This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached on July 16, 2023. The gospel reading was Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23. Click here to watch a video of the sermon.

Listen.

Listen. I have a message for you. Yes, for you.

You know, every now and then someone will tell me, “Pastor, it’s like today’s sermon was written just for me.” Now usually I didn’t write the sermon for that one person, but I’m always so glad to hear when the Holy Spirit connects with somebody like that. But today? Today’s message is for you. Yes, you. The one who’s wondering right now, “Does he mean me?” Yes, I do. This message is for you.

So Listen. A sower went out to sow. Now this is not “sew” with a needle and thread. But S-O-W. Spreading seeds on the ground. I’ll be honest, sowing seeds is not my specialty. But then again, this sower in the story, I’m not sure it was his specialty either. Because he wasn’t very careful with where he threw those seeds.

He must have sown an awful lot of seeds, and they got everywhere. They got stuck in the soles of your shoes. They got caught in your hair. In the wheels of any passing carts. Seeds upon seeds upon seeds. He threw those seeds like they were rice or rose petals at a wedding, like they were confetti at the Rose Bowl, like they were ticker tape in New York City when astronaut John Glenn returned from orbit in 1962.

Listen. Some of those seeds fell on the footpath, and, oh, the birds had a feast. Starlings and chickadees and crows and warblers. They were full for days. And now listen close. Here’s the secret. When anyone hears the Word of God and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches it away. That’s what the seed on the footpath is all about. So listen.

Some of the seeds fell on rocky ground. You know, like here in Johnsonville. Around here, we know rocky ground. Last year, I ordered a metal swingset kit for my kids. When it arrived, I was able to put all the pieces together and get it set up. No problem. Then I tried to anchor it in the ground. Problem. Big problem. None of the things suggested in the instruction manual came close to working in this rocky ground. Thankfully, Scott Schipps came to the rescue, sharing generously of his time and his rebar to make it work.

So anyway, some of the seeds fell in rocky ground, and those seeds started to grow right away! But those rocks, those Johnsonville rocks – the roots couldn’t find anywhere to go, so when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered and died.

Now listen. As for what was sown in rocky ground, this is the one who hears the Word of God and immediately receives it with joy, with a big party. So excited! But there’s no root there, and when that person finds out sooner or later that the Word of God doesn’t protect them from suffering – well, that person falls away just as fast.

Some of those seeds fell among thorn bushes. And they started to grow just fine. But as they grew into plants, there was no room for them there. The thorn bushes pushed them and squeezed them and took all the good nutrients from the soil. And those plants died.

Now listen. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the Word of God, but other things in their life push and squeeze and take time and energy from the Word. Not just one thing, it’s a lot of things. Things like money. And work. And worries. And politics. And television. And smart phones. All kinds of things that distract from the Word of God, and it yields nothing.

But some of those seeds, some of them fell on good soil. Rich, loamy soil. Soil with nutrients and nitrogen and worms and whatever else soil needs. I don’t know anything about soil. But I know what happened to those seeds. They grew. They grew and they grew. First the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. And they bore fruit. Thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.

Now listen. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the Word of God, who listens, who ponders it, who takes it in. and who responds. And with joy, and with hope, and with love, spreads that word to others. To thirty others, sixty others, a hundred others.

Let anyone with ears to hear listen.

And I mean you. Yes, you. I’m talking to you. Listen. Because this whole story is about listening. Paying attention. Hearing.

Hearing the Word of God. The Word of God that is meant for you. I have a word from God for you. For you specifically. Not for the people next to you. Not for your parents, or your kids, or your neighbors. Not for the people watching this video online, or listening on the phone. (Replace this with, “Not for the people who heard this sermon in person on Sunday.”) But for you.

Listen.

Have you heard?

Have you heard the good news?

Have you heard that God loves you?

Have you heard that Jesus died for you? And that Jesus was raised from the dead to give you new life?

Have you heard the Holy Spirit whispering in your ear today? I know what the Holy Spirit is whispering to you. Well, I don’t know exactly, but I know the gist. The gist is, “I love you.”

The gist is, “I am here, within you and around you. I am your life and your passion and your hope. And I have a plan for you.”

And you might say, “Nah. The Holy Spirit isn’t talking to me. The pastor isn’t talking to me. This is just another sermon gimmick.”

Sure it’s a sermon gimmick. But just because it’s a gimmick doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

The Holy Spirit is saying to you, “I am here. With you. And I have a plan. For you. Let’s go.”

You see, I know you. I know that you have been the footpath. You know, the folks who didn’t listen to the Word, and it just got snatched away by those birds. You’ve been that. So have I.

And I know that you have been the rocky ground. I know that you have been burned before, that you have been hurt, and that you have turned away from God. You’ve done that. So have I.

And I know that you have been among the thorns. I know that distractions have kept you from following Christ. I know you’ve been there. So have I.

You have been all these things, but even when you were, that sower just kept sowing those seeds. So many seeds. At every moment in your life.

And I know that you have also been good soil. And I know that right now, right at this very moment, you are good soil. Right now, right at this very moment, you are ready to hear. Not everybody is, and that’s okay. But you are. And the seed is ready to grow.

This week, you will be good soil for that seed. At least some of the time you will. Listen this week. Keep listening this week. Keep listening, and you will hear God’s word to you. Yes, you. You’ll hear it. And you’ll share that word with others, in ways that might surprise you. You will bear fruit, thirtyfold, sixtyfold, even a hundredfold.

This week, just keep listening.

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