Sermon - Sexagesima 2021 - Luke 8:4-15

Last week the groundhog apparently emerged from his home to see his shadow, thus declaring that we will have another six weeks of winter. Based upon the fact that we live in northern Iowa, that furry critter is undoubtedly correct. Even so, Jesus’ parable today brings to our minds not snow and cold, but the Spring time planting season. It’s true, this coming weekend I plan on getting my onion seeds started inside under lights! Many a farmer has long been preparing for planting this Spring, starting already with ripping up the field this past Fall. 

When a farmer prepares for planting, it’s good to think about the task not as caring for the plants, but as caring for the soil. In general, if you buy quality seed from a reputable salesman, the seeds will all germinate so long as the soil conditions are right. But if the soil is unhealthy, then the plants are unhealthy.

If your soil is hard and packed down, the seeds will just sit on the surface and get eaten by animals. If your soil is filled with rocks and sand, the seeds may germinate, but the baby plants will quickly dry up and die when it doesn’t immediately rain. If your soil is filled with weeds, your plants may grow fine for a while, but in time will be crowded out by the weeds and not produce a good yield.

Jesus uses this analogy as a parable, to teach us about the dangers awaiting us in this life. “A sower went out to sow his seed.” That seed is God’s Word. God’s Word is always good. It has a 100% germination rate; it’s perfect seed. Thus, the reason so many do not believe and fall away from the faith after hearing the Word of God, is not because God’s Word is ineffective, but because the soil of our hearts are afflicted with many issues.

We should not think that we are all perfect soil all the time, rather, the three afflictions Jesus mentions today affect all people but perhaps at different times of life. So when we hear this parable we should not immediately boast of ourselves, but instead be all the more on guard against these soil issues which plague our hearts.

The first issue is that of the hardpan soil. “And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.” Right off the bat, the first problem is that we don’t receive God’s Word into our hearts. Too often God’s Word is spoken, and we don’t receive it because we don’t listen to it and we don’t believe it. It’s like when my wife talks to me while I’m reading: the words bounce right off my ears, I didn’t listen, and she has to repeat herself. 

“The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” Jesus gives the instruction: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” God the Father says of Jesus: “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” What’s required of us is that we don’t just hear the sounds of words, but that we listen to them and believe the words.

God’s Word must take firm root in the soil of our hearts! So to prepare us to receive His word, God plows our hard hearts. He sends us difficulties and trials in order to loosen our hearts so that we might believe what He says. This means for us very practically that when God’s word is being spoken, we need to engage in listening. When you read the Bible, do devotions, or listen to the sermon, you need to be active. You need to be asking questions and making applications to yourself. “What does this mean? How does this impact my life?” No one else can do this for you. Only you can listen to Jesus’ voice and believe His Word. 

The second issue for us to consider is that of the rocky soil. “And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.” The second problem we face is that our faith has no depth. It’s shallow and not prepared for any trials. “And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.”

Many Christians believe in God and in His Word. But it’s a shallow faith, it knows only the most basic and rudimentary aspects of the faith. Much of the time this kind of faith is enough. It’s like a baby eating milk, it’s simple and good for the baby. But when the baby grows up, it needs to start eating real food, it needs the steak and potatoes. Because a shallow faith doesn’t sustain in time of testing.

A shallow faith can’t answer life’s difficult questions: What happens when my baby dies? My house burns down? A global pandemic hits? Orthodox Christianity is made illegal? When life becomes challenging, and God’s Word is only lightly rooted, we end up falling away in a time of testing.

Jesus instructs us here to drink deeply from the wells of salvation! It’s good for a child or a new christian to have a simple faith, to be drinking the milk, but if you’re not a child or a new christian, it’s time to dig deeper! Maybe you didn’t previously read your Bible every day, but now it’s time to make that a habit! You come to church every week, now start coming to Bible Study every week. You’ve memorized the small catechism, well now study the Large Catechism! There are a plethora of quality easy to read books our publishing house puts out every year. Maybe it’s time to buy a Book of Concord and read that at home. The thing about the Christian faith is that there is always more room for growth, you can always dig deeper. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re not smart enough, because you are smart enough to do this! Don’t trick yourself into a shallow faith.

The third issue has to do with weedy soil. “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.” The third problem we face is that our faith loses its strength once we become too comfortable in this world. “As for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”

Pleasures and entertainments in this life are very enticing.  Even if you start out with solid instruction in the Word of God, and you grow deeply in your faith through a rich study of scripture, wealth is remarkably distracting and can choke out a deep faith in anyone. Jesus makes it clear elsewhere that you cannot serve two masters, you cannot love both God and mammon, it’s one or the other. Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve! 

If you desire to make this world your paradise, if this is the place where you will build your kingdom, then you will be buried beneath the rubble when your kingdom and paradise come crashing down around you on the last day. Therefore put not your heart in the things of this life, trust not in princes and riches and scientists to fulfill you, but look to Jesus Christ alone! 

Jesus is your treasure! Jesus takes your cares and carries them to the cross! Jesus is your pleasure, in Him your heart rejoices! Upon His head He carried the thorny crown and choked on your worldly pleasures so that the weeds of this life wouldn’t choke out your faith. He sends His Word like rain upon your heart so that by His power you might overcome the weeds in this life, and not be overtaken by the cares, riches, and pleasures which surround you. 

Therefore my friends, take heed unto the Word of God, and examine your hearts. See the afflictions that dwell within you, and learn to be the good soil. Let not your hearts be hardened to the Word, but permit God to plow your soul and let His Word take root in you. Don’t let your faith be shallow and whither in time of testing, but permit God’s Word to deeply root in your heart over time. Let not the entertaining thorns choke out your faith, but let Christ be your treasure. And then, be the good soil, be “those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit [a hundredfold] with patience.”