“Soil, Seeds, and Sowers”

Sermon by The Rev. Seth Olson

July 16, 2023

In seminary, I had a wonderful New Testament professor, the Rev. Dr. Jane Patterson. She masterfully taught about a beloved part of the Gospel accounts, the parables. At first though, what she instructed sounds a little offensive. Professor Patterson told my class that when it comes to parables we are like dogs. You see, the word parable shares its etymology, its root with the word parabola. Para in ancient Greek means “beside, next to” and bola means “throw.” Jesus in these parables was throwing something beside those who had ears to hear.

In much the same way our beloved canine companions pay attention to us, their human caretakers, especially when we have a treat in our hands, we are to pay attention to what Christ is tossing our way in the parables. When we throw dogs a tasty morsel, they watch the arch of it careening through the air, then, they move to catch the treat. As Jesus throws us sustenance within a parable, we would be wise not to stay static. We are called to move and adapt such that we catch the goodness within Jesus’ masterful stories. With this in heart and mind, I want to journey through three approaches to this parable—it’s like 3 mini-sermons in one, very Trinitarian—in no way is this an exhaustive catalog of interpretations—that’s right there’s even more to explore!

The first way we catch the treat that Jesus throws us comes from the passage itself. Jesus was unpacking for his followers what he meant by the Parable of the Sower, or at least this is the way Matthew depicts it. This is like Jesus handing out a secret decoder pin. It’s as though he said, “Here’s what I meant by this parable.”

·       Seed = Word of the Kingdom

·       Seed falling on the path = the evil one snatching the word sown in one’s heart

·       Seed on the rocky ground = temporary joy in one’s faith, but without forming deeper roots this person loses trust in God, the seed fails

·       Seed tossed among thorns = those who hear the word but ignore it because of the lures of this world—wealth, status, and the cares of life…

·       Seed tossed in good soil = one who hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit yielding up to one hundred times growth… WOW!

·       In all of these cases, the ground = us

·       Sower = God

This is the general interpretation of this parable. In this way we move a bit and see, we are supposed to be good soil. I read this interpretive key and think we are either a path, rocky ground, thorny overgrowth, or good soil. That’s it—and frankly, there’s not an abundance of grace here. In this reading there’s a surprising lack of opportunity for transformation. It sounds almost legalistic.

Of course, parables are not systematic theology. Instead, they are a snapshot of what the Reign of Christ, a keyhole through which we gaze upon the Kingdom of God. So even here, we see grace.

When I lived in Decatur, Alabama and worked at St. John’s Episcopal Church, we had an abundance of farmers in our congregation. They assured me that Jesus would have been a terrible planter. Who throws seeds on paths, among rocks, and in the weeds? But, if we are the soil and the point of a parable is to move us a bit, maybe there’s something that must happen to the soil.

Soil does not just become good. Soil has to be amended for its enrichment. Rocks must be removed. Pathways detoured. Thorns plucked out. Even good soil does not stay good on its own. Fertile soil sometimes needs a little manure.

So, if you are soil or even a whole landscape with rocks, paths, thorns, and soil remember when shi—manure happens to you—it might be so that new growth can happen, a new seed planted.

Speaking of seeds, what if this parable is not about you being soil or even a whole landscape. If you are trying to keep track, we are starting homily two of three. Jesus, our Savior, might not be throwing something beside us—instead Christ might be throwing us. What if we are the seeds in this story?

Sure, Matthew makes it seem like Jesus gave out the secret decoder pin, but maybe this deciphering device is like the one Ralphie got from little orphan Annie in the classic movie A Christmas Story. Could Matthew have been trying to push forth his own message? He wasn’t saying to drink more Ovaltine, but the interpretation of the parable in this Gospel text is only one way of inviting us to move.

Here’s another way of seeing into Christ’s Reign: God may indeed be throwing you as a message from the Kingdom. And like one of the seeds in the parable you may land in good soil, or you may crash down on a path, upon rocky ground, or in the thorny weeds. As hard as this is, you may be the only Good News someone ever receives. If this is the case, we would be wise to follow Theodore Roosevelt’s old adage: “Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.” On your own, you may not be able to change a path, a rock, or some thorns, but with God all things are possible. And, maybe just maybe you showing up where you are with what you’ve got and the people around you might just reveal Christ’s Reign already at work here and now.

Alright, stick with me, let’s move into a third and final baby homily, or h’omelet, as the French might call it. If the first interpretation of this parable moved us a little, and the second moved us a bit more, this third one is like Jesus tossing a Hail Mary… deep. Instead of thinking of yourself as soil or seeds, what if you are the sower? I know, I know. This sounds blasphemous! You or I are not God—I’m not sure of everything, but I’m sure of that! Still, we are made good. We are made in the image of God.

In Baptism we are graphed into the Body of Christ, we are made one with Jesus in his death, and we are reborn not as our old selves, but as ones who are living in Christ! You are made new in Holy Baptism and given a new life and a new calling.

Let me illustrate this using another favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone. In this movie, Kevin McAlister was forgotten back in Chicago when his family visited Paris. On Christmas Eve, Kevin visits a Santa Claus impersonator to wish for his family’s safe return home. Kevin essentially said to fake Santa, “I know you are not the real Santa, but I know you work for the guy.” We are not God, but through baptism we work for the Guy. Part of our job description is to re-present God to others. Thus, we are called to throw messages from God’s Kingdom, good news from the Reign of Christ not just where we think seeds will grow, but all over the place.

Like our Good Sower who tosses kernels even on paths, among rocks, and in the weeds, we too are called to bring new life and growth to trampled down, painfully hard, and selfish places. Where will you reveal Christ’s transforming love this week? At your work? In your home? At football practice? In the band or choir? At camp? In a theater group? On vacation? Wherever it is, you do not go alone—we go together, and we go with God.

In this parable, you and I are not simply one thing. We are soil, seeds, and sower. We are an environment in which God’s good news can grow. We are the sprouts of new growth in various landscapes. We are scatterers of seeds upon paths, rocks, weeds, and fertile ground. As you discern where God is growing something in you; as you find yourself planted in rough spots, among thorns, or even under manure; as you continue to share God’s good news anywhere and everywhere; know that in this community we work together to amend our soil, we strive together to be God’s good news for others, and we reach out together to share messages of Christ’s Reign!

Next month, we will have an opportunity to wonder together about areas of new growth. On August 6^th, 13^th, and 20^th, we are having the All Saints Open House from 9:45-10:45 in the morning. We’ll also have information up throughout those weeks, plus a new ministry handbook. You can learn about offerings, worship, outreach opportunities, small groups, times of fellowship, chances to lead, and much more. You can learn how you might be soil, seed, and sower within and beyond these walls.

As we move to receive the gift that Christ throws beside us in this parable and in life, trust that with God all things are possible. God makes us good soil, good seeds, and good sowers and calls us to do what we can, with what we’ve got, where we are. Amen.