The Sower

I grew up on a wheat farm in North Dakota near the Canadian border where my dad farmed approximately 1200 acres. In the spring, we would cultivate the land and prepare the soil for receiving the seed. When I was old enough to drive a tractor, cultivating the fields was my job. My dad or my older brother would be in the same field and they would pull a piece of farm machinery called a grain drill. This was a machine that was used to put the seed into the ground. The drill would lay the seed at a controlled depth in a specified amount.




In the time of Jesus, planting crops was done by scattering the seeds and hoping for the best. This technique of planting is known as broadcasting. It is not very efficient or productive. A grain drill would have been much better.

In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about planting seeds in a parable. In the parable, Jesus was not trying to teach about agriculture but was using agriculture to make a point. The disciples did not get it and they asked Jesus to explain.

In some ways, using parables to teach about the kingdom of God instead of explaining things out right is like the difference between broadcasting the seed and sowing the seed using a grain drill. It is not God's plan to drill the word into us and program us to love and obey him. We are given free will. We can either choose to accept His word or reject it.

Jesus knew that the people he is dealing with have hardened their hearts. With a direct approach to the truth, they might have rejected him out right so instead, Jesus uses a gentler approach. He explains things to them in a way they can understand. He is looking for them to make the discovery and see what he is really talking about.

Jesus tells the disciples in verses 16 and 17:

Matthew 13:16-17 (NIV)
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

The prophets and righteous men were too wise for their own good. Their spiritual pride kept them from hearing and seeing the real message. It is almost impossible to lead someone to the Lord by appealing through intellectual reasoning. A commentary on these verses states that we come to Jesus not through strength of our brains but through a child like trust.

I wrote this song about two years ago and have sung it at church and at the nursing homes where I visit. In the words to this song, I mixed the explanation Jesus gives to the disciples with the parable itself.




For my 55th birthday, my wife bought me a camcorder. I used this camcorder to make a video of this song and uploaded it to youtube. Lloyd Johnson, September 19, 2009.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Original
• Christian
• Music
• Jesus
• Parable
• Matthew
• 13

[Peg58367]

Belated happy birthday, Lloyd. Andy and I are watching/listening to your video. It's a nice song. I'm sure you'll enjoy your birthday present and put it to good use.

Peggy and Andy

[jadeevalley]

beautiful music and message, dear friend. best wishes for the weekend :)