We throw the gospel seed, and we shine the light obediently because of the innate obligation and appreciatively because of the individual opportunity. Each of us will personally receive God's blessing for our faithfulness, as well as much more than we deserve. But we must also listen dependently. In this great enterprise of evangelism, we have to understand our limitations as we hear the Word of God, take it in, and proclaim it. The sphere of salvation, the reign of God over the hearts of those who believe, and our role in that, is like a farmer who plants the seed and then goes home and goes to bed. We play no role in the growth of the crop. That's the point. You don't need to live your life in a panic. You don't need to stay awake 24 hours a day. Plant the seeds, shine the light, and go to bed. You're not responsible for what happens. That's the wonder of it all. It's so paradoxical. The seed goes into the ground and dies. And as it dies, out of it comes life. How does that happen? Nobody knows that. The farmer doesn't know that. A farmer can't make that happen. Nobody can make that happen. The best horticulturalists in the world don't know how that happens. They know it happens, but they can't define how or why it does so. Out of this dying seed comes life—a huge crop. That's the wonder of the gospel; hidden in those simple gospel seeds (truths) is the power of life. It breaks out while we sleep. Look, all I can do is tell the truth. All I can do is speak the truth. I cannot control the outcomes. I can't give life. It's mysterious, just like it is to the farmer. The only human act is to plant the seed and wait. Go to sleep. It's all God’s work. First Corinthians 3 says, “God gives the increase.” Life and growth are a divine operation. No human being contributes to the regeneration, conversion, justification, or salvation process. All we can do is tell the truth. The seed is potent. Listen to this: “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.” Romans 1:16. The soil, when prepared by God, will receive the seed, and once God makes it grow, it does not stop until it‘s harvested. Mark 4:28 says, “First the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head, and then the harvest.” Philippians 1:6 says, “Whoever begins a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ.” God completes what he begins. This is a critical lesson to all evangelical manipulators and clever marketers who think they can make people believe. No human being, no matter how persuasive or clever, contributes to regeneration, conversion, or justification. All we can do is give the truth. We can't change hearts, and we can't bring life to dead people. That's something only the Lord does. Repent and believe! GTY.org (41-20) - How to Listen to the Lord
