1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi, from the Salvation Army, you're listening to 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Words of Life. 3 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,550 Speaker 2: Hey, and welcome back to Words of Life. We are 4 00:00:30,590 --> 00:00:32,670 Speaker 2: launching a brand new series today that will be a 5 00:00:32,670 --> 00:00:35,030 Speaker 2: little bit different from the series we've had more recently. 6 00:00:35,970 --> 00:00:38,570 Speaker 2: We wanted to have a deep teaching series focused on 7 00:00:38,590 --> 00:00:41,570 Speaker 2: the parables of Jesus. So we invited our friend, Major 8 00:00:41,610 --> 00:00:43,810 Speaker 2: Cam Henderson, to join us for the next five weeks 9 00:00:44,010 --> 00:00:46,190 Speaker 2: as we dig a little deeper into these stories than 10 00:00:46,229 --> 00:00:49,089 Speaker 2: maybe some of us are familiar with. If you don't 11 00:00:49,110 --> 00:00:52,110 Speaker 2: know Major Henderson, he is currently the local Salvation Army 12 00:00:52,170 --> 00:00:55,690 Speaker 2: pastor at Atlanta Temple Corps, a Salvation Army church here 13 00:00:55,730 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: in Atlanta. He's also the one who made the Holiness 14 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 2: podcast possible with Lieutenant Colonel Vern Jewett, if you were 15 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,390 Speaker 2: a fan of that show. I think you'll love his 16 00:01:03,430 --> 00:01:06,610 Speaker 2: spirit and his preaching style. And maybe we don't say 17 00:01:06,650 --> 00:01:09,270 Speaker 2: this often enough, but if you are enjoying Words of Life, 18 00:01:09,490 --> 00:01:11,650 Speaker 2: first of all, thank you so much for listening. It 19 00:01:11,670 --> 00:01:13,470 Speaker 2: would be a huge help if you would leave us 20 00:01:13,650 --> 00:01:16,470 Speaker 2: a rating and review on whatever platform you listen on. 21 00:01:16,750 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 2: That just helps more people find the show. And with that, 22 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:21,380 Speaker 2: here is Major Cam Henderson. 23 00:01:43,410 --> 00:01:46,150 Speaker 3: Well, welcome you guys. It's great to be with you 24 00:01:46,270 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 3: for this series. It's going to be a series on 25 00:01:49,020 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 3: some parables of Jesus and try to seek and better 26 00:01:52,540 --> 00:01:56,060 Speaker 3: understand the kingdom and our lives as his people. And 27 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 3: I'm really looking forward to it. Glad to be with 28 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 3: you and learn some of the mysteries that Jesus taught. 29 00:02:01,460 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 3: It's interesting. He confused the crowds who didn't really want 30 00:02:06,340 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 3: to know and he made glad the hearts of those 31 00:02:09,020 --> 00:02:11,780 Speaker 3: who did want to know. They wanted to know God 32 00:02:11,820 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 3: and how they could be part of his kingdom and 33 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,859 Speaker 3: his work. And so I pray that we're part of 34 00:02:15,900 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 3: that second group. I pray that as we look through 35 00:02:19,660 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 3: these parables, we will be the ones who truly do 36 00:02:23,419 --> 00:02:26,500 Speaker 3: want to know and not ones who are confused or 37 00:02:26,540 --> 00:02:36,869 Speaker 3: clouded by his teaching. Why in the world, first of all, 38 00:02:37,110 --> 00:02:40,890 Speaker 3: why did Jesus teach in parables? Well, They were teaching tools. 39 00:02:41,430 --> 00:02:44,350 Speaker 3: My mother always had a visual aid when she preached. 