim.4:2-5).
Today we find in our midst teachers who dilute the gospel of Christ by laying over-emphasis on material prosperity. Recently, a dear sister informed me that God has not yet blessed her financially despite her sowing financial seeds by way of tithes, offerings, etc. I then sent her a message on the poor widow’s mite. The poor widow under the watchful eyes of Jesus put everything she had into the offertory box. Though she was under the Old Testament, and was not under grace, she gave all she had to God without expecting anything in return from God. She put all her coins and went away. Here is a poor widow who put in what she had with her. She had no more savings to fend for herself, having dropped her two mites into the treasury. Her name is not mentioned here. The Bible calls her “a certain poor widow”.
Let us note that this poor widow lived under the old dispensation of the Law of Moses. Christ had not yet died for her. The Holy Spirit was not given to her at that time. But still she loved the God under the old Covenant. Nor did she have the wonderful promises of reward or blessings in return for her two mites. She did not have any expectation of reward for her sacrificial offering. She left the place after dropping her two mites. We do not know where she had gone or how she lived the rest of her life.
What a surprise! A poor widow comes near the treasury and drops all her coins and then disappears and that too, without being watched by the priests of the temple! These days, when we give a few dollars to some servant of God, we go about telling the whole world.
There are some preachers who justify divorces, abortion, occasional consumption of liquor, gambling, etc. These preachers quote only the Word of God. People, having itching ears, flock to these preachers.
The evangelist has to take further care of the people whom he has preached the gospel so that the thorns of care of this world and of the deceitfulness of riches do not choke the word planted in their hearts. He should warn against the care of this world and the deceitfulness of the riches.
Seeds falling into good ground
The fourth type of sowing is the right one. The key word is “the good ground”. The evangelist should plough the land, and sow the seed of the true gospel. He should preach the gospel in a manner to be easily understood by the hearer.
- Job Anbalagan