Sowing Seeds (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:4-9

I consider myself a seed planter. I speak quite often, and every time I speak, I talk about the good news of salvation through belief in and acceptance of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. I talk about living to serve God and grow in faith. And I usually give those attending the opportunity to accept Christ.

However, I don’t always see the results. In other words, I don’t always see someone come to faith every time I speak. When I first started my ministry, I have to admit, I felt like I was doing something wrong. Was I not eloquent enough? Did I share the gospel clearly? Was my own faith lacking?

I’d go to other events, and when the speaker gave the “altar call,” there always seemed to be someone—or many someones—who accepted Christ.

Then I found these verses. Some people plan the seeds, and some water. Some even get a chance to “reap.” But no matter what, God is the one who provides salvation. He is the One who offers grace and mercy.

I am merely a “fellow worker” with others, and I must do my part.

Occasionally, someone comes to faith the very first time they hear the gospel message. Often though, it takes hearing the truth repeated times. So who’s to say that someone who makes a decision to follow Christ didn’t hear God’s words through me first, and that’s the seed that grew so one of my “fellow workers” could reap.

We’re all in this together, and God uses each of us as He sees fit.

And again, the only thing I must do is do what He’s called me to do. And you must do the same.

Your Legacy (Psalm 103:15-16)

Today's scripture: Psalm 103:15-16

I don’t mean to be morbid, but we’re all going to die. In a couple of generations, no one is going to remember us—or our stuff.  Nothing we own now will matter. The jobs we hold. The hobbies we love. The vacations we take.

It’s just not going to matter. Indeed, “the wind passes over it, and it is gone …”

I’m blessed to have strong memories of all four of my grandparents. I even have some memories of my great-grandmother (my maternal grandmother’s mother). But further back than that? I couldn’t even tell you their names.

So if no one is going to remember us in a generation or two, is there anything we can do to leave some kind of legacy? Yes, but perhaps not the legacy you’re about which you’re thinking.

The only legacy we can leave is sharing the truth of the gospel. Every time you talk about your faith, you plant a seed. You may also have the privilege of watering those seeds—and maybe even reaping. But much of the time, you may never see the reaping.

Even if you don’t reap all the seeds you sow, you can be confident you’re leaving a legacy that "neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matthew 6:20).

For every seed you sow, you’ll probably never know how many other seeds will be scattered.

You can leave a legacy. You can have an eternal impact. Maybe no one will know your name in one hundred years, but your influence will be felt for generations.

Seed Sowing (2 Cor. 9:10-11)

Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel so inadequate to share the gospel. What if they ask a question to which I don’t know the answer? What if they ridicule me? What if they’re downright hostile?

Then God reminds me: He will supply whatever I need to “sow seeds.” All I have to do is tell how He’s worked in my life. How I’ve seen the evidence of His presence. How He’s worked in unexpected ways. How He’s answered prayer after prayer.

The gospel message is simple: believe in Jesus Christ and accept the gift of salvation through grace. It’s so simple, even a child can understand. In fact, Jesus Himself said, “I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom” (Matthew 18:3-5, MSG).

Yet we often complicate it or succumb to fear or think, “Someone else will tell them.”

We’re all seed-bearers. Each and every one of us who knows Christ is called to share the good news of God’s grace. He has equipped us to sow seeds because He has worked in our lives.

We need to overcome our fears, our feelings of inadequacy … because the God who saved us, who changed our lives, is the same God who will speak through us. He has liberally supplied all we need to sow seeds and to help others come to know Him.