I recently posted about gardening and the classic Isaiah 55 passage on the efficacy of the Word. Not comprehending the Isaiah passage means misunderstanding justification, sanctification, and evangelism.
The passage in the graphic is really about efficacy too, though the word efficacy is not used in the English translation.
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh (power of the Holy Spirit in the Word at work) in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
The Holy Spirit always works through the Word, and God always works through the Holy Spirit in the Word - never apart from the Word. Adolph Hoenecke used that statement to say "That is sound doctrine. The Word never without the Spirit. The Spirit never without the Word."
This relates directly to gardening because the living seed (another metaphor for the Word in the New Testament) inevitably grows when rained upon.
Rain and snow return to the atmosphere after accomplishing God's purpose (Creation) and illustrate how the Word of God always returns to Him after accomplishing His purpose:
1. The Word is never without an effect - never preacher or taught in vain.
2. The Word always accomplishes His purpose - even when a riot, or shunning, or rejection follows.
3. The Word prospers His will, so it is a big riot, a major shunning, and a violent rejection. But it is also a major conversion, an abundance of blessing, or a miraculous effect that continues for generations (such as the wedding of two believers, sometimes only one, and the believers that come from that union).
After sowing the seed carelessly, following Matthew 13/Mark 4 - and I do mean carelessly, I get results because the seed is alive and the rain water accomplishes God's purpose in initiating and promoting growth.
Gardeners suffer from planter's panic, the agricultural equivalent of buyer's remorse. They wonder, "Will all those seeds actually grow? I see nothing. I am out $30 in seed for those tiny packets."
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The trouble with city-slicker clergy is they have the religious equivalent but no Biblical study or gardening experience to counter it. They try something and see no results after a few weeks. They start looking for something that really works.
The Fuller con artists, long ago, promised them that business methods and statistical analysis really work, so the clergy do not need to worry about being faithful to the Word.
Abandoning the Word-that-really-works, blind Fuller and its blind disciples chased after fads and numbers, in spite of all the evidence they were no better off than the Gadarene swine - and no more appealing.
The one thing that works - preaching an original, Biblical sermon - was replaced by plagiarized how-to coaching harangues.
- The liturgy is faithful to the Word - get rid of that.
- Classic Christian hymns are faithful to the Word - get rid of them.
- The Creeds confess the truth of the Word - get rid of them too.
- Holy Communion and Holy Baptism are taught in the Word - nope, might discourage the Sacrament-scared.
The Evanjellyfish are abandoning the Word as fast as they can. Witness the lavender activism of Andy Stanley.
The blind disciples will continue to fall into the pit, on top of their Fuller, Willowcreek, and Trinity masters.
WELS and Missouri will continue to detonate, defibrillate, and decrepitate. \