40 00:02:44,510 --> 00:02:46,270 Speaker 3: I remember that. In fact, we would make fun of 41 00:02:46,310 --> 00:02:48,309 Speaker 3: her a little bit. You always have a visual aid. 42 00:02:48,330 --> 00:02:50,660 Speaker 3: You always have something in your hand, but it made 43 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,580 Speaker 3: us remember. So Jesus would use memorable stories about real 44 00:02:54,620 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 3: life things or real life objects. And when he told 45 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 3: about baking bread or planting seeds or building people in 46 00:03:01,419 --> 00:03:04,060 Speaker 3: the crowd who were bakers or farmers or builders, and 47 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 3: they do it every day, immediately they related to what 48 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,700 Speaker 3: he was saying and what he was doing. They'd stop 49 00:03:09,740 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 3: maybe because they were related to their everyday lives. Maybe 50 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,310 Speaker 3: they weren't listening before, but all of a sudden he's 51 00:03:15,340 --> 00:03:18,050 Speaker 3: talking about something I know about and now I'm listening. 52 00:03:18,630 --> 00:03:21,790 Speaker 3: But then also later, every time a mother or a 53 00:03:21,830 --> 00:03:24,870 Speaker 3: baker was adding yeast to the dough or each season 54 00:03:24,889 --> 00:03:27,790 Speaker 3: a farmer or a gardener was planting seeds or picking 55 00:03:27,889 --> 00:03:30,850 Speaker 3: fruit or a builder was laying a brick, they'd remember 56 00:03:30,889 --> 00:03:33,430 Speaker 3: his stories and it would teach his lesson over and 57 00:03:33,510 --> 00:03:36,010 Speaker 3: over again. Or maybe they would teach it to their 58 00:03:36,050 --> 00:03:39,790 Speaker 3: children or to others nearby them. They were extremely useful 59 00:03:39,830 --> 00:03:43,670 Speaker 3: tools for teaching. Jesus was revealing the mystery of God, 60 00:03:44,250 --> 00:03:49,180 Speaker 3: but interestingly, not to everyone. Matthew 13 teaches that Jesus 61 00:03:49,250 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 3: was asked why he speaks in parables. For those who 62 00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:57,420 Speaker 3: want to know, he's revealing truth and answers. For those 63 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,020 Speaker 3: who don't want to know, and for his enemies, the 64 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,070 Speaker 3: full truth is somewhat disguised. And we read about it 65 00:04:04,270 --> 00:04:09,610 Speaker 3: in Matthew 13, verse 34 and 35. Jesus always used 66 00:04:09,810 --> 00:04:12,910 Speaker 3: stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. 67 00:04:13,470 --> 00:04:16,730 Speaker 3: In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 68 00:04:17,390 --> 00:04:20,410 Speaker 3: It fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet. I 69 00:04:20,450 --> 00:04:24,130 Speaker 3: will speak to you in parables. I'll explain things hidden 70 00:04:24,250 --> 00:04:28,350 Speaker 3: since the creation of the world. So let's study some 71 00:04:28,370 --> 00:04:30,250 Speaker 3: of these parables and ask the Lord if we might 72 00:04:30,290 --> 00:04:32,970 Speaker 3: be some of those who do seek to truly understand 73 00:04:33,529 --> 00:04:40,580 Speaker 3: and obey what we learn from Jesus. Let me tell 74 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,260 Speaker 3: you a little bit about myself in college. I began 75 00:04:45,300 --> 00:04:48,140 Speaker 3: to study physics because I really enjoyed it in high school. 76 00:04:48,260 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 3: It was fun. We raced cars and launched them off 77 00:04:51,100 --> 00:04:55,020 Speaker 3: of ramps. We shot fake darts at targets to watch 78 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,010 Speaker 3: the movement. It was about kinetic energy and it was 79 00:04:58,050 --> 00:05:00,390 Speaker 3: so much fun. And we could figure out formulas and 80 00:05:00,450 --> 00:05:02,690 Speaker 3: figure out where the car was going to land or 81 00:05:03,050 --> 00:05:05,630 Speaker 3: how fast it was going. And we could figure out 82 00:05:05,690 --> 00:05:08,630 Speaker 3: where to aim the dart depending on which things were falling. 83 00:05:08,690 --> 00:05:11,090 Speaker 3: It was fun. So when I went to college, I 84 00:05:11,130 --> 00:05:13,289 Speaker 3: went to do the same thing. And it was the 85 00:05:13,330 --> 00:05:15,330 Speaker 3: same thing. I enjoyed it a lot. It was great. 