LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:08	[Music]
0:18	hello
0:19	today let’s talk about the parable of
0:22	the sower
0:24	this is an extremely popular Parable it
0:27	appears in each of the synoptic gospels
0:29	Matthew 13 Mark 4 and Luke 8. it has
0:34	already made outline and a four-point
0:36	message about four different types of
0:39	soil it includes its own interpretation
0:41	that Jesus gives his disciples only a
0:44	few verses after he tells the parable
0:46	what could be more simple
0:49	but to tell you the truth I do not think
0:52	that this is a simple Parable at all
0:54	first
0:56	many will focus their attention on the
0:58	sower of the seed he appears an
1:01	extravagant and joyful fellow willing to
1:03	sow his seed virtually anywhere he
1:06	scatters the seed on rocks and Thorns
1:08	whole sermons are preached about this
1:11	but Jesus does not focus on the sower
1:14	he does not say that the father is the
1:16	sower nor does he identify himself as
1:19	the sower
1:20	it does not seem to me that the sower is
1:23	the focus of the parable
1:25	next many will focus their attention on
1:28	the four kinds of soil
1:30	it is as if there were a plot of ground
1:33	that had four equal parts one near the
1:35	path one Rocky one filled with thorns
1:38	and a fourth portion with good soil
1:40	but I doubt that this is the image that
1:44	Jesus had in mind it’s much more likely
1:47	that Jesus was talking about a farmer
1:49	going out to his garden
1:51	he had walked the path every day for
1:53	years as he went out to sow some of the
1:56	seeds fell out of his bag along the path
1:59	when he got to his garden he had already
2:01	cleared it of rocks and debris so on the
2:04	Outer Edge he had placed the rocks
2:07	along the edge some thorns and weeds had
2:09	also grown
2:11	as he sowed the seeds some naturally
2:13	fell Beyond the Edge of the Garden on
2:16	the rocky soil and among the Thorns so
2:19	I doubt that the real point of the
2:22	parable was the unprepared soil
2:25	no
2:27	I believe that the star of the show in
2:30	this Parable is the seed itself
2:33	you will soon see that anyone can sow it
2:36	and that it can be sown anywhere
2:39	but Jesus is telling us that this seed
2:42	is something really special
2:44	this is the seed of God
2:47	Jesus calls it the word of the Kingdom
2:50	so
2:52	let’s see what we know about this
2:55	miraculous seed the word of the Kingdom
2:58	it must be particularly potent seed
3:02	in Jesus day
3:04	there was no genetically engineered seed
3:06	Farmers just stored their seed from year
3:09	to year
3:10	They carried out their bag of shriveled
3:14	shriveled seeds into the field and place
3:17	them appropriately
3:20	what do you think was the rate that
3:22	actually germinated and bore fruit in
3:24	Jesus day ten percent I don’t know
3:28	but not these Kingdom seeds that we hear
3:31	about in this parable
3:33	they could bear a hundred percent
3:35	that’s unheard of even today with our
3:37	genetically engineered seed 70 percent
3:40	is regarded as a good yield but these
3:43	miraculous seeds of God’s word are
3:46	really powerful they can yield a hundred
3:49	percent or
3:51	60 or 30 percent
3:53	the Bible tells us something about the
3:55	word of the Kingdom in Isaiah chapter 55
3:58	verse 11.
