Vicar Christopher Gillespie
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Frankentrost
Saginaw, Michigan
Sexagesima (January 27, 2008)
Text: Isaiah 55:10-13; 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9; Luke 8:4-15
Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text is the parable of the Sower from St. Luke chapter 8.
Jesus, in the wisdom that can be only God’s, has chosen to speak to us in a parable. We also choose to speak in parables. For example, we speak to children in what we call an object lesson, the modern parable. We might say: “Life is like a box of chocolates.†The details may be a bit hazy but the thought is: “you never know what you are going to get [in life.]†Jesus knows that the situations around us, the creation of the world, and indeed all of the things of our life can be used to illustrate a truth and wisdom.
Unfortunately, the analogy of life and world can often be misunderstood. So it is the same with parables. We often find that the parables are left without explicit explanation. The parable is usually given to us to interpret using our minds and our hearts. Properly done through meditation upon God’s Word, the Holy Spirit reveals to the preacher and the intent and purpose of the parable.
The parable of the Sower though is given to us by the evangelist St. Luke with the words of Jesus explaining it. This is a great benefit to us, for we know what what each object within the parable represents. While this is not always the case, we are blessed today to know exactly who the Sower is, what the seed is, and where the seed will take root – to grow and flourish and prosper.
We are ill-equipped to receive the truth of the resurrection of the dead and new life, if first we do not know the corruption of our flesh, the sin born within us, and the utter despair of our fallen state. For those whose heart is hardened to receive His Gospel message of forgiveness, our Lord preaches to us by the parable His Word of Law.
The Law understanding of the parable is not hard to find. For after He sowed His Word – in some, the Word is trampled underfoot. In some, the Word is devoured by the birds of the air. In some, the soil of their hearts is rocky and unsuited for life. In some, the thorns of sin has tangled the Word, devouring it.
The wisdom of God’s Law for us is to warn us of the danger that we place upon the reception of all of God’s Word. Who among you have been tempted by the devil, the world, and our sinful nature? Who have hardened their hearts to the Word of God, resisting the work of the Word in your in you? Who have allowed the cares and riches of the world to challenge what you know to be true from God’s Word?
He who has ears, let him hear! “[HIs Word] is also violated by [those] who listen to God’s Word as they would to any other entertainment, who only from force of habit go to hear the sermon and leave again with as little knowledge at the end of the year is at the beginning!” (LC, I:96)
Repent! Repent of your laziness to hear God’s Word, allowing Satan to snatch it away from you. Repent of the conceit in your heart that says I know better than my pastor, than my church, than the Lutheran Confessions, or than the Church catholic as it has been handed down to us through the centuries. Repent of the idolatry of riches and cares in this world that has crept into your hearts, forcing out the good gifts of God.
“For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and incentives of the heart.†(Hebrews 4:12)
There is a temptation among us to make this parable a parable of Law only. For it seems that in the parable the Law predominates. The Law preacher says: “what kind of soil are you? What have you done to prevent God’s Word from working in your heart?†But this would be to make the Word into merely instructions from God ones that bring forth fruit only by our obedience.
But this would only the trouble of heart and despair of conscience, Jesus would not allow the parable to end with only Law! He ends the parable with the sweet words of the Gospel. The Word of our parable is a Gospel work. It is a Word of forgiveness that Satan really does not want to us to believe. It’s a Word of forgiveness that we can’t trust our own nature. It’s a Word that the world tries desperately to remove from our hearing and to overwhelm by its own preaching of of works. But the Gospel Word of our parable is that Christ does the work. Christ comes to us so those among us recklessly, giving us himself, His death on the cross, and the forgiveness that it brings.
For the seed of the Word is good and when it takes root among us, yields in us a hundredfold. God’s Word works! His Word here is sowed for faith and salvation. His Word, Jesus Christ Word incarnate spoken of by St. John Chapter 1 is both the sewer and the seed. He casts out among the whole world, among thorns, stones, rocky soil, and even on the path, His Word, in order that all might be saved. This is the good news! He has given us His Word, Jesus Christ to save us. “God desires all men to come to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.†(1 Timothy 2:4)
The Law Word to the hard of heart is that His Word is rejected by them. A gift can be rejected, to be sent back can be re-gifted to someone else. His Words shares the same weakness of that is the cross. A cross is the weakness of God and so is His Word which is the Word of the cross.
