God's Field

1 Cor 3:9: For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. NIV

I used to think that farming was easy. It had to be. All the farmer had to do is put the seed in the ground, wait for it to rain, reap the harvest, and collect the profit. How difficult could that be? Very difficult, as I learned when I became the pastor of a church in a farming community.

Although planting seems simple, it requires sophisticated equipment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure that the seed is planted in the right location and at the right depth. And even before the seed can be planted, the field needs to be prepared. The ground must be turned and fertilized. Once the seed is sown, the young plants must be cultivated. And while the farmer cannot control the rain, it is possible to give the rain a helping hand with irrigation equipment. After the harvest, selling the crop often requires a knowledge of the international markets. I learned very quickly living in that community that farming was much more difficult than it looked. The farmers I knew needed the skill of a chemist, the mechanical know-how of an engineer, the financial ability of a Wall Street lawyer, and the patience of Job!

God is a farmer. According to 1 Cor 3:9, we are "God's field." Like the fields of the farmers in my congregation, God's field needs to be sown, watered, cultivated, and harvested. God, however, uses people instead of machines to do His work. In the case of the Corinthian church, He used people like Paul and Apollos: "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow" (1 Cor 3:6).

The Corinthians enjoyed a distinguished succession of ministers unparalleled by any other church in history. Unfortunately, instead of benefiting from this, they began to divide themselves into various camps as a result. Some identified with Apollos and said that his ministry was more important than that of Paul. Others favored one of the other famous teachers who had visited Corinth. And one group refused to acknowledge the value of any human teacher at all, and identified themselves only as followers of Jesus.

This scriptural account is a warning to us that good preaching, as important as it is, does not always guarantee spiritual growth. The church of Corinth was exposed to the best preaching the New Testament era had to offer, yet it only seemed to divide the congregation. Paul responded to this "fan club" mentality by reminding the people that God alone is responsible for growth: "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow" (1 Cor 3:7). In other words, those who do the preaching are merely the instruments God used to accomplish His purpose.

The farmer uses a tractor for one purpose and a combine for another. His decision to use one over another is based upon the immediate need of the field. The same is true of God's field. The church does not always need the fiery preaching of an Apollos. At times, it is better served by the steady teaching of a Paul or the practical application of a Simon Peter.

The farmer's choice of seed is determined by the type of crop that is desired. Different kinds of seeds produce different kinds of crops. God, on the other hand, has only one kind of seed: His Word. Where God is concerned, however, the same seed can accomplish several purposes. In some circumstances, God uses His Word to give new life. Those who are saved are born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). God also uses the Word to water what has already been planted (Isa 55:10-11). Paul planted and Apollos watered, but they both used God's Word.

While God promises in Isa 55:10-11 that His word will always accomplish the purpose He intended, Jesus warned that not everyone who hears the word will benefit from it (Matt 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8). In the parable of the sower, Jesus described four instances in which the seed of the Word was sown with distinctly different results. The difference in each case was not due to the seed but to the soil.

Jesus tells us that there are times when the Word of God seems to have no effect at all on those who hear it. When this happens, two factors are at work. According to Jesus, the Word fails to produce results when those who hear do not understand. Jesus also warned that Satan is actively involved in "stealing" the Word (Matt 13:19; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12). At other times, the seed seems to produce remarkable results at first, but the fruit quickly withers away. The problem in this case is that the response of those who hear is merely superficial, and the seed never truly takes root. So when obedience to the Word brings problems or persecution, they quickly turn away from it (Matt 13:21; Mark 4:17; Luke 8:13).

In the third scenario described by Jesus, the initial results also seem promising, but the seed is soon choked out by "weeds." In this case, there is too much competition for the Word of God. Its effect is neutralized by the "worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth" (Matt 13:22; Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14).

Jesus said that it is only the "good soil" that produces a harvest. Interestingly, even here the results may vary. In some, the seed produces a hundredfold return. But in others, it is sixty, and in others, thirty (Matt 13:23; Mark 4:20). The critical factor for those Jesus characterizes as "good soil" is the attitude of the heart (Luke 8:15).

How can we ensure that we will be the kind of field that will bear fruit for God? Fortunately, the solution lies with God Himself. If our problem is one of understanding, we need to ask God for wisdom. If it is a matter of persecution, we need to expect opposition and ask God for the strength to persevere. If the problem is distraction by the cares of this life, we need to broaden our perspective and think in terms of eternity. We need to ask God to show us what the things that seem so important now will mean to us in a million years. Many of them will pass into oblivion, but God's Word stands forever.

Living Word, open my eyes to see the truth of Scripture. Open my heart to respond in faith and obedience. Do not allow Satan to steal the Word but grant me the patience to bear with the trials that come with obedience. Give me an eternal perspective in all that I do. Amen.

Thanks to John Koessler for allowing us to publish his material.www.johnkosessler.com

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John Koessler serves as chair and professor of pastoral studies at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. He is married to Jane and has two sons, Drew and Jarred. John is the author of ten books and numerous articles. He also serves as a contributing editor for the Moody Bible Institute publication Today in the Word, where you can read his monthly “Theology Matters” column. You can contact John via email at John.Koessler@moody.edu or by phone at (312) 329-4077