4:01	so shall my word be which Goes Forth
4:03	from my mouth it shall not return to me
4:05	empty without accomplishing what I
4:08	desire and without succeeding in the
4:10	matter for which I sent it
4:13	corn and beans are pretty good but
4:15	they’re nothing compared to the seed of
4:17	the word of God
4:19	is the one who sows it and he
4:21	accompanies it with his own power and
4:24	spirit
4:25	it is guaranteed to accomplish what he
4:27	desires and will succeed in the matter
4:29	for which he sends it
4:32	oh and there’s more Hebrews chapter 4
4:37	teaches us
4:38	for the word of God is living and active
4:41	and sharper than any two-edged sword and
4:44	piercing as far as the division of Soul
4:46	and Spirit of joints and Marrow and able
4:49	to judge the thoughts and intentions of
4:52	the heart
4:54	God’s word is alive and energetic the
4:58	seed may be scattered and sown but that
5:01	is not the end of it it has its own
5:04	generative power when God’s word Goes
5:07	Forth it works it lives it continues to
5:11	be active long after it is spoken or
5:13	read if a sermon is preached or if a
5:16	parent speaks to a child of God’s word
5:19	or if a neighbor receives a testimony
5:21	God’s powerful word goes to work and it
5:25	keeps on working
5:27	my very first call in Ministry was to a
5:30	wonderful rural congregation in North
5:32	Carolina Debbie and I and the boys had
5:36	not been there long I think a day or two
5:37	when one early evening James Kimbrell
5:40	came with his parents Daryl and Nell
5:42	James was on a big tractor he disked up
5:46	a garden behind the parsonage the next
5:49	day it was planted and before long we
5:51	began to see a crop
5:53	there was corn several rows different
5:56	kinds of beans peas rhubarb okra
6:00	tomatoes and squash
6:03	I could not get over
6:05	the yellow crook neck squash James had
6:07	planted I think 18 Hills for my little
6:09	family we only had two boys at the time
6:11	they were very small and we had squash
6:14	squash everywhere
6:16	you think the squash seeds are powerful
6:18	but they can’t not hold a candle to the
6:21	word of God
6:22	‘s seeds
6:25	do not even need a plow or a disc harrow
6:27	the seed itself is sharper than any plow
6:30	or even a two-edged sword it turns over
6:33	the ground of the heart hard Rocky
6:36	thorny it is designed in heaven to
6:39	penetrate all the way to the depth
6:41	between bone and Marrow Soul and Spirit
6:43	God’s holy word goes deeper than the
6:47	soul reaching all the way through our
6:49	understanding or emotion or desire all
6:52	the way to our spirit
6:54	the spirit is our innermost self that
6:57	connects with God they’re the living and
7:00	active word of the kingdom is planted
7:02	and goes to work it is empowered by the
7:06	Holy Spirit
7:08	what is God’s word designed to
7:10	accomplish
7:11	the Bible teaches us that
7:14	faith comes by hearing and hearing by
7:16	the word of God Romans 10 17 the will of
7:19	God is that the miraculous seed the word
7:23	of Christ would penetrate the human
7:25	heart and bring forth faith
7:29	God’s word
7:31	creates faith
7:33	I should mention that the word of God
7:35	comes to humanity in several forms God’s
7:39	word first comes to us as the Incarnate
7:42	Word Jesus Christ God in flesh
7:45	next God’s word comes to us as the
7:48	preached word today pastors preach
7:51	publicly and each individual Christian
7:53	shares the word personally
7:56	this is the second form of God’s word of
7:59	course you know the word of God is also
8:01	in a written form the Holy Bible a third
8:04	form of God’s word and you have received
8:06	God’s word in his sacramental form in
8:09	holy baptism and in Holy Communion of
8:12	fourth form
8:14	finally the word of God is found where
8:17	two or more of his disciples are
8:18	gathered together there he is in the
8:21	midst of them
8:22	this is what lutherans call the mutual
8:24	conversation and consolation of the
8:26	Brethren a fifth form of the word of God
8:30	so God sows his seed that is his word in
8:34	these several forms Incarnate Word
8:36	preached word written word sacramental
8:38	word and where two or more gathered in
8:40	his name he sows that powerful seed all
8:45	over the world the purpose of each of
8:48	these word seeds
8:50	is to bring forth faith
8:52	faith comes by the word of God and faith
8:55	is that which justifies us before God
8:58	so the crop of Faith produced by the
9:02	word
9:02	has these usages
9:05	the Forgiveness of sins salvation and
9:08	Heavenly eternal life hallelujah what a
9:11	glorious word
9:13	how does the word create faith
