Fall Devotional | 2019 - Day 3
Becoming a Diligent Sower
By Nate Curtis
“And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”Matthew 13:23
In the gospels, Jesus tells the story of a sower who went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds fell in four different areas. Some by the road, others on rocky places, others among the thorns, and others on the good soil. All four ground conditions yielded different results as you can read in the passage, and Jesus went on to explain the parable very clearly in verse 18. I encourage you to read the full account in Matthew 13 before reading further.
The focus of today’s devotional is not on the soil conditions; however, I want to examine the sower and the seed. Namely, who the sower represents, what he is sowing, and how he is sowing.
First, we see that the sower is anyone who is communicating the Word of God. This could be a preacher, a parent, a Sunday School teacher, brother, sister, anyone who is teaching God’s Word.
Secondly, the seed represents the Word of God. Note that the sower is not manufacturing the seed nor is the seed representing salvation. The seed already is made and will take root where the seed falls, but the sole job of the sower is to sow.
Lastly, we see that the sower is sowing broadly, casting the seed to any and all who will hear or see. As Christians, we should desire to spread the Word of God to as many people as possible as quickly as possible while we still have the time. This is why I am so encouraged by First Dallas’ deep-rooted commitment to the broadcast ministry. On the timeline of human history, we are extremely blessed to be living in this rare age of possibility to communicate a message literally around the world with the click of a button and reach billions of people through radio, television, and the internet.
As Jesus warns us in this parable, not all of the seed that is cast will bear fruit. Like the salesman who is always one ‘no’ closer to a ‘yes’, we must stay steadfast in sowing the seed of God’s Word to all who will hear. I am beyond thankful when I think about those that sowed seeds in my life. Praise God for trusting us with this precious seed. May we all be diligent sowers of God’s Word together.
Passage
Matthew 13:1-23Questions for Thought
- Who are the sowers God has placed in your life?
- Where can you begin sowing God’s Word today?
Daily Challenge
Think about the high calling of sowing God’s Word that has been given to you. Call or text someone who has been a sower of God’s Word in your life and thank them.
Author Bio
Nate Curtis
Minister of Communications & Broadcast
Nate is a natural fit to lead our broadcast and communications ministries because he believes media is a powerful, efficient way to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the entire world. When he's not spending time with his wife, Lindsey, he's likely on the golf course or pursuing his other hobby, photography.