February 7, 2010
SOLI DEO GLORIA
Sexagesima
Good Shepherd, Novi
LUKE 8:4-15
GOD GRACIOUSLY SOWS SALVATION AMONG US.
In the name + of Jesus.
We are bombarded by words. From slogans and sales pitches to texts and tweets;
from political rhetoric to polite conversation – it never stops. There are so many words
that they almost all are just noise. The word of the Lord, however, is different from every
other word you hear. The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) The word
of the Lord is not just another opinion. The word of the Lord is living and active. That is
because God chooses to do his work through his word. St. Paul reminds us, “Faith
comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17); and that is why the word is preached – so that God
may work, so that you may hear, and so that you may be saved.
And since God wants all men to be saved, God is not stingy with the word that is
preached. He does not care where it goes. He is only interested that it goes, that it is
preached, and that it is heard.
Therefore, the farmer went out to sow his seed and scattered it everywhere. We would
call the farmer careless. The seed he has is precious. This is what is going to produce his
crop. Why waste it by letting it drop on a hardened path? Why threaten productivity by
tossing the seed into bad soil? Jesus tells us why: “The seed is the word of God.”
(Luke 8:11) And “faith comes by hearing.” (Romans 10:17) And “Without faith it is
impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) Therefore, the only chance we have to be
saved is if God brings his word to us. The prophet Isaiah assures us that the word of God
will always produce a result – whether that is salvation or stubborn rejection. God’s
word is never a waste when it is preached. While we might think the farmer is reckless
with his seed, in fact the farmer is thorough. The farmer is not in charge of making the
seed grow. He only sows. God produces the harvest.
God graciously sows salvation among us. But we ought to take note that three out of
four times the results were not good. We are not to commend ourselves because we are
the good crop. That is not the lesson. Jesus does not tell parables so that you can reward
yourself for being better than others. In fact, this parable offers warnings as much as it
extends a promise.
God graciously sows salvation, but God’s word is not always well-received, even by
God’s people. As [the farmer] was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it
was trampled on, and the birds of the air at it up. (Luke 8:5) This is what happens
when the word is rejected. Satan comes and snatches away the good seed. It happens
when you hear God confront you for your sins. When that word is applied to others, you
agree with God’s word. But when that same word condemns you, you find all kinds of
reasons why your case is different from everyone else’s. You have no need to repent
because God doesn’t mean you. This is nothing but stubborn, hard-hearted unbelief.
This is loving yourself and your sins more than what God has to say. Jesus warns you
where the rejection of God’s word leads: “The devil comes and takes away the word
from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:12)
And yet, God continues to graciously sow salvation among us. Those on the rock
are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root.
They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. (Luke 8:13) This
happens when we are content to have a faith that is shallow. It is the kind of faith that
will sustain us as long as we do not face any real evils. But who is immune to evils?
Accidents happen. Tragedy strikes. People will sin against you. If you have been spared
such things, thank God for it. But we have been taught to pray, “Deliver us from evil,”
for good reason. Evils will come. And if your faith remains shallow, Satan will convince
you that God has failed you, that God is a fraud, and that God does not care. A faith that
only sustains us when life is good is a useless faith indeed. But that is why God
graciously sows salvation among us – so that you can become more deeply rooted, so that
you will grow strong, so that you will stand when everything else is falling apart. God
will not fail you. His word is stronger than all of life’s troubles.
God graciously sows salvation among us. The knowledge of the secrets of the
kingdom of God has been given to you. (Luke 8:10) There is nothing more precious or
priceless. And yet, we become distracted by other things. I would rather have my job,
my toys, my computer, my sleep, my family, my time – something for me. When I get that
in order, I will find time for what God has to say. But if you don’t have time for God
now, you will not find time for him later. At Judgment Day, there will be countless
people who will insist before God how they meant to pay attention to him. Do you know
how hollow that will sound? “I know that I lived to be 75. I always meant to come to
church. I always meant to honor the Lord above all.” But if you meant to do it, you
would have done it. If you always meant to do it, you would have always repented of
your sin and put the Lord first.
We have all been guilty of despising preaching and his word. To do so is to despise
heaven; for this is the only way to heaven. To do so is to reject forgiveness; for
forgiveness comes only through Jesus, and Jesus’ forgiveness comes only through the
gospel. Despite our apathy toward God’s word, God does not withdraw his word from
us. He does not become stingy in scattering that seed. He wants all men to be saved, and
so he continues to preach, to point you to Jesus, and to save.
God will continue to crush the hardness of your heart by leading you to repent of your
sin. God will continue to weed out your love for worldly pleasures so that they will not
destroy your faith. God wants you to be deeply rooted in his promises so that you will
not be destroyed by trials, troubles, and temptations.
God graciously sows salvation among us. He keeps you focused on Jesus. It is Jesus
who has created in you a good and noble heart; for he cleanses you of all sin and renews
a right spirit within you. Jesus does not do this because you are better, but because he is
gracious. He does not save good people; Jesus saves sinners. He shed his blood to pay
for sin. Jesus devoted his life to atone for our apathy. He fulfilled God’s promises
through perfect obedience and through his sacrificial death. Jesus has never gotten bored
with you or lost interest in you. Rather, he graciously sows salvation in you so that you
can dwell with him for eternity. He called you into his kingdom by the word which was
preached to you. Jesus keeps you in his kingdom through that same word. For the word
of God is living and active; and by that word Jesus sustains your life in God’s kingdom.
Jesus Christ is the Good Seed. Jesus taught his disciples, “Unless a [seed] falls to the
ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it is dies, it produces many
seeds.” (John 12:24) So Jesus Christ died and rose again in order to produce an
abundance of people who will die and rise again. You are the harvest Jesus has
produced. For, he has planted his word in you which drives out sin and makes you saints.
Jesus has formed in you good and noble hearts which delight in God’s word. Keep on
hearing that word so that Jesus will make you more firmly planted in his kingdom and
deeply rooted in his grace.
God graciously sows salvation among us. That word is preached in as many places as
possible so that God might save as many as possible. He has saved even us, and he will
graciously keep us in his care.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.