Jesus says that the seed sown is the Word of God. Seed is sown into the dirt. That means...wait a minute! Did Jesus just call us dirt? Well, that's what we are. God took some dirt and made Adam. When we die we turn back into dust, dirt. So yeah, we're dirt. But think about it. Where do you put a seed when you want it to grow? Into the dirt. Just so the Lord sows His seed, His Word into us that it may grow up and bear fruit. And look at how He sows! This is the same generous Lord who last week paid everyone the same no matter how long they worked. Now He's sowing seed everywhere, flinging it all over the place. Sending His Word around the world. Sometimes it's snatched away or doesn't have root or gets choked off. But sometimes it grows in good soil and produces a big harvest. It doesn't matter. He just keeps sowing. What matters is what Isaiah says: The Word of the Lord goes forth and does what it says, it saves sinners and bears fruit in their lives.
The Word of God goes forth. In the flesh. To get planted in the dirt. Jesus comes, the Son of God, the Word of God, made flesh. To be planted in the ground at His death and to rise again to give the world life. When the Father sent the Son, the Word into this world, He did what the Father sent Him to do: save sinners by His death on the cross. Jesus said once that unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground, it can never grow. But now our Lord has been planted by His death into the earth and by His resurrection He brings forth the fruit of forgiveness and life which are given to the whole world through the Word that delivers them. Once again we see the generosity of this Lord who doesn't spare His only begotten Son but gives Him up for us all, for the whole world!
When He is risen, and before He ascends to the Father, Jesus ordains His preachers to take His Word to the ends of the earth. By the preaching of the Gospel ever since, the Lord has been sowing His Word all over the place. More generosity. Doesn't matter where or when, the Lord's Word is going forth. Around the the world. Wherever there are sinners. But not all received it. The Word was preached to rescue sinners from sin and death. But sometimes the devil snatches it away. Sometimes the troubles of this life cause faith to wither. Sometimes just all the stuff this world gives us to worry about chokes off that faith the Word implanted. The Word of God is not magic. It can be resisted and rejected. There's a warning for us there. There's a warning to repent of despising that Word. Of letting the devil have it. Or letting the troubles of this life wither your faith or paying so much attention to the riches and cares of this world that faith and trust in Christ are choked off. Notice when Jesus speaks this parable, He isn't talking about the unbelievers. He's talking about those who have heard and believed but for one reason or another have given up on God's Word! Beware! Satan wants to snatch God's Word from you. The temptations your sinful flesh faces will try to wither you faith into nothing. The cares and riches of this life will choke off your faith.
But we have God's promise that His Word does what it says. And in the good soil it produces fruit. What's the good soil? A noble and good heart? Well that's a heart that's been prepared to receive this Word by the rich waters of Holy Baptism. It's a heart that's been tilled and plowed by the Law which drives us to repentance and prepares us to receive the seed of the Gospel that grows in us producing fruits. Here's more of Jesus getting our eyes off of ourselves and teaching us that religion isn't about us but about Him. It's HIS Word. HIS seed. When the Word of God bears fruit in us, that is the Spirit's work. Not ours. To bear fruit is the work of God's Word in us. The seed planted in you is the Savior who was planted in the grave and rose again now planted in you for salvation and life. And what is that fruit? It's the fruit of faith that trusts in Jesus and knows that for His sake all of our sins are forgiven. It's the fruit of good works which does whatever needs to be done, not to impress God, but for those around us who need our love and help and encouragement and support. In short, the seed of God's Word in us grows up in us in a life that looks to Jesus for all things and serves our neighbor in every way.
So if this is the strength and power of the Word of God, why aren't there more people sitting in these pews? Why are there those who used to come but now we haven't seen them in so long? Why is it that Someone receives instruction in the Word and is eager to be a part of the church and not long after they drift away? The Lord has laid it out for us. That's just what happens to His Word and faith. The devil, the sinful nature, the world. The fact is, there are lots of things out there that drag us away from church and Christ's Word. People get mad at God. Don't have time. Find something better to do. But He tells us this parable to warn us. To teach us to look to Him to fulfill the promise of keeping us in His Word. That's always what we need: His Word. Brothers and sisters in Christ, how can I persuade you that you need the Lord's Word? I can't. But the Word of God does its work, even this very parable. May this very parable of our Lord do what He promises, that is, turn you away from ever despising God's Word deliver to you the key to the mysteries of God's kingdom. And that means faith and trust in Christ.
Jesus told His disciples that to them was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. That's what His Word is all about. Delivering salvation and forgiveness to us and preserving us against all that would steal, wither, or choke off that faith. That means watered with the nourishing water of Baptism and fed with the holy food of Christ's body and blood. You here today, you who are a part of Christ's church by the Lord's generosity—you have the implanted Word which is saves you. So here we are, a week and a half from Ash Wednesday and Lent and prepared by our Lord to receive His Word and to have it live and grow in us unto eternal life. And that means that you're not just any kind of dirt but holy and sanctified dirt! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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