Sermon for CATM – September 20, 2009 – The Sower and the Seed
I admire gardeners. Do we have any gardeners here today? I admire gardeners because they do much more than put plants and seeds in the earth and watch them grow. There’s an art to gardening, to horticultural. My wife Barbara’s father had a doctorate in horticulture. There are huge amounts to know and then there are huge benefits from experience in the field.
Now my tiny experience in gardening has taught me a few things. This past summer we finally dealt with the huge number of weeds on our front lawn. We did that by having someone weed the lawn.
They weren’t too subtle with their big de-weeding devices and as a result they took huge clumps of earth and grass away along with the weeds. So it was my job to fill in those holes and seed the fresh earth with grass seed.
At first I filled all the holes, a good fifty of them with the soil. Then I spread the grass seed over the soil, poking it in a bit with my fingers.
After I did the whole lawn I realized that the seeds were still mostly on top of the soil. They were easily going to be picked off by local birds. So I got out the rake and made sure the seeds were spread deep into the soil and then I stomped the soil to give it a semi-tough surface. So far so good.
In the city, it’s only in rare instances like this that I even think about earth and seeds and the growth process of plant life. In the country, in rural areas, of course, it’s quite different.
In Jesus day of course life was all rural. The towns and cities were tiny and most people lived in farming communities. Jesus, eager to communicate with the people He came to save, would often use agricultural stories or parables to get his ideas across. He would use the most common place things to express the most profound truths.
Play Video: The Parable of the Sower (St. Rock Media – Found on Sermonspice.com)
A field full of wheat would have been a sign of profound blessing and favour. That last image, [PPT: Wheat Field] if we’re able to translate it into our world, is a sign of the blessing God wants you and me and all people to receive.
Now, this is a parable about personal growth, of how it is that Christians grow, and it answers the question: “How can I ensure that my growth in the Lord is steady and strong”.
This is a parable in two parts, the first is the parable itself, the second is Jesus explaining what he means by the parable. We’ll look at the parable and then the explanation Jesus provides.
[PPT] Mt 13:3-4 So, a farmer goes out to sow his seed, to seed the earth. As he’s scattering his seed, some fell along the path, and the birds ate it up.
[PPT]19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
The ‘path’ represents the way we travel to get from point A to point B, but there is also a reason that the path is a problem for the seeds. The soil on the path is hard, compacted by the foot traffic that created and then used the path.
The seed lands on the path, dances on the surface, and remains on top of the dirt, never able to go deeper, never able to penetrate the soil beneath.
This is about the hearing of the gospel, the message of the Kingdom. Most people have likely heard some expression of the gospel. They’ve heard it, but, the same way a bird plucks seeds from the hardened pathway, Jesus says the ‘evil one’, a reference to Satan comes and snatched away what was sown in his heart.
A few things to notice here. The message is sown in the heart, by Whom? By God. When the message of the gospel goes out, it is God who at work to plant the hope and life of the gospel in human hearts. And God needs open hearts to receive the message.
This speaks to the condition of the hearts of those who have never heard the gospel, but it also speaks to the condition of our hearts as believers and followers of Jesus.
I remember when I first heard the gospel in its fullness. I recall being profoundly moved by the love of God, that He would send his only Son to die so that I might be born again.
I was moved, moved enough to first say ‘yes’ to the gospel and to give my life to Christ.
But you know, I had been raised an atheist and I had been raised to look down on people of faith. I had been raised with the idea that people of faith were, well, crazy, and primitive.
So although God found an opening in my heart to plant the seed of faith, honestly, it took me two years of questioning and doubting and reconsidering and pondering…and praying and seeking God, to really til the soil, so to speak, to soften my heart to the point where I was able to, without doubt and without double-mindedness, recommit, or perhaps commit for the first time fully, to God.
The way I see it, God took those two years to break up the toughened pathway that was my heart.
