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
In verses 18-23 of the gospel reading Jesus goes back to interpret his parable of the sower. Now he uses analogies to explain the parable so it becomes the parable of the soils. In the verses between the parable and this explanation Jesus talks to different people. In verses 1-9 he addresses the crowd; now he talks to his disciples telling them how their words and his will be received. Different soils receive the word differently: for some it is snatched away quickly, others receive it temporarily, still others give it momentary home, and others let it be crowded out by other words—but there are some who receive it and produce abundantly. That pretty much describes what people did with his word, and what people yet today do with the gospel word. But neither Jesus nor the disciples forced or manipulated people to hear, nor did they let different receptions stop them from sharing God’s news. Neither should we.
Prayer
Oh, Christ, God’s living Word, thank you for sharing God’s word. May your Holy Spirit inspire our words and actions that through them your news may enter other people’s hearts and minds, and all of us may be fertile soil for your creative grace. Amen.
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