At the church where I attend we’re moving into a new season which is without a minister. We are thrown onto the mercy of God. We begin this time with 36 hours of prayer launched with praise and worship.
There was an opportunity for individuals throughout the evening to write upon flip-charts in the church, things such as a verse or a phrase or a picture they may have had.
For some time a single verse stood alone at the top of the piece of paper on one of the flip-charts. I saw it and made a note in my mind to check it out. The following morning I read it.
‘Therefore, putting aside all moral uncleanness and wicked excess, welcome with humility the implanted message which is able to save your souls,’
James 1:21 (LEB)
I have highlighted the part I want to begin with which puzzled me. These next few words are my study and what it led too.
The word implanted is an intriguing word. It does have some modern connotations as we might think of devices which have been surgically implanted such as technologies for health benefits.
We have the French to thank for this word. At its root it means insert, engraft or literally plant in. There are many references to seeds and planting within scripture. This is one of those. The idea is expressing something of sowing.
The parable of the sower came to my mind which is what Jesus said, found in Matthew 13 and Luke 8 .
The way James writes the words makes it sound like the message is already put in us. I know we have to think about who this was written to which was the twelve scattered tribes of Israel (James 1:1) – the diaspora . Yet in my minds eye I had a picture of God casting out seeds across the world from the past to the present. Not one person was missed having that seed land on them. The main thing is whether we’re welcoming that seed.
It is up to us to welcome or receive the seed. The mechanics of this is expressed in the parable of the sower. We need to work the soil and water it. This is tending and caring for what the Father has already placed there. The seed needs to fall on good ground. An individual’s life is the ground.
Jesus said he would build his church and he asked us to go and make disciples. We do this by encouraging that little seed to grow, develop and bear fruit.
There are some people I know of who like to talk to their plants. This includes talking to their little seeds which they’ve carefully planted. There may be some evidence to suggest that it encourages growth. The act of loving breath coming from our mouths onto these baby plants has a way of bringing them on to full stature. The same goes for when we exhort, encourage and build one another up. Those loving words has the same affect.
‘James describes the gospel as a seed that is planted (see Jer 31:33)’.
James 1:21 (Faithlife Study Bible)
‘“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Yahweh: “I will put my law in their inward parts and on their hearts I will write it, and I will be to them God, and they themselves will be to me people”‘.
Jeremiah 31:33–34 (LEB)
Maybe it requires us to have a different way of sharing the good news of Jesus. For example: Do you know that you have a little seed living inside of you? Let me tell you about it. See where that goes.
The implanted message is wrapped up in the gospel. The seed is the gospel, the carrier of the message of The Word. In Greek the word message is logos. Where has that been heard of before? The Gospel of John talks about it in the first chapter . ‘In the beginning was the word and the word was God…This is a living and dynamic Word – it’s alive and active.
It has made me wonder whether it’s our job to sow the seed of the gospel in people’s lives (Shock – horror! Is that heresy?) My point from this verse is that the Father has already done the work of sowing. (You need to weigh up my words with the rest of scripture). Maybe our job is to call out what is already there. Help people to see what is already in them.
James says in the same verse and the preceding verses:
- be quick to hear
- slow to speak
- slow to anger
- put aside moral uncleanness
- & wicked excess
These are things that can do something to the seed in a negative way. Maybe the little seed gets lost in all the lack of listening, too much speaking, anger and the rest. By doing what it says here, receiving or welcoming, we make a way for the seed of the message to do its good work – that of saving our souls, our lives. This was one of the reasons why Jesus came, to seek and to save that which was lost.
So be someone who is welcoming and receptive especially to the seed of the good news, the message of life and hope that has been brought to all people. This message was spoken of and embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.