Loving God, your Word continues to seek a place, not only in our hearts but in the hearts of all people.  Open our hearts this day by the power of your Spirit, and nurture within us your love and your abundant life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    The story that we heard in today’s gospel is usually called the parable of the sower.  However, when you take a look at the explanation that is given for the parable, it doesn’t seem to be about the sower at all.  Instead, the focus seems to be on what happens to the seed.  In other words, the focus is on people’s response to Jesus.

    In the immediate context in which the parable is told, Matthew has recorded all sorts of different reactions to Jesus – many of them negative.  Here is this precious seed that is being thrown out there, and only some of the time is it finding good soil and bearing fruit.  The seed is the word that is spoken and seen and heard through Jesus.  It is, in fact, a life-giving Word, but so often it doesn’t take root.  And so, this parable helps us to think about all of the things that get in the way.

    It is interesting to note, though, that some things will grow absolutely anywhere -- especially weeds.  There doesn’t have to be good soil, or even much soil at all.  A crack in the pavement will suffice, and even rocky ground isn’t much of a deterrent when it comes to weeds.  Doesn’t this make one wonder what sort of things take root in us that might be comparable to weeds?

    The Scriptures remind us that people latch onto all sorts of things that do not, in fact, give life.  It is frightfully easy, it seems, to become distracted by all manner of things, many of which suck the life right out of us.  Examples in today’s readings include Esau, who chose immediate gratification over his birthright.  Paul, as well, speaks in terms of setting the mind on the flesh rather than the Spirit (Rom. 8:6).  And so sometimes we become preoccupied with food, or with our sexual appetites, or even with health and exercise in some cases.  We turn our attention to so many different things, and yet it is only God who truly gives life.

    Today’s gospel speaks about the “word of the kingdom” or the word of God that is seeking hearts in which to take root (Mt. 13:19).  I’m curious today what comes to mind for you when somebody mentions the word of God.  What’s the first thing that you think of?... [possibilities: the Bible, Jesus] My suspicion was that most people think of a book – the Bible – of the words on the page.  However, Hebrews reminds us that the Word of God is so much more than words in a book.  In Hebrews we read:

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12).

The image is of a word that gets right down in there, seeking that good soil in order to bear fruit.

    Still, there seem to be so many things that prevent this from happening, several of which are mentioned in today’s gospel.  In some cases, people hear God’s word and do not understand it, and the devil comes and snatches it out of their heart.  Have there ever been times when this has happened to you?... Some obvious examples might be when God’s word is spoken in a language that you do not understand – whether old English or perhaps another language that you do not speak or comprehend.  I have also heard people talk about reading the Bible and not understanding it.  And so there certainly may be times when we have heard but not understood.

    Another impediment that is mentioned is trouble or persecution that “arises on account of the word” (Mt. 13:21).  Those people who believed in Jesus in the first century could expect that even though they had received a life-giving Word, they would be persecuted because of it by friends, relatives and strangers.  Even though we do not expect the same degree of persecution here, are there times when we would rather blend in with the crowd than believe in Jesus?  Are there times when it seems too difficult to allow the word of God to take root in us?

    And how about “the cares of the world and the lure of wealth” (Mt. 13:22)?  Are there times when we would much rather accumulate more and more for ourselves than placing ourselves under Jesus as Lord?  Are there times when we are so focused on getting more and having more that there is simply no room for God in our lives?  Are there times when our anxiety about life in this world takes over, and we devote ourselves to trying to secure life without any reference to God?  These, too, are things that can suck the life right out of us!

    There seem to be so many things that get in the way of the word of God taking root within us and bearing fruit.  I can’t help but think of when Jesus talks about the narrow gate (Mt. 7:13-14).  “The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.”  But “the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

    The amazing thing is, though, that in spite of all of the things that can get in the way of the good news taking root in our hearts, when it actually does take root and grow, there is an amazing harvest.  The image that is used by Jesus in the parable is one of incredible fruitfulness – a yield that would absolutely astound most farmers.  The life that comes to us through Jesus is so much more than merely existing.  Rather, it is abundant life, described as living water that overflows out of our hearts, or as bearing much fruit.  

    This is what it is like when the word of God has sunk deep into our hearts and taken root.  We know that we are loved, restored and forgiven.  We know that we belong to God because of Jesus.  We know that death does not have the final word, and that our relationship with God begins in this life and continues into the next.  And we know that the Holy Spirit can and will work within us and through us in order to bring this same life to others.

    Today we have focused mostly on our response to the good news about Jesus and the things that get in the way of that word taking root within us.  However, the other part of the parable is actually sowing the seed.  It is usually understood that the sower in the parable is kind of like Jesus, who shared God’s love with people who were both receptive and unreceptive.  At the same time, the sower is exceedingly generous with this precious seed, throwing it out there even where there is little chance of lasting growth.  It is a picture of God’s generosity, and a reminder of God’s desire that all people would be saved.

    This precious seed – this word about God’s love through Jesus Christ – has been thrown our way as well.  May the Holy Spirit continue to work within us, enabling us to grow and to bear fruit.  And may that same Holy Spirit continue to sow seeds through us, inviting others to enter into God’s love through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Lectionary 15 (A)                            Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
July 13, 2014                            Genesis 25:19-34
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church                    Romans 8:1-11
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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