86 00:05:15,450 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 3: We added new things to it and learned more about 87 00:05:18,420 --> 00:05:20,940 Speaker 3: why it was doing. In some ways, it was a refresher. 88 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 3: But then I got to the second semester and we 89 00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:29,540 Speaker 3: began to study thermodynamics, how energy moves, how heat energy 90 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 3: moves and low and high pressures and how air conditioners 91 00:05:33,550 --> 00:05:38,349 Speaker 3: work and refrigerants work. I have no idea how any 92 00:05:38,390 --> 00:05:41,830 Speaker 3: of that works. And it wasn't any fun. I couldn't 93 00:05:41,890 --> 00:05:44,690 Speaker 3: figure it out. It was there what I learned a 94 00:05:44,890 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 3: valuable lesson from college. I should really be a preacher 95 00:05:49,940 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 3: and not a scientist. I did not understand. And I 96 00:05:54,620 --> 00:05:58,460 Speaker 3: didn't really want to understand. I was ready to move on. Well, 97 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 3: in today's message, we'll see a farmer scattering seed. And 98 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,970 Speaker 3: kind of like me in college, he doesn't know how 99 00:06:05,010 --> 00:06:08,790 Speaker 3: the seed really works. It's a mystery. But he's scattering, 100 00:06:09,050 --> 00:06:15,140 Speaker 3: preparing for a harvest to come. So I'm going to 101 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,539 Speaker 3: look at Mark, chapter 4, verse 26 to 29. In 102 00:06:19,580 --> 00:06:23,739 Speaker 3: this little passage, we see a powerful message. Again, Mark, 103 00:06:24,220 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 3: chapter 4, verses 26 to 29. This is what it says. 104 00:06:25,660 --> 00:06:39,190 Speaker 3: Jesus also said, The kingdom of God is like a 105 00:06:39,270 --> 00:06:42,589 Speaker 3: farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, 106 00:06:42,650 --> 00:06:45,630 Speaker 3: while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, 107 00:06:46,190 --> 00:06:49,870 Speaker 3: but he doesn't understand how it happens. The earth produces 108 00:06:49,910 --> 00:06:53,979 Speaker 3: the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, 109 00:06:54,060 --> 00:06:56,380 Speaker 3: then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the 110 00:06:56,420 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 3: grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, 111 00:06:59,260 --> 00:07:02,340 Speaker 3: the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for 112 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 3: the harvest time has come. Harvest time has come. and 113 00:07:07,580 --> 00:07:20,020 Speaker 3: it started with him scattering seed. The farmer has a 114 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:24,930 Speaker 3: job to do. Scatter seed. He doesn't really understand how 115 00:07:24,970 --> 00:07:28,050 Speaker 3: the seeds work, but they grow, they produce fruit, and 116 00:07:28,070 --> 00:07:30,270 Speaker 3: he knows when to reap the harvest when it's time. 117 00:07:30,930 --> 00:07:33,750 Speaker 3: I find something really interesting about the scattering of the 118 00:07:33,810 --> 00:07:36,510 Speaker 3: seed in this story, and another parable just prior to it, 119 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,220 Speaker 3: at the start of the chapter, chapter 4. In both 120 00:07:39,260 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 3: of these, the spreading of the seed is all over 121 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 3: the place. This is just a story to tell a message. 122 00:07:44,460 --> 00:07:46,380 Speaker 3: It's not a lesson on how to be a farmer. 123 00:07:46,740 --> 00:07:50,430 Speaker 3: The farmers I've seen have rows and spacing between the seeds. 124 00:07:50,500 --> 00:07:53,650 Speaker 3: The planting is specific and only after preparing the soil 125 00:07:53,710 --> 00:07:56,150 Speaker 3: just right. Maybe Jesus told it just to get the 126 00:07:56,190 --> 00:07:59,030 Speaker 3: farmer's attention. And they're thinking, what in the world? That's 127 00:07:59,070 --> 00:08:01,990 Speaker 3: not what you do. I don't know. What do I know? 128 00:08:02,330 --> 00:08:06,470 Speaker 3: But here, this is a farmer seen throwing seed everywhere. 