Last Sunday, April 27, we had our spring cleaning event. Together with Pastor DeSilva and some of the brothers, I cleared the ground in the garden under the tree by the north entrance of the church and set up the picnic table and benches there. We dug and raked the ground to level it evenly, laid wood chips on top of it, and placed the picnic table and benches. We will install one or two more tables to make that place a nice picnic area. Please check it out when you come to church.
The first thing I did was to take a shovel and break up the hard surfaces. But the soil of a specific part of the ground was very hard. So, I had to stick the shovel in the ground, step on it, jump on it, and dig it out. I did it many times, and it was quite hard labour. While doing this, I reflected on myself, wondering if my heart has often been like that hard soil sometimes, unable to grow when the seed of God’s word fell on it. Then I remembered the Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:1-23).
In this parable of Jesus, the sower is Jesus Himself, and the seed He sows is the word of God, the seed of the truth, in which there is life. The abundance of fruit one seed produces totally depends on the condition of the soil on which it falls. Only the seed that falls on good soil produces abundant crops. Jesus compares this good soil to “someone who hears the word and understands it” (Matt 18:23). He says that it “stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hears the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (Luke 8:15). Ellen G. White explains such a person like this: “He has an honest heart who yields to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. He confesses his guilt and feels his need for the mercy and love of God. He sincerely desires to know the truth, that he may obey it. The good heart is a believing heart, one that has faith in the word of God” (Christ Object Lesson,. 58). He by faith receives “the very life and character of God” (COL 38).
She also comments regarding their fruit: “Every seed brings forth fruit after its kind. Sow the seed under right conditions, and it will develop its own life in the plant. Receive into the soul by faith the incorruptible seed of the word, and it will bring forth a character and a life after the similitude of the character and the life of God” (COL 38). “Those who, having heard the word, keep it, will bring forth fruit in obedience. The word of God, received into the soul, will be manifest in good works. Its results will be seen in a Christlike character and life” (COL 60). When the seed falls on the field with good soil, it will “bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit—’some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred’” (COL 61).
Truly, the key to an abundant harvest is the condition of the soil. However, good soil does not happen overnight. Cultivating good soil takes a lot of effort, money, and time, but it is an investment that must be made if we want to see significant returns. Clearing the fields of people’s hearts and making them good soil for the seeds of God’s Word to be planted, grow, and bear fruit is a top priority for our church, and the earlier we start doing this, the better. One such effort in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the Adventurer Club ministry.
“The Adventurer program has been created to assist parents in their important responsibilities as a child’s primary teachers and evangelizers. The program aims to strengthen the parent/child relationship and to further the child’s development in spiritual, physical, mental, and social areas. Through the Adventurer Program, the church, home, and school can work together with the parent to develop a mature, happy child” (Adventurer Director’s Manual, 8).
There are 8 objectives of the Adventurer Club:
The Adventurer Club provides fun and creative ways for children…
- to develop a Christ-like character;
- to experience the joy and satisfaction of doing things well;
- to express their love for Jesus in a natural way;
- to learn good sportsmanship and strengthen their ability to get along with others;
- to discover their God-given abilities and to learn how to use them to benefit self and serve others;
- to discover God’s world;
- to improve their understanding of what makes families strong;
- to develop parental support for their upbringing. (Adventurer Director’s Manual, 8).
I am very grateful that our church has an active Adventurer Club, Willowdale Little Warriors Adventurer Club, working on these 8 goals to cultivate good soil for the hearts of young children. Every time I see the little children and their parents and the club leaders, counselors, and volunteers in the Sabbath afternoon wearing the red club type B uniform, I cannot help but give thanks and praise to our God who has sent those precious little souls and their families to our church Adventurer Club. I also thank God for equipping our church with faithful servants who have dedicated themselves to this vital ministry. They are working so hard together with the parents to cultivate the hearts of the Willowdale Littles Warriors. Please pray for and support our church Adventurer Club as you have done so far. This Sabbath is the Adventurer Sabbath. Our Adventurers run the program for this week’s divine worship. Aren’t you excited and looking forward to this Sabbat worship service? Please join our worship this Sabbath and be inspired and blessed.
To wrap up, I pray that the hearts of every member of Willowdale Church will be good soil for the Word of God to grow and bear abundant fruit. I also pray that we will work together to cultivate the soil in the hearts of young children so that they may grow as sincere and faithful servants of the Lord who sow the seed into the hearts of many. See you at Willowdale this Sabbath.