Our Scripture reading today is Luke 8:5-8.
Verse 5, "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it."
A pretty big crowd has assembled coming from every nearby city. They have come to listen to the teaching and preaching of Jesus Christ. A parable is presented to the people in this setting. “It had a double advantage upon their hearers: first, upon their memory, we being very apt to remember stories. Second, upon their minds, to put them upon studying the meaning of what they heard so delivered.” (Poole) The Lord Jesus mentions several types of soils, but He also mentions a sower going out to sow the seed.
The phrase, "went out" and "sow his seed", really caught my attention this morning. While I have no idea what soil is ahead of me, there is one thing to a degree that I can control. I can go out with seed. Seed is a picture of the Gospel. We have referred to seed in our day as being a Gospel tract. There are obviously other types of seed, but this one is very practical. We can take it with us when we go out. The last phrase in verse 5 that made was a reminder was, "as he sowed..." It is not our responsibility to save people. Only God can bring the increase. It is our responsibility to go with the Gospel seed and sow it. How much seed did you sow last week or so far this year? The harvest always comes after the seed is sown. There are Gospel tracts waiting for you this morning. Take some after church and ask God to remind you to sow them every day.