129 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,380 Speaker 3: He seems to have no idea how the seed works, 130 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 3: what makes it work. Again, it's not a characterization of 131 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 3: farmer's knowledge of how things grow. My wife's cousin married 132 00:08:16,740 --> 00:08:19,220 Speaker 3: a farmer, and he knows everything there is to know 133 00:08:19,260 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 3: about seeds and harvesting and soil and letting soil recoup 134 00:08:23,020 --> 00:08:25,850 Speaker 3: after this plant and then that plant. But the important 135 00:08:25,930 --> 00:08:29,210 Speaker 3: note here Jesus is making is that he knows that 136 00:08:29,270 --> 00:08:32,770 Speaker 3: if he scatters this seed into the ground, the harvest 137 00:08:33,090 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 3: will come. He has complete trust in that. And he 138 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 3: knows that in that moment, it's his time to work 139 00:08:40,230 --> 00:08:43,370 Speaker 3: again to reap the harvest. Why is he not concerned 140 00:08:43,410 --> 00:08:47,109 Speaker 3: with anything but scattering and reaping? Well, because the Lord 141 00:08:47,410 --> 00:08:52,210 Speaker 3: provides three things. The soil, the earth, and the seed. 142 00:08:52,929 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 3: Many other things too. Water, sunlight, all those things. But 143 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:00,500 Speaker 3: in the story, soil, earth, and seed. They don't come 144 00:09:00,540 --> 00:09:03,420 Speaker 3: from the farmer. They come from the Lord. These things 145 00:09:03,780 --> 00:09:07,650 Speaker 3: do know what to do, interestingly enough. These things are 146 00:09:07,690 --> 00:09:10,700 Speaker 3: just waiting for someone to use them in preparation for 147 00:09:10,740 --> 00:09:13,540 Speaker 3: a harvest that's coming. And we can trust in that. 148 00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 3: How interesting. Those three things know what to do. They 149 00:09:17,860 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 3: know how it works. And they're just waiting for someone 150 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,410 Speaker 3: to get them together, to make contact with each other 151 00:09:25,050 --> 00:09:36,610 Speaker 3: and make the seed hit the soil. So, Why did 152 00:09:36,650 --> 00:09:39,910 Speaker 3: Jesus tell this parable? The Lord calls us to scatter 153 00:09:39,950 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 3: the seed of the good news. When planted, this seed 154 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:48,420 Speaker 3: grows deep into people's hearts and produces fruit, eternal fruit. 155 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,119 Speaker 3: And it's clear that the seed is to be scattered everywhere. 156 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,930 Speaker 3: We don't know which seed will strike where. We don't 157 00:09:55,990 --> 00:09:59,429 Speaker 3: know which seed will take root and become fruitful. We 158 00:09:59,510 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 3: can't see the future, and we cannot see into people's hearts. 159 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,559 Speaker 3: You ever heard somebody say, you've got one job? Or 160 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:12,940 Speaker 3: if you failed, they'll say, you had one job. Well, 161 00:10:13,300 --> 00:10:15,809 Speaker 3: they've said that to me once before, too. I didn't 162 00:10:15,850 --> 00:10:21,050 Speaker 3: like that. But anyway, the farmer has one job. scatter seed. 163 00:10:21,710 --> 00:10:26,550 Speaker 3: Does this characterize you? How much seed have you scattered? 164 00:10:28,210 --> 00:10:30,209 Speaker 3: Do you consider this part of your job as a 165 00:10:30,250 --> 00:10:33,950 Speaker 3: believer or is that someone else's job? Maybe someone with 166 00:10:33,990 --> 00:10:37,630 Speaker 3: that spiritual gift or someone who's more outgoing or whatever else. 167 00:10:38,690 --> 00:10:41,530 Speaker 3: But if you were to hear Jesus' words and obey 168 00:10:41,550 --> 00:10:45,250 Speaker 3: the teaching, what is he asking you to do today 169 00:10:46,030 --> 00:10:50,710 Speaker 3: from this parable? Do you know all about the gospel? 