And so it strikes me that, because we want to keep receiving from God, because we never get to the point of absolute and complete understanding of the Kingdom, we need to have soft hearts toward God.
And, unfortunately, the ‘evil one’ or the Devil never ceases to attempt to snatch away that which we already have. The Scripture says: [PPT] 1 Peter 5: 8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. So we need to be aware, we need to be self-controlled.
Just as a seed cannot grow unless it penetrates the ground so the seed of God’s word cannot grow unless it can penetrate the heart. Farmers can remedy this problem in their fields by plowing them. The plow breaks up the hard ground so that when the farmer plants the seeds will be able penetrate the soil. Just like those farmers we need to plow the soil of our hearts so that God’s word can enter in. We need to prepare our hearts to receive the word of God. [Thanks to Stephen Dow for this wording]
That’s all very fine to say, but what are some practical measures we can take to do this. Hopefully, each of us spends time in the Bible, the Word of God, every day or most days. Early on in my walk as a Christian I heard this little bit of solid advice.
King David wrote this in [PPT] Ps 119: 18: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law”.
So my prayer ever since has been, before I read the Word of God, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word”. And you know, when I say this simple, heart-felt prayer, I get more out of the Word of God.
The prayer is one of preparation. The same way a farmer tills the earth in preparation for it to receive the seed. So that prayer is an important one.
Another place we hear the Word of God is in church. But what do we do, really, to prepare ourselves for receiving the Word of God before we get to church?
I’ve been to churches where I’ve heard people say: “I didn’t get anything out of that service. God isn’t there”.
You know, I’ve been to services that were outwardly really rather dull, but my heart has been ready so I’ve received great encouragement from God in those gatherings.
I’ve been to services that were full of all kinds of exciting worship and high-energy and there was a really great preacher, and I’ve left feeling pretty empty and disconnected. What’s the problem? Always, it’s the condition of my heart as I’ve gone to church.
I haven’t really prayed before I’ve gone. Perhaps I haven’t been honest with God or I haven’t confessed my sins before coming. Or maybe I’m at odds with someone and I’m carrying some bitterness around in my heart.
That’s a common problem that Jesus actually addressed. He said: [PPT] Matthew 5: 23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
So we have a responsibility before God , that the soil of our hearts should be soft and open to receive from God.
Jesus continues to talk about the farmer’s seed: [PPT] Mt 13:5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Explaining this, Jesus says: [PPT] 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
So here Jesus is talking about just how deep is the Word of God planted in our lives. You know, when I see the seniors in our congregation worshipping and living for God, I am so profoundly encouraged.
Our seniors are men and women have walked the walk for years and years and years. They have been through trouble and persecution that many of us couldn’t imagine. They’ve left their countries in some cases and boldly trusted God to establish them in Canada.
And they’ve known the faithfulness and lovingkindness and mercy of God for decades. Are you looking for someone who has deep roots in Jesus? Then spend time talking to our seniors!
Back to our Scripture…Jesus is talking here about soil that’s not bad in and of itself, but it’s located on rocky places. The seed grows into a plant and springs up quickly because there is so much moisture close to the surface. But when the sun rises the plants get scorched, and they wither.
There is no root. Likewise it’s possible for us to receive the Word of God enthusiastically, at first. We can affirm the truth of the gospel. We can say we believe. But if the gospel doesn’t grow down deep in us, life will consume us. In no time at all, we will face trouble, we will face persecution, and we may fall away.
Because of the underlying rock the plant is unable to put down deep roots. It is important to understand that the real reason the plant dies is not because of the trial of the scorching sun, but because it doesn’t have deep enough roots to deal with the trial. The same trial that destroys one plant will prove the quality of another plant, more deeply rooted. Everything depends on the roots. If the roots are shallow the plant will be scorched and die. However, if the roots are deep, the plant will survive and its very survival proves that it is a strong, healthy plant. The sun is absolutely necessary for a plant to grow. Without the sunlight the process of photosynthesis cannot take place and the plant will die. So what proves to be a devastating trial to the plant with shallow roots also proves to be a life giving source to the plant with deep roots. We need to put down roots so that we can persevere in the face of difficulties.[Thanks to Stephen Dow for this wording]
I sometimes wonder about the way the gospel is presented in some mediums. People are not often challenged to consider the challenges of living for God before being called to say ‘yes’ to Jesus.
