Sermons

August 30^th, 2026 - Matthew 13:1-9

Pray

Earlier this year I took my daughter to see a part of the library that contained ancient artifacts she had never seen before. The DVD section. She was overjoyed to find not one but two copies of the esteemed classic, Angry Birds the movie. Without even thinking, like a Spirit possessed me, I opened both DVD cases, popped out the discs and did this. (Make motions holding DVD’s and scanning the backs) Do you know what I was doing? I was checking for scratches. A task not undertaken since the glory days of Block Buster. RIP. I turned to my daughter and she stared at me like I had two heads. She had never handled DVDs before, let alone learn to pick the less scratched one so the disc wouldn’t buffer or skip. This was one of those parenting moments where I was again struck by all that has to be instilled in the next generation. Important things like, how to be kind, how to speak up for oneself, who Jesus is, but also the less significant; what sports teams to cheer for, or how to pick out the least scratched DVD.

In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus offers a parable the kids heard every single day at Vacation Bible School this past week. The Parable of the Sower. Many biblical and traditional interpretations focus on the soil. Are you striving to make sure your heart is good soil? In a classical understanding the seeds are God’s Word or lessons and when we live them out, we are like a seed that has sprouted with great abundance. This morning, I am holding a different focus. How are we teaching, training, or cultivating? How are we raising up new disciples be they 3 or 93? What are the critical lessons we believe God is calling us to sow?

As Lutherans, our focus is always on the grace, the unearned, unending, overflowing love of God. If God is the farmer in the story, then she is reckless and in our modern sensibilities wasteful. These days, farmers use laser guided machines to plant seeds, eliminate weeds, and to find the perfect spot in the soil for abundant growth. In Jesus’s telling of the parable the Sower does not aim only for good soil but is more focused on spreading. This lesson is the best news to share, God gives freely, abundantly, indiscriminately. We do not need to prejudge ourself or others. Am I worthy, am I good soil, are they faithful enough to be here. Instead, we shift the focus to be on God who gives to all. What does it look like for a church to embody this radical or reckless love?

Perhaps church, it looks like this book that showed up in my mail box earlier this week. Once a month we receive not one but two books from the imagination library. A nonprofit started by… Dolly Parton. Her father grew up having never learned to read and so rather than scatter seeds she wanted to spread literacy. Her imagination library gives out 3 million books a month and to date has given away over 300 million books to kids five and younger. Do all the books end up in good soil? Do they end up in the hands of kids that really need them? Probably not and that’s not the point.

Folks asked similar questions about Jesus and his ministry. Why do you hang out with people like that? Why aren’t you following traditions? Why are you welcoming children, the poor, the sick, and outsiders? There is great irony that the religious elite and those in power probably looked at Jesus teachings and followers and thought; that is all bad soil. In fact, they would send Christ to the cross in attempt to weed out this new revolution of love. Maybe we are closer to being good soil precisely when the world thinks the church is misguided. When we are worried less about balanced budgets and more about folks served. We operate under a different understanding because we know we have already received grace upon grace. So, we sow seeds, or give away books to any kid to live out our calling and to show one another what reckless love looks like. A lesson far more critical than how to look for scratches. I wonder who sowed in you?

Who poured love grace mercy compassion patience? In the words of Paul, who in your life modeled overcoming evil with good? A parent, friend, camp counselor, or maybe even a recently departed sinner and saint like Dolly Parton. A reminder that faithful sowing can and will outlive the Sower.

How are we carrying on a legacy of love? Your presence this morning means at least one way is support of this community.  A place where kids are welcomed to VBS to learn Jesus loves them, where a child can wander up to the altar or make a noise in worship and not be shamed or shushed. A church that takes the leap to add staff focused on youth and families at a time when many congregations are shrinking. A living body of Christ that does not attempt to judge who is “worthy” of welcome but strives for inclusion of all.  That’s the power of imagination library and of today’s parable. Any child, any person has the possibility to be good soil and is worthy of love. So, no matter if you think your heart is rocky or weedy soil, no matter if you’re still searching for that mustard seed of faith. Please know your presence and participation don’t just cultivate faith for the youngest or next generation but contributes to the transformation of us all.

My daughter, Adrien, and Lylarae may never know the joy of going to block buster on a Friday night to get the newest release that didn’t yet have a single scratch. But through the grace of God and through the gifts of all the Sowers gathered here, I am confident they will know a community that embraces the love of God. For the Sower has held nothing back. The Holy Spirit embraces each of us saying, “And I will always love you.” That’s a lesson worth knowing, sharing, sowing. Amen.