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A sermon is a manner of oral communication and therefore words and sentence structure/order would be added, altered, or deleted at the moment of delivery. + In Nomine Jesu + The Rev. Evan Gaertner The gospel lesson for today is one of the most well known parables that Jesus told during his earthly ministry. A parable is a story that places alongside an earthly story a spiritual meaning. The parable told by Jesus that we find in today's gospel lesson is often called, "The Parable of the Sower." This is a story of a sower, a farmer, who broadcast his seeds over a variety of soil conditions. He does not seek to just plant where it would be obvious, the good soil, but in fact the farmer casts the seed across the path, the rocky ground, and among thorns. He is a generous farmer, planting across the whole land. The seeds develop and grow depending on the condition of the soil. The seed itself is capable of producing a remarkable harvest. The failure of a harvest is not the fault of the seed. This is clear when the seed is thrown over good soil and produces grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. The apportionment of the harvest is not mechanical or identical for the good soil. Every seed will produce a unique harvest. A helpful key in understanding this parable comes in the second half our reading where Jesus exposes the meaning of different parts of the story. Jesus does not give a critique of the seed or the sower. Jesus, in his explanation of the parable, is pointed in his criticism of the different soil conditions. Listen. The Word of God bringing the The path in the parable is related to people that hear the word of the kingdom and do not understand it. When you struggle to understand the In contrast the good soil is humble. It hears the word and receives it. Listen! The humble receive the word of God and the prideful pass over it. If one thinks he doesn't need the Here at There are people in this church that have people they love dearly that are not Christians. I want you to take this seriously. The The rocky ground, that is shallow soil with hard pack underneath it, is the one hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. The enemy of the Christian illustrated in the rocky ground is the one who receives the word but does not let it take root in his life. He will fall away when hardship or persecution occurs on account of the word. Without roots in the Word of God, the beatings upon the soul that occur in daily life are so much harder to fight against. Grasping upon the word at times of crisis is essential. As a church our sermons, our Bible study, our personal devotions, our sharing of our faith with our family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers must be soaked with the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation that is ours through the blood of Jesus Christ. If you do not know where to turn in the Bible for comfort, trust that you can always look upon Christ on the cross. Jesus upon the cross is a blessed gift for the sin-sick to always grasp onto and know that in the darkest of moments God's forgiveness is certain. As a church we need to continue to improve the effort we making helping people connect there daily lives to the daily enrichment of the word. The thorny ground receives the seed. The seed grows but becomes choked by the thorns. This is related to the people who hear the Word of God and simply add it to the pantheon of options in their life. The enemy of the Christian life illustrated in the thorny ground is deceitfulness. When we are not honest with ourselves about our priorities, they begin to control us and not the other way around. The enemy of the Christian, the enemy of the A little anonymous bit of wisdom wit goes, Money will buy: A bed but not rest; Books but not wisdom; A house but not a home; Medicine but not health; Toys but not happiness; Class but not beauty; A crucifix but not a Savior. Allow the law of God to cut away at the misplaced priorities in your life. Like a shot of Round-Up to weeds in a garden, the law of God convicts you of your failings and clears the way for God's gospel to be planted and thrive. It is deceitful to hear God's law and pretend it is only for others. We all must cut away from our lives all that is not God-pleasing, otherwise we will choke the Word from our hearts. In all three poor soil conditions the harvest is not just weak it is in fact in the end empty. When poor soil conditions in the church and in our personal lives are allowed to continue an empty harvest will result. For Jesus the harvest is salvation in the kingdom. Jesus gives as an explanation for the empty harvest in the inability of various poor soils to understand and make room and devote to the seed. The direction of Jesus biting words in this parable is never the seed, but in the soil, that is the person. The good news for today is found not in ourselves and our poor soil conditions. With repentance and true sadness over our conditions we turn to the divine farmer who plants the seed. In season and out of season the word of God continues to be planted. Do not rely upon yourself, but trust in the work of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. There are enemies of the kingdom and the greatest danger is to consider victory possible apart from the saving work of Jesus Christ. In your life and in the life of this church it is essential that we trust in the good work of Jesus Christ to accomplish in us that what we are unable to do. Soli Deo Gloria -->> Home |