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Sunday, February 04, 2024

Sow, sow, sow your crop...

Sermon for Sexagesima

Who is the parable for?

Our Lord preaches 
about the Sower 
sowing the word of God 
and the fate of each of the seed, 
but who is the parable for?

[PAUSE] 

We know that it can't be
for everyone.

Our Lord Himself
says that parables
are only for those 
who have ears to hear.

But, clearly the disciples
have ears to hear
which is why Jesus
explains the parable.

Except.

Except, who is the Sower?

Who is sowing 
the word of God?

Does Jesus say?

[PAUSE]

In each of the gospels of
St Matthew,
St Mark 
and St Luke,
we are not told who the Sower is.

Isn't it God?

Well, no.

For God would know 
where to sow for a good crop.

God doesn't waste things.

If He knows the number
of stars, sparrows
and hairs on your head,
then we know
that everything works for good
for those who love God.

If God were the Sower,
would He allow the devil 
to take the word of salvation
from the hearts of men?

God is not the Sower.

Jesus is not the Sower.

Jesus is talking
to the sowers of His word.

This parable
is for the disciples
because it is their calling
to serve God by preaching the Gospel.

[PAUSE]

Our Lord explains
the pitfalls of preaching.

We cannot expect
our preaching always to be effective.

Sometimes
before anyone can hear the Gospel,
the Devil gets in the way.

So we must preach again
to those by the wayside.

Sometimes
the Gospel goes a little way in
but the rocky hearts of men
can stop it from growing.

So we must preach again
to those in rocky ground.

Sometimes
the Gospel goes in and starts growing
but the world around
distracts and disorders
so that a person doesn't
fully come to faith.

So we must preach again
to those in briars and thistles and weeds.

[PAUSE]

It is our duty 
to keep preaching
because we don't know
where the word of God 
is ending up.

We can't see
the birds, 
the rocks,
the thistles,
or even the fertile soil.

But we can be sure
that one seed 
in the good soil
will grow and produce
more than we know.

[PAUSE]

it is at the end of Time
that the harvest will be reckoned
the sheaves bundled
the tares and weeds and thistles 
burned away.

Until then,
we must mind our own business
and
sow, sow, sow 
even in tears and sorrow
because we will come 
again in joy
bringing in a good harvest
and rejoicing 
in the salvation
of all our brothers and sisters.

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