Tag: word

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be a Man of My Word

Dedicated Savior,
The more I become a man of your Word, the more I desire also to become a man of my word. I confess that hasn’t always been the case. At times I have nonchalantly agreed to this or that with no real intention of following through. I have also had good intentions of keeping my word, only to absent-mindedly forget later on. 

I want to be known as someone who follows through and does what he says he is going to do. You tell us to let our yes be yes and our no be no. When I make a commitment, therefore, I want to keep it. That requires me to carefully consider any potential commitments before agreeing to them. Then, when I do say yes to something, grant me the necessary organizational skills to keep track of my obligations, and the focus to follow through with them. Lead others to see me as someone who can be counted on to do what he says he will do. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be a Man of Your Word

Righteous Savior,
Help me to be a man of your Word. Anything I aspire to be or do as a Christian man comes down to the work the Holy Spirit must accomplish in me. Since the Bible is his tool of choice to shape and develop me into the godly man I want to be and you call me to be, considerable time in the Word must be a non-negotiable for me. Through your Spirit, free me from any other unnecessary attractions or addictions that have for too long robbed me of potentially precious time in your Word. Expose any weak excuses or lies that I have told myself to justify my neglect of your Word. 

Let your grace and forgiveness wash over me and renew me. Create in me a yearning desire for time in your Word. Satisfy me with your powerful promises and through them build me into a bold, confident Christian soldier, well-equipped to carry out your will and to face the enemy. Daily refresh and rejuvenate my spirit with your Word and let me find great joy and delight in every moment I share with you through it.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For God’s Presence

Ever-Present God,
Your promise to never leave or forsake me holds me up and helps me weather the ups and downs in life. To know that you are always present provides me with peace during times of turmoil and confidence in times of uncertainty. When I feel isolated or lonely, it is not because you have deserted me or turned your back on me, but often because I have drifted away from you. When my feelings betray me and the evil one seizes on them to try to convince me that you’ve given up on me, redirect my thoughts to what is right and true: your Word. Let your Word always remain in my heart, dwelling in me richly. Through it, keep me always close to you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Love Your Word and Worship

Holy Father,
The Ten Commandments are intended to be a blessing, not a burden. Nevertheless, since they expose my sin, I naturally bristle before them. You command us to love your Word and worship, not because you need it from us, but because you know our greatest need is you. You alone save, and without you and apart from you nothing else matters. So when I despise or neglect your Word, I am on the most dangerous path possible.

In this modern day, I have more opportunities than anyone at any time in history not only to study your Word, but also to worship with other believers. Since there is no other means by which you build up and bless your people and your church, instill in me a craving for the Bible. Create in me a longing to gather with fellow believers to be fed and nourished by your Word as it is sung, spoken, and proclaimed in worship. Make me diligent in prioritizing daily time with you in your Word, so that I may treasure it as it ought to be treasured. Through it, keep me near to you for this life, so that I may be near you in the life to come.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Hold Firmly

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(Titus 1:5-9)

Last week, at the start of this Meaningful Ministry (aka, gospel-geared, Savior-like service) series, we began with the reminder that our efforts will not always be appreciated by everyone. In fact, we can expect our efforts to be opposed, sometimes with even great effort. Nevertheless, we carry on with ministry because it’s what God calls us to do. 

Now we find the confidence we need in remembering whose authority backs our ministry, and where we find that authority. As one pastor writing to another, Paul reminded Titus that “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (v.9). Therefore, as we continue to consider what meaningful ministry looks like, we must cling to the truth that meaningful ministry is that which holds firmly to the trustworthy message. Meaningful ministry holds firmly to the Word.

If I may say so, although the title of this post is “Hold Firmly,” some of you are, quite frankly, holding rather loosely to the Word of God. That might hurt a little bit to hear, but if so, thank God that his Word – specifically the law – is doing what it is supposed to do. We might be inclined to push back against such a statement (because after all, what about all the others who are not reading this or who don’t regularly attend church?!?), and to do so wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. But those Christians not reading or listening to sermons aren’t alone in their loose grasp on the Word of God – there are plenty more right there with them who have a rather soft grip on the Word. 

