In the first part of this two-part series, we talked about tilling the soil and the time and patience it may take while we are preparing the ground and planting the seed. Once the seed has been planted, or the Gospel has been told, it can be really frustrating (not to say that tilling the soil isn’t frustrating as well). Once they have heard the Gospel, it’s easy to want everything to happen immediately. To expect, even, as soon as they hear the Gospel they are immediately going to accept it, immediately going to change. We think, “All that hard work tilling and now this! I thought this was the easy part!” Unfortunately, it doesn’t always happen immediately. Let’s go back to 1 Corinthians 3:6,
“I [Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
The way that this is worded leads one to believe this process took time. There is a chain of events we can follow to determine this as fact rather than speculation. We are going to momentarily be looking in Acts 18, where it explains the founding of the Corinth church.
Acts 18:1-2 talks about Paul coming across Aquila and Priscilla, “After this, he left Athens and went to Corinth, where he found a Jewish man named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla…” Acts 18:9-11 is when Paul was about to leave to go to the Gentiles, “Then the Lord said to Paul in a night vision, ‘Don’t be afraid, but keep speaking and don’t be silent. For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.’ And he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” Paul stays for a year and a half in Corinth. In this time, the Church (in Corinth) is formed. Paul is now leaving Corinth in Acts 18:18, “So Paul, having stayed on for many days, said good-bye to the brothers and sailed away to Syria. Priscilla and Aquila were with him.” Take note that Priscilla and Aquila go with him. Verse 19, “When they reached Ephesus he left them there, but he himself entered the synagogue and engaged in discussion with the Jews.” Paul has now left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus while he continues his way. This is where we find Apollos. In verse 24 it reads, “A Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was powerful in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus” As you keep reading, you will find how Priscilla and Aquila took him in and discipled him giving him more understanding of scripture. He then wanted to go to Ephesus so they took him there. This is where it all comes together: In Ephesus, Apollos ministers over the Ephesus church which is what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 5:6,
“I [Paul] planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
Looking at this, it is relatively obvious this process took some time. Knowing this, we need to understand the watering of a seed may not take place as soon as the seed is planted. I chose the germination analogy for a reason. A radish, for example, germinates in six to eight days while a Giant Himalayan Lily takes 5-7 years!!! People are the same way, some take immediately to the Gospel and there is an immediate change while others take those 5-7 years; we need to be there for the long haul.
Another thing we need to consider is that maybe we aren’t called to water. Maybe we aren’t the ones that get to see the seed germinate and grow. Our job may be simply to fertilize or even just till the soil. ‘Mathew Henry’s Commentary’ goes into this, “They have their different gifts from one and the same Spirit, for the very same purposes; and they heartily carry on the same design. Planters and waterers are but fellow-labourers in the same work.” We have different purposes and different gifts. 1 Corinthians 12-26 is Paul talking about the different parts of the body and though all may not be as glorious, they are all just as important. Verse 18 really summarizes this all up in one sentence, “But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted.” Even though we may really want to see the result of our labors, it may not be our job. Billy Graham understood this. He, in my opinion, is the most famous modern evangelist. He traveled the world sharing the Gospel, but he didn’t get to see all the results; that’s not what he was called to do. Once he planted the seed (shared the Gospel), he let other people do the watering because he knew he was called to plant other seeds.
With all of this, we need to keep in mind the message of Luke 8:5-7,
“…some fell along the path; it was trampled on and the birds of the sky ate it up. Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up, it withered, since it lacked moisture. Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.”
Unfortunately, not everyone who hears will receive it with gladness and keep going. This shouldn’t discourage us, though. Looking back to ‘Mathew Henry’s Commentary’, “and yet this good and gracious Master may make a difference in the rewards he gives, according to the different service they do: Every one’s own work shall have its own reward.” Remember that we cannot change anyone’s heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. However, we still need to work to the best of our ability and do everything for the glory of God simply because we are commanded to by God I’m going to leave you with this,
“Deus est in potestate.”
God is in control.
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