Delivered October 15, 2006
by Pastors Marilyn and Eric Henderson
Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, And the birds came and ate them up. 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.
But when the sun rose, they were scorched; And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Let anyone with ears listen!
Contemporary parable:
A woman who enjoyed cooking and being with people left some messages of invitation to an evening of food and fellowship on some cell phones. Some messages were never read, because the cell phone owners automatically deleted messages from people they didn't know.
Other messages were read with excitement, but the cell phone owner deleted the message and never wrote down the time or place of the gathering.
A few messages were read, the information stored with every intention of attending the gathering, but so many other messages and activities came, that the invitation to the evening of food and fellowship was disregarded.
Many messages were read with excitement, recorded, and resulted in a crowd of people who attended the evening of food and fellowship.
Then the disciples came and asked Jesus, Why do you speak to them in parables? As you hear Jesus response to the question of the disciples, note repeated words.
Mt. 13.11-17He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’
The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that said:
‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
for this people's heart has grown dull
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart
and turn -
and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.
What repeated words did you notice? Seeing-eyes, hearing-ears, understand
Someone like Don and Mark, can see a computer, create a program and explain it. Others, like me, can see a computer and hear about a computer program, but remain clueless or have no understanding about what they heard with their ears and saw with their eyes.
Simon Peter saw Jesus perform miracles, heard him teach, and even declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. However, Peter's idea of the Kingdom of Heaven was that Jesus would help the Jews overthrow the Roman occupiers and again establish Israel as a world power.
So when Jesus talked about suffering and death - Peter heard with his ears, but didn't understand how that would help the kingdom of heaven. It was only after the resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Peter began to understand what Jesus meant by the term "the kingdom of heaven."
We, like Peter, can hope that Jesus will use God's power to fix everything in our lives and in our world. We would be served as royalty - rather than serve the least.
We would be powerful and generous - rather than weak and needy. We would increase our status and prestige in the sight of others - rather than decrease or humble ourselves.
Jesus desires that all hear, see, and fully comprehend the rule or reign of God on earth as it is in heaven. In the parable and these verses Jesus is stating the condition of some hearers, not the desire of God.
Hear then the parable of the parable of the sower.
Mt. 13.19
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and doesn't understand - whether they can't or they won't - the evil one snatches away what was sown in the heart. This is the seed that fell on the hard-packed path.
Likewise, when a cell phone user automatically deletes text messages when the sender isn't known to them, hat person rejects the information that has the potential of bringing them something good, enjoyable and possibly beneficial.
As human beings we form opinions and attitudes and ideas that can be like the hard-packed path. Our minds and hearts are resistant to the work of the Spirit because we already have things worked out for ourselves.
We may not be able to hear God's still small voice because we are so sure of what we think ought to happen and how or because the voice or the message is different than we expected.
If what we hear doesn't match up with what we think we know and believe, we automatically reject what we hear - just like Simon Peter and the Jews of the first century.
Mt 13.20-21
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 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.
We may get an invitation for something that really sounds enjoyable, have every intention of attending and acting on the invitation, but lose interest, or decide the effort to attend or meet new people is just not worth the effort.
Terry was excited by a visit from the pastor and stated a belief in the God of the Bible, desired to be baptized, become a member of the church, and begin attending with his wife and young child. So the pastor contacted a couple of mature faith to begin meeting with them for encouragement, prayer, bible study, learning the beliefs of the Mennonite Church, and other preparation for baptism.
Terry and his wife attended the first meeting, but something prevented them from growing in faith and understanding of God's rule in their lives.
Mt 13.22
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word of the kingdom, but the care of daily living and the lure of wealth choke the word and it yields nothing.
Likewise, those cell phone users who actually read the text message from our party hostess, who had RSVP'd, got a babysitter and had every intention of going, became distracted by their children's hockey practices and piano lessons and the leak in the roof from all the rain as well as an invitation to another party from a prestigious and well-known colleague of the wife.
The initial party invitation was deemed not as important as the children's activities, the leaky roof and particularly the invitation to the more prestigious party.
The invitation to the first party was ignored.
Most of us have good intentions. We understand God's invitation to join in the life-giving work of the kingdom and we want to be a part of God's life in that kingdom. But we are sometimes inundated with responsibilities for children, for church, the everyday things. And there are opportunities that aren't necessarily bad but that distract us. They tug at our weaknesses and literally entice us away from our best intentions.
Mt. 13.23
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.
The first Mennonites moved to Canada in 1786. The message of the kingdom of heaven took root in good soil so today there are 236 congregations in MC-Canada. These people bear fruit by sharing Jesus with the people of Cuba.
In 1995 there were 25 believers that were part of the Mennonite church. Today there are 27 congregations and there are plans for planting 32.
Recently in Viet Nam, Mennonite pastors were being arrested, persecuted, and church buildings bulldozed. They called for help from Canadian Mennonites and others who were able to intervene. The pastors have been released, money has been sent to help rebuild places of worship.
An MCC volunteer named Edna Ruth Byler witnessed the poverty of women in Puerto Rico. She began selling the women's embroidered pieces to friends and neighbours in the States and gradually added other items from needy people in other countries. The TTV concept took root, and continues to grow and bear much fruit. Just from the store here in Petitcodiac, last year 130 families were helped to have a more stable income with which to provide for their needs and be a help to those in various communities.
Our hard hearts or the hardness of others may be softened by the work of the Holy Spirit, an act of genuine love, a word of kindness.
Our shallow responses or the shallow responses of others may be helped by the Holy Spirit or the knowledge and example of the great cloud of witnesses who have persevered through all kinds of difficulties.
The challenge we encounter from many cares of the world, the lure of wealth, may be helped by times of quiet in God's presence to hear again God's call to be a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation belonging to God-not the kingdom of this world. We may be helped by constant contact with brothers and sisters in Columbia, or other countries of the world who find contentment with food, shelter, clothes, and peace.
The message and reality of the rule of God continues to increase that rule, even amidst hard hearts, violence, wealth, busy lives, distractions and various activities of the evil one. May the rule of God find growth in our lives and community. As we anticipate times together to discern God's mission and vision for PMC, may Jesus teachings of the Kingdom of Heaven encourage and instruct us.
Petitcodiac Mennonite Church