Part 04: The Sower and the Seed
Sermon Summary
This sermon challenges the traditional divide between "sacred" church work and "secular" professions. In it, Dorothy Abshire shares a personal revelation from God about tearing down the wall between sacred and secular, and that all believers carry the Holy Spirit into their workplaces, transforming ordinary jobs into sacred ministry. Just as Jesus called fishermen to continue fishing but with a new purpose—catching men instead of fish—God calls us to our professions with Kingdom purposes. The workplace becomes our mission field where we represent Christ, demonstrate excellence, and sow seeds of the gospel.
Key Scriptures
Matthew 4:19 (NIV) "'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.'"
2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV) "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."
Luke 8:5-8 (NIV) "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
Luke 8:11 (NIV) "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God."
Philippians 1:27a (NIV) "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
Discussion Questions
Instructions for groups: Choose a few of these questions from the various categories to go deeper in the sermon and put the truths of Scripture into practice.
Scripture Study & Deeper Understanding
1. Read Luke 8:5-15 together. In the parable of the sower, what are the four types of soil mentioned, and what does Jesus say each one represents? How does understanding these different "soils" change how we think about sharing our faith with different people?
2. Read Proverbs 10.9, Ecclesiastes 9.10a, 2 Thessalonians 3.10-12, Colossians 3.23-24, Proverbs 11.13 and Romans 12.17. What do these verses teach us about Godly character?
3. Dorothy referenced Isaiah 55:11 which says God's Word "does not return void." Look up this verse and read it in context (Isaiah 55:10-11). What promise does this give us about the seeds we sow, even when we don't see immediate results?
Encouragement, Challenge & Personal Testimony
4. Dorothy shared how God spoke to her about tearing down the wall between sacred and secular work. What's encouraging about the idea that your current job or profession can be viewed as "full-time ministry"? How does this shift in perspective change the way you see your daily work?
5. The sermon challenged us to weave together three strands: godly character, excellence in our craft, and sowing seeds of faith. Which of these three comes most naturally to you? Which one challenges you the most, and why?
6. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus tells the disciples "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." What's significant about Jesus not changing what they were called to do (fishing) but only changing their purpose? How does this principle apply to our modern vocations?
Prayer
7. Listening to the Holy Spirit
We're going to take focused time to listen to the Holy Spirit and what He wants to speak to us personally based on our time in Scripture and discussion tonight. Let's sit in silence for 60 seconds and ask the Spirit to speak to each one of us.
[After the minute of silence]
What do you sense the Holy Spirit highlighting or speaking to you as we prayed?
8. Prayer Requests from Tonight's Study
What prayer requests come up for you based on our Scripture study and discussion tonight? How can we pray for you as you seek to apply what God has shown you?
Putting it into Practice
9. The speaker shared that her simple daily prayer became: "Please God, give me opportunities to scatter my seeds today." What would it look like for you to pray this prayer and live with this intentionality in your workplace or sphere of influence this week? What specific "seeds" (words of God's truth, kindness, service) might you scatter?
10. The sermon emphasized that sharing our faith doesn't always mean delivering the entire gospel presentation, sometimes a seed is simply saying "God loves you" or "God has a plan for your life." This week, identify one or two people in your life (coworkers, neighbors, family members) who need to hear something from God. What's one simple seed you could sow with them? Share your plan with the group for accountability.