PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Sermon Notes, March 2, 2014

Bill Watson

Bill Watson, from the Culpeper Camp of the Gideons, spoke to our congregation on Sunday.  He explained the mission of the Gideons by telling the Parable of the Sower that Jesus told in Matthew 13, but instead of the emphasis upon the types of soil the seed was scattered in, his emphasis was on the sower and the seed.

The seed is the Word of God.  Words are powerful; they start and end wars, they inspire or destroy, they encourage or discourage—the childish axiom “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is patently untrue—words can hurt or heal.  We think and reason in words. The ability to speak and write down words separates us from the animal kingdom.  The Bible is full of references to the power of words, in Proverbs, James, and Luke for example.  God’s Word is alive and active.  It accomplishes what He has for it to do. The power of God’s Word endures. (1 Peter 1:25)  Jesus is the living expression of all that God wants to say to us.  Exposure to God’s word has brought many to Christ.

Gideons see themselves as sowers.  Since 1899, Gideons have distributed 1.2 billion scriptures. They have Bibles in many languages, and they place them wherever they can throughout the world.  They place Bibles in hotels and motel (521 rooms in Culpeper).  In addition, they put Bibles in airports, police and fire departments, prisons and schools.  They have special editions for different people, including some with camouflage covers for the military.  There are PWT editions that have an alphabetical topic index that lists appropriate scriptures for many different situations.  Mr. Watson gave examples of the power of God’s words in changing people’s lives, and how His word accomplishes His purpose, often in unexpected ways.

We can have a part in the Gideons’ mission as sowers by supporting them with our prayers, and with our financial gifts.  A hotel Bible costs $5.  New Testament such as the ones given to students, is less than $2.   He asked for us to pray for resources, and for open doors of admission so that they can enter places and continue to provide scripture to hand out.  God’s word is the seed, the Gideons are the sowers.  They need our support.