Pentecost 4

(NIV): 4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 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. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” 9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

The parables of Jesus are stories that present a truth that everyone can agree on. When seeds are sown, the farmer can expect that there will be different results based on the type of soil that the seed falls on. Since we can all agree on the truisms in the parable, we should also agree on the spiritual truths that Jesus teaches these stories illustrate. Our goal today is to see what we can expect when the word of God is proclaimed.

First of all, the word of God is to be proclaimed. It doesn’t do anyone any good if the farmer hoards his seed and keeps it in the storehouse as an investment waiting for a better price to sell it or for more favorable conditions to plant it. When it is time to plant, it is time to plant. This is necessary in order for the seed to do its work which is to produce other seeds.

(NIV): 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Since the seed in the parable is the word of God and we have been entrusted with the word of God, our goal is to plant the seeds (i.e. proclaim the word of God).

(NIV): 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

How do we do this?

Preaching and teaching of the Bible.

Public reading of Scripture.

Personal witnessing by members.

Media.

Just as farming methods have improved the farmer’s ability to plant seeds, so too methods have increased the ways in which we can spread the word. Specific sin: How intentional are we in doing this? Or do we assume that the word has been sufficiently planted and that we are no longer responsible?

It has been said that we are one generation away from “crop failure”. It is imperative that we teach the word of God to the next generation and that we take a personal role in it.

And so, commanded by God, we go out to sow the seed of God’s word.

What are the hoped for results?

In the agricultural world, the farmer sows his field with a certain expectation. He expects that the seed will sprout, the plant will grow, mature, produce seeds, and be harvested according to a certain well known timetable. Ideally every seed will do this and he will experience a bumper crop.

We know this does not happen. Never has. Never will. We can expect different results as Jesus presents in the parable.

It is the same with proclaiming the word of God.

(NIV): 13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Satan does not want people to respond positively to the word of God. He would thwart every effort so that if the word is proclaimed, those who hear it won’t believe it. Stephen lamented this fact just before he was stoned to death by those who rejected the Gospel:

(NIV): 51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

Even today we may hope that whenever we tell someone else about Jesus, that they will believe, but we know this is not the case. We may think it is because of our methods, or the personality of the pastor, or we didn’t say it quite right, or we offended someone. The fact is that in the spiritual battle that is taking place, Satan has his victories too. (He is also aided by the sinful flesh and the world though not mentioned by Jesus here.)

16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Others have an initial enthusiastic reaction. Jesus experienced a certain degree of initial popularity and a ground swell of support. This is perhaps noted best in connection with the feeding of the 5000. At the beginning of the day he had over 5000 interested listeners. By the end of the day he had to ask his disciples if they were going to leave too. The joy was short lived when Jesus emphasize the necessity of commitment.

(NIV): 41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” 43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Have you ever noticed how people respond when you ask them to make a real commitment? All of sudden they get cold feet, begin to make excuses, blame others, or head in the other direction. Jesus knew that as his ministry progressed and he proclaimed the word, there would be an initial positive response, often followed by a falling away. The apostles also experienced this.

(NIV): 14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.

Even today a newcomer may be all excited about the message, only to haver their enthusiasm quickly fade away.

How to deal with it? Provide them opportunities to be rooted. To grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To do as commanded in

Hebrews 6:1–8 (NIV): Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

The word of God has some very stiff competition. There was a time when at least Sunday morning was considered to be sacred in our society. As one man confessed, he went to church on Sunday morning because there wasn’t really much else to do expect read the Sunday morning paper. Now the list of things you can do on Sunday morning seems almost endless from sports clubs, to outdoor entertainment, to shopping, to catching up on yard work, or just resting from being busy the rest of the week as you are tired out from working so hard to provide yourself with everything you want. About the only thing you can’t do on a Sunday morning is go shopping at Hobby Lobby and have a late lunch at Chic Filet!

Well, it isn’t just alternative activities on Sunday morning that compete with the word of God.

Worries of life.

Deceitfulness of wealth.

Desires for other things.

These were and continue to be stiff competition for the Christian who must battle to remain faithful and productive.

Now more than ever we need to fix our eyes on the prize.

(NIV): 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

(NIV): 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 12:1–3 (NIV): Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Jesus does expect that there will be those who respond to the word of God in a most positive way. They are described in the early church as those who

(NIV): 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

It is a source of great thankfulness and awe when we are able to witness firsthand those who have committed themselves wholeheartedly to Jesus and whose lives are testimonies to what it means to be a devoted Christian who seeks first the kingdom of God and who has all those other things added to them as well.

So what did we learn this morning?

The word of God is very important. It is a precious resource that God has given to us to use and not to squandor. We have been called to be sowers of the word regardless of our station in life.

The word of God is sown into our hearts. We must confess that at times we have resisted, not followed through on commitment, and let ourselves be distracted by other interests.

We can thank God that his word has not been completely unproductive in our lives and that through the power of the Holy Spirit in the word we do produce fruit to God’s glory. May God strengthen us so that we bear much fruit, proving ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples. Amen