Musings from My Sun Porch

Tag: disciple making

  • Lessons from the Gospel of Luke: Faith in Action

    Read Luke 8

    In Chapter 8, Luke explains the challenges every farmer faces.  Good soil and surrounding conditions often determine whether the farmer’s crop succeeds or fails. The same is true with the Gospel message. 

    In the parable of the Sower, Jesus describes four types of soil, each representative of those who receive the Gospel message. 

    • Some seed fell on a path where it was trampled, and the birds ate it.  Jesus explained that those were the “… ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts…” (Luke 8:12 NIV84).
    • Seeds also fell on rocky ground, where they failed to take root.  Those hearers first received the Gospel with joy, “… but in time of testing they fall away” (Luke 8:13b NIV84).
    • A Third group of seeds fell among thorns, which ultimately choked out the plants.  Those hearers “… are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14b NIV84).
    • The last group of seeds fell on good soil and yielded a great crop.  These represent those “… who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (Luke 8:15b NIV84).

    Note that Jesus’ focus in this parable is on the seed, representing the hearer, and not on the farmer, representing the messenger.  After telling the parable, Jesus yelled, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 8:8b NIV84). His point was that the responsibility for accepting the Gospel message and growing in Christ is on the recipient, not the messenger.  The messenger’s responsibility, like that of the farmer, is to plant the seed!

    However, planting cannot be the end of our responsibility.  As the Church of Christ, we should seek to prepare new believers for the attacks of Satan that will surely come when they accept Christ.  Further, we should walk with them to build a firm foundation in Christ and give them the support and encouragement they will need to withstand the worries and troubles life brings.

    The “seeds” we plant will not grow and produce a bountiful crop for Jesus unless we nurture them and help them to grow as true disciples of Jesus. Disciple-making does not end when the message is planted.  That’s only the beginning!