Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 13That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Verse 2Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. Verse 3And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. Verse 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Verse 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. Verse 6But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Verse 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Verse 8Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Verse 9Let anyone with ears listen!" Verse 18"Hear then the parable of the sower. Verse 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. Verse 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; Verse 21yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. Verse 22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. Verse 23But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
Devotion
I was recently planting some new perennials when I encountered an incredibly stubborn and powerful weed. I was amazed at the how tenaciously it could wrap itself around the other plants in the garden, threatening to choke them with its tendrils. Googling "creeping jenny," I hoped to find help in getting rid of it. What I found were articles on how to get rid of it AND articles on where to buy it for use as perennial ground cover! I was reminded of Jesus' explanation in the Parable of the Sower. What was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. Our world is filled with things that sound good but lure us away from the abundant life our Lord promises.
Prayer
Gracious Lord, let our hearts be good soil so that Your Word takes root and grows in us, crowding out all the false and destructive promises of this world. During these summer months when worship often takes a back seat to other activities, draw us back to church to hear Your Word so that it will bear fruit in our lives. Amen.