馬太（Matthews）13:1-9, 17-23， 6/13/2004
中文：卯思興牧師/英譯：Victor Lin
~^.^~~☆~^.^~~☆~^.^~~☆★★ ~^.^~~☆ ☆~^.^
During the time that Jesus was spreading the Good News on Earth, he used many parables in his sermon. The purpose of the parable is to take a very abstract concept and changing it into a concrete picture, painting a scene before the eyes of the listeners. Therefore, the simplest definition of the parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly significance”. This is one of the ways that Jesus preached in the Gospels.
When Jesus spoke of the Parable of the Sower, it was approximately the second year of his preaching ministry. Jesus’ sermon has the power and skill to capture people’s heart and to touch and move the hearts of the listeners. However, if we carefully read the Parable of the Sower, we will discover that in this parable although Jesus showed some signs of “discouragement” and “worry”, he was confident in the victory and future glory of God’s kingdom.
He was “discouraged” because he found that in the crowd, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) . Many people are indifferent toward God’s kingdom. He has experienced “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11). The Parable of the Sower happens to explain this fact.
He was “worried” because “[the people] will be ever hearing but never understanding; [the people] will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.” (Matthew 13:14-15). Therefore, when Jesus was telling Parable of the Sower, his mood was certainly heavy with sorrow. However, in midst of “discouragement” and “worry”, Jesus was still very optimistic and had the assurance of victory for God’s kingdom and future glory. He said that there were seeds that produced thirty times, sixty times, and one hundred times what was sown, so explaining that the sowers did not plough and work in vain.
Today, through the parable of the sower, Jesus is asking every one of us three questions for reflection and adjustment. After the sermon, we will be observing communion at the Lord’s Table.
◎First, what kind of soil are we?
In Jesus’ parable, there are four different kinds of soil. These four types of soils represent four different kinds of people, four different kinds of hearts, and four different responses from the heart. Those seeds that fell along the path are the people heard the message but “lacked in understanding”. Those seeds that fell along the rocky places are the people heard the message but “lacked in joy”. Those seeds that fell in the thorns are the people heard the message but “unstable in thought”.
If we look at the mission from the perspective of the global village, the seed of the Gospel is to be spread throughout earth to people of different races, different nations, different states, different sex, different political, economic, cultural and faith backgrounds. This is also the current topic of NTPC conference in LA. However, mission is not merely a concept but is a practical process. It is not how much you know about mission about how much have you done?
When I read the Parable of the Sower, I am moved. No matter whether it is Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore or China, the East Asia is full of nations that worship idols.
The same kind of seeds are sown in different types of soil, the results produced are not the same.
The meaning of the Parable of the Sower is that God’s word and God’s seeds are to be given to the whole world for everyone. Think about it, which sower would willingly waste seeds on the soil along the road, the rocky soil, and thorny soil. This sower has loving kindness in his heart. To him, everyone has the opportunity to receive the seed. Everyone has the potential to produce good result.
The Parable of the Sower give the present age and the people who hear the message today a chance to choose what type of soil they want to be. It also gives the people a chance for self-examination. The church will be able to win people like fish. God will be able to win people over and add to our number daily. If amongst us, we have many soil along the road, rocky soil, or thorny soil, then decline and a gloomy future will be inevitable. Through the Parable of the Sower, Jesus wants to ask you one question: What kind of soil are you?
◎Second, are we sower who perseveres in facing of difficulties?
Reading the parable of the sower in one aspect may cause one to feel disheartened, but in another aspect may cause one to feel excited. The part that causes disappointment is that three out of four soils could not produce fruit, wasting many seeds that fell along the path, also wasting those that fell on rocky places, and those that fell among the thorns. The sower did not put any blame on the three unproductive soils but he felt sorry for them because whenever the seeds of the Gospel were sown, there were forces out to destroy and interfere with their growth. If the seeds were not eaten up by the bird, they were snatched away by the evil one.
If the Parable of the Sower causes us to be discouraged, then the meaning and purpose of the parable is lost. Jesus hopes that you are the good soil. The seed of heaven can reproduce one hundred times, sixty times, thirty times. This is God’s plan and goal for you life. You are the testimony of God’s living power. You are the sowers in God’s kingdom.
Through the Parable of the Sower, Jesus wants to ask us one question: Are we the kind of sower who can persevere in the face of difficulties? Are we the kind of sower who does not lose heart? Are we the type of sower who works diligently? Nobody can answer this question for you. You must answer the question yourself. Today at the Lord’s table, I hope everyone will consider this question and offer your answer to Jesus when you accept the holy sacrament.
Former president Reagan went to be our Lord at one PM in the afternoon Pacific Standard Time on June 5th. The incumbent present Bush said “This is one of the saddest days in America“. Among all the consolation cards that Reagan’s surviving wife received, there is one that wrote the following words: “Thank you for changing the world.” It was said that when Nancy read those words, she could not held back her tears. The words reminded her of the past when they were still spending each day together. When they were together, they labored to change the world. For all Americans, President Reagan is a sower who persevered in the face of adversity. Because of his love for this country, today the phrase “Thank you for changing the world” is written. One day when we rest in God’s bosom, when people remembers us, hopefully others will write the phrase “Thank you for changing the world” because of our labor and perseverance to be a sower of God’s kingdom.
◎Third, how should the parable of the sower inspire our church?
Our church has been established in Camarillo for the last fourteen years. We remember the early disciples who have blazed a beautiful path before us, entrusting us with the work of spreading the gospel, so that we can continue to cultivate the seeds of the gospel here in the fertile ground of Camarillo.
◎Fourth, revival starts from the sower
The theme of this month’s sermons is the “start of revival”. Last week we went to Lake Casitas for camping and outdoor worship. We had a silent retreat. This is the first stop in starting our revival journey.
Today, before we embark on our revival, we will partake in the communion to remember God’s love and his commands. We want to seek God’s help, asking God to nurture us through his body and his blood shed on the cross, to enable us to take a step in the direction of revival in God’s company, hoping for thirty fold, sixty fold, one hundred fold of revival.
This Wednesday night at 7:30 PM, we invite a famous Taiwanese professor in writing, Dr. Lee, to share with us about his live story, how he became a Christian from a “Hakka” background. From his testimony, we will see that God’s guidance and plan for each of us is truly amazing, just as it was recorded in the Bible that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived hat God has prepared for those who love him” (I Cor 2:9). Dr. Lee is a first generation Christian who was baptized when he was sixty years old. Today’s Spiritual Journey has an advertisement on Dr. Lee’s testimony. Please be a sower, invite your friends to the event.
Because of love, God sent his only son into the world to sow the seeds of love in people’s hearts. Because of love, he established a communion to remember him. The communion pass on a undying love, a kind of determined love, a grace that surpasses time and space, as well as a new way to revival. Because of love, when we partake in Jesus blood and body, he will remind us that we are always God’s people whether alive or dead. Only under this premise the observation of the communion has its effect and revival is possible.
◎Conclusion: Therefore you go…
Today Jesus is calling us to be the sowers of this new century. He said “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). Every disciple is qualified for the greatest service, which is in our lives, speech and writing to spread the seeds of God’s word. Our every word, behavior and actions are like visible and invisible seeds that can raise people up or cause them to fall. Hopefully, we are all good sowers.
Rev. Szuhsing Mao 卯思興牧師 
Leave a comment