"Seeds"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "Seeds"

Where’s my secret decoder ring?

There are some things I really get about Jesus – he lives love and says that most important things a person can do is to love God and to love everyone else.

And there are some things I don’t think I’m supposed to get about Jesus – parables.

And I love that I can’t get the parables. Sure, there are the explanations of the parables that are either in the Bible or in commentaries or big Bible scholar brains. But ultimately – the parables are there to make the listener (or reader) think. I think that the parables work to confuse, anger and irritate the listeners and readers so that the conversations can either begin or continue.

Here’s how Jesus described his use of parables: If you were reading along during this morning’s reading – you may have noticed the skipped verses between the two parts of the reading. Right in that section, Jesus says this:

‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹²For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that "seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand."

What does that mean? Jesus wanted folks to be confused by the parables? If Jesus were court-martialed for ordering a "code parable" and he was being questioned by a Pharisee – and the Pharisee asked Jesus to quit talking around the questions but instead just speak the truth – do you think Jesus might have responded, "The truth?! You can’t handle the truth!"

I don’t think there’s anything sinister or exclusionary in Jesus’ words. Parables are meant to make folks think. They work to confuse, anger and irritate folks so that people will think beyond the words and beyond what may seem obvious into something deeper and soul-enriching.

Of course, in the second part of today’s reading, Jesus explained the parable:

• Hear the word – no understanding – the evil one comes and snatches it away: the seed on the path
• Hear the word – receive it with joy – no strong root – trouble arises – falls away: the seed on the rocky ground.
• Hears the word – cares more for wealth – it gets choked away: the seed among thorns
• Hears the word – understands – bears fruit – much fruit: the seed in the good soil.

That is nice and tidy. But there’s more to a parable than a neat and tidy explanation. Parables confuse, anger and irritate folks so that people will think beyond the words and beyond what may seem obvious into something deeper and soul-enriching.

In this parable of the sower and the seeds from Matthew, I wonder if there’s any good at all with the seeds that fell on anything but the good soil. Can the seeds that fell on the path be collected and replanted? Can they grow on the path? Can plants from rocky ground or from thorny ground be nurtured? Should they be transplanted? Or should the seeds that survive from the plants that are in the less desirable soil be planted in the good soil – bearing even more fruit because of the strength of the seed? 

What can be done with the seeds that fall on the path? Are they the ones that are eaten by the birds and then somehow transported and then planted in some other soil – complete with fertilizer? What’s the best way to nurture seeds that fall on rocky ground? Can you help that ground become like good soil? What about nurturing seeds in thorny ground? Is it better to weed or to nurture the thorns and the plants that come from the seeds and then at the time of harvest separate the good plants from the thorns?

The sower has to have a reason for letting seeds fall or be planted in the different areas. Is it just a reality of what happens or is there a design behind the whole system of planting?

Sometimes I wish I had that secret decoder ring to unlock all the mysteries of the parables. But if all the mysteries were unlocked, what would be left to ponder? How would our thoughts – seeds – have a chance to bear fruit if we didn’t get to contemplate the mysteries of the parables?

But some think you can’t do that with Jesus’ parables. They would say that you have to take the explanation given in scripture. So what if we had to say that the explanation in Matthew is the only way to understand the parable?

Whom is it directed to? Is it for followers of Jesus to judge the way others receive the word?

No.

Let anyone with ears listen

PAY ATTENTION!

When we hear God’s word – when we are challenged to do what God calls us to do . . .

• Are we like the path?
• Are we like the rocky ground?
• Are we like the thorny soil?
• Are we like the good soil?

Are we like all the different kinds of soil at one time or another?

And why does God continue to plant seeds in anything but good soil?

I don’t know -- yet the sower keeps planting seeds -- God keeps giving us opportunities to bear fruit. God does not give up on us – no matter who, no matter what, no matter where.

However you interpret this parable – God is planting seeds in your life

Whatever kind of soil you may be for receiving the seeds – god is planting seeds in your life.

Whatever reason you have for throwing up your arms and saying, "it’s not worth it."

God is still planting seeds.

© 2008 Union Congregational Church, All Rights Reserved