Friends, would you please be seated.
Do any of y'all remember the story of the tortoise and the hare?
One of Aesop's fables.
Nod your head if you remember it.
Remember the moral of the story is slow and steady wins the race.
Because the hare burns himself out going way too fast.
And as a hare who's married to a tortoise, this is actually a really hard one for me.
Maybe some of your hares also and you can relate to this.
Or think about the story of the boy who cried wolf, right?
The kid is not truthful.
And so he's always kind of making up these stories about wolves are coming.
And so when the wolves do really come, nobody believes him.
And then he gets eaten, which is pretty dark.
But we remember.
We remember the story, don't we?
We remember.
We tell the truth.
Like, that's the goal.
That's the takeaway.
And I'm sure we can think of tons of other stories that are woven into our imaginations.
And most of these do have like a single takeaway.
Like, be patient.
Be kind.
Be gracious.
Look beneath the surface.
And a lot of Jesus' parables are deep in our cultural fabric too.
Many of us have grown up hearing these parables taught a lot like fables.
We're exhorted to be a good Samaritan.
Or we call irresponsible or wayward people prodigals.
And that's not entirely wrong.
Okay?
But when we do this, we're reducing the parable to one thing.
And we often miss the big picture.
And friends, the big picture is that Jesus wasn't dispensing life advice.
He was trying to show his listeners something about God's in-breaking kingdom.
He wasn't trying to get his listeners to be good people.
He was trying to get them to be his people.
And the same is true for us.
So the first question we need to ask when we approach a parable like the one that Lisa just read is,
what does this parable teach us about the kingdom of God?
And only after we've considered that question from different angles can we ask,
what does the parable mean for me?
So would you pray with me?
Lord, we thank you for your word.
Lord, we thank you that your word accomplishes what you desire.
And so, Lord, would you give us ears to hear?
Would we be attentive to how you're moving?
Would we listen well?
And would you speak to us this morning?
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
So first, what does this parable teach us about the kingdom of God?
Well, before we answer that larger question, let's talk about why Jesus preached in parables.
So a couple reasons.
And I think the first reason is really simple.
So we remember stories, right?
There's a lot of research out there about how we remember things, what our brain is able to retain.
And overall, we're pretty forgetful.
I think I read somewhere that we only hear about 5%, or we only remember about 5% of what we hear,
which is kind of a bummer when you think about it, right?
But that number goes way up if we are hearing something in stories,
because we connect to stories emotionally.
When it's something that we relate to, we can remember, right?
Our brains love a good story.
My spiritual director has been a priest for 50 years.
And for 50 years, his wife has been saying to him as he leaves the house to go preach,
don't forget to tell a story, because she knows this, right?
And when I brought up all those fables, I saw you all nodding your heads.
You remember these stories.
You don't remember the list of ingredients from the last recipe you made, or your grocery list.
But we remember stories.
And I think it's safe to say that Jesus knew this.
He knew how we were created.
He knew how our brains were wired.
And he was an excellent communicator and a great preacher.
And he used plain language and imagery that would have made sense to his listeners
and felt relevant, that they could connect to.
The parables always used these simple, everyday scenes
that were really specific to the time and place that Jesus was operating in
when he was in the flesh.
And I can imagine Jesus preaching to us today, doing something similar,
saying something like, when you're at school and you're in the classroom,
or when you're at work, when you're home having dinner with your family, right?
And he always chose the story and the characters very specifically.
Often in response to something.
And this particular parable comes almost exactly in the middle of Matthew's gospel.
In the preceding chapters, Matthew has shown us in many different ways
how people have rejected Jesus' message.
So the first takeaway here is that Jesus tells this parable to answer a question, why?
Why did so many people reject his message about the kingdom of God?
And he quotes the prophet Isaiah in verses 14 and 15 to explain this to the disciples.
He says their hearts are so hard.
And while Jesus is offering an explanation to the disciples,
he says this specifically to the disciples about why people weren't receiving his message,
he told the parable to the larger crowd that was following him,
hopefully to wake people up, to get them to listen another way,
to reframe assumptions and understandings.
That's true of almost all the parables.
There are these everyday scenes, but a lot of times there's something unexpected that happens,
that people would have heard and said,
wait a second, I don't know about that.
Or it was designed to make you think.
Remember what Jesus says at the end,
he who has ears to hear, let him hear.
So he says this to the crowd to say like,
if you really sit with this, something's going on.
Think about it.
Theologian Amy Jill Levine writes,
Friends, the point here is that Jesus wasn't going around giving life hacks or morality lessons.
He was telling people to get ready,
that they can choose to participate in something that's eternally significant.
And it's no different for us.
