The Sower

At the heart of Jesus' message is this invitation not just to come to him but to grow in

! And to keep on growing. And as Jesus is in that boat conveying that message to those that have gathered

! You can picture him wanting to kind of get that message across.

Come and come and grow and keep on growing and keep on growing. And sort of scanning around

what was going on around him thinking how can I get this message across to the people in front of me?

And then spotting a farmer up on a hillside perhaps with a donkey and apparently this is how they sow

seed but putting a sack on the back of that donkey and then tearing a hole in the bottom of the sack

of seeds. And then walking along with the donkey as the seeds spill out onto the ground.

As the donkey walks forward so the seeds fall out onto the ground from the sack.

And then pointing to the different types of surface, the paths, the soil, the rocks, the different places

where the seed could have sown. And the seed, there's nothing wrong with the seed. The seed's great.

The seed has all the potential to grow and represents God's desire for growth.

But as Jesus then begins to share this parable and present pictures before his listeners,

so he's inviting his listeners to imagine what each image of a seed falling onto a particular

type of surface might represent.

And as we think about that set of images, because it is a set of images, not just one,

because Jesus talks about different types of surfaces that the seeds can land on,

perhaps the easiest thing is for us to suppose that Jesus is talking about different types of people.

You know, you might be that type of person that is like a stony ground, or you might be that type of person

that is represented by the thorns, or you might be that type of person that's represented by the good soil.

That would be perhaps the easiest and obvious way to imagine it.

But I wonder if it's more helpful to think of it a little bit differently.

And to imagine that as Jesus is setting these different images before his listeners,

he is actually saying that any one of these images can apply to any one of us at any time in our lives.

Do you remember Charlie Brown and the Peanuts?

Yeah, the cartoons.

There was one in particular where one of the characters, I think it was Sally,

and she'd been set a memory verse.

It was something from the book of Revelation.

But she can't recall, she's in Sunday school,

and she can't remember what this memory verse was that she was set from the previous week in Sunday school.

And she says, I think it was something from the book of re-evaluation.

But in saying that, she actually put her finger on what Scripture is,

and what the teaching of Jesus is.

That it's not just a one-in-time thing,

but it's an ongoing thing, that we have this relationship with God's living Word.

That every day of our lives we are re-evaluating,

not through a sense of insecurity, but because we know that God wants us to grow,

and to keep on growing.

That coming to Jesus Christ is not just a one-off thing,

an event, that we look back on,

and that's the day I came to Jesus,

that's when I became a Christian, and then it's all finished.

No, it's an ongoing, everyday thing,

where God wants us to grow,

and knows that we can grow in ways that we can't imagine,

when left by ourselves.

But when we see the Word of God,

when we unpack these parables,

we can see that actually all sorts of things are possible.

So with that in mind,

what I'd like us to do is just think about the images

that are loaded into this parable over these next few minutes.

And rather than perhaps thinking that the different types of surfaces

that these seeds land on refer to different types of people,

instead to invite you to think,

how might that type of surface apply to you right now?

Jesus begins by talking about the path,

a solid surface.

Fields were kind of created within strips,

and there were paths between those strips,

that anybody could walk along,

like a public right of way.

And so if you can imagine this donkey,

with the sack of seeds on its back,

with a hole put in the bottom of that sack,

with the seed spilling out,

as it's making its way to the field,

where it's going to be sowing,

inevitably some seeds are going to grow,

are going to fall out of that sack,

and hit the solid path before they even get to the soil.

The seed just bounces off a solid surface.

It doesn't even begin.

Rather than imagining this referring to just a type of person

that never ever responds to the word of God,

although it could be that,

ask the question,

does that ever happen to you?

And what I want to suggest is that

the longer you've been a follower of Jesus,

there is a certain sense in which it can become

a greater area of vulnerability,

that God's trying to say something to us.