Many reject His Word, despise it, forsake it, abuse it. This is a Word that Satan desperately does not want us to hear and will snatch away if we reject it. This is a Word that our sinful hearts cannot trust. This is a Word that the world will not accept and instead preaches works, drowning out the truth of God’s Word.
Jesus suffers mistreatment of the seed of the Word sown… His body. He suffers the scorching rays of the sun, drying up the Word he has sown, His very self. His Word is snatched up by Satan when hearts will not receive it. He is trampled underfoot by those who ignore His death and resurrection for them. Jesus is the one who Satan, the world, and our flesh will not receive.
While on first glance to this parable it may appear that God’s Word as a pretty low percentage of success. If we were to evaluate the productivity of this business call the church, we might be tempted to close ourselves down. This is the mystery of the kingdom of God which we have been given to know. (Luke 8:10)
“Every pious preacher, when he sees that things will not go forward, but seem to be growing worse, feels almost disgusted about his preaching, and yet he cannot and dare not desist, for the sake of even a few elect. And [the parable of the Sower] is written for our consolation and admonition, that we should not be surprised or think it strange even though few people benefit of our doctrine, and some even become worse.†(M. Luther, quoted from P.E. Kretzmann “Popular Commentaryâ€, NT 1:307.)
God’s kingdom does not operate by our preconceptions. It does not follow the ways of men. It is given without though of cost of failure but is motivated by pure, unadulterated love. God is not like the farmers of the earth. Farmers first work the soil before planting the seed. But God sows his seed on dry ground, in rocky places, upon the path, and on the hard soil.
Most of the seed is lost, trampled, snatched, withered, and choked. Yet, the Sower continues to sow despite rejection. He casts His seed to the ends of the earth without thought of profit or cost. He does not care that we perceive this throwing of His Word to untended soil as reckless. He says: “Oh What of that! My seed did not take root? It does not matter! My seed is good and it is what men need!†He is not like us. He gives, provides, and lavishes His gracious Word in love.
Praise be to God that His Word is sown among us, growing into Faith in us. Our Lord sees us and says: “Ah what of that! My Word took root and grew! It yields a hundredfold!†He is not surprised!
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.†(Isaiah 55:10-12)
By the power of His Gospel, forgiveness is proclaimed. This two-sided sword of Law and Gospel may seem to be weakness… but we learned in our parable that it works! It makes us ready to receive him in faith onto life everlasting. By the hearing of His Word and perseverance in it, are our hearts made good through forgiveness and we bear fruit keeping with this repentance.
“When we seriously ponder the Word, hear it, and put it to use, such is its power that it never departs without fruit. It always awakens new understandings, pleasure, and devotion, and it constantly creates clean hearts and minds. For the Word is not idle or dead, but effective and living.” (LC 1:101)
We continue to believe His Word, hold fast to it and are granted a good heart from it. Our heart is made clean by the hearing of His Word (Romans 10:17) and our hearts are cleansed by faith (Acts 15:9).
The analogy of the world tells us that the seed of the Word can grow by our cultivation, fertilization, programs, and initiatives. But the analogy of the faith tells us that the Word takes root where God wills it and by His power only. His good seed makes the soil ready to receive him. His good seed takes root, breaking the hardened soil of our hearts. We are but vines attached to the root and stem of Jesse, which is Christ. The more the world and Satan in our sin tries to assail us, the more in patience and suffering does His Word grow strong, take root in us, and bear fruit.
So do not fear! For while it would seem the God’s Word is powerless, we know that in weakness His Word works. His Word makes faith despite our shortcomings. God’s Word is with us and is in us always. God has planted His very son, Jesus Christ, His Word incarnate, in us. He had forgiven us our sins. His Word says “You are are my child” at the font. His Word says “I give myself for you” at the altar. His Word says “I forgive you” in Holy Absolution. His Word works, cleansing our hearts by faith . For you he died and rose again. He declares you innocent and pure. He opens to you heaven. Your soil is made fertile, lush, and good in His redemption. He will bear fruit in us a hundred fold.Amen.
As we sang in the Hymn of the Day:
Preach You the Word and plant it home
And never faint; the Harvest Lord
Who gave the Sower seed to sow
Will watch and tend his planted word. (LSB 586:6)
And now the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in true faith to life everlasting. Amen.
(Thanks to Rev. David H. Petersen, Rev. Todd Peperkorn, and Rev. William Wheedon for homiletical tips.)
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