God invests power in the Gospel, but He also invests in us, His children. Yes, the word is God’s seed that gives life and spiritual growth, as Peter affirms.
You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God … And this word is the Good News that was preached to you. … Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation (1 Peter 1:23, 25; 2:2).
But consider a curious fact. God can deliver this life-giving word in any He chooses. Yet, from the Great Commission onward, He makes the choice to use humans. Look at some examples.
Acts 2 Though the Holy Spirit is powerfully present (Acts 2:1-11), He never speaks directly to the masses. Instead, He speaks through the apostles (Acts 2:14-36). When listeners ask, “What shall we do?” the Spirit can answer aloud or, perhaps, whisper the answer into their hearts. Instead, the Spirit has Peter do the telling. Peter gives the inspired answer, as recorded in Scripture (Acts 2:37-40). Likewise, the Spirit can let new disciples know by intuition or instinct what to do next. Instead, they “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching …” (Acts 2:42).
Acts 5 An angel releases the apostles from prison. Angels can speak or preach. (In New Testament Greek, “angel” has the basic meaning of “messenger.”) Yet the angel tells the apostles: “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life” (Acts 5:20). They, not the angel, must tell the message—all of it!
Acts 8 The Spirit and an angel guide Philip, but Philip does the teaching and baptizing.
Acts 10 An angel speaks directly to Cornelius, a soldier in need of the Savior. Yet the angel does not present the Gospel. That is left to Peter (Acts 10:5-6). “He [Peter] will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household” (Acts 11:14 cf. Acts 15:7).
Do you see a pattern in Acts? Angels are active. Yet they never deliver the Gospel itself. The Lord directs humans with faith to help other humans learn the faith (Romans 1:17).