Different Seasons: Part 2 - 'A Season To Sow'

This Sunday, Simon Lace brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC Online services. Once you have watched the video, we encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.

To listen to the talk click here.

Readings:

Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1-8

A time for everything
3 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
²         a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

Matthew chapter 13 verses 1 to 12, 18 to 23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. ² Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. ³ And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵ Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. ⁶ But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸ Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹ Let anyone with ears listen!”

¹⁰ Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹² For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. …

¹⁸ “Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. ²⁰ As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. ²² As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²³ But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”




Prayer & Reflection

Heavenly Father,

Help us to be alert and intentional about sowing seeds of faith in people. Help us to prepare the ground, dear Lord, in being relational, so that we grasp opportunities to listen lovingly and speak compassionately into people’s lives. Help us by your Holy Spirit to bring the Good News about Jesus to people. And God would you help us to watch out for one another, with care and prayer, in this church. Would you keep evil away from us, protect us, O God, that we might be ones whose roots grow deep and strong in good soil. Help us to grow together to become more like Jesus. In His name.

AMEN




Questions to Consider:

1. Jesus identified three ways in which the seed sown by the sower was wasted –

1. The word of the kingdom was not understood by those hearing it (the evil one snatches it away)
2. The word is well received by the listener but the roots are shallow in the them and the word is uprooted when trouble comes along.
3. The cares of the world and wealth are more important to the listener, and choke off the growth in them.

    Which of these are dangers for you?
2. If you had been listening to the street preachers I described, what would you have done, and why?
3. What does ‘the word of the kingdom’ mean to you? How does it affect your life?
4. When did you last talk to someone about Jesus, and your faith?