But because we've had previous experiences of God,

we kind of think that this new experience of God,

what God might be saying to you right now

in a new season, a new chapter of your life,

well, that couldn't possibly be.

And so it just bounces off.

We all need to ask the question,

what might God be saying right now

that is new, that is different,

that you haven't heard before,

that at face value you could quite quickly dismiss it

and think, well, God couldn't possibly be saying that

to me right now?

Is there a sense in which God's word to you now

could just be bouncing off a hard surface?

Might there be something that God is saying to you right now

about something that he wants to do with you in your life,

about a new, perhaps different way of serving him,

or perhaps something that he's opening up in your workplace,

or opening up in relationships, in your family life,

something that represents something new and different

that you haven't heard before,

that you just might not be open to,

that you might, by your own assumptions and presumptions,

be closing yourself off to?

What new thing might God be trying to say to you now?

Before we move on,

I'd like us to hold that for a moment in prayer.

Pray with me.

Lord, as we think about this story,

this parable of seeds being planted on different surfaces

and the seed bouncing off solid ground,

a path not even beginning to take root.

Lord, help us to be aware

of how we can close our hearts and minds

to what you might be trying to say to us.

Lord, may your invitation to grow

never just bounce off us,

but help us to be open every day

to what new things you may be saying to us

and inviting us into.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Jesus said,

then there's the type of,

sorry, the seed that can land onto a type of surface

that has rocks.

It has soil, but it also has rocks.

Now, because it has soil,

it can begin to grow.

But because of the rocks,

that growth is fairly limited

and it doesn't really properly,

thoroughly take root.

I suppose a question that we each need to ask ourselves

is in what sense

might there be that kind of thing going on

in our own walk with Jesus?

In what sense might there be

a sort of like an initial spark

of enthusiasm in our discipleship,

but it hasn't really taken root?

In what sense might we begin to get excited

about the claims of Jesus

and the truth of the gospel

and we get excited about it for a while,

but then it kind of withers out a little bit,

like that seed that begins to grow

but doesn't really go anywhere?

In what sense might you ever be saying to yourself,

well, you know, I'm a starter, not a finisher?

In what sense might we ever be guided

by the emotions of the moment?

You may have heard of a theologian,

Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

a German pastor,

one of the great theological voices

of the 20th century,

who was,

he was imprisoned

because of his opposition

to the Nazi regime,

eventually paid the ultimate price

having been held in a concentration camp

and was killed by the Nazis

just a short while

before the liberation

of that concentration camp.

Bonhoeffer is famous

for writing about discipleship,

particularly that phrase

that grace is,

God's grace is free,

but it's never cheap.

One of the quotations

from Bonhoeffer

that's not quite so well known

was written by him

to his niece

shortly before she got married.

He wrote a letter to her

and her fiancé

for her to read

on their wedding day.

He said this,

Today you are young

and you are very much in love

and you think that your love

can sustain your marriage.

It can't.

Let your marriage

sustain your love.

Let me read that again.

Today you are young

and very much in love

and you think your love

can sustain your marriage.

It can't.

Let your marriage

sustain your love.

If we think that

our human feeling

is enough to carry us through,

we're on

dangerous ground.

I think what Bonhoeffer

was trying to say

is that

in marriage

that

there is this thing

that is bigger

than our emotions

and our feelings

and our experiences

that are carried

by our humanity.

There is this thing

called the covenant

of God

that says to two people,

you are struggling

right now

in your lives together,

but this covenant,

this agreement,

which is instituted

by God

is bigger than that

and that is what

holds you

and sustains you.

And so in scripture

we find this idea

of marriage

as a covenant

held before

as a model

of God's covenant

with his people.

And in the same way

there will be times

when our feelings,

our love,

our emotions for God

will be really high.

There will also be times

when those emotions

are just flat.

In fact,

there will be times

when we'll be screaming

at God

because we cannot

understand what's going on.

