Parable of Sower | Life and Faith

Last week, in the first part of this creatively written story, we had the chance to meet a “city-boy” named Jimmy who wanted to be a farmer from the time he was knee-high to a grasshopper.

Jimmy bought himself a field in the middle of nowhere, got a horse and wagon, and a bushel basket full of wheat. And he planted his wheat by throwing grain off the left side of his wagon – off the right side of his wagon – and even off the back of his wagon. And Jimmy sowed that way because he knew in his heart that, when you’re sowing seeds, you don’t have time to make sure that every seed lands in the “right place.”

Well, this week, the delightful tale continues as a sneaky neighbor, who didn’t like Jimmy tries to ruin his crop by scattering poisonous darnel seeds in his wheat field. Darnel makes you nauseous, it makes you dizzy, and it can even kill you as dead as you’ll ever die. And, as Jimmy responds to the crisis he faces, he teaches us mighty, powerful lessons about life.

In this second part of this story, we’re challenged to think about the good people who live in our world and about all the bad people. We’re given a chance to think about people who gossip, and about God’s command to refrain from bearing false witness against others. We’re reminded that many people like to say that they don’t come to worship because churches are filled with hypocrites; but, we’re also reminded that God’s in the business of changing those hypocrites into people who do some really great things. Life’s full of surprises when God’s at work!

I truly hope that you enjoy listening to both parts of this little story that I’ve written for you. It’s always a joy to share God’s message with you in ways that invites you to think about your lives and your faith in a different way.

We all love to hear a good story don’t we?

When we hear the words “once upon a time” we sit up a bit straighter in our chairs and prepare to allow our minds to drift into another world. Jesus regularly used stories, like the “Parable of the Sower,” to teach us about the ways that the Reign of God breaks into our world. And, of course, we all enjoy a story that ends with the words “and they lived happily ever after” don’t we?

“A Man Named Jimmy” is a modern-day adaptation of the “Parable of the Sower” and it’s sure to delight people of every age who enjoy a good story that contains a bit of a bite – just like all the parables of Jesus did. You’ll meet a charmingly innocent city-boy who decided that he wanted to become a farmer and you’ll see more experienced farmers laughing at him as he recklessly plants seeds in a rather crazy fashion. But, when God’s at work, miracles happen and even our sharpest critics are silenced.

So, sit back and enjoy this week’s message, “A Man Named Jimmy.” It’s a charming story that will certainly make you think about life, about generosity and about how God can use seeds that you plant to do incredible things.

Blessings!