That can happen if Sunday morning worship or reading the occasional sermon online is about as engaged as one ever gets in ministry. If there is one thing that believer and unbeliever alike know about Christianity and Sunday mornings, it’s that Sunday mornings are for worship. While the unbeliever obviously doesn’t see any need to be there, the danger for the believer is to see worship as the bare minimum in his affiliation with the church. Yes, one of the greatest blessings God has given to his church as it carries out meaningful ministry is the blessing of worship; but even that blessing can become a bottleneck to anyone who severely shortchanges ministry by defining it as nothing more than going to church. Such a view is a soft grip on the Word. 

Imagine an actor just showing up for the performance. No study of the storyline or character. No rehearsing lines or any thought on how they might be delivered. Or an athlete just showing up for the games. No practice. No drills. No preparation or game-tape on the other team. Very few could pull either off, and to do so with such little effort beforehand not only reflects poorly on the craft, but also fails to set a high standard or raise the bar in that field.

Why would Christians settle for mediocrity in our ministry, settling for less than our best in carrying out Christ’s calling? Why would some idea of minimal means of grace involvement ever be satisfactory? No, we want to practice like we play. Prepare. Be in the Word. Deeply.

There is great reason to hold firmly to this Word of God. We do so because through it God sends us and serves us. Meaningful ministry is our lot, not because we wisely figured out on our own that Jesus might be good for people to know about, but because Jesus sends us, just as he sent his disciples. They went out with his backing, with his authority. And they went out not because they were qualified in and of themselves, but because they were called. He was the one sending them.

He is the one sending you. Not because you are qualified in and of yourself, but because you were called. You carry out ministry with his backing, with his authority. That started when he made you what you are today, when he gave you your most precious status and title: his. You belong to him. You are his. He made you his when he paid with his life and then gifted you with the faith to believe it. 

I most commonly close my emails with that very signature, “His.” It reminds me of the title that carries more weight than any other ever could. My worth and my value and my significance and my purpose are all wrapped up in the One to whom I belong. In a very real way, one of the simplest little hymns many of us ever learned to sing as children still holds dear in our hearts: “I am Jesus’ little lamb, ever glad at heart I am.” I have different titles. I have various responsibilities and roles. Like an umbrella over them all at all times is the precious truth that I am his – and I always will be. 

And he, dear friends, is the One who sends us. When we forget that bond, that relationship, and all that God did to establish it, ministry is less meaningful. That is when it becomes a job, nothing more than a series of tasks, as if the boss just gave you a list of things he needs you to get done. To lose that bond, that connection with our Savior, and allow it to fray, easily turns ministry into misery. I think you’d agree that Miserable Ministry would be a significantly different sermon series. So remember why we hold firmly to this Word: it is a constant reminder of the One who sends us.

It is also the way he has chosen to serve us. This might be the most significant hurdle that keeps many Christians away from more meaningful service: a willingness to continue to be served by God through holding firmly to the Word. Remember, ministry is gospel-geared, Savior-like service. Another reminder: you are incapable of carrying that out on your own. It must be worked into you through the Word. So there is no, “Jesus did this for me, and now I’d like to graduate beyond that and get busy with all of the work of his kingdom.” No, there is only, “Jesus did this for me, and now he will do this through me.”

So we do not busy ourselves with church work while avoiding church Word & worship. They are inseparable. Service is prompted by being served, and if I don’t have the humility to continue being served a steady diet of Word and Sacrament, then my service will be short-lived and running on fumes in no time. It will become about me. It will become a burden. It will burn me out. It will turn me against other Christians as I begin to resent them for not doing what I’m doing. When I am at that point, I fail to notice how much I have come to resemble Martha, begrudging the others who are too preoccupied with the Word in worship and Bible study to actually do the work to which we’ve been sent.

At that moment we are reminded of why it’s so essential to hold firmly to the Word: my jaded heart daily needs its forgiveness and renewal. In the Word alone do I find what my heart longs for: grace for my misguided ministry that somehow turned what is God’s around and made it all about me. That joy of salvation renews me, taking my me-minded ministry and making it captive to Christ. His sacrifice and salvation for me prompts my sacrificial service to others for the sake of that same salvation. It makes ministry meaningful again.

When I hold firmly to the Word of God at work in all of this, I see that same Word of God at work in me. 

