The Sower

A sermon based on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Today I want to begin with a poem simply entitled The Sower.

“The Sower”

Seeds thrown wide

faith, hope and love

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown recklessly

justice, mercy, peace

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown liberally

joy, beauty, kindness

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown lavishly

courage, knowledge, piety

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown gracefully

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown generously

wisdom, understanding, counsel

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown prolifically

serving, teaching, encouragement

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown abundantly

serving, giving, hope

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown creatively

Goodness and life in all its fullness

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown graciously

Creator, Word, Spirit of life

For God is love.

Amen.

I am not sure about you, but I think that the parable of the sower is one of the better-known stories in the scriptures. Yet I also suspect it is one of the most misunderstood passages, because we focus on the soil rather than on the sower and the seeds.

When Jesus explains the parable, he names it as the parable of the sower. He does describe what happens to the seeds flung so recklessly into the field, but even by ancient agricultural standards, the sower’s approach would have sounded very strange.

In sermons I have heard on this passage, the focus has often been on whether I can or cannot change the kind of soil I am. In these readings, the seed is often associated with salvation (whatever that might mean) and the interpretation turns to the human response rather than on the generosity of the sower.

If the soil cannot change itself, then the Calvinist understanding of predestination comes into play: everything is God’s choice alone, even what kind of soil you are. On the other hand, if the soil can change itself, then surely, we are hearing about free will and prevenient grace, and about the human choice to respond.

But when we teach the parable this way, we drag our attention away from the sower and the seeds and onto ourselves. We miss the lavish and gracious way God sows love into the world with reckless abandon.

God sows Jesus into the creation. God sows the Spirit into our lives.

God sows love. And God’s love is sown liberally, everywhere, without concern for where it lands or how it is received. Your presence here this morning suggests that this love has been sown into your life. As a lifelong disciple of Christ, you are bearing fruit because you have been awakened to the good news that the kingdom of God has come close.

One of our congregation values is discernment: taking note of where we see, feel, hear, and enact God’s love in our own lives. As I read the poem, I wonder which of the words resonated with you most strongly. I wonder which of the words inspired you to live more closely with God. I wonder which of the words echoes how you seek to live in the world. These are the seeds that have taken root in you.

What does the presence of God’s love look like, feel like, and sound like in your life? What does it mean to you that the kingdom of heaven has come close?

And, maybe more importantly, what yield has it borne?

This is a vital aspect of the parable for us to reflect on that is often overlooked. The implication of the parable appears to be a blossoming forth of life that produces fruit for others. The gifts that we receive and that grows in us bears fruit not simply for our own wellbeing and flourishing but for the common good, for others.

The imagery of bearing fruit recalls Psalm 1,

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of scoffers, but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, they meditate day and night.

 

They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

Prospering in life though is not about personal wealth and happiness it means living for others just as the prophet Micah declares,

God has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.

The scattered seeds have landed in our lives, and our roots have gone deep. The kingdom has come close, we share in God’s love, and we follow as lifelong disciples.

Yet in sowing Jesus into the world, God invites us to participate more deeply and to become sowers of seeds as well. Jesus parting words  to his disciples in Matthew emphasise this.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.

God sows the Holy Spirit into our lives so that we can sow the seeds of the coming kingdom into the lives of others. And we learn from the master sower to understand that the sowing of love lands with mixed responses.  Some will land on the path, some on rocky ground, some among the thorns, but some will land in good soil and it too will bear much fruit.

Our task is to join in the sowing of the seeds and celebrate the fruitful harvest that comes from the love sown into our lives. Here is a vision for the world and a vision for life that we lean into. Next week’s open day provides each one of us with an opportunity to sow seeds into the lives of others as we invite them to share in the joy of knowing and following Jesus.

As we take a moment to reflect on what God might be saying to you today, I will read again the poem The Sower. What resonates? What sounds like good news? What seeds will you sow this week?

The Sower

Seeds thrown wide

faith, hope and love

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown recklessly

justice, mercy, peace

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown liberally

joy, beauty, kindness

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown lavishly

courage, knowledge, piety

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown gracefully

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown generously

wisdom, understanding, counsel

and the greatest of these is love

 

Seeds thrown prolifically

serving, teaching, encouragement

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown abundantly

serving, giving, hope

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown creatively

Goodness and life in all its fullness

and the greatest of these is love

Seeds thrown graciously

Creator, Word, Spirit of life

For God is love.

Amen