170 00:10:51,210 --> 00:10:54,209 Speaker 3: Do you understand exactly how it works and how grace 171 00:10:54,290 --> 00:10:59,450 Speaker 3: works and how forgiveness and redemption works? Nope. And you 172 00:10:59,470 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 3: don't have to. You're not even expected to know all 173 00:11:02,740 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 3: of it. We can learn and grow, but we don't 174 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: know all of it. We have one job. Scatter the seed. 175 00:11:11,460 --> 00:11:16,820 Speaker 3: One last consideration. Who scattered seed on you as soil? 176 00:11:17,700 --> 00:11:23,699 Speaker 3: when you were just barren soil. You were unsuspecting, waiting 177 00:11:23,780 --> 00:11:26,540 Speaker 3: for the seed to fall on you, or maybe you 178 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 3: were completely ignorant that something was happening to you, but 179 00:11:29,740 --> 00:11:35,060 Speaker 3: somebody was planting seed in you. Thank God someone told 180 00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:38,100 Speaker 3: you about Jesus and the good news, that God forgives 181 00:11:38,220 --> 00:11:43,140 Speaker 3: your sin and makes us whole. Someone's waiting on you, 182 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:49,770 Speaker 3: and one day they'll thank God for you. Where will 183 00:11:49,809 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 3: you go today? Maybe to the store. Maybe home. To 184 00:11:55,700 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 3: your family. 185 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 2: Work. 186 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:03,699 Speaker 3: School. Neighborhood. Walking the dog. You can scatter seed today. 187 00:12:04,580 --> 00:12:07,300 Speaker 3: Telling people about the good news of the forgiveness of 188 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,810 Speaker 3: your sins. Of God's love and grace in your life. 189 00:12:11,830 --> 00:12:13,790 Speaker 3: Of how He's changing your life as you learn to 190 00:12:13,830 --> 00:12:16,689 Speaker 3: walk with Him. And how you have someone you can 191 00:12:16,750 --> 00:12:20,260 Speaker 3: trust in for help and comfort. And don't forget about 192 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 3: telling them about eternal life. Explain every bit of it. No. 193 00:12:25,380 --> 00:12:29,090 Speaker 3: Just tell them what you've discovered. Just tell them about 194 00:12:29,150 --> 00:12:33,890 Speaker 3: God in your life. Just scatter seed all over the 195 00:12:33,929 --> 00:12:37,420 Speaker 3: place today. You can never waste it by scattering it. 196 00:12:38,290 --> 00:12:40,500 Speaker 3: You can only waste it by letting it sit idle. 197 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:45,099 Speaker 3: God bless you as you scatter seed. And may the 198 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 3: Lord bring the harvest. Praise God. 199 00:13:41,650 --> 00:13:44,729 Speaker 1: The Salvation Army's mission, doing the most good, means helping 200 00:13:44,830 --> 00:13:47,870 Speaker 1: people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part 201 00:13:47,890 --> 00:13:50,510 Speaker 1: of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. 202 00:13:50,850 --> 00:13:55,010 Speaker 1: Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to offer your support. You can subscribe to 203 00:13:55,050 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: Words of Life on your favorite podcast store or visit SalvationArmySoundcast.org. 204 00:14:00,340 --> 00:14:02,859 Speaker 1: Join us next time for the Salvation Army's Words of Life. 205 00:14:05,030 --> 00:14:12,949 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. 206 00:14:34,260 --> 00:14:36,020 Speaker 2: We want to thank the team at Life Audio for 207 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,830 Speaker 2: their partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio.com where 208 00:14:39,850 --> 00:14:42,850 Speaker 2: you'll find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. 209 00:14:43,490 --> 00:14:46,710 Speaker 2: They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, and more. 210 00:14:47,380 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.