In these verses, Paul laid out quite the list of qualifications for ministry to Titus. While this standard of expectations certainly applies to all Christians, there is an especially important reason Paul emphasizes it for a pastor: because the pastor is understandably associated most directly with God and his authority. As one called by Christians to serve them with the gospel in Word and Sacrament, he is God’s representative. But just as surely as all of these qualifications apply to all Christians, so does the call to hold firmly to the Word of God apply to all Christians. 

In fact, without this final point in this section of Paul’s words to Titus, what precedes is purposeless. Why? Because apart from the Word at work in us, there’s no innate desire to embody the qualifications Paul lists, nor is there any ability to carry them out.

Take note of how Paul refers to the usage of teaching and doctrine, which as often as not seems to get a pretty bad rap – even within the church these days. Many view doctrine as divisive (despite the reality that it is actually what unites). Many view doctrine as a hindrance to Christian living (despite the reality that Christian living flows from it).

But see how Paul touches on it! He uses the word “encourage.” To remain faithful to the Bible’s teachings, to hold the view that doctrine is so very important and matters greatly – this is encouraging. What is discouraging is to see it downplayed, to hear the point of view that only the Jesus and salvation stuff really matters, and we can politely agree to disagree on all the other stuff. The problem with that view is that all of the “other stuff” flows from the Jesus and salvation stuff; it isn’t some add-on or take-it-or-leave-it a la carte menu. It all ties to Jesus, and for that reason, it is encouraging, as Paul maintained. 

So hold firmly to that Word of God – all of it. Our Meaningful Ministry will be blessed as we do so. For it is through the Word of God that he sends us and serves us. And as he does, he will serve us and equip us with everything that we need to carry out faithful, meaningful ministry.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Thank You for the Bible

Faithful Father,
In an AI world filled with fake news and relative truth, I thank you for your Word. The Bible is trustworthy and true, and I thank you for this anchor for my soul. It provides me with guidance and counsel. It directs my decision-making and my next steps in life. Above all else, it reveals for me the source and certainty of my salvation: Jesus. Thank you for your Word! 

It has been said that when we read your Word, it reads us, too. It truly exposes who we are why we are in such desperate need of a Savior from sin. It also shows us who you are and what holiness looks like. We see in the Bible a picture of a gracious, compassionate God, who promises never to leave or forsake us, and to always be with us at all times. Create in me a hunger for your Word that can only be satisfied by it, so that through it you firm up my faith and always draw me closer to you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Sow What?

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(Mark 4:26-34)

You don’t have to have a green thumb to be fascinated by seeds. When it comes to growing things, without diminishing the hard labor of farmers or gardeners, the seed is really responsible for doing all of the work. Once the seed is in the ground, it more or less takes over from there. The one tending to it may be able to control certain variables, like irrigation or fertilizer, but the seed is going to do what God designed it to do regardless: grow. 

It doesn’t always work like that, though. Consider the baker. The cake doesn’t bake itself. Multiple steps like properly following the recipe and baking it at the correct temperature for right length of time are necessary for the cake to turn out. That work does depend on the baker. Or take the software designer – if his coding is off, the software will have bugs and glitches and not work as it is supposed to. There are plenty of jobs that require constant monitoring and following the appropriate steps and procedures for everything to go smoothly. But when it comes to making a seed grow, the seed does all the work. 

The Word Works

Jesus emphasized this in his first parable. Once the seed was in the ground, look at what happened next. “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how” (v.27). To a degree, whether the farmer works hard or hardly works, whether he puts in a full day or slacks off by sleeping in, either way, the seed is going to do what the seed is going to do: grow. And, it doesn’t need anyone’s help, as Jesus reminded his listeners: “All by itself the soil produces grain” (v.28).

Jesus’ is interested in more than just agriculture here; he is illustrating how God’s Word grows his kingdom. His Word, and his Word alone, does all the work.

The Bible doesn’t need our help to be effective. It doesn’t need to be wrapped up in a catchy sermon series or marketing. It doesn’t need to be supported by flashy professional media. The Word doesn’t work better because the church is bigger or smaller or has a cooler name. The style of worship doesn’t enhance the Word, nor does our logic or reason make it more likely to take root. It’s not anything we do at all. The Word does the work all by itself. The Holy Spirit uses it to bring life from death. He uses it to create and keep faith, faith that receives an abundance of rich gifts which he continually distributes through that same Word. 

