Listen.
Jesus
is about to tell a parable.
Jesus
is about to tell a riddle.
You'll
need to listen
You'll
need to listen because it's not often that he explains.
It's
not often that he defines.
It's
not often that he makes it simple, so:
Listen!
A sower
went out to sow. That is what sowers do.
They sow.
And as
he sowed with wild abandon
(Tossing
seeds left and right, right and left):
Some
seeds fell on the edge of the path, where the people would walk.
Years
of heavy feet and heavier carts had crushed the earth
Hardened
the earth, leaving it impenetrable.
The
seeds that fell on the path could not embed themselves in the soil
Could
not pull the earth up over their heads
And so,
were carried off by hungry birds.
Other
seeds fell on patches of rock – the sower was, after all, sowing with abandon
And
these rocks were everywhere.
Oh, the
farmer, I suppose, could have spent days and days and days and days
Removing
the rocks from his field,
But he
could never be sure he'd gotten them all,
(and
there would be more again next year)
But he would have lost those precious days
at the start of the season for sowing.
So he
tossed the seed with wild abandon and some fell on rocky soil.
These
seeds falling on rocky soil found some little earth and sprang up quickly
(Early
signs point to an abundant harvest the forecasters declared).
But
when the scorching summer sun came out, these shallow rooted plants
withered. They withered in the
heat. Whether you like it or not the
weather did them in.
Other
seeds fell among thorns. Sharp jagged
piercing pointed bloody toothy thorns.
The
precious wheat grew up but before it could mature it was choked
Strangled
and throttled by the thorns.
Asphyxiated
by its cruel neighbors.
So much
seed thrown away.
So much
seed tossed with wild abandon, like caution thrown to the wind.
So much
wasted
But
this was typical Mediterranean farming.
The
sower sowed with heedless abandon,
Knowing
that the relatively inexpensive seed would (by the grace and goodness of God)
grow up
to produce a crop.
The
sower sowed his seed throwing left and throwing right.
Some
fell on the path, some fell on the rocks, some fell in the thorns.
But
some seed (and this is the good stuff, so Listen) some seed
Fell on
good soil. Rich soil. Noble souled soil.
And
where a typical Mediterranean farmer
Might
expect (in a good year without drought or flood) to reap a five to ten fold
harvest,
This
sower (who threw caution and seed to the wind) reaped
Thirty
Sixty
One
Hundred fold – an exaggeration, to be sure, hyperbole to make sure we're
listening!
The
unexpected punch-line to catch us in an exuberant a-ha!
Listen. Anyone who has ears should listen.
Later
the disciples came to Jesus and asked him,
"Why
do you speak to them like that;
Parables
and riddles and all? Why not speak clearly?"
Jesus
told them "It's been given to you to understand.
You've
accepted the word that you've heard.
But
them?
They're
just like the prophet Isaiah said.
"They
could listen, and listen,
And by
listening they could understand,
And by
understanding they could be changed.
"They
could look and look,
And by
looking they could see,
And by
seeing they could be healed by me.
"But
their hearts have grown hard and calloused.
Stony
hearted Pharaohs of their own fates!
"But
blessed are your eyes because they see.
And
blessed are your ears because they hear.
The
saint and patriarchs and prophets of old dreamed of seeing what you see
And
hearing what you hear;
And
they went to their graves without it.
"So
pay attention to the parable of the sower.
Listen
because I'm only going to say this once.
Listen
because I don't often explain these parables;
Because
I don't often answer these riddles.
"When
anyone hears the words of the Kingdom without bothering to understand;
Without
bothering to try, without wrestling through the night like Jacob with the
words,
When
anyone hears the words of the Kingdom without understanding
The
Evil One comes and carries off what was sown in his heart.
(These
are, if you haven't figured it out, the seeds sown on the path.)
"The
seed thrown into rocky ground is someone who hears and
Thinking
she has got it all,
Thinking
that he has received enlightenment from that little seed
Welcomes
it with great joy and celebration – praise Gawd!
"But,
let me tell you, this person has no root, and does not last.
Trials
will come or some persecution on account of the Word
And he
falls. She falls. They all fall down.
"The
seeds thrown among the thorns are received by those who hear it
And
accept it, but their acceptance, their faith is choked by worry.
The
worry of the world and the lure of riches (and aren't those really the same
thing?)
Chokes
the life out of them.
"But
the seeds falling on good soil (and this is the good part, so pay attention)
The
good soil - Rich soil - Noble souled soil;
Produced
a bountiful harvest – thirty times, sixty times, one-hundred times larger than
what was sown."
Do you
get it? Do you understand?
Did you
listen? And did you hear?
The
mysteries of the kingdom – secret until now – have been given to us;
Thrown
with wild abandon by the heedless sower of seeds.
The
secrets have been revealed, the mysteries have been unveiled.
The
curtain has been pulled away, torn in two from the top to the bottom.
The
words of the Kingdom have fallen in your hearts,
Your
good soil,
Your
rich soil,
Your
noble souled soil and you have received the seeds.
Listen
and listen so that you can understand.
Look
and look so that you can perceive the truth.
And be
changed, and be healed, so that you can grow up in the Unshakeable Kingdom
Producing
a crop, yielding a bountiful harvest through your perseverance.
