The Sower

"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into the good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."


When the owner of the field hires the sower, he hires him for one duty: to sow.

The sower is not held responsible for how the seeds grow; he must ensure that all the seeds are planted, are given the chance to grow. If the sower returns to his employer with a half-full bag, excusing his dereliction of duty due to bad soil or overgrown fields, he will be fired. The employer hires him to sow, not to commentate on the state of the fields.

Perhaps the thorns covering the soil are actually loose weeds that will be removed by the next workers in the field. Perhaps the soil that seems perfect is actually hiding a layer of rocks, simply waiting for the next rainstorm to be uncovered. The sower doesn't know these things; he is simply responsible to sow.

"And he said, 'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how."  - Mark 4.3-8, 26-27

a vivid story

full disclosure: i'm not a huge fan of the "tell a bible story in vivid detail then jump immediately into the sermon!" technique. it jars my overactive & photographic imagination when we dart between true & untrue or past & present. but i will admit: it's effective when used well, as demonstrated in this sermon. and inspired, my mind the next day was fully engaged when reading Luke 4: 31-37. 


"And he went down to Capernaum a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath."

I was sitting in the synagogue, yawn, yawn. After the second or third rabbi, my girlfriends and I gave up listening in detail, instead entertaining ourselves by drawing marks on the floor with our toes to talk about guys. My matchmaker was coming this week, and I needed some ideas for her--no chance letting her suggest men!


Then this new guy got up to preach. I wasn't paying attention until Rachel jabbed her elbow in my side. "New!" was the furtive whisper as she leaned toward me, trying to get a better view. And indeed, he was new! Not too much better looking than Eli or Jacob, but tolerable. Once I tuned in, though, I was captivated. This man spoke like no other rabbi--he was passionate about what he was saying!


"And they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,"

Whoa! Old Zeke is shouting at the new rabbi! Something must have gotten him riled up, usually he doesn't even come to the synagogue and now he's in here shouting? Everyone says he's demon-possessed...maybe he really is. He doesn't seem to like this guy...


"Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the HOLY ONE OF GOD."

Silence. This is...awkward.


But Jesus rebuked him, saying "Be silent and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him having done him no harm.

I didn't understand how everyone could be talking so rapidly and so loudly. Hadn't they just seen what I'd seen? Were they not speechless? Rachel jabbered at me, the crowd was standing, but this man calmly took a seat, indicating that the next speaker should begin. 

And they were all amazed and said to one another "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"


There was no next speaker. The service was so totally derailed by the demon-casting that the head rabbi dismissed us, after a brief and barely-comprehended chiding about respecting the Sabbath day and keeping it holy. 


And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

The spectacular event was on everyone's lips for the next week--one couldn't visit the market, the well, the cafe without hearing about it. Some claimed they'd seen three men have demons cast out; some claimed that it was all staged. Relatives from nearby towns came to visit, hoping to see the healed man, as well as this miracle-working rabbi! The one sound I will never forget is that crazed, demon-possessed man, spitting out with such vehemency the phrase "the Holy One of God!" 


Do demons ever tell the truth? 

a relay of sorts

I like to imagine I’m running a relay race. Three years ago, I took the baton and have been running hard ever since. Granted, there have been a few rest stations along the way, a few opportunities to ditch the baton and enjoy the freedom of a break from the race. In the end, though, the baton always returns, and as the race has continued, the baton seems to have magically transformed into ankle weights, then a weighted harness, then a backpack full of rocks. It’s gotten significantly heavier, which means I feel significantly more proud of accomplishing each lap, but also much, much more weary at the end of each turn.

I knew that my relay was almost over—I had been anticipating its end for over a year. Still, curves kept arising, rather like driving a mountainous road: fun, but while I knew the end was near, I couldn’t quite see it.

Suddenly, just the other day, I caught a glimpse of the end. I saw my relay replacement, eager, ready to start, excited about running the race. I dipped below a hill, but the knowledge that my replacement is there, waiting, preparing to run alongside me for the last few miles, was refreshing. Remotivating.

I think I have strength to finish now. 

an equation

An equation I saw in a college dorm room recently goes as follows:

Intentions minus (-) action equals (=) squat

For example, my intention since the beginning of January to post regularly on this blog obviously has meant nothing since I would/could not take action on it. And my intention to get out the door so I can run or go to work early or call my neighbor or buy  groceries means nothing if I don't put some serious willpower into acting on the desire. 

Likewise, I realized today that a similar equation holds true for belief:

Belief plus (+) talk minus (-) action equals (=) a pile of crap

If I really believe that any parent can homeschool a special needs kid and if I have argued this belief in front of hundreds of families over the past three years, yet I purposefully refuse a chance to act on that belief for myself, do I really believe it?

If I truly believe that God has a good plan for my life and I often claim that even in hardships, He is working good for my future, yet I distinctly choose not to accept the hard position He unexpectedly gifts to me, do I really believe it?

Do the beliefs I espouse really inform my decision-making paradigm? 

thoughts on the anniversary of the invasion

"Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. 

Enemy-occupied territory—that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage."

--C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (book 2, chap 2)

"The whole world lies in the power of the evil one."
1 John 5:19 

"[Jesus], though he was in the form of God,

did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but made himself nothing, 

taking the likeness of a servant, 

being born in the likeness of men."

Phil. 2:6-7

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"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly." Matt. 1:18-19

What is the connection between righteousness and not shaming Mary? 

Joseph was not selfish enough to desire the revenge of public humiliation.

Heavenly Father, what a role model you gave your son for his early life!

"And while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to give birth. ... And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2: 6, 8-11.

158 chances to get it right

God allows second chances.

It's easy to say, but when a period of one's life makes one require a third, fourth, or one hundredth chance, the belief dims. Could God really still love me after another screw-up? I don't deserve another chance--if I were God, I would have fired me from myself by now. Yet here I am, awake, myself, fully aware of the sin I committed yesterday yet still having one more chance to try again.


"I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire." (Matt. 5.22)


Check--count me liable for all three. Times 20.

But God refuses to give up on me. Why? I'm nothing worth saving. Instead of grumbling about what an idiot I am, God simply says "I love you; I forgive you."

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 Jn. 1.9)


And Jesus doesn't get an attitude; he doesn't say "Get with the program already! I died for that sin--stop it!"

"But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 Jn. 2.1)


I have 158 more chances to get it right. God graciously, gladly, and in love gives me every single one of those chances, plus more. Am I willing to take him up on this offer? Am I willing to rise every morning and accept another chance of victory?

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies are new every morning." (Lam. 3.22)