He was standing at my gate early last week. With scarcely the blink of an eye he challenged me for not having done something that actually seems rather bizarre -
to place a few things somewhere beyond my reach; to forget about them; and then to trust that disposing of these items in this way would reap rich dividends.
It seemed very normal to him, and he couldn't conceive why I hadn't disposed of these items long before. Why was I hanging on to them? Why was I keeping them in my basement?

Actually - what he said way, "Hey Ken - how come you haven't planted your bean seeds yet? You just gonna let 'em lay in your basement and get old?"
Didn't even blink an eye.
And I suppose you wouldn't either. Seems very normal to take a risk and place a seed in the ground, cover it with dirt, and walk away. You count on the warmth, water and dirt waking that seed and causing it to spring to life, pushing the tender shoot of a plant through the surface. You count on it because you've seen it happen so often before. You know that's what bean seeds do.
Even though, when it comes right down to it, you are completely unable to make the seed germinate by yourself. Completely powerless. That's the miracle of new life that only God controls. But you know the part you're to play - and so you do it.
No thought about leaving the seeds in their package, with overwhelming fear of what might happen if you take the risk, let go of the control, open the package and plant the seeds.

We are in the midst of a four part series on stewardship. To be a steward is to be an administrator, a caretaker. Someone has something valuable which is placed in your care. You become the steward of that item.
Last week we considered our role as stewards of Creation. Jahweh God made the entire Cosmos with His amazing creative genius. As crown pieces of creation He made humanity. And then put us in charge of the entire business to manage, protect and develop it.
This week we're going to pan the camera, so to speak, and sneak a peak at another angle on this picture of stewardship. The angle of the gospel and our role as stewards of it. Actually, it's tied a lot to planting bean seeds. Join Val in the following reading and see if what I say makes sense:
 

Bean seeds -
Working with them has risks. I can't guarantee or make them do anything. I let go of them. Give them to the garden, so to speak. And then pray for the Lord to bless the outcome.
Bean seeds - I can't greedily keep them on my shelf. Either I need to plant them.... or give them to someone who will. That's what seeds are for.

You and I have been given seed. It is the seed of the gospel. It's been placed on our shelf. And we -- we who are entrusted with that seed, we who are stewards of the seed are called to plant it.
Oh, not bean seeds. The seed is the power-filled, life-giving, future-changing message about Jesus Christ. The soil is the lives of people with whom we rub shoulders every day. We have been given care of the life-giving truth that can, through the life-producing work of God, germinate into a loving relationship with Jesus Christ when we plant it in their lives.

The exact manner of planting is different from person to person. Sometimes it happens when we are able to show care and sympathy to a neighbour in crisis. Sometimes we lend a listening ear to a colleague at work. Sometimes it is by example of loyalty and trustworthiness and genuineness that makes a person look and say, "There's something different about you. What is it? I'd like that, too." Sometimes it comes when we can invite someone to church. Or we gain an opportunity to discuss spiritual issues with them, and share our personal testimony - the story of how God is at work in our lives.

By the way - if someone were to ask you, could you share that? How God is at work in your life, I mean? The difference He makes. Could you say what your life would be like if the Lord wasn't a part of it? In big ways or small. Dramatic or quietly day-by-day.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 3.15, "In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have..."
That, friends, is not an option. It's not something directed only to pastors or Christian School teachers or elders & deacons or a select few in the congregation. These are holy words spoke to, (are you ready?) .... every single believer.

These words are as much a divine command as is the commandment, "You shall not commit adultery." If you find yourself sitting here this morning saying, "You know, I hope nobody ever asks me, because I'm not sure what I'd say" - if that's you, may I ask you to commit between you and your Heavenly Lord, your Saviour Jesus, to spending time this week formulating some thoughts. Have your seeds ready. God wills it to be so. And then pray for an opportunity to plant that seed. Only - hear this warning - watch out. Because the thing is, when you start praying like this, know what happens? Can you guess? Right! The Holy Spirit begins to present you with occasions when you can share your testimony.

It's part of being stewards of the gospel. Jesus didn't bring us into relationship with Himself, He didn't allow us to experience the joy of sins forgiven, the status of being a child of Jahweh granted, and eternal hope cherished -
-- He didn't grant us the blessing of having the Holy Spirit live within us -
....so that we can stuff it up on a shelf and hoard it for ourselves.

We are called to take a risk, to go out and give it away. To spread it around, daringly, lavishly. Without any guarantees on what the results will be.
Just like bean seeds.
We plant and water. But God gives the life and growth.

Jesus looked at the crowds milling around Him and - did you notice what Val read in 9.36? What's Jesus' attitude towards them?
Indifference?
Suspicion?
Disgust?
What's the attitude?
Compassion!

Hence His prayer for Harvest workers.
Hence His command to the disciples in ch.10. Because, you see, there can be no harvest if the seed isn't planted first. Jesus sends out the disciples as stewards of the Gospel, as divine seed planters.

And into Israel they go.
Not to far-off exotic places. Rather, right close to home, where the need is very great. Desperate.

The whole chapter is filled with instructions for seed planters.
A little later in the service I'll be reading the Great Commission that Jesus gave to the entire church; a command that goes together with 1 Peter 3.
Remember the assignment?

