The Parable of the Sower

Luke 8:1-21

Jesus traveled extensively throughout his ministry and as he went from town to town, huge crowds gathered to hear him speak, receive healing, or see a miracle take place.  Jesus was immensely popular and had begun to make the Jewish religious leaders nervous. Yet despite the big crowds and popularity, very few had made a real decision to follow and believe.

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,²as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,³and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. Luke 8:1-3

From all the thousands who heard and saw Jesus, and the hundreds who were directly blessed by him, only the twelve disciples and some women were committed.  The rest were no where to be found.  Is following Jesus so difficult that very few can actually do it?  Or are we so locked into our own worlds that we lack the faith and courage to follow? 

Jesus provides his insight into the nature of discipleship as he offers the parable of the sower. The seed of Jesus work and message was shared with many people. Some of course reject it outright but many others initially receive it but cannot sustain their commitment. They have good intentions but produce nothing. It is only the good soil who are able to produce any fruit and they produce an abundance. The few who truly become followers of Jesus make a world of difference and change lives. 

This dynamic continues to be true in my experience of the church.  As fewer and fewer people claim any religious affiliation it would seem that the future of the church is bleak. But it has always been the case that there have been many even within the church who are not following Jesus. Some come to church to appease the family, some come to be seen, some come because they were raised in the church and know no other way. But it only takes a few disciples who are committed to following Jesus to make a difference, it only takes one small seed grown on good soil to grow exponentially.  If the church can foster an atmosphere where real disciples of Jesus are formed and supported, then despite all the church decline and irrelevance, God's work will continue to be seen.  We cannot be discouraged when so few seem to take discipleship seriously--this is nothing new. What we must do is trust that God is working in peoples lives and remember that it is God who grows the harvest.