Sinclair B. Ferguson

Think of what Jesus said.

When instead of the cares of this world or a desire for material well-being or the pursuit of ambition, when instead of those things we yield our lives to him, yes, faults and all, we will become fruitful.

because Jesus Christ is no man's debtor, no teenager's debtor, nobody's debtor.

A personal example comes to mind.

When I was on the verge of becoming a Christian, I thought that I might lose some friends in the process.

But as I look back now, I'm amazed at the hundredfold harvest of new Christian friends.

And not just the size of the harvest, but the quality of it.

Amazing friends who are a privilege and joy to know who are brothers and sisters to me, believers to whom I owe so much.

And these friendships have been for me part of the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and yes, a hundredfold yield of the good seed of God's Word.

Yes, there is ploughing, and yes, there is also weeding to be done as we receive the Word of God and as we take heed how we hear.

But remember the promise of Isaiah 55 verses 10 to 11.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth.

It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

for you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace.

The mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle, and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

That's surely a great note on which to end this week in which we've been thinking about the parable of parables and the way in which the Word of God transforms our lives.

So let's do what Paul said the Thessalonians did, namely, receive the Word of God, not as the Word of man, but as it really is, the Word of God which is at work in you believers.

And let's take heed this coming Lord's Day, not only what we hear, but how we hear.

And let's pray that the seed that's sown will have a wonderful harvest in our lives.