Neither do we need to know the inner workings of the Word to know that it will work. In fact, you can’t. That’s why one individual soaking up everything about Christianity with a fervor that is contagious, suddenly becomes MIA and turns into a cold case. It’s also why the obstinate atheist unexpectedly becomes filled with faith. Why the one and not the other? I don’t know. Neither do you. God does, and we know how he does it and we know that he only does it one way: through his Word.

That’s why we understand how essential that small sentence at the beginning of Jesus’ parable is, “A man scatters seed on the ground” (v.26). If it starts with that, then we need to start with that. Nothing happens without the seed being scattered. Nothing happens to stored away seed. It won’t grow. It won’t produce. It won’t… anything.

So the Word must be sown. The seed must be scattered. The bedside Bible that is rarely opened is nothing more than another item to be dusted off when cleaning. The Bible app on your phone that never sees the light of day is only adding more clutter to your home screen. For the Word to work, just like anything else, it has to be used. If the Word is not spoken, shared, read, studied, confessed, preached, taught, passed on, etc., it will not produce. The Word needs to be communicated for it to work. The seed needs to be scattered. Are you scattering the seed?

When the stranger in line next to you opens up and ends up sharing some personal matters she is working through, are you looking for a chance to scatter the seed? When your unchurched friend returns from traveling to a family member’s funeral and expresses to you his doubts and uncertainty regarding death and the afterlife, do you scatter the seed? Your classmate is wrestling with feeling worthless and insignificant – do you scatter the seed? A church member close to you confesses something they’ve done that has left them reeling in guilt and shame – do you scatter the seed? 

Scatter the seed under your own roof, too. Fathers, are you taking the lead in this area? Are you scattering the seed of the Word in your marriage and in your home? If not, what is holding you back? If it’s your fear of having an inadequate understanding of the Bible or feeling that you aren’t qualified, look again at Jesus’ words: “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how” (v.27). God isn’t calling you as a father to be an expert in the Word; he’s just calling you to scatter it so that he can do the work of building his kingdom. The Word works, so put it to work. And as you do, you’ll begin to notice the blessings over time.

The Word Works Big Blessings from Small Beginnings

The Word works, and it works big blessings. But it does so from small beginnings. Jesus explained, “It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade” (v.31-32). The Word’s work is like the mustard seed – it starts small, but over time grows and develops into something big.

A newborn infant and splashes of water accompanied by God’s powerful promise. God is able to grow the small seed planted there into something magnificent. A small beginning, yes, but big blessings will follow. An ongoing dialogue between two friends, one of whom is asking questions of the other about God and the Bible. A small seed is being planted, which God can grow into much bigger blessings over time. 

A sermon is shared, a service is streamed, an invitation is extended. A passage is quoted, a prayer is said. A hurting soul is comforted. A small bit of bread and wine are received. A devotion is read together. In all of it, the small mustard seed of the gospel is being scattered, and through all of it, God is causing big blessings to grow. 

But because it starts so small, and because at times it seems to take so long to grow, we must fight the urge to give up on it when we fail to see immediate results. The atom-size attention spans we have in our day and age have not helped. We hardly have to wait for anything anymore, so when we do, we become quickly irritated and give up to move on to something else. Perhaps the days of dial-up internet and rotary phones weren’t as bad as we make them out to be – at least they fostered a measure of patience in our everything-is-instant age! Regardless, keep scattering the seed with the complete confidence that from that tiny gospel seed, God will grow big blessings. 

The Word Works in Me

It isn’t necessary for us to know how the Word works to be able to trust that the Word works, since the Holy Spirit is the one doing the heavy lifting. While that is true, one of the blessings that Word produces in us is the desire to learn it, to know it, and to understand it better. Look at Mark’s description of Jesus’ teaching at the conclusion of these two parables. “With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything” (v.33-34). They grew in their learning. Jesus used parables to explain to them things they didn’t understand. And what they didn’t understand, he explained to them. And this happened on an ongoing basis!

Such is the cyclical relationship we have with the Word. The more we’re in it, the more we crave it. To those who avoid it because they don’t understand it, the solution is to be in it more – not less! – so that it will provide us with better understanding.

