Pentecost 7 Proper 10
9, 12 July 2026
St. John Flatrock
Matthew 13:23
Good Seed Planted in Good Soil Produces Good Fruit
But he that received seed into good ground is he that hears the word and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth some hundred-fold, some sixty and some thirty. (V.23)
Collect for
the Word - Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to
be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn,
and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your Holy Word, we
may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through
Jesus Christ, Your son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
This parable has been known for centuries as the
parable of the Sower. It is not about our own successes and failures or about
birds and rocks and thorns but about the extravagance of a Sower.
He does not seem to be fazed by such concerns. Rather,
he flings seed everywhere.
He just keeps on showing. Confident that there is
enough seed to go around. That there is plenty. And that when the harvest comes
at last it will fill every barn in the neighborhood to the rafters.
Since this is really the parable of the Sower and not
the parable of the different kinds of ground, the focus is not on us and our
shortfalls but on the generosity of our Merciful Master, the prolific Sower.
He does not obsess about the condition of the fields. Who
is not stingy with the seed. But who casts it everywhere. On good soil and bad.
Who is not cautious or judgmental or even very practical.
He seems willing to keep reaching into his seed bag
for all eternity. Covering the whole creation with the fertile seed of his
truth.
The point that the Savior is driving at is this – Just
as good seed produces good fruit, so we find the promise that the Gospel will
succeed wherever the Father wills.
I.
By faith you hear
the Word – “He hears the Word.”
II.
By faith you
understand the Word – “and understands it.”
III.
By faith you live the Word – “which
also bears fruit.”
I. A receptive heart – hears the Word.
A. This
explains what sort of Sower He is. He sows His seed wherever and however He
can.
He sows His seed along the path. On rocky ground. Among thorns. And, of course, on good soil.
You would not want someone drilling beans in such
fashion. But that’s the point. The Father is reckless. When it comes to His Word,
He wants it spread that all might hear and understand.
1 He uses His Word to create and sustain faith. Again, He’s reckless. Nothing will stop Him; for you to receive His Word with much joy.
2 You listen to this Word. For it is the word of life. When asked if His disciples too, would abandon Him, Peter responds to the Savior, “Lord, to whom shall we go, You have the words of eternal life.” [John 6:68]
B. This is why He sows.
1 That you may hear it. The word, which is preached, taught, read and shared, has a timeless message. It is the message of the cross. It is the message of a changeless Christ for a changing world.
2 That we may come to understand His message of salvation. It’s such a simple message, yet one, which has impacted our lives.
3 That we are sinners. And the message is so clear. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
4
Yet, we are
sinners saved by grace. Paul continues; “and
are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus,” Romans 3:24
Transition: The Sower sows the Word into good earth. His desire
is for us to know and understand Him deeply.
Receptive
hearts - understand the Word.
A. This is how He uses the good seed.
1. You know Him – You have a connection with Him. Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.” [John 20]
2. By faith
you understand His message – “I am the
way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.”
[John 14:6]
a. It is a message of the cross – “I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” [1 Corinthians 2:2]
b. It is given to you in your baptism. The blessings that belong to baptism are three - forgiveness, life, salvation.
c. The Bible teaches that a person is saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
d. The Bible tells us that such “faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17). Jesus Himself commands Baptism and tells us that Baptism is water used together with the Word of God. – Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”-Matthew 28:19-20
e. Baptism is one of the miraculous means of grace[1],
through which God creates and strengthens the gift of faith in a person’s heart - Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38.
B. Having heard His Word we respond.
1
With thankful
hearts.
2
With acts of love
and service.
3. As witnesses of His mercy and grace.
Transition: We also live our lives in this world.
III. Receptive hearts – live the Word.
A. This is how we can expect good seed to be
productive – to bear fruit.
1. Sharing His story with others – we all know
the Gospel hymn, “I love to tell the
story” – question – do we even tell the story?
Or are we embarrassed or fearful to share the message
of Christ with family, neighbors, co-workers? The world was literally turned
upside down by twelve men who had a simple yet powerful message – we have seen
Jesus crucified on a cross for the sins of the world and now made alive from
the dead with a promise of life in His name.
That message has not changed in over 2,000 years.
People still need to hear that message – and the only person to tell that
message is you!
2. Serving Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence
and blessedness.
The second way in which the world was literally turned
upside down was by the changed lives of these 12 men. You might be the only Bible another person
will ever read!
Our churches and schools will grow only by people being drawn to the Savior – yet He chooses to always work through means – Your efforts small they may be, will not be in vain.
B. As He has sown good seed – so we should also
demonstrate with our lives His works.
1. By means of vocation. Mike Davis, the former
basketball coach at IU - at the beginning of a post – game interview would
begin with the words:
“I’d like to give God the credit for giving me this opportunity…” Sadly he would only say that when his team would win!
2. J. S. Bach, the great composer, would sign every work with three Latin words. “Soli Deo Gloria,” which translates, “To God Alone Be the Glory.”
3. This leads us to ask the question; do we give God the credit only when we are successful? In everything we do – to God be the glory – may He alone get the credit.
4. By means of serving others – our neighbor – with the talents, abilities, and gifts the Lord has given to each of you.
How true it is. Good Seed, shown in good
soil, produces good fruit as it is connected to the Word. May we – with
receptive hearts – be a people who hears the Word, understands the Word, and
then with thankful hearts live the Word in our daily lives.
_________________
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