Before proceeding to the consideration of " the seed," we must dwell a little further on the character of ' the Sower.' It is indeed a theme of ineffable sweetness, and one full of instruction, comfort, and encouragement, not only for all those engaged in the glorious work of sowing the seed, but also for all classes and conditions of men. It concerns us all to see what our blessed Lord was as a Sower—to mark what He did, and how He did it—the work which He accomplished, and the spirit in which He accomplished it.
Look, for example, at the opening of the gospel of Mark—that marvelous record of work—the work of an indefatigable workman. "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God." This was His work as the great Sower. Let us ponder it—yes, ponder it deeply. Let all workers ponder it! The Son of God preaching the gospel! Blessed fact! A living, speaking, telling fact! A fact far more powerful than many arguments!
Let every dear evangelist take comfort from this brief but weighty record. Let him place this fact, in all its moral weight and value, over against a thousand theories and notions of the poor human brain, put forth for the purpose of disparaging the glorious work of evangelization, and weakening the hands of those engaged therein. How little it matters who may affect to speak slightingly of such work, when we can lift up our eyes, and behold the Master Himself throwing His whole soul into it! It is His example we are to follow, and not the vapid and worthless theories of men.
Some there are who seem to take special pains to throw the work of evangelization completely into the shade. They speak of it in disparaging terms, and place it in contrast with teaching the church of God, and feeding the flock of Christ.
This, we feel persuaded, is a serious mistake. Each department of work has its own distinct place, and its own peculiar interest and value. Most surely the sheep mast be fed; and every one who loves Christ will seek to carry out the loving desire of his great pastoral heart, as expressed in those words, " Feed my lambs; shepherd my sheep."
Bat must not the sheep be gathered before they can be fed? Assuredly. And how are they to be gathered, if not by the grand work of evangelization? The preacher of the gospel is called to go forth into the highways and hedges, the lanes, alleys, and slums, and there proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. His mission is to the wide, wide world. He is to tell out the precious story of God's love and Christ's finished work to every creature under heaven.
Thus it is the church is gathered. The work of evangelization, therefore, precedes the church; and the evangelist precedes the pastor and teacher. But there cannot be a greater mistake than to put the one before the other in point of interest or value. Both lie equally near the large loving heart of the Master -the most earnest Evangelist—the most loving Pastor that ever trod this earth. Who ever preached the gospel as He did? Who cares for the flock as He does?
But let us track His blessed path still further.
" And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next town, that I may preach there also; for therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils." Mark 1:35-3935And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 38And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. 39And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. (Mark 1:35‑39).
Mark these words, " Therefore came I forth." For what? To preach the gospel. Who, then, shall presume to speak slightingly of preaching the gospel? Surely no one that knows aught of the heart of Christ—no one who has drunk into His spirit—no one that desires to walk in His footsteps.
Hearken to the following touching accents: " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke 4:18, 1918The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18‑19).
Oh! how sweetly and powerfully do such words fall upon the heart! What encouragement is here for every true and earnest evangelist! Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost for the glorious work of preaching the gospel! How wonderful to think of the Son of God as an earnest preacher of the gospel! Who can contemplate Him in this character, and speak in lowering terms of the work of the evangelist?
No doubt each workman has to consider his mode of working. We must take care, in doing the Lord's work, that we do it according to His mind. It cannot be denied that, in many cases, things are done, and practices are adopted, in connection with the work of evangelization, which no spiritual, or even sober, mind could, for a moment, endure. Indeed, it not infrequently happens that a course of acting is pursued at gospel services eminently calculated to throw the whole work into contempt.
All this is much to be deplored, and should be sedulously avoided by all the Lord's dear servants. We should seek to work soberly as well as earnestly; wisely as well as zealously; modestly as well as energetically. For while we quite feel the force of a remark made by a recent writer, that “it is the blunderers that do the work,” still, we believe that the work may be done without blundering. The blessed gospel of the grace of God can be preached in all its living depth, fullness, and power; and souls can be saved, without offering violence to the rules of good taste or common propriety. The Gospels instruct us as to the mode in which the Master carried on His work; and in the Acts we learn how the Holy Ghost taught the first great preachers to carry on theirs. The word mast be our guide in all things.
But, oh! let the work be done—yes, earnestly, devotedly, constantly done. In spite of all the opposition, all the difficulties, all the discouragement, let the simple gospel of God be diligently preached. Let us not be scared away from this divine work by the fact that some think proper to dub it " Revivalism," " The low evangelical level," and such like. With these things the true evangelist has nothing whatever to do. He has to do with the heart of his Master. He has to fulfill His commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He has to attend to this, come what may. Let him not regard opprobrious epithets, or the sneer of contempt; yea, rather let such things only have the effect of bracing him up for his precious and deeply important work. The devil will use anything and everything to hinder a service which he cordially hates; and while it is truly solemn, yea, perfectly awful, to think of any Christian giving utterance to sentiments calculated to damp the ardor of earnest workers, yet we are to proceed with our work, paying no more attention to such sentiments than we should to the pattering of rain upon the windows. All those who affect to speak contemptuously of the work of evangelization shall have to account to their Lord for so doing, but we must sedulously attend to our work. " charge thee, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;.... do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry.'
Here lies the solid basis of the work. Here is the authority, clear, distinct, and unquestionable. And for our comfort and encouragement—yea, for the deep consolation and refreshment of our hearts, in pursuing our work, we have the perfect model of our own blessed Lord and Master, whose delight it was to pour the glad tidings of salvation into the poor broken and wearied heart; and who, when even one poor outcast creature had received His word into her heart, could address His co-workers in these glowing words: "I have meat to eat that ye know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." John 4:32-3632But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (John 4:32‑36).
What an outpouring of heart! And all this in connection with the salvation of one soul! What a lesson for all evangelists! What a withering rebuke to all who disparage or despise their work!
2. But we must turn for a moment to the second division of our subject, namely, " the seed." We have glanced at " the Sower"—His mode of working, and His spirit in the work. We shall now, very briefly, consider what He sows.
" The sower soweth the word." This is of the deepest possible moment. The word of God is the grand instrument for producing fruit—for quickening and blessing souls. True, it is the Holy Ghost, who must unfold and apply the word; but it is the word which He unfolds and applies. This must never be lost sight of by the subordinate sower. He is to sow the word; nothing else. Be the vehicle what it may, a line of a hymn, a simple illustration from nature or actual life, still, the word is the means which God the Holy Ghost uses in the great work of quickening souls.
It does not, as has been already remarked, come within the scope of the parable of the sower to present the work of the Holy Ghost in the application of the truth to souls; for this we must look into other scriptures. But no human language can adequately set forth the value and importance of the word in the great work of evangelization. We want nothing else. It is amply sufficient. There is no need of aught to act merely on the natural feelings—no demand for sensational effort. The word of God, in its own holy dignity, weight, and authority, is all the sower has to use; and if we only use this peerless instrument, with more simple faith in its efficacy, we should see more results.
It is impossible to read the Gospel narratives or the Acts of the Apostles, and not be struck with the prominence, yea, the exclusive place, given to the word, in the work of evangelization as carried on by our Lord in the days of His flesh, and by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. To quote the passages would fill a volume; but we press the fact earnestly upon all our beloved and honored fellow-laborers, and pray their serious attention to it. If we are to be taught by holy scripture, we must believe that the word of God is the specific instrument which the Holy Ghost uses in quickening souls. " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." " The Sower soweth the word."