YOU CAN’T REAP THEM ALL (1 OF 3)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Luke 8:4-15
This content is part of a series.
You Can't Reap Them All (1 of 3)
Series: The Mustard Seed Project
Jeff Strite
Luke 8:4-15
OPEN:A Georgia farmer, ragged and barefooted, was standing on the steps of his tumbledown shack.
A stranger stopped for a drink of water and just to pass the time of day he asked: ''How is your cotton coming along?'' he asked.
''Ain't got none,'' replied the farmer.
''Did you plant any?'' asked the stranger.
''Nope,'' was the reply, ''afraid of bollweevils.''
''Well,'' continued the stranger, ''how is your corn?''
''Didn't plant none,'' came the answer, '''fraid there weren't going to be no rain.''
The visitor persevered: ''Well, how are your potatoes?''
''Ain't got none. Scairt - of potato bugs.''
''Really, what did you plant?'' pressed the stranger.
''Nothin','' was the calm reply, ''I jest played safe.''
APPLY: Why didn't that farmer plant his crops? He was afraid. He was afraid of failure. He was afraid of the unknown. And maybe he was even afraid that the work of planting would be too hard for him. SO, he just didn't plant anything.
There are many Christians who won't talk to anyone else about their faith (seed of Jesus). They're afraid. They're afraid of failure and rejection. They're afraid of the unknown. And maybe they're afraid the work is too hard for them to do. They're unsure and afraid… AND SO they just don't.
HOWEVER, from what Jesus tells us here in Luke 8, Christians really don't need to be unsure and afraid. The task of casting the seed of the Gospel isn't difficult.
I. Think about it. Unlike Georgia farmer in our illustration, the farmer in Jesus' parable was not in the least bit troubled.
Was Jesus' farmer concerned about where his seeds landed? Noooo - he's out there throwing the seed anywhere and everywhere he could. He didn't even bother to plow up the ground (they didn't in those days). We call it ''no till'' farming, but the people in that day called it… ''farming.''
This farmer threw the seed on the weeds, on t ...
Series: The Mustard Seed Project
Jeff Strite
Luke 8:4-15
OPEN:A Georgia farmer, ragged and barefooted, was standing on the steps of his tumbledown shack.
A stranger stopped for a drink of water and just to pass the time of day he asked: ''How is your cotton coming along?'' he asked.
''Ain't got none,'' replied the farmer.
''Did you plant any?'' asked the stranger.
''Nope,'' was the reply, ''afraid of bollweevils.''
''Well,'' continued the stranger, ''how is your corn?''
''Didn't plant none,'' came the answer, '''fraid there weren't going to be no rain.''
The visitor persevered: ''Well, how are your potatoes?''
''Ain't got none. Scairt - of potato bugs.''
''Really, what did you plant?'' pressed the stranger.
''Nothin','' was the calm reply, ''I jest played safe.''
APPLY: Why didn't that farmer plant his crops? He was afraid. He was afraid of failure. He was afraid of the unknown. And maybe he was even afraid that the work of planting would be too hard for him. SO, he just didn't plant anything.
There are many Christians who won't talk to anyone else about their faith (seed of Jesus). They're afraid. They're afraid of failure and rejection. They're afraid of the unknown. And maybe they're afraid the work is too hard for them to do. They're unsure and afraid… AND SO they just don't.
HOWEVER, from what Jesus tells us here in Luke 8, Christians really don't need to be unsure and afraid. The task of casting the seed of the Gospel isn't difficult.
I. Think about it. Unlike Georgia farmer in our illustration, the farmer in Jesus' parable was not in the least bit troubled.
Was Jesus' farmer concerned about where his seeds landed? Noooo - he's out there throwing the seed anywhere and everywhere he could. He didn't even bother to plow up the ground (they didn't in those days). We call it ''no till'' farming, but the people in that day called it… ''farming.''
This farmer threw the seed on the weeds, on t ...
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