I wonder if we have a responsibility to convey more accurately the actual cost of being a disciple, how following Jesus is not something that just happens in my head, but it is a profound commitment to a whole-hearted change of lifestyle and values, the values of Jesus, the values of the Kingdom.
And it’s also a commitment to be a part of the body of Christ, a member of the church of Jesus.
Next Jesus says that 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Explaining this Jesus says:
22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
Now here we have seed that’s hit the earth, but the earth also has thorny plants. Some translations use the word “weeds” in place of thorns.
It’s the same idea. The Message paraphrase says: “…Weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it”.
Now why would the worries of this life choke us? I’m asking? [Most of what we worry about we don’t have control over; worry can choke out our faith, are we really trusting God when we worry about the things that matter to us].
Worrying wears us down and replaces hope with despair. That’s why Jesus says in Matthew 6: 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear”. And in verses
28-30 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
If we worry a great deal, if we choose to worry or by force of habit are worriers, Jesus calls us to lay down our worries and to instead practice having faith.
And we practice having faith by taking our thoughts off our worries and instead opening our eyes to the goodness of God, how He has always brought us through trials, how He has always seen that our needs are cared for.
Jesus talks about the deceitfulness of wealth as well. The message, again, says “…Illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun”. We live in a consumer society in which we are often pressured to feel that we deserve to have the latest technology and the finest clothes.
We are bombarded by the illusion that if we get just that next ‘thing’ we will be happy. An African pastor from an impoverished area in Kenya was visiting a Canadian, also a pastor. On arriving at his home the African pastor looked at his friend’s home that also had a garage attached and said in disbelief, “Your car has its own house? You have a house for your car?”
So each of us can ask, What are my thorns? What weeding is necessary in my life? What is getting in the way of my own spiritual growth? What am I doing to add strength to my character? What am I doing to deal with the kinks in my armour or the weaknesses of my flesh?
An old American Indian tale recounts the story of a chief who was telling a gathering of young braves about the struggle within. “It is like two dogs fighting inside of us,” the chief told them.
“There is one good dog who wants to do the right and the other dog always wants to do the wrong. Sometimes the good dog seems stronger and is winning the fight. But sometimes the bad dog is stronger and wrong is winning the fight.” “Who is going to win in the end?” a young brave asks. The chief answered, “The one you feed”.
Jesus finishes this parable with this. He says: 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown”. And He explains it by saying: “23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
You know for farmers back then and now, a crop yielding seven times that which is sown is amazing. But Jesus here is talking about 30, 60 or 100 times that which was sown. He is talking about abundance.
He is talking about an overflowing harvest. And that is what is promised to you and to me when we hear the Word of God with open hearts, when we understand the gospel as God intends us to understand the gospel.
What is the harvest? Well, it starts with you. A better life than you could ever have imagined. A life full of purpose and meaning, a life rich with joy.
The source of that joy is Jesus Himself at work in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory. What is the harvest?
It is also those who, through you, will experience and encounter Jesus Christ, will come to know Him, will come to the abundant life offered to all in Jesus.
Let’s pray. God, we ask that You would be at work in us. Would you soften the soil of our hearts? Would you make our lives wide open to all that you would have us receive? Grant us the discipline to feed those qualities in us that reflect Jesus. Grant us resolve to turn from all that darkens our lives. In Jesus’ name.
[Thank you to Stephen Dow, pastor of Palmer Weslayan Church in Nebraska for inspiration and some phrasing of paragraphs]
