July 14, 2002
The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Lessons: Isaiah 55:10-13; Romans 8:1-11; St. Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
This past week, my daughter, Rebekah agreed to come in mornings and answer the phone and help me out in the church office while Tami, our office administrator was on vacation. After finishing the work she could do, and getting a little bored waiting for the phone to ring, I asked Rebekah if she’d be willing to sort out my past sermons (twenty-five or so year’s worth, and begin and set up a new filing system. The wonderful, willing daughter that she is—usually—she said yes, and set about it with an organizational eye that I’d never really seen before. It was a great joy to have my daughter, just turning eighteen, in the church office for a while, and me getting my sermons re-organized in the process! I thought, of course, that she was simply looking at the titles, making sure all the pages were there, creating a file, and then filing them. Until Wednesday morning, she asked if she could make a copy of a sermon that she wanted to keep. What I really wanted to answer was, “you know, sooner or later, you and Christopher are going to get ALL my old sermons”, but that didn’t seem, timely, so instead, I said, “Of course—and by the way, which sermon is it?” She answered, “The sermon you preached on the day I was baptized!”
I guess that’s one of the blessings of being a pastor. Preaching the sermon at your child’s baptism, and then having that child find it in your files, the week of her eighteenth birthday. In the beauty of God’s timing, it just so happens that the Sunday of Rebekah’s baptism, eighteen years ago, was the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, and the lessons were the very lessons we’re hearing today. So, as you might imagine, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I preached then, as I’ve consider what to preach now. And what I’ve concluded is, I wouldn’t say anything different. The message that needs to be preached, and heard today, is the same as that needed in 1984…and why wouldn’t it be, given that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever? And what did I say in that sermon, eighteen years ago, today?
Well, of course, I conveyed how very special was that day for us, as we gave up our claim to the life of our newborn daughter, Rebekah Elizabeth, giving her over to the complete care, feeding and nurturing of almighty God, in baptism. But I also conveyed how her baptism, was just the beginning—of her human life, but also of her life in God. I tried to communicate that on that day, we would, begin, not just as parents and pastor, but as a community of faith, a life-long process of sowing seed, to use the parable Jesus taught; to begin the planting of God’s Word, in the life of this little infant. Because the truth of the matter is, baptism is just the beginning. Baptism is the beginning of God’s work of working, through us, through you, and me, and other pastors and Sunday School teachers, and First Communion instructors, and other adults in our congregations, to sow the seed of God’s Word, in the lives of our children and youth. And it’s a beginning, because we ought never stop sowing the seed of God’s Word, in them, or for that matter, in each other. I said, in Rebekah’s baptismal sermon, that as we baptize a baby, there is always, always an inherent risk. There is the risk that as the child grows, the soil of their lives will change, sometimes being more fertile, sometimes becoming more dry and barren. So that sometimes, the Word of God which we keep trying to plant in them, will fall on deaf ears, and wither and have no effect. While at other times, the Word of God will take root, and grow deeply in them, and blossom and flourish in them, creating good fruit, that brings glory to their Father in heaven. And that’s why we can never give up on scattering the seed, or trying to speak God’s Word, to our children, and young people, and family members and neighbors, no matter how unreceptive they might seem. We have to keep on sowing the seed, even when it seems fruitless, for two reasons.
First, because God assures us that he will accomplish what he promises, and second, because it’s not our concern, how receptive others might be to the Word—our concern is to keep on planting the seed.
In our first lessons, the prophet reminds the Israelites that though their cherished land had been overrun by heathen empires; though their divinely-ordained monarchy had been overthrown by pagans, He would keep His covenants with them. While their country was still occupied by others; while their people were still in exile, God spoke, through Isaiah, to remind them yet again: that God was still God—creating and re-creating for his purposes…giving growth and new life to Israel. To them and to us, the Lord God says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so is my word, that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” We keep on sowing the seed of God’s Word, not because we trust ourselves and our abilities as planters, but because we trust God and His Word—because we trust that God’s Word will bring about His purposes, ultimately, no matter how bitter, spiteful, unreceptive the people might seem, with whom we are sharing God’s Word. Our task, as Christians, is to know God’s Word, and to share His Word in every opportunity He gives us—without questioning whether the person is open or ready or willing. We sow the seed of God’s Word, casting it on the rocky ground, and on the path, and among the thorns, as well as on the good soil, trusting that because it is God’s Word, it will not return to God empty. The effect that the seed has, the growth that will, or will not occur, is God’s concern. Ours is simply to keep on sowing…sowing the Word of God, sharing a verse from Scripture, telling someone about the love of God, inviting someone into relationship with Jesus; teaching a Sunday School class, helping with Vacation Bible School, being a Confirmation mentor, teaching your own children the great stories of the Bible, trusting that God will accomplish the growth; trusting that God will bring about results, in His time, at His discretion, for His purpose.
The parable of the sower sowing seed shows us how the sower kept on sowing, without regard for where the seed fell, not worrying about the kind of soil, or the dangers that surrounded the seed, or the obstacles to growth that were present. Jesus says that the sower just kept sowing, sowing liberally, all over the place, leaving the growth and nourishment, to God. And isn’t there a blessed freedom in the fact that we are sowers. Freedom from worry about what’s happening to the seed. Freedom from fear about the future of our children and teenagers. Freedom from feelings of guilt and shame, when our children don’t appear receptive. Freedom from bearing the full responsibility from members who distance themselves from Christ and His church. Freedom from concern about how an acquaintance, or family member will react to our sharing God’s Word with them. Jesus intends to free us from such anxiety and concern; He intends to free us for, sowing the seed of the Word of God, whenever and wherever we can; trusting that the God who prunes and cuts down, also gives growth and fruit, and will bring about His divine will and plan, remaining faithful to His promises. So that you and I, can just keep on sowing! Keep on sowing the seed of God’s Word, in the lives of the little ones, newly baptized in our midst. Keep on sowing the seed of God’s Word, in the lives of our children and teenagers. Keep on sowing the seed of God’s Word, in our congregation, and in our families, and in the places where we live, and move, and serve. Because God and His Word are trustworthy—we, can just keep on sowing. Amen.