BOM: Uncharted Q&A

Betsy asked: Is the parable of the four seeds based upon how the Word is received?

Answer: It's based on this passage from Mark 4 (actually, it's a parable of four soils. The seed is the same in every case, it's the soil that differs):

The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4: 1-9)

Again he [Jesus] began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

I think you can tell that John Weston's story is another retelling of this parable. Yes, the parable has to do with how the Word was received, how people respond to the good news about salvation through Jesus Christ. I am convinced there are scores of people who think they're firmly in the kingdom, but they're not. They don't display any of the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness), nor do they have the indwelling Spirit. They can talk the talk of the church, but they will be among those who say at the judgment, "Lord, Lord, haven't we done many wonderful works in your name?" (Matt. 7:20-27).

Salvation isn't primarily concerned with talk. It's concerned with dying to self ("except a seed fall into the ground and die") and bearing fruit. That's one of the ideas I was trying to illustrate in Uncharted.

And Ruth wrote: I just checked the status of UNCHARTED at Nelson's warehouse -- the latest info they have is that it is scheduled to arrive at their warehouse on 6/9. Of course that is subject to change . . .

Yeah! That was my original understanding--that the books would be printed on 6.06.06 and would roll off the presses shortly thereafter . . . and shortly be on their way into bookstores. So keep an eye peeled! You never know when the books will show up! (LOL. Expect the unexpected, indeed!)

Thanks for the questions.

~~Angie