“Word for Today” – 1 John 3 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com

November 10, 2009 at 4:45 am Leave a comment

Plant 1 I have never had much of a green thumb. Just the other day, my wife and I received an email asking us to purchase some poinsettias as part of a fundraiser. After agreeing to the offer because the proceeds go to a good cause, we also agreed to find good homes for them. After all, if we were to keep them, they wouldn’t last a week. For I never have had much of a green thumb.

I can remember, when I was in second grade, how my class planted seeds in Dixie cups and placed them on the windowsill and waited for them to grow. Many of my classmates’ seeds sprouted quickly, beautiful, and heartily. Mine, on the other hand, never broke its soil. Indeed, the only seed I have ever had that has done anything impressive is birdseed. The pigeons loved me.

In our reading for today from 1 John 3, the apostle speaks of a Christian’s life in Jesus: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God” (verse 9). A Christian, John says, has God’s seed in him. What seed is this? It is the same seed promised by God as he cursed Satan for his beguilement: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). God promised a Seed from Eve who would crush Satan’s head. Who is this Seed? None other than Jesus Christ. Indeed, Jesus even speaks of himself as Seed when he foretells his death: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). Jesus, through his death on the cross as the Seed of Eve, produces many seeds. These seeds, in turn, are we who are “called children of God” (verse 1). We are the seeds of God.

Commenting on the Lord’s Prayer, Martin Luther writes, “God would tenderly encourage us to believe that he is our true father and that we are his true children, so that we may ask him confidently with all assurance, as dear children ask their dear father” (SC III:2). This is John’s encouragement as well. We, as Christians, are invited to approach God as our Father, for we are his children – we are his seeds.

With what do you need to approach God today? Is there something heavy on your heart? Is there a trial that you face? Perhaps there is a daunting decision that you have to make. Whatever it is, don’t forget to turn to your heavenly Father for the guidance and strength you need. He will always be there to here and to help. After all, you are family. You are his child. You are his seed.