How to Spread

Mark 1: The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, ² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

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One of the hardest things for me to do was to talk about JESUS to someone. What if they didn’t want to hear it? What if I am laughed at? What if they reject what I am saying?

• There were times when I did not want to talk about CHRIST.
• There were times when I feared speaking about JESUS.
• There were times when I thought more about my reputation than GOD’s reputation.

John was truly the second greatest human to ever live. He dedicated his entire life to telling people about CHRIST. He had the right attitude and the right message.

• JESUS wants me to understand I have a purpose, namely to speak about HIM.
• JESUS wants me to know I am not the center of attention rather HE is the primary subject.
• JESUS wants me to believe in HIS return so I can point people to HIM rather than fixing their ills.

Preparing the way is still desired by CHRIST, HE wants me to tell people there is still hope in a hopeless world. JESUS is that hope, not mankind. HIS message is simple, just believe.

• Are you trying to get people to pay attention to you?
• Do you want to be the center of attention?
• Will you point people to JESUS today instead of yourself?

Becoming a Farmer

Matthew 13: ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

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Overlooked in this passage is the farmer. There are many qualities of the farmer that stick out to me.

• The farmer had a purpose, namely to sow as many seeds as he could.
• The farmer did not care where he spread the seeds because he had plenty to spread.
• The farmer had seeds of potential that could produce huge crops from only a few.

JESUS was so busy explaining what the seeds were for that could not get to the point where HE revealed HIMSELF as the farmer.  HE had plenty of seed to spread but sometimes I could not allow them to grow in my life. BUT GOD did something wonderful in my life.

• GOD tilled my rocky soil heart to become softer.
• GOD fertilized my barren heart to become ready.
• GOD watered my dried up heart to grow HIS seeds.

Farming is the example in this parable that is often overlooked. GOD wants me to spread HIS seeds wherever I go.

• Does your life have purpose?
• Can you stop caring about who you spread GOD’s message to and go where HE sends you?
• Will you take one “seed of potential” and place it in someone today to grow GOD’s kingdom?