And it is in those times

when we need to remember

that the covenant

of God

which says

I have called you

by name

and you are mine

is far greater

than the emotional state

that you or I

will ever be able

to have with God

this side of eternity.

And that covenant,

that promise of God

is what holds us.

So,

when we think

of that picture

of seeds

beginning to grow

in the soil

but not actually

being able

to establish themselves

and eventually

they wither and die,

we have there

an image

of how

as human beings

we can be so fickle.

We can be so shallow

when we attach

ourselves

onto our feelings,

onto our emotional states.

As we hear these words

let's be challenged

into thinking

in what sense

are we guided

by our feelings

and by our emotions alone

and be reminded

that what holds us

in God

is something

so much bigger

and more powerful

than our own

emotional perceptions.

That way

we won't just be starters

we'll be finishers.

let's just hold

that image

for a moment

and pray about it.

Let's pray together.

Lord,

as we think about

how

seeds

hitting

shallow soil

starting to grow

but

not properly

growing

and eventually

just withering away

so we are reminded

of how

as human beings

we can be shallow

at times

when we allow

our perceptions

of truth

to be guided

by our emotions

alone.

Lord,

give us the strength

to go deeper.

Give us the strength

to know

that you call

each and every one

of us by name

that we belong

to you

and that promise

that covenant

is far bigger

and greater

and stronger

than our own

emotions.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

The third

of these four images

that we have

is the image

of the

thorns.

Jesus says

that as the farmer

was sowing the seeds

so were the seeds

fell among thorns.

They began to grow

because they would

make their way

through the thorns.

They would begin to

you know

they would

grow in the soil

but eventually

the thorns

grew up

and overtook

the growth

of the good seeds

and so

they choked

and they withered

and died.

So the worries

of life

and the deceitfulness

of wealth

says Jesus

choked

that growth.

You know

these things

the worries

of life

the deceitfulness

of wealth

and it's interesting

how Jesus

pairs those things

together

the worries

of life

and the deceitfulness

of wealth

will always

be there.

They won't go away

they're here to stay

they're part of

life

this side of eternity

at least

but

they won't go away

but the question

is how we relate

to them.

And we have

a choice

as to whether

we allow

those things

that

threaten us

those

anxieties

whether we

allow them

to dominate

our thinking

or not.

we share

with you

an illustration

that comes

from

the world

of

cognitive

behavioural

therapy.

We need to

imagine

that

you're

watching

a horror

film

it's a

really

now

if you're

one of those

people

that actually

doesn't find

horror films

scary

or actually

you enjoy

them

this perhaps

might not

apply to you

but I think

most people

actually

by definition

of a horror

film

don't actually

find horror

films

particularly

enjoyable

in the sense

that they're

meant to be

scary.

So imagine

that you're

sat

watching a

horror film.

The horror

film represents

anxiety.

Now you

could be

sitting there

watching that

horror film

in the dark

on your own

late at night

and as you

watch that

horror film

you're consumed

by it.

All you can

see is the

stuff going

on in that

film.

It's terrifying

and it

becomes your

entire world.

When you're

alone with

your anxieties

it's a bit

like being

on your own

just in front

of that

horrific set

of scenes

on a screen

and you're

on your own

and otherwise

it's darkness.

Now imagine

that that

same film

which represents

your anxieties

is being

played

but in a

different

situation.