What did you do the last time you didn’t understand something.? Perhaps a movie ending didn’t make sense. Maybe you couldn’t explain why something that appeared to be in good working order wasn’t doing what it was supposed to. What did you do? Did you just walk away, clueless and content to remain in your ignorance? I doubt it! I’m guessing you googled it in hopes of finding an answer. You may have even texted or talked to a friend about it. You very likely took at least some step toward having a better understanding.

Why are we so reluctant to do the same with the Word? If you don’t get it, that’s fine, but getting away from it is not the solution to getting it. The solution is to scatter more seed. More, not less, and give the Word time to germinate in your heart and mind. Allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten and open up the Scriptures to you.

It’s been said that people overestimate what they can accomplish in one year, but underestimate what they can accomplish in 3-5 years. Reading the Bible in a year may not be for you, but what about reading it in three? What about finding others in whom the seed has just been planted and is starting to sprout, and committing together to keep after it for the long-term? It starts small. It takes time. But it can and will grow great things in your life, because the Word works! Scatter the seed!

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Your Word in My Life

Heavenly King,
Your kingdom is like no other kingdom the world has ever seen. It wasn’t established by conquering armies or political prowess. It isn’t bound by borders. It will never be overtaken. Instead, your kingdom comes through the power of your Word as the news of the gospel echoes all over the world.

Since your kingdom revolves around the work of the Word, let my life also revolve around that Word. Forgive me for any on and off relationship I have with my Bible, and grant me the determination to strive for more consistency in reading and studying it. Help me to anticipate any current or future hindrances that arise, so that I am prepared for them and can successfully navigate around them. Through your Word, draw me into a closer, deeper relationship with you as your Holy Spirit fortifies my faith, and use me to serve your purposes in your kingdom. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Wheat, Weeds, and the Word

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(Matthew 13:24-43)

Weeding is a necessary evil. That is, assuming you want to keep the landscape looking nice or wish to grow anything in your vegetable garden. While I don’t know anyone who would put weeding at the top of their list of all-time favorite activities, most of us acknowledge that it needs to be done whether we like it or not. 

Since Jesus uses so many agricultural illustrations in his teaching (e.g., he likens the life of a Christian to a tree producing fruit or a crop yielding a harvest), we might ex expect that somewhere in his teaching he’d include a spiritual reference to the importance of weeding. Interestingly enough, though, in this section from Matthew 13, Jesus states that when it comes to weeding in his kingdom, we don’t need to weed. It isn’t required. We’re off the hook.

In fact, he goes a step further by actually prohibiting weeding in his kingdom. In Jesus’ parable, notice the question and response regarding the weeds. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull [the weeds] up?’ ‘No,’ he answered” (v. 28-29a). 

“No???” Is it just me, or does that conclusion catch you off guard a bit? On the one hand, it would be perfectly understandable to make the same assumption the servants did: get rid of the weeds so that they don’t choke out the wheat. Don’t let the bad stuff grow and overwhelm the good. This is a natural approach to gardening because if one doesn’t weed, the good stuff doesn’t grow. 

That approach would also seem to line up with warnings elsewhere in Scripture when God warns his people not to have anything to do with the deeds of darkness, to avoid every kind of evil, and not to associate with wickedness. He warns us against being yoked together with unbelievers (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14).

Moreover, doesn’t such wickedness arouse our own sense of righteous anger as we are surrounded by it everywhere? Doesn’t God want us to do something about it? Aren’t we supposed to be ready for spiritual warfare and go to battle against all the kinds of blatant sin and disdain against God that is so prevalent? How can the man’s response to his servants’ request about pulling up the wheat be a straightforward “no”??? How is it that Jesus here can be so nonchalant about the threat of evil growing alongside his wheat, his believers?

Let’s jump ahead to Jesus’ explanation of the parable just to make sure we have all of the details right. Maybe that will help us understand a bit better. “He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels’” (v.37-39). Jesus’ interpretation is pretty straightforward. He doesn’t really provide any additional insights as to why weeding is off-limits. Now what?

Let’s revisit the man’s rationale for prohibiting weeding. “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them’” (v.29). Ah, there is his concern. God is worried about more than just the possible damage that could be caused by the weeds. He is more concerned about accidentally uprooting the wheat.