And now the rubber hits the road, for you and I are also to be seed planters.
You and I, believers in Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters of Jesus and children of Father Yahweh in Heaven - we are stewards of the seeds.
We can't leave them on the shelf.
We must be about the business of planting.

So please, read this chapter carefully. The basic principles in it apply just as much to you and I as they did to the first disciples. Nowhere in scripture are we ever told - "By the way, for you that follow, ignore the instructions Jesus gave to the disciples. Theirs was a special case. You work is second rate, lower class, less urgent and less divine-empowered."

Far from it. In fact, Jesus Himself said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14.12)
What happened when Jesus went to the Father? Remember Pentecost?
He sent the Holy Spirit to bring God's divine power right into our lives. How it manifests itself changes, depending on how God wants to manifest it - it comes out in as many different ways as there are different stewards of the gospel, different seed planters in God's field working crew.

So - what's told to these seed planters?

First of all, and more than anything else, they are told that what they're dealing with is not "take it or leave it" news. The message is essential, life-and-death, with eternal consequences. It is a message that demands an answer - yes, or no. No fence sitting allowed!

For those who plant the seeds it may become intensely uncomfortable. People will oppose you, v.22. They may arrest you. Some seed planters are killed.
But look at verse 24 - they did it to Jesus. Why should we expect any better treatment? Just remember: our Heavenly Abba Father won't ever let go of us, or abandon us. When in tough situations, v.19, we'll be told what to say. If brought to the point of death, the very worst that enemies can do is temporarily kill our outer body. They can't, v.28, touch our soul. That's God protected. He's got you covered... v.30: every hair of you!

Yes, it's tough stuff. Bringing the message may upset the proverbial apple cart. V.21, 35: there may be intense discomfort among families and friends because of the seeds you plant. Expect that.

But don't give up because of these hardships and challenges. In fact, Jesus has some rather blunt and strong words for us who desire to carry His name, to wear the label "Christian."
Let me ask you - Do you consider yourself a Christian? Do you want others to think of you as a Christian?
Yes?
Then hear these blunt words of Jesus - words to you:

V.32 Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge Him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown Him before my Father in heaven.

Acknowledging Jesus - that means seed-planting, folks.
Open, and generously upfront about Jesus before others.

V.37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What holds you back from spreading the gospel? Fear of looking foolish? Afraid of losing your job? Unsure of what it will do to your relationship with that person?
Friend - don't put that ahead of Jesus.

That's one side.
The other side is that when we spread seed, we have a mighty arsenal prepared for us. The chapter gives us little tastes of that arsenal:
Power is given to gospel stewards, to seed planters, power that can overcome sickness, even death, and drive out demons.
That power was given to the first disciples, and nowhere does scripture say that it was only for them, or ever to be removed from following generations of believers. The Holy Spirit power given to these seed-planting, harvest-preparing disciples is the same Spirit that works in seed planters today. He is the same Spirit that is in you, believer! How He will choose to work in you is up to Him. God is God. We're not. We can't demand certain gifts or workings in our lives. It's fair to ask. It's good and only proper to be open to them. But the final distribution and working is up to the Lord. May we only be found open and receptive. May we never squash, but instead celebrate such when it appears!

Next item of encouragement for seed planters: Read v.12-13. It seems to indicate that Christians have the real power to extend blessings, and withhold blessings - real blessings from heaven.
And we know that. That's why in our tradition we take seriously the greeting and blessing in the worship service....... You do take it seriously, don't you? I don't do it as a mere ritual, or for fun, to just to keep tradition going. When I extend my hand in blessing in the name of the Lord, I believe and trust that some real spiritual good is extended into your lives.
You have that same power. Use it. Use it well. Use it to plant seeds for Jesus! By the way, did you know that you used it earlier in the service when you said "the peace of the Lord be with you." That was blessing stuff.
If the person has a receptive spirit, the blessing remains. Else it returns. Bounces off, for lack of a better word. The Spirit of Jesus gathers it back and holds it until it can take root in the life of another person.

And this - v.19-20: When in a tight spot, the Holy Spirit will whisper words to you, or plant thoughts in your mind. Have you ever experienced that?
- Asked to pray for someone, and found yourself thinking and saying words that you had no clue where they came from? Thank the Holy Spirit.
- Found yourself in a conversation about the Lord, coming up with an idea that you had never thought of before? Credit the Spirit of Jesus within you!
He does speak, doesn't He? I would encourage you to practice taking time to listen for His inner voice speaking to you. Read about it. Ask others. Check through Scripture for ways in which the Lord communicated with others. Perhaps He'll bless you by using one such way with you. Are you open to it? The only one who really loses if you shut it down...... is you.
So keep a receptive, searching, listening spirit.
The blessings are enormous.

Finally this - Understand that when you go to spread the good news of the Christian faith, that God will follow behind you. When someone receives you kindly, not only are you blessed, but the Lord will grant a real blessing to them as well! Check out verse 42 for that. By spreading the gospel seed, by being effective and active, diligent stewards, you are actually creating space for others to be blessed by God! Ever thought of that?
 
 

Time to end.
I want to do that this way: please take the programs, the bulletins and have a look at the front cover. See the words in italics? Please read them out loud with me -
As members of a community that wants to glorify God, we are called to bring the life changing message of God to our neighbours as well as each other.

Make more sense?
These are stewardly words - words of a community that desires to be stewards of the Gospel. May they also be your own personal truth words.
To the glory of God!