The Encourager
“Seeds and Soils - Jeff Curtis”
Seeds and Soils
By Jeff Curtis
The earliest Christians knew that the key to teaching others was to sow the seed, a figure Jesus used to stand for the Word of God (Luke 8:11). The parable in which He used that figure contains three principles for teaching others about Jesus and His way.
- Expose all soils to the seed: The four soils that Jesus included in His parable
– hard, rocky thorny and good – made up every kind of soil. Jesus said that all of the soils would have seed thrown on them. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John show that the seed was sown on all four soils. While one soil was accepting of seed, the other three types were shallow, distracted or hard.
- Acknowledge that the power to change is only in the seed: For seed to be
sown, there must be a sower; but Jesus shows that the true power for change is not in the sower or the way he sows. The real power is in the seed, God’s Word, which is the gospel message. Paul wrote that “the Gospel… is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16). Often, good sowing of God’s seed means that we must patiently look for the right time to teach needed truths. The Christian faith is a taught faith. That teaching must take place before baptism, but additional teaching is required to nurture those who are baptized so that they will become full grown disciples who are then able to teach others (Matt.28:19-20).
- Accept that we cannot control the soil: What do the four soils have in
common? None can be controlled by the sower. We must never forget that the teaching of even the best teachers will often be rejected. Jesus’ own ministry proves this to be true. Many refused to hear the Master Teacher, but many others accepted Him, they told their friends and relatives about Him, and ultimately changed the world.
Everyone should have the opportunity to receive the Word. So, we need to keep sowing the seed.
Encourage One Another
by Jesse A. Flowers
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11, ESV).
A divine instruction given to every single Christian is that we are to give encouragement to our fellow brethren; that we are to strengthen one another in the faith of Jesus Christ; and if we are presently doing so, then we are to continue to do so. And here’s the thing... EVERYONE is in need of encouragement. We all need to receive it, AND we must be actively giving it to others. This was such an outstanding quality in our first century brother Joses that the apostles changed his name to Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement/consolation/comfort” (Acts 4:36). In other words, in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, the apostle Paul is calling upon every disciple of Christ to be a son or daughter of encouragement to their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
Since every child of God experiences temptations, trials, sickness, death, disappointments, discouragements, and weariness, we all are in need of regular, genuine encouragement. Let us encourage our older members - those who are faithful in coming but often in pain; widows and widowers; our shut-ins. Let us encourage those who are married to non-Christians or divorced but remain faithful to the Lord. Let us encourage those who battle chronic illnesses and diseases. Let us encourage our Bible class teachers. Let us encourage our children and young people to put God first in their lives. Let us encourage elders, deacons, preachers (and their spouses) as they serve. Let us encourage younger men to be preparing themselves to be elders and deacons. Let us encourage those we know who are presently struggling with discouragement. And finally, as our brother Barnabas did, let us encourage all of our brethren “that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord” (Acts 11:23)
