Proper 10

Welcome Statement

A Couple of weeks ago we discussed what it meant to be a prophetic witness to the works and life of Jesus Christ, what it meant to share that wealth of salvation to others. The lectionary takes us back to remind us what it means to be sowers of the word this week, to remind us to not be disheartened. We start with a passage from Isaiah 55, which is a part of what is called the invitation to Abundant Life. This comes just after the covenant of peace is declared in Chapter 54, and two chapters after the description of the suffering servant. Here we see that the servant has suffered, the covenant of peace has been built, and it is now time to accept abundant life. What is neat is, in Chapter 56, after this call of abundant life is given out, Chapter 56 shows the goodness of God’s covenant, that it will be extended to all who would call on him, the foreigner, the sojourner, those outside of Israel, it mentions even the eunuch.

Old Testament Reading - Isaiah 55:10-13

Isaiah 55:10–13 NRSV

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Salvation as Natural as the Water Cycle

Isaiah here uses language of the natural world to describe how physical and real God’s word is. Water that must come down must go back up. There was this understanding that somehow water cycled and flowed, it did not disappear. Here What comes down “God’s Word” Comes back around to Glorify God (Going back to heaven). The same is true for us, we receive God’s word, and that living water that stays with us, brings us back up to God’s presence.

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Word That Fills

We also see a description of this water is what gives the sower more seed to sow, and the ability to make bread from crops.

Go Out in Joy, Come back with Peace

When we go out of these doors today, we follow this pattern Isaiah is describing, we go out of these doors joyfully with the good news, spread it to our friends and neighbors, and we return the following week with peace. it is true some weeks we come to god without peace, but we still carry that truth deeper in our hearts that there is an eternal loving God

New Testament Reading - Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Matthew 13:1–9 NRSV

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”

Before we continue, I want you to think a bit about what Jesus is perhaps suggesting here about each of these seeds. What do you think they mean, do you feel as if one of these scenarios speak to your own walk with God? It is not a meaning to try guilt trip you, but it’s an opportunity for us to decide if we need to totally reset as a new seed, or if we need to drive our roots deeper to prepare for him. Hear now Jesus’s plain explanation of his parable.

Matthew 13:18–23 NRSV

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Eaten Seeds

The birds eating up the seeds is allegorical to Satan or the accuser snatching up people away from what Jesus offers, either through temptations, or by telling them they are not good enough for God to possibly do anything with them. That is the accuser speaking. Remember, we come here boldly before the throne first as sinners, and then through justification we find ourselves made new as righteous and clean as Jesus. That equality, is hard to fathom.

Rocky Ground

Think about how dandelion and certain weeds can grow into cracks, they grow for a season, then die off, sometimes possibly leaving more damage in their wake after expanding. Jesus’s point here is particularly that things that grow in the rocky ground can’t make deep roots. the same is true for people, there are people who hit rock bottom, meet Jesus, but eventually once t

Thorns or Good Soil

The one in the thorns, this is the person who takes the word, but the world still chokes them out and they yield nothing. This is probably accounts for the people who take the word, but do nothing with it, they never leave but are passive to the reality of Jesus Christ.

When seeds are put in good soil, filled with compost, nitrogen, nutrients, plant feed, whatever you call it, they grow and grow and grow, and will produce fruit

It is not about the number of fruit, not even the quality of the fruit, but rather if real fruit produced at all

Closing Statement

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Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, adfs asdfa

Amen.

Doxology / Benediction / Closing

May you Have a Blessed Sunday, and rest of your Week! Amen!