The Sower

Matthew 13 (TNIV)

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “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.8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

 11 He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance. As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

   “Though seeing, they do not see;

   though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

   14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

   “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

   you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;

   they hardly hear with their ears,

   and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

   hear with their ears,

   understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’

   16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

   18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When people hear the message about the kingdom and do not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy.21 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. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to people who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to people who hear the word and understand it. They produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

ScatteringSound efficient to you?  Scattering seed.  Birds.  Thorns.  Rocky hard soil.  Lot of seed seems to get wasted this way.  Is this a good use of resources?  Throwing seeds everywhere, even in seemingly unproductive places.  In places where weeds grow and things don't sprout easily.  Why waste good seed on anything but good soil?  Doesn't make good business sense does it?

This is perhaps why we should continue to cringe when people claim that church needs to adhere to good business principles.  Certainly doing things legally and fairly matters, but there is much about other aspects of what is sometimes considered good business practice that runs contrary to the methods of the sower, at least the sower that Jesus speaks about.

The sower that Jesus describes here throws his seeds everywhere, not just the good prospects, but on everyone . . . even in those places where sprouting seems unlikely.  That is the way the sower is.  The nature of the soil does not hinder or change the work of the sower.  That is great news!

However, the soil does matter.  While all soil receives the seed, not all allow it to take root.  The soil gets to decide what to do with it.  It is what happens in the interaction between the soil and the seed that that determines sprouting, and growth, and eventually harvest.  God supplies the seed, and gives the gift of life and growth, but gardening matters.  God is also the Gardener (see John 15), but it is in the soil that things take root and grow. 

Aren't you glad that God does not work with a business model, but a gardening model?  Working the soil.  That's what Pastor Jon explores with us this week.  If you would like to listen to the sermon once again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here.