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Extravagant Planting :: Dave Bartlett
May 11 – CF Community Center
May 18 – Grundy Center
May 25 – CF Sanctuary
Message Summary
Using the parable below as his focus, Dave taught that we worship a God who is an extravagant sower! He sows seeds of love, grace, hope, forgiveness, love and salvation with a generous hand. We are called to model our lives in this same way; to be life-giving, crop-producing people who generously sow seeds of hope and good news into the lives of all who cross our path. We can sow extravagantly because God will always re-supply a generous sower! Dave also taught that our lives can be like the four types of soil mentioned in the parable ... hard, shallow, cluttered or warm and growing. What is the soil of your life like these days?
Scripture Focus
Luke 8:4-15
While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "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. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 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." His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 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. 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. 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. 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.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work ... Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Questions for small group discussion or personal reflection & journaling…
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What does it mean to you that the farmer (who represents God) is a generous, even wasteful, sower? Do you see yourself in this same way, or do you tend to be cautious and careful in your sowing?
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Dave gave some examples of seed-sowing ... some very public and noticeable; others more hidden and anonymous. What does sowing seed looks like to you? What kinds of activities do you think of when you hear the phrase "sowing seed" in this parable?
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(If in a small group) Take a minute to share ways you see others in your group sow seed. Be specific and honest. Remember, this is not meant to glorify the person you are speaking about, but to glorify the God who works through them! For those receiving the statements, practice accepting them with both joy and humility!
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If you could describe the soil of your life right now using the descriptive words from the parable, which would fit you best? Hard? Shallow? Cluttered? Warm & Growing?
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Remember Dave’s honest sharing about what his heart looks like when it is hard, or shallow or cluttered ... what are some examples of what your heart and life look like when they feel this way? What does your heart or life look like when it is "warm and growing?"
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The parable explanation states that the various types of soil represent people who have received the seed of the gospel, but got distracted by "worries, riches and pleasures ..." Which one of these tends to distract you the most? Why?
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What activities or spiritual practices help your life and heart be "good soil?" Think through things like Scripture reading, prayer, community, solitude, silence and solitude, service, giving ... as well as things like getting enough sleep, doing things you love, eating well, exercising, or living at a sane pace of life. Share together/journal about creative ideas on how to include more of these activities in your life.
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What activities or practices cause your life or heart to become dry, hard, rocky soil? Why do you think you engage in them? What are some ways you can reduce these things?
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Using Dave’s question from the end of his teaching, what are your thoughts? — When you get to the end of your life, what do you want to be true about you?
Try this…
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As you go about your days this week, as God to help you be a generous sower. Sow hope, faith, joy, peace ... a simple smile! Keep reminding yourself that it is not your job to assess soil conditions ... but to simply sow seed wherever you go. If you find this difficult, pay attention to what your sticking points are. Are you fearful the seed will not be accepted? Are you under the assumption you can only sow seed if the soil looks good? Are you operating out of the principle of scarcity ... scared that there is not enough to go around? Don’t condemn yourself for these sticking points ... simply notice them and tell God or your group about them.
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In some small, possibly anonymous way this week ... plan to intentionally sow seed. Make a meal for a neighbor, invite a struggling co-worker to lunch, clean up a child’s room (no grumbling), forgive a friend, make your spouse’s favorite meal, become a mentor, mow a neighbor’s lawn ... Ask God to cause that seed to grow and then leave the results to Him!
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As you walk outside this week, use the extravagance of God’s spring beauty to remind you to pray ... for a generous, seed-sowing heart, as well as a heart that is "good soil" for all that God is wanting to plant in your life. Speak simply to God as you walk or drive ... "Help me to sow your seeds of love this week at work ..." or "Help my heart to be good soil ... make it warm and help it grow.”
Prayer for the week…
Father, we want to follow you by letting our hearts be big, bold, open, and warm for you. We can all identify with shrunken hard hearts, cluttered hearts, weed-infested hearts… every one of these we have many times in a week. Please forgive us for the times when our hearts are not open to you. You are a generous sower… and we want to be like you in that way. We pray that you would help us have big hearts for you and out of that cast good seed. Amen.
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