Listen Up! (July 16, 2023) Mt. 13.1-9, 18-23

There are many things that I know something about, and I would bet that most of us would say the same. We know a lot about some things, especially with our work. And then there are the things about which we know little to nothing. These are the things that most likely we do not want to admit we don’t know, so, we make up a good story and put on a good face. But when push comes to shove it becomes apparent that we really have no idea about what we are talking or doing.

Growing something in a garden is something about which I know little. My dad always wanted a big garden when I was growing up and I never understood why. My sister and I did not like tomatoes and other assorted veggies that were grown and to be honest we were lazy, so, tending the garden was not high on our priority list. Looking back on this, I understand dad’s frustration at our lack of enthusiasm. He finally gave up on growing a garden and we went to eating vegetables like civilized people would, from a can or bought from the store.

So, you can imagine my chagrin when I looked at the texts that were for this week and I saw that what is known as the Parable of the Sower was the text for today. What did I know about this text? I did not want to show my ignorance. But the text is here, and I believe that sometimes the texts in the lectionary are put there by God to make me uncomfortable. This text is one of them. It is a text about farming and as I have clearly stated, I know nothing about farming.

But why is this text here? Jesus has finished his discourse on mission. After this discourse he has some confrontations with the Pharisees, those who were opposed to him not because they were moustache twisting villains, but because they believed that he and his disciples were not following the Law as closely as they should. This causes some interesting conversations that end with Jesus’ family coming to take him away because they believe that he is out of his mind. Jesus is teaching and says that those gathered who do the will of the Father are his family. Words that I am sure did not go over well with those who were there to take him away.

Now we come to today’s text. Jesus goes out of the house (most likely Peter’s) where he was teaching and went to the lake shore. A crowd gathered as they always did when Jesus was in town. Such was the crowd, that Jesus got into a boat and put out into the water so that he could teach those gathered around him. Now, one wonders how Jesus going out into the lake would be better for those who wanted to hear him speak. Wouldn’t him being farther away make it more difficult to hear him? Apparently not. According to sources that I read as I studied, the shore around the lake where the people were gathered acts like an amphitheater. The person out on the lake would have great acoustics and not even have to raise their voice to be heard by even the largest crowd. So, Jesus begins to teach again.

This time his teaching is not in words that ring out and would bring opposition, but rather a parable. A story that has a meaning that anyone who is listening will understand that there is more to the story than was available to them. It is a teaching tool that reaches those who may not know the intricacies and niceties of deep theological meanings.

The parable Jesus tells begins with a man sowing seed. In ancient Palestine throwing seed was the way to plant. One did this by throwing the seed on land that had already been plowed or on land that would be plowed later with the seed being plowed into the ground. Now, they did not do what we do, preparing the ground by plowing, then fertilizing, then injecting the seeds into the ground. No, they spread the seed and let them fall where they may.

Jesus tells the crowd that some seed fell on hard soil and was eaten by birds. These would have been paths that were worn into the fields and the earth would have been packed down there.

Other seed fell on rocky soil. Limestone in Palestine was and is common and rocky soil would be well known. These seeds that fell there would spring up in the shallow soil because it was good soil on top. But the rocks beneath prevented the seed from putting down deep roots that would give it the water and nutrients that were needed. Therefore, when the sun came out, the plants that grew were scorched and died for lack of a root system.

A third group of seed falls among thorns and weeds. Everyone knows that if weeds are allowed to grow among plants that the weeds will take over and choke out the desired growth. This is what happens here. The seeds try to grow, but the nutrients and sunlight needed are taken by the weeds and thorns.

Finally, some seed falls into good ground. Ground where the seed can put down roots and get the nutrients, water and just the right amount of everything needed to grow. These seeds grow to produce a crop of a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold and some thirty-fold. Jesus then tells those gathered that if they have ears to hear, listen.

Now, the farmers in this crowd would have been hearing this parable probably with some boredom. They knew how things worked in the fields. After all, they were the ones who worked the fields. So, why did they need this teacher, probably one who never worked in the fields, to tell them how things worked in the fields. But then comes the kicker. Their ears would have perked up at the yield of the harvest. A good crop yielded seven to ten-fold in a good year. This was enough to keep a family going for the year with a little left over to take care of next year. But thirty-fold would have provided for the entire village. And a hundred-fold, why they would be able to buy a villa overlooking the lake with that kind of harvest. Whatever else they would have heard, they would have paid attention to what was being said now because these harvests would have been miraculous.

The crowd goes away with some thinking about what was said and some not sure what was said. The disciples are not sure what they just heard and ask Jesus why he teaches in parables. Jesus tells them that the crowds do not see or understand, but that they do. When they have ears to listen, then they will understand what the parables mean.

Matthew then gives us an allegorical explanation of the parable. He tells what the meaning of the parable is. Whether or not Jesus spoke these words is immaterial. Matthew needs for the people listening to the Gospel to understand.

The meaning is this: the first seeds fell on hard ground meaning that the people did not understand and therefore are taken by the evil one. These are the ones who never follow the Gospel.

The second grouping of seed fell on ground that allows them to hear the message and receive it with joy. But they lack roots and after a short time they fall away and return to what they were doing before they heard the word. An example of this would be those who come forward at an evangelistic/revival service. They come forward to accept Christ, have great joy in this, but fall away because they have no roots, nothing to follow it up. This is a reason that some evangelists would have local churches working to help people find a church where they would be able to grow in faith and follow up on what they had done.

Third is the seed that fell among thorns and weeds. Here are the people who hear the good news and have a chance to grow. But the cares of the world (family, pursuit of wealth, et al) choke out any growth that they might have. It would be the equivalent of saying that they would follow when things were taken care of in their lives. Right now, they are too busy.

Finally, the seed that falls on the good soil. These are the people who hear and understand. They realize the good news and want to spread it like the sower did. They yield a hundred, sixty and thirty-fold. The kingdom grows because of them.

This is a parable not about the sower, but about the soil. There are four kinds of soil, and these are where the seed falls. Allow me to give an allegory as well. The seed is the Gospel. Where it falls sometimes no one knows. Sometimes it falls on hard ground where no one hears and understands. Other ground will bring up those who want to hear but are not grounded in the faith. Those who are choked out by the world will hear but turn away. And then the soil that brings a harvest. What it is will bring up no one knows, only the one who gives the seed and that is God. The farmers listening to this parable understood that not all the seed was going to fall on good ground and that not all the seed would grow. They just hoped for a good enough crop to feed themselves and their families.

This is also not a parable about failure. We tend to look at this parable and think, “Goodness, ¾ of the seed did not grow. What waste of resources. Why did the sower not spread where he knew the good soil was. Surely, he knew his field well enough.” When we look at the parable in that light, we forget that the point is not the failure of the seed to grow, but the miraculous growth that comes from what falls on the good ground. This growth is not from the sower, but rather from God.

If you have not figured it out yet, we are sowers. We go out into the world and sow the seed of the Gospel wherever we are. We do not know what kind of soil we will find. We like success and will not do anything that might endanger that success. We like to sow our seed where we know that it will yield the maximum amount of harvest. But God is not like that. God will use the ground God wants and we are called to spread the seed. We know that some seed will fall on soil that is not good and that is okay. We are called to spread the seed and let God do the rest. All we must do is follow and listen. Amen.