imagine

that rather

than watching

that film

on your own

in the dark

at night

the film

is actually

on a screen

somewhere

but it's

in broad

daylight

it's a sunny

day

and it's

on the

screen

in the

corner of

the room

the sound's

being turned

right down

and you're

not on your

own

imagine

that you're

surrounded

by friends

people that

you love

and imagine

that there's

a bit of a

party going

on and

whatever it

is that makes

you feel

happy

imagine

that's

what's

happening

and imagine

that there's

actually a

really lovely

atmosphere

in the room

of friendship

and love

and joy

and people

being together

all the while

this horror film

is playing

in the corner

of the room

but the

sounds turn

down

the place

is light

you're not

on your

own

that film

is still

rolling

but you

hardly

notice it

every now

and then

you might

catch a

glimpse of it

in the corner

of your eye

oh yeah

the film's

there

but that's

not the

focus of

attention

you're

actually

surrounded

by good

things

by good

people

you're in

good company

there's light

in the room

and there's

a good

positive

atmosphere

you see

the point

is

is that

whatever's

going on

in your

life

the causes

of anxiety

will always

be there

it's part

of being

human

it's part

of the

real world

the question

is

is how

do we

live out

in that

environment

we can

either allow

those things

to be the

focus

or we can

accept that

they are there

but not allow

them to dominate

our thoughts

and how do we

do that

well not by

pretending that

they don't

exist

but rather by

immersing

ourselves in

other things

by immersing

ourselves in

the word

of God

in worshipping

God

in praying

God

in grounding

ourselves in

the presence

of God

in our daily

lives

by being part

of a church

by being part

of a home

group

by getting

to know

Christian

friends around

us and

accepting support

and prayer

from others

by not being

afraid to ask

for prayer

to be prayed

for

by praying

by worshipping

by immersing

ourselves in

all the good

things that

God wants us

to have

and to grow

in

so to

leave that

set of

illustrations

and come

back to

the

illustration

that Jesus

gave

you know

the thorns

may be

growing

the thorns

that represent

you know

our anxiety

may still

be there

but they

don't need

to choke

us

if the

light of

Christ

is dominant

again

let's pray

together

Lord

we thank

you

that even

though

the worries

of life

and the

deceitfulness

of wealth

is part

of the

world

as it

is right

now

in all

its

brokenness

that that

is not

the full

picture

and we

thank you

that because

of Jesus

our life

does not

need to be

dominated

by these

things

that our

focus

can be

different

so help

us

every day

of our

lives

not to be

focusing in

on those

things that

could choke

us

those things

that can

pull us

down

but help

us instead

to be

flooded by

your light

and to know

your presence

and your hope

and to be

grounded in

you

in Jesus

name

Amen

The last

image

is one

of growth

it's good

soil

Jesus says

quite simply

that the

seed

when it

lands in

good soil

grows

because God

wants it

to

know this

God wants

you to

know him

but not

just as a

one-off

thing

not just

as an

initial

decision

but every

day

to grow

and to

keep on

growing

and to

keep on

growing

and to

keep on

growing

and that's

the

magnificent

thing

about being

a Christian

is it

doesn't

stop

we've

got the

whole

of

eternity

that it

will go

on to

but this

side

of

eternity

this

side

of

eternity

there is

more

growing

to be

done

there are

those

things

that can

challenge

that

there are

things

that can

try to

get in

the way

God wants

us

to grow

there was

a group

of tourists

visiting a

village

one day

and

it was a

small but

very quaint

village

and one

of the

tourists

said

quite

patronisingly

to one

of the

locals

were any

great men

or women

born in

this village

he said

no

only

babies

think

about

it

there

are no

instant

heroes

in the

kingdom

of

God

growth

takes

time

growth

takes

a

lifetime

when

however

old

or young

we may

be

however

long

we may

have

been

followers

of

Jesus

there's

still

more

growing

to

happen

growth

takes

time

we're

never

too

old

to

grow

up

let's

pray

Lord

thank you

that your

desire

is for

us to

grow

and to

keep

on

growing

may

that

happen

Lord

we pray

that as

we come

to share

communion

in a

few

moments

as we

come to

share in

the bread

and wine

may we

be reminded

again

that you

come to

us in

Jesus

because you

love us

you want us

to know

you and you

want us to

grow in

that

and as we

face whatever

lies ahead

this week

and in the

time to

come

may we

keep on

growing

and knowing

you in

our lives

more and

more and

more in

Jesus name

Amen