Are you surprised by this? In our minds, we view the corruption and wickedness all around us as public enemy number one to our faith. We worry about the world’s influence on our faith. We worry about its open attacks on Christianity. We feel the squeeze of sin and its normalization all around us. Surely the potential damage the weeds could do to the wheat is a greater risk than the possibility of accidentally uprooting some of the wheat?!? Spiritual weed-whacking would seem to be the best option, wouldn’t it?

Apparently, Jesus disagrees. Let that sink in. Jesus is less concerned about the influence the wicked world has on his believers than he is about the possibility of any one of his believers being yanked away along with the weeds.

But how does that even happen? Quite easily, as a matter of fact.

Do you remember when Westboro Baptist Church made headlines? Years ago they were regularly making the news, but not for a good reason. They had groups protesting at the funerals of servicemen and women, claiming that such deaths were deserved and were God’s judgment on the military for accepting gays. They picketed in the name of Christianity, claiming God’s judgment here and there. 

It is one thing to call out sin – and yes, we are to do that; but it is another to do it lacking so much as an ounce of love. Love prompts us to call sin, sin in hopes of repentance that would see a soul turn from sin to forgiveness and grace in Jesus. Guess what was lacking in any of the groups from Westboro Baptist?

Do you suppose their actions had any impact? I imagine they did… but not for the good of Christ’s Kingdom. Instead, their loveless attitude and calloused, insensitive approach most definitely resulted in increased animosity against Christians, as non-believers lumped all of Christianity with “those types of people.”

And undoubtedly, some Christians who were either young in their faith or on the fringes of their faith concluded that if this was how Christians really acted, then they didn’t want anything to do with Christianity.

That’s the concern the farmer expressed when prematurely pulling the weeds – some of the wheat may come with it.

There is another reason Jesus is less concerned about spiritual weed-whacking: his confidence in the Word of God to sustain believers.

When we consider the two parables Jesus tells between this one and its explanation, we see a different emphasis: an emphasis on the power of the Word. In those parables, Jesus compares the Word to a mustard seed and to yeast. It grows exponentially. So it would seem Jesus has such confidence in the Word keeping the wheat that he is less concerned about weeds crowding out the wheat. Maybe we should have the same confidence! 

Another way we might reflect this: let’s focus less on the world’s wickedness and more on how the Word works. The Word works! We can sit around and pout all day about how bad the world, our country, or our state are getting and conclude that Christ’s church is doomed. Or, we can keep trusting that Word still works, it will still bring unbelievers to faith and will continue to keep believers in the faith. Worry less about the weeds and more about how God sustains and grows his wheat, and we’ll be just fine. 

If ever there was reason to fear that the weeds were going to overtake the wheat, it was in the final days of Jesus’ life. Surely it appeared as if the weeds were gaining ground and taking over. In Jesus’ final days, as his enemies had their way with him, It was as if the weeds were going to completely eradicate the wheat. Indeed, that was the conclusion of some as Jesus hung crucified, his life cruelly and undeservedly slipping away from him. 

But it wasn’t as it appeared! The weeds weren’t actually winning. Rather, God was permanently protecting his wheat harvest with a certainty of salvation that no weeds would ever be able to suffocate or choke out. Jesus was guaranteeing a harvest on the Last Day by graciously forgiving all sin and wickedness so that no level of evil could ever overcome it.

Where sin and wickedness have been forgiven – and at the cross they have – what real power do they retain? Who really has the power when sin and wickedness have been forgviven? Christ does! His church does! You do! I do! The weeds don’t win – not so long as forgiveness reigns.

And that is where we stand: in the grace of forgiveness. Surrounded by weeds and wickedness, yes – but they can never touch God’s gracious gifts of forgiveness and salvation in which we stand. So stand in them. Remain in them. Grow in them. Don’t waste your time and attention on how bad the weeds are; focus your time and attention on how God grows and sustains his wheat. The weeds won’t stand a chance. Ask Satan – he already knows it. He just hopes that you forget it and worry more about the damage that he might do than about the saving work Jesus already did.  

What a great reminder for the church to stay on mission. Its mission is not weed-whacking all of the wickedness out of the world. Its mission is to proclaim the gospel and let its light shine. Jesus thinks the potential good from doing that outweighs the potential damage of being influenced by the weeds.

