Sexagesima, 2024
Rev. Thomas Van Hemert
St. Luke 8:4-15
Sexagesima
February 4, 2024
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Martin Franzmann wrote, “Preach You the Word,” the wonderful hymn that we just sang. He had an aptitude for hymn writing that is for the most part unmatched in our day. He uses such colorful wording and turn of phrase in his hymnody in a way that brings out the teachings of the Bible so that even children may understand. And we are blessed to receive from him many wonderful hymns that teach the faith through song.
So too does our Lord Jesus teach with words and stories—what we call “parables”—in such a way that keep secret the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven for those who do not have faith, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. But to those who hear God’s word and understand in their hearts, to them it is has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
The seed in the parable is the word of God—Jesus says so. The seed, that is the word, is the same word that is included in and with water, which then becomes a life-giving water in Holy Baptism. It is the same word that is spoken over earthly elements of bread and wine, which then make the bread and wine the very body and blood of Jesus. God’s word produces and sustains faith. It is for all people. And as Isaiah says, it will not return to him empty.
The parable of the sower is also a warning. Just because God would have his word go out to all the world does not mean that everyone receives it with a noble and good heart, or that they keep it and bear fruit with patience. Not everyone will come to faith in Jesus. Even some who hear God’s word proclaimed and initially sown in their hearts will fall away and reject him. This is a sad reality. Some will turn away in disbelief. Others, after a time of testing or persecution will fall away from the faith that was sown in them. For those who do not believe and have the word of God sown in them, the word of God judges them. It will not return to God empty. Either it will create and give faith or quite the opposite—it will testify against them.
As a congregation, we have seen this first hand. Unfortunately, this is the sad reality of the Rite of Confirmation. This is the ugly side of Confirmation. Many visitors who have sat in these pews have heard God’s word preached. The first group that Jesus mentions are those who are along the wayside. But the seed was trampled down and the birds of the air devoured it. Jesus says this is the devil, who snatches away the word that had begun to be sown among them and they are no longer here. And this is really sad, in a way, because it’s easy to keep birds away. If you are guarding a flock of chickens from hawks, all you have to do is stand near the chickens and wave your arms and the hawks won’t come near. The act itself, that is, protecting yourself with God’s Word against the devil is not hard, it’s easy. What is difficult about it is being persistent, always being on the lookout, never letting your guard down, keeping at it, constantly being on guard against sin.
Others who have sat in these pews have received God’s word with gladness and have even received Baptism and the Lord’s Supper but after a time of testing or persecution have fallen away. This is the world acting upon them and attacking them, simply because of the fact that they are believers. The devil and the sinful world don’t persecute nonbelievers because they already have no faith, they have no foundation. They already belong to the world. So after a time of temptation, some will and do fall away.
Still others who initially receive the word, who have sat in these pews are the ones who are among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up with them and choke out their faith. They have had their faith choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life and they no longer come to receive the word. They give in, not necessarily to persecution, but to the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. They are the ones who say, and probably in a very meaningful way, “Well Sunday is the only day I have to sleep in.” Well guess what? If you can get up every Monday morning, without fail, and go to work, no matter how tired you are, but you have trouble coming to church, you’re an idolator. You have said that this is what’s more important to me: sleep, leisure, work, money, hanging out with my friends, and playing sports. Forget coming to Church and receiving the forgiveness of sins, the Sacrament of the Altar, living out the life of the baptized. Just let me have my stuff. Let me do what I think is really fun. They are choked out by the cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
What this parable shows us is two things: first, this seed is the word of God. It is passively received. We don’t go out and demand to be given God’s word. It simply comes down to us, as the rain and snow come down from heaven, so also does God shower us with His word, with His grace. We don’t “make a decision for Jesus,” rather, He has decided that He wants us. So He throws the seed everywhere, indiscriminately. He does not care. He wouldn’t make a good farmer. Farmers actually plan. They know what’s good soil and they know what’s bad soil. They know which pieces of land will give them the best chance at a good yield for their labor and which pieces of land they shouldn’t plan seed upon. But Jesus, as the Sower, doesn’t care that 3/4ths of His seed will be wasted. Because if He can at least have you, if you will hold fast and hear the word with a noble and good heart, it’s worth it to Him.
The second thing we learn from this parable is not only that there are necessarily four different types of people who receive the word or that there are four types of hearers, though this is true. But we must learn to see ourselves having been in each of these situations. Sometimes we do give in to sin. Sometimes, we sin willingly, against our consciences and that’s a dangerous thing. Because this is what the devil wants. He wants you to sin against your conscience, even though you know what you’re doing is wrong because this is dangerous to faith and can drive the Holy Spirit from you so that the birds devour you and the devil comes and takes away the word from out of your heart, lest you should believe and be saved.
We have given into persecutions from this world, whether that’s at work, at school, amongst friends, wherever it may be. We, like all the disciples on Good Friday, have forsaken our Lord, because we like our reputations, our jobs, our status, our lives, more than Jesus.
We have become idle and lazy and have, at times, been choked out by what we think is more important in this life than coming to church and receiving God’s word.
And yet, at the same time, we are the ones who are here, hearing God’s word. Receiving it. We can take comfort in this. We shouldn’t be prideful and puff ourselves up and say, “Well look, at least I’m here. Look at how good of a person I am.” But we can take comfort in the fact that we are actually here. Being here on Sunday morning is a good work. Because we are receiving God’s word and we know that the word will not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He pleases, and it shall prosper for the thing for which He sent it.
You who have ears, keep on hearing about the love of Jesus Christ. He is not scant or meager with his love. He is reckless. He sows it without giving a thought or care about the cost. He is so reckless that he laid down his life and shed his blood, given and shed for you. To you he has revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God—mysteries that are hidden in plain sight—mysteries that are hidden in preaching and under water, bread, and wine. These mysteries of the kingdom of God water, grow, and strengthen faith a hundredfold.
May God’s word continue to be sown in our hearts and that we would continue to receive it with joy and thanksgiving.
In +Jesus name.
