Matthew 13:1
That same day, Yeshua went out of the house and sat down by the lake; 2 but such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there while the crowd stood on the shore. 3 He told them many things in parables:
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell alongside the path; and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky patches where there was not much soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow; 6 but when the sun had risen, the young plants were scorched; and since their roots were not deep, they dried up. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 But others fell into rich soil and produced grain, a hundred or sixty or thirty times as much as had been sown. 9 Those who have ears, let them hear!”
, 18 “So listen to what the parable of the sower means. 19 Whoever hears the message about the Kingdom, but doesn’t understand it, is like the seed sown along the path — the Evil One comes and seizes what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is like a person who hears the message and accepts it with joy at once, 21 but has no root in himself. So he stays on for a while; but as soon as some trouble or persecution arises on account of the message, he immediately falls away. 22 Now the seed sown among thorns stands for someone who hears the message, but it is choked by the worries of the world and the deceitful glamor of wealth, so that it produces nothing. 23 However, what was sown on rich soil is the one who hears the message and understands it; such a person will surely bear fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Complete Jewish Bible)
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While we may wish that we were always "good soil," there will no doubt be times that we are more like the rocky ground or thorns. We're not perfect, and that's okay. We notice that the sower doesn't only throw the seeds on the good soil--surely a wise sower would know where and where not to cast the seed. But perhaps this sower hopes against all hope that something may sprout even from the thorns or rocky ground. The sower casts the seeds without reservation.
Can you think of a time in your life when, even though life looked very dim, a word of hope or faith from one person actually made a difference, actually took root and helped you for the better? As followers of Jesus, we are called not only to share God's love where we know it will be well-received, but also, if not especially, with those who are caught in the thorns.
Holy one, thank you for the gift of faith; help us to share your love with others even when it seems impossible. Amen.
Katelyn Rakotoarivelo, '17
St. Paul, Minn.
Matthew 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, 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 among 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 Let anyone with ears listen!"...
18 "Hear then the parable of the sower.
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." [New Revised Standard Version]
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
While we may wish that we were always "good soil," there will no doubt be times that we are more like the rocky ground or thorns. We're not perfect, and that's okay. We notice that the sower doesn't only throw the seeds on the good soil--surely a wise sower would know where and where not to cast the seed. But perhaps this sower hopes against all hope that something may sprout even from the thorns or rocky ground. The sower casts the seeds without reservation.
Can you think of a time in your life when, even though life looked very dim, a word of hope or faith from one person actually made a difference, actually took root and helped you for the better? As followers of Jesus, we are called not only to share God's love where we know it will be well-received, but also, if not especially, with those who are caught in the thorns.
Holy one, thank you for the gift of faith; help us to share your love with others even when it seems impossible. Amen.
Katelyn Rakotoarivelo, '17
St. Paul, Minn.
Matthew 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, 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 among 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 Let anyone with ears listen!"...
18 "Hear then the parable of the sower.
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." [New Revised Standard Version]
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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