John 12:23-24 But Jesus answered them by saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." If we want to be more like Jesus, we too must choose to die to our worldly ways. This may sound hard, boring, and perhaps painful. But when we are glorifying God, the Holy Spirit gives us new life and power and we are happier and more complete than ever! We long for God and heaven more than the goodies of this world. How do we get to this point? Invite that Holy Spirit in - He will show you.
The story in Acts 5:40-42 blows my mind! They (the Pharisees) followed his advice (Gamaliel, who put forth the theory that the Jesus believers might be just a fad and would disperse once His followers started dying); and after calling the apostles in, they (the Pharisees) flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they (the apostles) went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple, and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and preaching the good news of Jesus as the Christ. Well that flogging backfired! Jesus' apostles seemed to gain self-relevance and felt honored when flogged just like their Messiah Jesus had been. When people see believers persevere and thrive in times of suffering they know something special is going on. And that something special is belief and confidence in Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus "plants" by changing hearts and putting those changed hearts in the paths of others. Jesus used an outcast Samarian woman who came to the well during the off period to avoid stares and gossip as she was unmarried and living with a man, who was not one of her previous five husbands. But Jesus saw her and gave her grace. And this woman, who no one, not even herself, could see any value in, began the harvest process. People listened to her, invited Jesus into their homes, and believed He was the Savior of the world. John 4: 39-41 Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done," So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world."
More Jesus seeds were harvested in Samaria five years later despite more persecution. Acts 8: 1-8 Now Saul (before his miraculous conversion and name change to Paul) approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would drag away men and women and put them in prison. Therefore, those who had been scattered went through places, preaching the word. Philip (a deacon, not the apostle) went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed. So there was much rejoicing in the city. Believers fled Jerusalem because of the danger, but they did not stop sharing the Word when they arrived in their new destinations. Samaria remembered Jesus' visit and the woman at the well's conversion (the seeds), and were ready to receive the Holy Spirit and be healed by Philip (the harvest).
We may sometimes plant, we may sometimes water, and we may sometimes harvest. God sees the big picture and knows where and when to send us to do his work to make disciples of Jesus.
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