Let’s not forget this. Let’s ratchet up our efforts in trusting the Word by prioritizing it in our lives. Talk is cheap, and frankly, just talking about the importance of the Word isn’t enough to keep the weeds at bay. Reading it, studying it, breathing it, living it, applying it, encouraging each other with it, building each other up with it – these are the things God’s wheat does as we await the glorious harvest. When that harvest comes on the Last Day, God will finally take care of the weeds, and he assures us that his Word-grown wheat will not be left behind, but will “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (v.43).

Until then Christians, live with the weeds. We aren’t called to douse them with Round-up or feverishly yank them up in hopes of solving the world’s weed problem. Instead, we let the Word do that – in both our own lives and, as it has opportunity, in their lives, too. Focus on being Word-grown wheat, and let God take care of the harvest. It just might be more plentiful than you could ever have imagined.

Word Grown

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(Isaiah 55:6-11)

Based on how our food is labeled and packaged, where it comes from matters to us. Some people care more than others if their food is organic. Others want to know if it’s locally grown. Is it genetically modified? Farm grown? When someone drops by with home-grown fruit or veggies, you know it’s going to taste just a little bit better. When we’re talking about meat, plant-based or lab-grown options will continue to be a part of the discussion. We pay attention to how things are grown.

Planted by the Word.

Christians are grown, too. But there aren’t a variety of options when it comes to how Christians are grown; there is just one. Christians are Word grown. Every single one of us came to faith in Jesus Christ in one way and in one way only: through the Word.

That Word may have come in the form of a promise attached to the washing of water in baptism. That Word may have worked in us as little ones who learned Bible stories that pointed us to our Savior, Jesus. That Word may have worked repentance, forgiveness, and the joy of salvation in us as adults whose skepticisms and doubts were put to rest through Bible study or one-on-one discussions of biblical truths with a Christian. However our faith was worked in us, in each an every case, it was always worked through the Word of God. It’s how you became a Christian. 

If you have faith, then, it was worked by the Word. But, why doesn’t the Word always work? Why doesn’t it always bring people to faith every time it is heard, read, or studied? We could offer any number of pretty rational or logical reasons, but at some point, there comes a time and place when we simply have to acknowledge our limitations.

Isaiah reflected on those limitations when describing God in verses 8-9. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” God is God and we are not.

While we may think it unfair or resent God for not revealing everything to us, is it prudent or realistic to presume that we should be on the same level as God? If we suppose so, is that because we are guilty of thinking so highly of ourselves or so little of God? Does he owe us an explanation or understanding of why and how he operates? 

Nevertheless, just because our thoughts and ways are not on par with God’s, that doesn’t mean God has completely left us guessing as to what his thoughts and ways are. We simply rest easy in knowing the basics – that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). This truth keeps us from spending our time distracted by what we don’t know so that we can focus on what we do know: God wants all people to be saved, and the only way he saves is through the Word. 

There is another explanation as to why the Word may at times appear to us to be ineffective. Sometimes, it’s because we’re not actually sowing the seed of the Word, but rather talking about it. Do you know the difference?

If it appears that my unbelieving friend’s life is coming unraveled and I point out to him that he needs Jesus in his life, have I sowed the seed of the Word? Well, not entirely. I may have taken the first step toward doing so, but at that point alone the Word has not been sown. I have made reference to a name in that Word, but the Word itself has not been sown.

Or consider your bumper sticker that says “Jesus saves.” It is true, yes. But it is incomplete and not clear enough to the point. The person reading your bumper sticker may conclude that you are a Christian, knowing enough to equate Jesus with Christianity. However, the sticker reveals nothing about who Jesus is, how he saves, who he saves, or why it matters that Jesus saves. The seed hasn’t fully been sown.

This point is not so much a criticism as a much-needed clarification. This friends, is where we can make a difference. We can be more intentional about sowing the seed rather than just talking about it. In other words, we can – and we must – make certain we are clearly communicating law (which exposes our sin) and gospel (the good news of our Savior).

A gardener can go to great lengths to till the soil and prepare it for the seed. However, once the soil has been made ready, the seed still has to be planted. If all the gardener does is tell others what great soil she has and speaks of the superior quality of seeds she has, nothing will grow. The seed must be planted. It must be sown. 

In the same way, if all the gardener does after the soil has been made ready is assure others that he has plenty of good seed to plant in his fields, this, too will yield no harvest. Whether the gardener speaks of the praise of the soil or the praise of his superior seed, one thing has been left undone: the seed has not been planted in the soil. It must be sown.