9:16	this heavenly seed has the spirit’s
9:19	power to reach into our hearts with
9:21	God’s law and gospel the word convicts
9:25	our hearts of our sin by the law
9:28	and the word refreshes and forgives Our
9:30	Hearts by the gospel
9:32	which we receive by grace through faith
9:35	in Jesus Christ law and gospel are both
9:38	included in the word of God through
9:40	which God gives you faith
9:45	you know farmers will pick an ear of
9:48	sweet corn and eat it right off the
9:50	stock
9:51	is that good
9:53	and potato farmers will eat their
9:55	potatoes right out of the ground
9:58	it is a gift of God that there are so
10:00	many different vegetables and fruits
10:03	that grow corn and beans apples and
10:05	oranges all from seeds
10:09	but truly the most miraculous and
10:12	Powerful seed of all is the word of the
10:15	Kingdom it penetrates the human heart it
10:18	is living and active sharper than a
10:21	two-edged sword it reaches beneath the
10:23	soul into the very spirit and creates
10:26	life-giving soul-saving faith and even
10:30	when you have faith it continues to work
10:33	to strengthen and grow your faith
10:35	throughout your whole life
10:37	God’s word is working in you even right
10:40	now giving you the Glorious gift of
10:43	faith and with it forgiveness of sins
10:46	salvation and eternal life
10:50	well where do you get this seed of God’s
10:53	word you cannot go to the seed store and
10:56	buy it that’s true
10:58	but God’s seed is easy to get
11:02	you cannot grow it yourself it has to be
11:04	given to you
11:05	in fact if you have faith even the size
11:08	of a grain of mustard seed that means
11:11	that God’s seed has already been given
11:13	to you
11:14	and if you have faith the size of a
11:16	grade of mustard seed that means that
11:18	God’s word is already planted within you
11:22	here’s the big news
11:24	not only has God’s seed created faith in
11:27	you but more you have the seed in you
11:30	that can now be planted into another
11:33	field it is a powerful seed it is a
11:36	living and life-giving seed and you are
11:38	the farmer now able to plant your
11:41	kingdom seed along the path or on rocky
11:45	soil or thorny soil or even the very
11:48	best of soil God’s word
11:51	might work to take root anywhere and in
11:54	anyone you see it will keep on working
11:57	long after you have stopped thinking
11:58	about it so don’t worry if some seed
12:01	falls on thorny soil you may have been a
12:04	bit thorny yourself at one time and God
12:07	desires that none should perish of
12:10	course anyone who receives the seed is
12:13	free to reject God’s word
12:16	you may be kind of new to the idea that
12:18	you are a farmer for God sharing the
12:20	word seed that gave you faith of course
12:23	you receive Faith because someone shared
12:25	God’s word seed with you your pastor
12:27	through holy baptism your mom through
12:30	teaching you the word in your youth or
12:32	your friend who shared the word of God
12:34	when you are an adult
12:36	the Christian faith started with just
12:38	one person Jesus
12:40	then it multiplied Jesus gathered and
12:43	sent out twelve soon there were 70 at
12:46	Pentecost they reached 120 in the upper
12:49	room but Peter preached and suddenly
12:51	there were three thousand disciples
12:54	soon disciples were traveling far and
12:56	wide sharing the gospel and watching the
12:58	kingdom expand right in front of their
13:00	eyes after all it is a most powerful and
13:04	creative
13:05	life-giving Living Word seed
13:08	beloved
13:10	today some congregations and even some
13:12	pastors are looking at their shrinking
13:15	congregations
13:17	and they have real discouragement
13:19	they may be counting down until their
13:21	congregation is too small to pay a
13:23	pastor and then so small that they feel
13:26	they must close their doors
13:28	they may think that the culture and the
13:30	environment of today are just too
13:32	difficult for a church to grow
13:34	but it is no more difficult today than
13:37	it was in the day of Paul and the early
13:39	Christians today is the day for the
13:41	church to grow today is the day for the
13:44	word seed to be planted today is the day
13:47	for you to share your faith the simple
13:51	truth of the love of Jesus with your
13:54	granddaughter or your friend or your
13:56	neighbor
13:57	you see beloved that was always God’s
14:01	plan from the beginning that’s exactly
14:03	what Jesus taught in this Parable A
14:06	sower
14:07	any sower went out to sow the Glorious
14:11	word seed of God
14:13	and today
14:15	that sower is you
14:19	amen
14:27	[Music]
14:38	[Applause]