The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables…

Matthew sets the scene for us.  We can see Jesus being mobbed by eager followers and curiosity seekers alike, having to step into the boat in order to get some room and some distance, so He can think and speak and be heard by all.  And then Matthew says something that seems inconsequential, probably because we’re so accustomed to hearing it, “And he told them many things in parables.”  Of course He did.  He was there to speak, to teach. What’s important about this sentence?  The answer is that He told them parables.

If someone were to ask us what we mean by the word “parable”, we might give the basic dictionary definition, “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.”  But there isn’t anything simple about a parable, because what these stories really are is a way to convey to human beings the mysteries of God.  We like things we can “take at face value”, and so Jesus puts divine mysteries into everyday settings, making them sound simple.  In truth, these “simple stories” go far deeper than face value, and Jesus tells them to His disciples, His followers, and us – trusting we will explore them to their depths.

After the crowds disperse, as He often does, Jesus explains today’s Parable of the Sower to His disciples, to us – but even then, do we understand what He is saying?  For us, the parable is so familiar, we have probably already formed our own opinions of what it means. Let us take another look at it.

In the parable and in His explanation, Jesus offers us several examples of ground/dirt. Farmers and gardeners like dirt, and are always trying to find the best patch or enhance what they have to work with. And because we have so often been told that we are dust, and to dust we shall return, we often see ourselves as the dirt. And thus, we measure ourselves against Jesus examples, as we attempt to determine how receptive we are to His teachings, His love, and His constant Presence with us.

It is appealing to concentrate on the ground on which the seeds have fallen, because that makes the parable totally about us. But if this is how we approach it, if we slip ourselves into the “comfortable category”, into what amounts to the Miracle Grow ground, we will have missed an important point.

As anyone who works the soil can tell you, in any garden or field, the soil varies, and thus, in actuality, we are not all Miracle Grow Christians. Instead, depending on our mood, our life situations, so many things which can vary, we can, at different times during one lifetime be all four types of dirt.

And it appears that is something Jesus wants us to recognize – but so often we prefer not to. The temptation for us is to overlook the fact that sometimes we are easily influenced by others who do not share our deep faith, sometimes we are resistant and stubborn to what we know we are meant to do to live our faith, or we are overly influenced by outside trends and pressures, and we would really like to ignore that even at our best, when our lives are strong in our faith, we are always in need of some composting. The truth is, we are not consistent, no matter how much we might wish or pray it be otherwise.  So – we are, after all, just dirt, and we can’t even lay claim to at all times being the best plot of land.

It is known as The Parable of the Sower, so let us take a look at the sower, who scatters the seed on the ground. But what a strange way to plant. There are no carefully dug rows or small mounds into which each seed is meticulously set. It appears the sower does not care where the seed falls, does not choose select places where it can be cultivated under carefully scrutinized and controlled circumstances. Just think of it – carelessly scattered seeds mean anyone can receive them, that everyone has a chance to be the good ground.

For centuries, this has been a stumbling block for many. If we are honest, to some degree, we all would prefer to choose those with whom we share our beliefs, our faith, our worship services. I have seen a parish close, because the congregation knew with whom they wanted to worship. Despite the efforts of a good priest, who drew in new people, including the poor, and the destitute, the congregation made sure “those people” felt unwelcome. And so those people, the ones the Sower had sent, left, and the parish folded.

The Sower is consistent, and will continue to sow seeds, while we continue to resist or refuse nourish them. 

And what of the seeds themselves? What are they?  And we answer, “the teachings of Jesus”, but if asked to define to which “teachings of Jesus” we are referring, we suddenly realize there are an awful lot of parables, sermons, and general comments in our Bible, all made by our Lord. Are we supposed to choose a favourite? Will a favourite find us?

Back in 2008 there was an animated movie released called “Kung Fu Panda”. If you never saw this film, in it a “big, fat, panda” named Po longs to be a Kung Fu master, and manages to get himself accepted as a student in the monastery on the hill near his hometown. The head of the monastery, an ancient and venerable tortoise, is named Master Oogway. His student, now also a master of Kung Fu, is named Shifu.

Po, the aspiring Panda, has been driving Shifu crazy, because Shifu is unable to control and direct Po’s progress, so, Shifu takes his frustration to Oogway. As they both stand beneath a peach tree, Oogway, the Grand Master, explains to Shifu that he must let go of the illusion of control, but Shifu, does not believe control is an illusion. Using the peach tree as an example, he responds that there is much he can control— he can make the tree bear fruit earlier, or decide where the peaches fall, or even where to plant the seed.

Oogway responds: “Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.”

The seeds the sower is spreading in our parable this morning are also specific - they are the Love of God. We would like to be able to choose to which of Jesus’ teachings we will adhere, with liberty to ignore those which make us uncomfortable or with which we don’t agree. We would like to control our relationship with God, so that it fits neatly into our timetable and our lifestyle. But the seed planted in us at our Baptism cannot be modified or controlled. Instead, it must be nurtured.

No matter how much we might long for our calling, our lives, to fit the pattern we have laid out, fulfill the dreams we have, follow the path we find most comfortable – it is not to be. We are called to be, at our best, good ground, open, receptive, nurturing to the seed planted in us, but we are not called to be the ones in control.

We are dirt, sometimes of the best quality – sometimes not – it can vary on a daily basis. This is how it is. We are human. Yet, as we struggle to let go of the illusion of control, there is still great hope for us, because one thing remains constant.

Peach seed becomes peach tree – God seed becomes God.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with open hands and humble hearts. Teach us to release the grip we’ve kept on our plans, our fears, and our need to control. Teach us to trust that Your ways are higher than ours, and that Your timing is perfect, even when we cannot see the path ahead. Fill us with the peace that comes from surrender, and the courage to follow where You lead. Help us to nurture Your will in our lives - to listen for Your whisper, to walk in obedience, and to rest in the truth that You are always working for our good. Help us to choose faith over fear, trust over striving, and Your purpose over our own. May our lives be a reflection of Your love and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.