Okay, so why were so many people rejecting him
when what he had on offer was so good?
Participation in the kingdom of heaven.
Why were people hard-hearted?
So let's turn to the images he uses here.
And this scene of a seed and a sower was very common in agrarian society.
But it was also deeply spiritually significant.
Both Jesus and his listeners were steeped in the Hebrew scriptures.
So they would have connected to this on two levels.
So let's talk about the characters in the parable.
The seed, the sower, and the soil.
And what each shows us about Jesus' kingdom.
This passage from Isaiah that Sharon read is just one example
where the scriptures compare God's word to seed.
But we see this a lot in scripture.
So in this parable, the message of the kingdom of heaven,
is the seed.
And that would have tracked with what Jesus' listeners expected.
They knew this.
But what they didn't expect was the form of delivery.
Jesus himself.
Most people expected the Messiah to show up
as a conquering political hero in the physical sense.
They didn't expect Jesus.
And I think a lot of us do something similar.
We tend to impose our own expectations on Jesus and his kingdom.
And when we do that, we can end up pretty far from who he actually is.
So here's a quick check to see if this is something you might be struggling with.
Let me ask you a question.
Does Jesus agree with you about everything?
I mean, does he?
Because if he does, you might have the wrong Jesus.
You probably have the wrong Jesus.
And I won't get the exact quote right,
but I remember reading something Beth Moore wrote once.
I don't even remember where it was.
I know it was her.
Along the lines of,
sometimes I think Jesus must hear our prayers and our conversations
and think, are you talking to me?
Because I'm not recognizing myself in this conversation.
So the first thing this image of seed shows us about the kingdom of God
is that Jesus is the word.
He is the kingdom incarnate in the flesh.
He is the fulfillment and the climax of Israel's story,
as Tim Mackey of the Bible Project says.
And friends, he's the climax and the fulfillment
and the hero of our stories too.
So that's the seed.
Let's talk about the sower.
And interestingly, Jesus doesn't specifically identify who the sower is.
But based on the rest of the story, we can draw some conclusions.
God is the sower.
Again, people that knew the Old Testament,
the Hebrew scriptures knew this.
The Isaiah 55 passage references.
And this was what people expected.
And as we saw above, Jesus is the seed.
But he's also showing in this parable,
he's also the sower.
And coming as the word incarnate,
he is replanting all that has been uprooted in Israel's history,
all the brokenness around him.
He's healing it, making it whole, replanting that seed.
And he's extending the opportunity to participate
in the kingdom of heaven beyond Israel to everyone,
to us.
He's scattering the seed everywhere.
So the second thing that shows us
is that the kingdom is available to everyone.
It is generous.
And it is abundant.
So lastly, the soil.
This is where Jesus really answers that question of why.
Why the rejection of his message.
And we see that there are three bad types of soil,
three types of soil that are inhospitable to growth.
And there's one good type.
And these illustrate the third principle,
which is that while the kingdom of heaven is generous and abundant,
even in the person of Jesus Christ,
some will choose to reject it.
So now that we understand more about what Jesus was illustrating here,
that he is the word incarnate,
that he's generous with his word,
and that people can choose to accept or reject his kingdom,
what does this parable mean for Jesus' listeners and for us?
Well, let's come back to the soil.
Jesus was speaking to a Jewish audience
who assumed that they were good soil
because they were the Israelites.
God's chosen people.
And I think we do this too.
We tend to focus on our external actions,
maybe our credentialing.
But Jesus makes it clear
that being part of his kingdom
and being good soil
means bearing fruit.
It's not just about knowing things about Jesus.
It's about hearing and obeying.
And bearing fruit happens from the inside out.
It's not a checklist of things we should be doing.
It comes from the heart.
So let's look at each of these types of soil
and we can link them up to a heart posture.
So the first one that Jesus talks about
is those who hear but don't understand
are the rocky path.
I think sometimes we hear something like this
and we think,
but if someone doesn't understand,
it's not their fault.
But Jesus is casting this as someone
who has an opportunity to understand
but doesn't take the time necessary
to let the word take root.
How much space and thought and time
are we giving to the word of God?
These are people that reject the word outright.
Again, this other part of Isaiah.
Isaiah, seek the Lord while he may be found.
Call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord
and he will have mercy on them
and to our God,
for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah's putting the responsibility
to seek God
and to turn from wickedness
squarely on us,
rejecting him as a choice.
That's what that first soil shows us.
And the second type of soil
is those who receive the word with joy,
but then they wither away
when their faith is challenged.
They don't persevere.
Now, the way that Matthew writes this
is that this is persecution
directly followed,
directly related to being a follower of Jesus.
