Fertile Hearts

April 4

(Luke 8:11-15 NIV) "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. {12} Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. {13} Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. {14} The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. {15} But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

(Mark 4:20 NIV) "Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.""

(Psalms 92:12-15 NIV) “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; {13} planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. {14} They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, {15} proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.””

In this parable about soils, the seed is God’s word. It is always good. It is the constant. The soils are the variable, and represent human hearts. The path represents hardened hearts that are closed off to the gospel. The seed can’t sprout there. The rocky soil represents shallow hearts. They may be superficially religious, but have no roots. When the hot winds of testing come, they quickly fall away. Cluttered hearts are like the thorny soil. Worries, pleasure, and riches choke the life out of faith. Anxiety, money, and addiction strangle God’s word. But some seed falls on good soil -- open hearts that hear the word, accept it, and persevere in it. Faith grows and produces fruit. Has God’s word changed your life or are you the same as you were a year ago? Test your soil. Plant good seed. Tend to your soil. Become a disciple -- do God’s word, and let the bountiful harvest begin. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Divine Dirt

April 3

(Luke 8:4-8 NIV) ““While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: {5} "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. {6} Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. {7} Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. {8} Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.””

(Genesis 26:12-14 NIV) “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. {13} The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. {14} He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.”

“The Parable of the Sower” is actually a parable about soil: good and bad. The planting method was “broadcasting”-- the sower walked back and forth, scattering seed from side to side by hand. Seed cast on the hard path had little chance of even sprouting. Seed cast on the rocky soil might sprout, but would die because it couldn’t send down roots. Seed cast among thorns could grow, but would be choked out before it could produce a crop. Seed cast upon the good soil sent its roots deep and produced a bumper crop. Yields were normally ten-fold -- a bushel of seed would produce about ten bushels of grain. The hundredfold yield spoken of by Jesus was only dreamed about in that day, and would have taken a divine touch. Jesus wanted his hearers to know that producing a crop took more than just good soil and a skilled sower -- it took help from God. Spiritually, the same is true today. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Jesus Group

April 2

(Luke 8:1-3 NIV) “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, {2} and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; {3} Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.”

(Matthew 10:1-8 NIV)  "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. {2} These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; {3} Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; {4} Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. {5} These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. {6} Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. {7} As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' {8} Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Christ’s mission included making disciples who would take His gospel to the world. He chose the Twelve, but there were others who signed on. This “Jesus Group” was a mixed lot. Not all were well-dressed, upper crust citizens. They consisted of some blue collar fishermen, an IRS agent, a skeptic, a dishonest bookkeeper, a right wing political radical, a former harlot, and the wife of an elite government official. These are the people who took up with Jesus and followed him day and night for three years. They were the called, the healed, the forgiven, and the delivered. They were diverse in origin, but had the same destination. They understood that following Jesus meant leaving something behind. They cut the strings that encumber most of us and became disciples. They became the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Our calling is the same. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Christ’s Prime Directive

April 1

(Luke 7:44-50 NIV) ““Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. {45} You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. {46} You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. {47} Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." {48} Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." {49} The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" {50} Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace.””

(Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Forgiveness of sin was one of Christ’s main objectives in coming to Earth. Certainly He modeled godly behavior for us, but the obstacle that stands between us and eternal life is our sin. If you are a Star Trek fan, atoning for our sin was Christ’s “Prime Directive”. The Pharisee was a “good person”, and wasn’t looking for a Savior. As a result, he and his friends missed the Lord. But the sinful woman knew her failings, and when she heard the Savior was in town, she came to show her love for the One who could forgive her. She who has been forgiven much, loves much. She who have been forgiven little, loves little. Our love for God is proportional to the mercy we have received. The sinner has no payment great enough for their sin. It is by grace we are saved. Until we realize we have been forgiven much, we will just be religious people, and religion has never saved a single soul. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day