“Living Seed and Dead Seed”

Agronomists tell us a typical seed has three parts; an embryo, which will become the plant, nutrients that will feed the developing plant, and a shell, or seed coat that will protect the young plant and prevent it from drying out. What appears as a humble, tiny speck is a complex “factory” of vitality, nutrition and growth. And so in seeds we have a perfect object lesson that demonstrates the nature of faith. Faith is a living thing. As such it must be nurtured, fed, and protected. Many factors must work together to yield good results. Good seed may not produce if it is not sewn in fertile ground, and poor seed may not produce even if it is planted in the richest loam. So it is with faith. In the parable of the sower and the seed (Luke 8:5-8) Jesus taught that the relationship between soil and seed is essential for life. Thin, rocky, weedy unproductive soil does not give seed a chance to flourish.

In Romans we read that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the world of God. The purpose of faith is to receive what God has given – to know Christ as savior. Faith equips us with the solid assurance of our salvation so that we may take the message to heart and into the world. The word and the spirit work to create and enliven faith. It is a gift from God; therefore it is always good seed. The problem with faith is never the seed, or the sower, but the soil. If one has faith, they have the best God has to offer. We, in turn should offer God our best effort in response to what He has done for us. Too often, we are not fertile soil where faith is obvious to others. The book of James has much to say about this. In the first chapter He urges us to “…Humbly accept the word planted in you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (1:22) And, in one of the most debated scriptures in Lutheran theology, James makes a startling declaration: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (2:26) Too often Christians act as though they heard an old saying: “Don't just do something, stand there!” With the adolescent Jesus as our example we too must be about our Fathers business – not for our salvation, but for the sake of the world.

Intellectual assent is not faith. Superfluous words and empty rituals are not faith. Contentment in times of peace and prosperity are not necessarily indications of faith. The living seed of faith is being sure of what we hope for, and being certain of what we do not see. We do not need evidence to enliven faith - it is a matter of simple, child like trust that God's word tells us the truth. God creates and bestows faith as a blessed gift, just as he creates the seed and the plants that continue to bear each year. God has given us His word, the nutrient that allows the seed of the word to grow into a healthy plant. And God has given faith that protects the seed from destruction and decay. We should never again regard a seed without a humble sense of wonder and astonishment at the grace and power of God.

Dear Lord – My faith is from you, and I praise you for allowing it to sprout… help me as it grows. Amen

Percentage of Germination – The mathematical percentage of seed germinated per each lot number for the purpose of calculating the number of living plants one can expect verses the percentage of dead seed.