“Listen a farmer went out to sow some seed. As he scattered the seed……” Mark 4:3,4

“The farmer sows the word” Mark 4:14

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Luke 10:2

As you may have noticed from the first two quotations above, this (in fact also an additional two posts after this) post is going to consider/reflect on the parable of the Sower. In one respect I find the title used in many versions of the bible interesting for it is called the parable of the Sower, yet most of the verbiage is centered around the seed and its interaction with the four different soils. Yet the title is appropriate for the parable because, without the sower, none of the rest takes place.

So one thing I would note, as Jesus is telling the parable and later explaining it to His disciples, Jesus does not name or identify the sower (or as other translations state, the farmer). In the various translations, neither “farmer” or “sower” are capitalized. Thus it would appear that the farmer is not a divine figure, is not God, or the Son or the Holy Spirit.

So who is this farmer, this sower? At this time of His ministry, Jesus had been teaching, healing and traveling. This was after His “Sermon on the Mount”. People were hearing about Him and coming to Him to hear Him. Jesus tells this parable about the same time frame when He sends His followers out, two-by-two. Just prior to Him sending them; Jesus makes the observation that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Jesus says that it would be good to ask for workers to help in the harvest. Of course the “harvest” Jesus is referring to is the followers, the people who will hear the Word of God, repent and follow Jesus into salvation. The workers Jesus is asking for are not just His disciples but the others whom He sends out to spread the word to the towns and later nations which Jesus did not have the earthly time to visit in physical, person.

Dear Sisters and Brothers, we must realize this is not just a parable for antiquity. There is still a great need, perhaps a never greater need for sowers/farmers who will spread the seed, the Word, to an ever growing population that has never heard or experienced the word of Christ. It is clear. We can and should be those sowers.

Let us also be very, extremely clear about one vital thing. While Jesus did not point to one individual or entity as the farmer or sower, He was crystal clear about what the seed is. The seed is a singular concept. The seed is not some, or uplifting, or from this or maybe that, or multi sourced……words. The seed is only, specifically and limited to, focused on, containing the WORD. The WORD, is the singular Word of God. It is the Word of God, spoken by God through the prophets, the Word of God spoken through Jesus Christ. The Word is not, our opinions on what is right, our concepts of who God is, our musings on what justice is. What I am typing right now is not The Word. The Word is what I quoted above and all below it is no substitute for it.

Dear Sisters and Brothers, if we are going to be faithful sowers and farmers, we must be certain on the seed we are spreading. If we want to be the workers that Jesus was asking for, we must be grounded in the Word. It is only through the knowing of the seed that we can be effective sowers of the seed; which is the Word.

Finally, what is meant by or what actions are entailed in the sowing, the planting? One way we plant the seed is by living the seed. When we live out the Word in our lives, others can see the power of the seed and wish it to be planted within themselves. In studying the Word and having some knowledge of the Word; we share the Word. We are able to connect our actions and faith to the specific aspects of the Word, allowing for those who are receiving the Word, perhaps for the first time, to take that Seed, which is the Word deep within. We abide in the Word, the Word made flesh, who is Jesus Christ. It is only by abiding in Jesus Christ, that we can faithfully and accurately spread His Word to the famished world in so much need of it.

The Seed exists. The Giver of the Seed Exists. The dire need for the spreading of the Seed exists. By the Grace of the Father, let us endeavor to be the faithful sowers of the Seed/Word of Christ bringing Glory to His Name and the Name of the Father.

Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, as Your Precious Son declared, apart from Him, we can do nothing. That we today, even know of Your Son and of Your Blessings throughout all time, is because of Your Wonderful Seed, Your Word. Thank You, Merciful Father, for loving us so much that You have granted us knowledge of You through Your Word. Thank You for the light Your Word brings into our lives. We pray that You’d be with us and allow us to be faithful sowers of Your Word. That through Your Spirit we would concentrate on the Word and not on glorifying ourselves as we sow it. That in living into Your Word and sowing it out to the greater world we would see the blessings of Your Word’s produce and bring glory to You by which the Word has been brought. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.