Where is this seed sown? Sure, it is sown in churches, Bible classes, or classrooms by called pastors and teachers. Praise God for that sowing! But how many fields lie fallow if only pastors and teachers sow the Word in those places?

God’s vision included a far greater harvest than just those fields! He knows his Word works wherever it is sown by whomever sows it – including you. And you are qualified to do it.

You have unique relationships with non-believers. There is your soil. You also have the message of the gospel, the good news that Jesus died to save sinners. There is your seed. Sow it. Go confidently beyond the step of simply talking about the seed and sow the seed. Start with highlighting the blessings Jesus fills your own life with, and point them to how he can do the same in theirs. Plant the Word. It’s the only way others will ever come to faith.

Produce through the Word.

And do so with the confidence that it will work. Crops need rain. Some states right now are in a drought. Other states are flooding. What determines this? Rain. With all of our advancements and the amazing technologies that exist, it is such a striking reminder that we have zero control over the one thing essential to crop growth: rain. Without it, crops die. Crops need rain.

Christians need the Word. Without it, Christians die. The seed planted may sprout and grow, but if not watered by the Word, it will die. That same Word that was planted in you to bring you to faith is the thing that produces a harvest in your life and in Christ’s kingdom. The Lord promises you it will work.

Isaiah described it like this: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (v.10-11).

We sometimes make the mistake of presuming that our knowledge of the Word is adequate, that once we know it, it has done its work by providing us with the information we need to apply it to our lives. Well then, why do you continue to sin if you already know the information in the Word? You know you shouldn’t lie or steal. You know you shouldn’t get drunk. You know sex is reserved for husbands and wives alone. You know your bitterness and anger are unjustified. You know all of these things from the Word… yet you still do them. If the Word’s method of working was merely to provide information to set you on the track of holiness, I think we’d have to conclude that the Word is pretty ineffective. 

But the problem is not that the Word is ineffective. Rather, the problem is that we fail to take God’s promise to heart and keep putting the Word to work. It doesn’t just work informationally – by giving us a list of do’s and dont’s; it works supernaturally, by continually crushing the sinner in us and awakening the saint.

The law keeps accusing and killing us while the gospel restores and renews us. The Spirit works supernaturally through the Word as we marvel at the reality of being baptized children of God. As we take and eat the food of forgiveness in Holy Communion. As we hear and believe the faith-fueling forgiveness announced again and again through the Word. This is not mere information; this is a supernatural transformation that the Spirit produces through the Word. In each and all of these ways the Word works in our hearts to reveal to us the endless ocean of forgiveness that completely engulfs all of our sin. 

Understand then, why Isaiah gives us this encouragement: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (v.6-7). Free pardon. Mercy. These are the gifts of God earned for us through Christ and delivered to us through the Word. How could we forsake this Word, this pardon, this mercy?

Quite the opposite! Let us return to it again and again, so that this endless mercy and free pardon work in us to produce an abundant harvest in Christ’s kingdom – both in our personal lives and in the lives of others. 

Do you believe it will actually work in your own life? I suppose you could keep stumbling in the same sin over and over for the rest of your life and keep justifying it to others by explaining that’s just the way you are. Or, you could allow the Word to do what it does and work supernaturally on your heart so that you experience more victories in this or that area of life, and yes, even overcome certain inclinations or temptations. That same Word builds up your faith to lean more on God on less on excusing your inadequacies and shortcomings.

Do you believe it will actually work in the lives of others? Rather than being so surprised when the Word works in the lives of others, what if we were instead more surprised when it didn’t? In other words, if we’re going to make a mistake – as if this could ever be considered a mistake – what if we over-sowed the seed? What if we assumed it would work in the lives of others who so desperately needed it that we always sowed it rather than presuming others have already heard it or would probably just reject it? The more you sow it, the more it works, and the greater the harvest. 

Christian, are you budding and flourishing in your life? You can be. Test God in this and see if these words of Isaiah are actually true. See if the planted Word produces – in your life and in the lives of others. Let us embrace this central defining characteristic of what it means to be a Christian: that the Word permeates our lives and that the Holy Spirit uses it to produce and flourish in and through us.