Recently we talked about shame. Remember there is life after shame. When we accept Jesus we do not have to let shame have a say in our life. So now what do we do? After we accept Jesus and soak him up so we just keep going on our merry way? What is our next step?
We need to help with the spreading of the Gospel.
How can we possibly do that, you might be thinking? Well, for starters we aren’t alone in doing just that. We join other believers and have the gift of the Holy Spirit. You might also be thinking … what happens if no one listens to me?
The Parable of the Sower has a powerful message for us to ponder.
The Parable of the Sower is a story about a Sower who scatters seeds. The seeds fell on four different types of ground; and each ground highlights four different responses to the Gospel. In the setting of that time a Farmer sowing a field would walk the length and breadth of the ground with a sack of seeds slung over his shoulder, throwing the seeds as he goes.
We read this and think; Yes, Jesus and pastors are seed planters. Common every day people are not seed planters, right? Wrong. One of the things that I love about the UMC is our mission statement.
THe UMC mission statement is “ to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world .
We all come together to make disciples. We talk about our Jesus. Talking about Jesus helps others get to know Jesus in a personal way, a real way. The minute Pastor I declare that we I am a pastor people expect me to talk about Jesus. When you are having a conversation and you share that well I believe in Jesus because:
He saved me
He healed me
He revealed Himself to me in scripture and music
He came for my sins … which were and are UGLY but He said … I love you anyway… seeds are scattered.
The ground is not our responsibility, the sharing is our responsibility.
So as we enter LENT what would it look like if you said I am going to add sharing my faith story with others where appropriate? Do you have children and grandchildren that have never heard about how you found Jesus or how Jesus found you? What a great time to share by writing it down or enjoying a meal and sharing.
I think the most important step is to love well as a Christian. So during Lent maybe you could be loving on people others don’t notice. During Advent and Lent I pass out hugs and kisses to people who wait on me. I want them to know that I see them and they are loved. We plant seeds in a variety of different ways let’s spend LENT sharing, loving, and planting!
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