eFollowingJesusFeb16 - A Sower went out to sow (read Matthew 13:1-9)

   A familiar sight:  a sower laboring.  Perhaps Jesus noticed one on the hillside as he spoke.  But the sower in this parable seems careless, profligate, flinging the seed any and everywhere:  on the road? among rocks and thorns?

   We may ask, "What kind of soil am I?"  Am I fertile, ready for the Gospel to flourish in me? or am I thorny soil, an unlikely place for the Gospel to take root?  The first Christians understood Jesus' picturesque image:  sometimes their evangelizing blossomed beautifully, but more often it seemed to die out quickly; opponents pecked away at whatever chance there was of success.

   But might Jesus be portraying God?  This sower is indiscriminate:  he doesn't just look for rich soil.  He flings it everywhere, on all types.  God's grace isn't measured out parsimoniously:  it's freely showered on everybody.  Farmers know that seed sometimes spills and you wind up with "volunteer" vegetables in uncultivated spots:  the seed bears within itself the potential for life in even unexpected places - as does the Gospel (Isaiah 55:10-11).

   Lord, in our work for You we see varieties of soils.  We praise You for being a Sower who flings it on everybody, and for the life power of Your Word.

James

james@mpumc.org

You may wish to view "Sower" paintings by Millet and Van Gogh. 

Sunday's sermon on Matthew 11:16-30 may be heard by clicking here.

Here is the full text of Matthew 13:1-9 -  1: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2: And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3: And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. 4: And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5: Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6: but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. 7: Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8: Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9: He who has ears, let him hear." 

The full eFollowingJesus series (thus far!) may be found on our web site.