And this was something
that a lot of Matthew's readers
would have been dealing with
at the time that they heard this gospel.
And it could be another type of hardship
related to our lives
as followers of Jesus.
But the emphasis here
is on things that happen to us
that call into question
whether we really believe
if Jesus is who he says he is.
So when something happens,
whether it's a job loss
or a broken relationship,
a diagnosis,
suffering, pain,
some kind of persecution,
do we doubt the character of Jesus?
Do we say,
it must not have been true?
Or do we say,
Lord,
hold me fast
and shelter me in this storm
and strengthen me.
Would you show me where you are
in the midst of this?
Would you show me
what you're calling me to?
Do we trust what Jesus says
to his disciples in John 14?
In this world,
you will have trouble.
But take heart.
I have overcome the world.
The third soil
is those who get choked
by distractions
and cares of the world.
So there is some sort of growth
happening here,
but there's no fruit on the plant.
It's unhealthy
and it's anemic.
It's not flourishing.
And friends,
this is the human condition.
We're distracted
and we're drawn
to things that
are quick,
that are easy,
or we think
that if we
have a certain circumstance,
then it'll solve our problems,
that we'll be content.
And I'll never forget
something that Pastor Thomas
said in our wedding homily
when Tom and I
got married 10 years ago.
He said,
marriage doesn't make
contentment possible.
Contentment
makes marriage
possible.
And you could fill in
anything for marriage
in that statement.
A job,
having more money,
buying a house,
having certain friends,
whatever it is.
We have a tendency
to think that
our circumstances,
which are always
shifting,
are what we draw
contentment from.
But contentment
comes from our creator.
St. Augustine
famously said,
thou hast formed us
for thyself,
and our hearts
are restless
till they find
rest in thee.
And friends,
those who find
rest in the Lord
are good soil.
They produce
good crops.
And here's the thing,
crops take time
to grow.
So the seeds
might be planted
for a long time
before we see growth.
Especially an abundant
harvest like Jesus
is talking about.
It's not a fast process.
God's kingdom
is patient.
And producing a crop
is generative.
It's self-replicating,
right?
So I am not a gardener.
I have never planted
anything that has lived
ever in my life,
actually.
I just feel like
I should be honest
about that.
Not physically.
But I know
that when you have crops,
when you have fruit,
that they also have seed,
right?
So as crops flower,
as you bring in the harvest,
then you have more
and more seed.
And so the implication
is that we get
to join Jesus
in being sowers
because as our crops
produce seed,
then we get to replant
and re-sow the seed
with Jesus.
He sends us out
as sowers.
So what does it look like
to sow seed
and to participate?
How do we get there?
How do we get to that point
of producing
this incredibly
abundant crop?
First,
we cultivate good soil
in our own lives.
So we cultivate
understanding
rather than
a lack of understanding.
So what does this mean?
You can have a lot
of knowledge
but not understand
something.
There's a difference.
The people that Jesus
was addressing here
knew a lot about God
in most cases.
But a lot of times
they were missing
the larger points
of God's kingdom.
So relationships
require time.
It's not just like
driver's license stats,
right?
You know,
your driver's license
that has like
your eye color,
your hair,
your weight,
your height.
But that doesn't mean
somebody knows you
just because they look
at your driver's license,
right?
So a relationship
takes time.
Understanding God
takes time.
It means we have
to learn to listen
and we have to learn
to sit with Him.
And it's okay
to put an appointment
time with God
on your calendar.
Block it off.
The same way you would
meeting with somebody else.
We can also cultivate
faith that lasts
rather than faith
that withers.
We do that
through the sacraments.
We come to the table.
We receive the Eucharist
every week.
We join with one another
in worshiping the Lord.
We read the scriptures
together
and on our own.
And these things
strengthen us.
They help our roots
be deep.
they help our soil
be deep.
These things are
a long obedience
in the same direction
as Pastor Eugene
Peterson says.
And we cultivate
a quiet life
rather than a life
choked by worry
and distraction.
So something to consider
your inputs.
What are you
marinating in?
What are you soaking in
on a daily basis?
And we probably
remember
what the beginning
of 2020 was like
when the pandemic
started to shut
everything down,
right?
And there was so much
we didn't know.
Like news reports
were coming out
every day
and it seemed like
things were
really quickly
shifting all the time.
And there was just
an anxiety
in the air,
right?
And I remember
personally starting
every day
by looking at the news
and then I would
check that website.
I don't know if y'all
remember the website,
but there was the
World Health Organization
website where it had
like the number
of new COVID cases
every day
tracking how many
cases there were.
And I remember
Tom and I were
walking the dogs
one morning.
This was probably
like a month
into the pandemic.
And of course
we had already
been online reading
as much as we could.
