Wow! I have been freshly touched by how much WL in particular, and the LC in general, desperately needed to be balanced by TAS’s large heart, gentle spirit, and hard-won wisdom. In message six, TAS brings out a real nugget related to gospel preaching from the “Parable of the Sower” in Matthew chapter 13. This nugget flies completely in the face of the LC’s focus on “good material”.
When our Lord Himself interpreted this parable in verses 13:19-23, He pointed out that the “seed” in this parable represents the Word of the Kingdom. Our Lord knows that this Word has the power to completely transform a person’s life. When He as the Son of Man sows His Word, He sows it without partiality, without discrimination. He knows that much of the “seed” will not bear “good fruit”, but He sows liberally anyway. He sows to the wayside, to the stony earth, and to the earth choked with thorns, as well as the good earth. He sows to everyone and then He lets the condition of each one’s heart determine the degree to which the “seed” will grow. He is simply sowing - He is not focusing on “good material”! Some of the best results of His sowing took place in some really shady characters! The whole idea of looking for “good material” is utterly foreign to this parable.
Excerpts from Message Six:
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“Now I want you to notice this: The same Lord comes with the same Word to every kind of person. The Lord Jesus knew that some people would be like the way side ground, but He did not say, 'Oh, I know that they are no good; I am not going to give them My Word. I know quite well that they will not bear much fruit so I shall not waste My Word on them.’ . . Jesus brought His Word and brings His Words to all kinds of people. Why does He do that? Now all you business men here tonight would not do that. And you very spiritual people would not do that. You would say, 'That is not using common sense. That is not good business. It is not good judgment to do that. Let us concentrate only upon what we are sure of. It is bad business to take any notice of those other unreliable people.' But you see the sense of Jesus is different from our sense . . . He says to the way side man, 'You can have just as much as the good ground man if you like.' He says to the rocky ground man, 'This Word of Mine can do in you just as much as it can do in anybody else.' He says to the thorny ground people, 'My Word is just as powerful for you as it is for anybody.’ . . . So Jesus comes with His Word and He says, 'This Word has ITS same power to all kinds of people.' What you are naturally is not the point.”
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