Sowing and Reaping

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” ESV Acts 16:14

This week I spoke to a friend of mine who was burdened that not enough work was being done to influence his community with the gospel. He was convicted by the passage in Matthew that calls Christians to be salt and light in the world. Ironically, this same friend has influenced me tremendously over the years with his constant admonition to “think biblically.” I know first hand that he has indeed influenced those people around him for Christ. But sometimes, like a farmer, it can take a long and trying season before you can reap the fruits of your sowing.

I’ve shared this thought in this column before, but my friend’s burden has brought it to my mind anew, so I want to share it again.

Have you ever thought of the Apostle Paul as a farmer? The mention of Paul’s name probably conjures up a lot of images, but the image of a farmer is probably not high on your list. To think of him as an evangelist would certainly be valid. So would that of a tent maker; but farmer? Yes.

Think about it with me for a moment. Prior to planting season, while the ground is still frozen, farmers are busy making plans as to what they will plant and where they will plant it. This is the season of preparation. Similarly, Paul had gone through a season of preparation as he learned the gospel and was led by the Holy Spirit to share it with the gentile nations. Hence, Paul had a season of preparation; just like a farmer.

Next, comes planting (sowing) season. The farmer carefully tills the soil and places the seeds in the ground with the hope that each one will take root and ultimately yield a bountiful crop at harvest. Similarly, Paul sowed seeds by preaching the gospel in his mission field with hopes that the gospel would take root and that each hearer would ultimately bear fruit by trusting in Jesus for their salvation.

And finally, harvest time arrives. Sometimes the harvest is bountiful, sometimes it is slim. The results of the harvest are pretty much out of the farmer’s hands; assuming of course that he was diligent in preparing and sowing. In the case of Lydia, the harvest was a bountiful; she believed the gospel.

I’m not certain who should be credited with this quote, but as a young adult I had a Sunday School teacher burn the definition of a successful Christian witness into my mind: “Sharing Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving the results to God.”

-Ken Askew

Christ Has Overcome the World

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." ESV John 16:33

Occasionally I hear somebody talk about working their way through college. And I commend them, because it is an admirable undertaking. I did it myself; stretching a four year degree into ten! But hey, I finished with no regrets and my diploma makes no mention of me savoring the experience over time.

This past week, I jokingly told my Sunday School class that I could also say that I worked my way through High School. And there really isn’t much of a joke there. Throughout High School, I participated in what was then called the Distributive Education (DE) program. In a nut shell, I checked out of school at lunch and went to work three years running.

Now, I am sure that I missed some social activities and some academic opportunities by doing so, but the DE program enabled me to get some fantastic, real-world job experience, not to mention some extra cash at a young age. It also allowed me to test my experience by competing with other DE students on a local, state and national level.

I actually won a state DE competition held in Montgomery in the Petroleum Marketing division. And with the help of grants from Chevron USA and Sibley Oil Company, I was able to travel to Anaheim, California and compete on a national level. (I’ll leave it to you to figure out what brand of petroleum I was marketing here locally.) Anyway, I didn’t win in California, but it was a nice trip for me, mom and Dr. Blackwell.

As I think back on it, the state victory was a culmination of my skills, talents (obtained through experience) and a desire to win. You might say that I overcame or was victorious over the competition in part because of my real-world experiences.

There is a lot of talk in the Gospel of John and the Epistles of John about overcoming. In First John, three characteristics of an overcomer (meaning one who overcomes the evils, trials and tribulations of this world) are presented: Belief in Jesus as the Christ, genuine love for God and obedience to His commandments.

The connection to our verse today is that through faith we share in the overcoming nature and power of Jesus. Our text tells us that Jesus has overcome the world. And Jesus has overcome the world in every sense of the word. He overcame temptation from Satan himself, He overcame persecution and He even overcame death; rising from the grave after three days! Talk about overcoming!

John tells us that Christians are to “take heart” over Christ’s overcoming. Why take heart? Because, as we abide in Christ by believing, loving and obeying, our faith is strengthened so that with the passing of each day our experiences with Christ better equip us to overcome the world through faith in Christ. Does that make sense? Our experience with Christ increases our faith in Christ so that we overcome the world through Christ.

The world comes at you fast, but take heart, Christ has overcome the world.

-Ken Askew

Gracious Speech

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” ESV Ephesians 4:29

Winston Churchill was truly a one-of-a-kind. While I know nothing of his religious persuasions, he was most assuredly an extraordinary leader that England desperately needed at the time. Churchill also possessed the skills of an orator and is perhaps one of the most often quoted political figures of our time.

