The Fourth Sunday of Easter (CL)

Matthew 13:1-23

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

                  “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand,

      and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

            15       For this people’s heart has grown dull,

      and with their ears they can barely hear,

      and their eyes they have closed,

                  lest they should see with their eyes

      and hear with their ears

                  and understand with their heart

      and turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Mt 13:1–23). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Many people have asked me over the years what kind of soil am I.  Are you good soil or are you bad soil?  The problem is can soil change over time.  Many of have thorns and thistles that grow up in our lives.  Some of us have scorching heat that comes upon us at different times in life.  But the problem is we never know what might be coming around the corner.

But for each of you who have already heard and received the Gospel news.  Jesus Christ has called you to scatter seed.  Place yourself in seat of the sower not the soil.  How do you spread the message of Jesus Christ.  Do you wait until you find good soil?  Do scatter along the path, expecting it to be eaten by birds?  Or do you keep the seed for yourself and expect it to grow in the bag?

Most of the Christians that I know generally try and wait for the good soil to come along.  Or they take parts of the path and try to change the soil into better soil.  I may be getting to the edges of the parable.  But Jesus Christ has given us a message that is not just for good soil.  This message is for all people.

The Disciples were supposed to start with the lost sheep of Israel and spread that message to the ends of the world.  God's people have been given a great gift of good news for all mankind.  Jesus Christ has died for the forgiveness of all your sins.  He has made you his witnesses to the world.  He has opened your mind to the Gospel.  Don't worry about where you scatter the seed, scatter the word of God like this sower every where and any where you possibly can.