And we just noticed
this really deeply
anxious response
in ourselves.
We could feel it
in our bodies.
we felt like
our minds
were distracted
and we felt like
we needed to
reorient ourselves.
And I remember
around that same time
we started an online
Bible study
in the book of Acts
at Advent.
Some of you guys
might remember this.
And we would just
Zoom and read
a passage from Acts
and I think it was
like at 7.30
or 8 o'clock
in the morning
so it was first thing.
And then we would
just talk about it
for a little while.
And that was
so important
for us
in reorienting
ourselves
to the word
of God
to what was true.
And it's not
that this other stuff
wasn't true too
but it was like
what's our focus?
Where's our gaze?
And it was hard
to do
but it was necessary
for our souls.
And the thing is
it didn't change
how informed
we were
shifting this way
shifting our day
around
but our heart
posture was different
because instead
of coming
to one another
and starting the day
full of anxiety
and fear
we were able
to have conversations
that were rooted
in the sovereignty
and love of God
and in our identity
as his children.
So that grinding
anxiety
started to lift
but it was hard.
It's still a really
hard time.
And I think
that's true
for a lot of us
now too.
It may not be
as pronounced
but what's the first
thing we do
in the morning
when we wake up?
Do we check
our phones?
Open our laptops?
Turn on the TV?
I mean I checked
my phone
first thing this morning
because I knew
that I needed
to text somebody
about a thing
and you know
and we do that
right?
But did I really
need to do that
first thing?
Or could I have
sat right away
when I woke up
and asked the Lord
to orient me to him?
I wonder
if that would
change things
for us
if we made
a practice
of doing that
because as we
cultivate
this good soil
as we reorient
our hearts
the crop comes
and then we
sow seed
with Jesus
and our families
with our friends
our neighbors
and our workplaces
in the world.
And here's another
thing about
sowing seed
with Jesus
you're on a mission
with him
and your responsibility
is the planting
you're not
responsible
for the state
of other people's
soil
that's what Jesus
is saying here
some people
will reject
the message
Paul says
in 1 Corinthians 3
I planted
Apollo swattered
but God
causes the growth
so neither
he who plants
nor he who waters
is anything
but God
who causes
the growth
and friends
he is faithful
as Isaiah
says
his word
will not return
to him empty
it will accomplish
what he desires
so as we close
I just want to give you
something to consider
this week
I would love
for all of us
to take some time
with this parable
so it's Matthew 13
1 through 23
and try doing
Lectio Divina
with it
now what is
Lectio Divina
if you don't know
that stands for
divine reading
and it's an ancient
way of reading
the scriptures
prayerfully
and in a
mood of contemplation
in a space
of contemplation
and it suits
the parables
really well
because they're
actually designed
for this kind
of marinating
and contemplative
thought
so what you're
going to do
there are different
ways to do this
but I would say
read the scripture
maybe three times
just take some time
read it three times
so the first time
as you finish
reading it
then just sit
for a few minutes
be aware of
thoughts
or feelings
or questions
or just
anything that
comes up for you
after you've
read it
and just sit
with it
don't try to
like think about
it or immediately
start chewing
on it
and then after
a few minutes
read it again
and this time
see if like
a word
or a phrase
or a sentence
a picture
something really
kind of
rises to the
surface
for you
and just
sit with that
and then
the third time
you read it
see if the
Lord is
asking you
to do something
see if there's
a response
he's calling
you to
see if there's
something he
wants you to
know
and you're
praying
and you're
checking in
with the
Lord about
this
you know
whatever
your phrase
might be
if it's
he who
has ears
to hear
let him
hear
Lord what
does that
mean
what are
you asking
me
and you'll
be surprised
I think
you know
how conversations
you have
might be
along those
same lines
what the
Lord says
and if
you've never
done this
before
I understand
it could
feel a little
bit
kind of
foreign
or not
something
you're
used to
but I
would just
love for
you to
try it
and then
I would
love to
hear how
it goes
talk to
me
about it
send me
an email
and we
can have
coffee
or have
lunch
and
this is a
way that
the scriptures
we learn to
really receive
the scriptures
as food
and so
let's see
what the
Lord
plants
would you
pray with
me
father
thank you
that you
nourish us
with your
word
I pray
that as
we sit
with your
scriptures
this week
that you
would be
our teacher
that you
would guide
us
that we
would learn
more
about your
kingdom
and how
you're calling
us
would you
convict us
where we need
to be
convicted
would you
comfort us
where we
need to be
comforted
and Lord
in all
things
would you
be glorified
and we
pray these
things
in the name
of the
father
and the
son
and the
holy
spirit
amen
and
Thank you.