History records an adversarial and barbed relationship that Churchill had with Lady Astor; the first female member of Parliament. As the saying goes, there was “no love lost” between Churchill and Lady Astor. Here’s one of their most famous exchanges:

Astor: “If you were my husband, I’d put arsenic in your coffee.”
Churchill: “Madam, if I were your husband, I’d drink it!”

Ouch! With friends like that…

It’s easy to chuckle at the exchange. But I confess that far too often I find myself on the giving end of a sharp comment made in haste without enough thought. Clearly, such comments are not scriptural; ‘not scriptural’ being the politically correct verbiage for ‘sinful.’

Look with me at what Paul is saying in Ephesians. Paul begins by telling them that they should avoid corrupting or unwholesome speech. Just a few verses earlier Paul had told them to speak only truth; nothing new here right? We’ve all been taught that we should tell the truth.

But now look closely at the text and see how we are to tell the truth. Paul puts three more conditions on our speech. First, the truth that we speak should be good for building up. In other words, we are not to use factual statements for the wrong reasons; to tear down another person. Secondly, we are to temper our words to fit the occasion we find ourselves in. Finally, we are to speak so that the recipient our words will perceive them as gracious. Think how the world might change if we all followed these rules!

Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that it is obvious from our text that Christians are commanded to always keep their conversations under control. Says Lloyd-Jones: “The Christian’s tongue should never be out of control. We must never become so excited that we are really not responsible for what we are saying.”

A friend called me this past week and offered me some personally uplifting and encouraging words. The words were timely, much needed and most appreciated. As I thought about his call, this passage in Ephesians came to mind. And as I reflected on the caller’s way of life, I came to realize that he lives out what Paul commands here in Ephesians. And I can assure you, that friends like that are good to have.

In our rushed, stressed, and impersonal world, it is more important than ever that we take Paul’s words to heart and put them into practice. Sometime today, whether in casual conversation or perhaps in an email, make an extra effort to choose your words carefully so that the recipient perceives them as gracious.

God is at the Helm

“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?”
ESV Lamentations 3:37-38

(Concluding a series, today we’ll look at the last of the “Four Essentials for Finishing Well” that I picked up from Jerry Bridges at a fall conference.)

I think it best to begin this article by reviewing the first three essentials for finishing well. First, we need a daily, focused time of communion with God so that we make choices pleasing to God and in accord with His word. Secondly, just like a Captain needs a sextant to hold his heading, just like a hiker needs a compass to stay on the correct path, Christians need a daily appropriation of the Gospel in order to stay on course and to persevere in the faith in all humility. Thirdly, we are called to live each day as a living sacrifice to God. Mr. Bridges described the benefits of such an attitude well: “When we look at each day as a day as God’s servant, the noise of the day is less tiresome. The day is God’s to do with as He chooses.”

Now, let’s look at the fourth essential to finishing well: A firm belief in the sovereignty of God.

This word “sovereign” means different things to different people. But a quick check of www.yourdictionary.com rendered it: superior to all others; supreme in power, rank, or authority; independent of all others. I like all those definitions. Why would we worship a God who was any less? I mean, would He really be God if He were only partially sovereign; partially supreme; partially in authority? Nope. Sovereignty is an absolute with God; either He’s sovereign, or He’s not God.

Now, the discussion of how God exercises His sovereign power must be reserved for another day. For now, let us focus on the clear teaching of scripture: God is sovereign in every sense of the word.

Firmly believing and resting in God’s sovereignty affords Christians the luxury of approaching every day as good day; even those days filled with various trials. As an example, remember the story of Joseph; the youth that was sold into slavery by his brothers. His brothers intended him harm, but God intended it for good and Joseph steadfastly affirmed this reality. Even more, Joseph lived this reality and you can too.

Isn’t it easy to be thankful when things are going well? Sure it is. But, don’t we all find it difficult to maintain a thankful demeanor when things go terribly wrong? The remedy, according to Mr. Bridges, is living each day with a firm belief in the sovereignty of God; such a mindset keeps us from being bitter in our circumstances. It’s the same mindset that the writer of Lamentations (perhaps the prophet Jeremiah) had.

You see, even in our most difficult day, in the most trying of circumstances, God is still sovereign; ruling in perfect knowledge and in perfect love. More importantly, the Gospel is still in force. And Christians can count on God to see them clothed in the righteousness of Christ; never to be forgotten; never to be forsaken.

I can only hope that these essentials have been conveyed in such a manner that they prove helpful to you as you face each day. When Paul’s time on earth was drawing nigh, he wrote to Timothy, “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul finished well. By the grace of God, may you finish well too.