The Parable of the Sower

This story is found in three out of the four gospels. It has an important message that I believe is often misunderstood. Listen to what Jesus says.

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times

His disciples asked him to explain the parable.

The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed that falls along the path. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, are like seed sown on rocky places, they hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others are like seed sown among thorns, they hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others are like seed sown on good soil, they hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop.

I believe in most cases when we think about this story we identify with the seed. We try to decide in which category we belong. We can remember times in our lives when God’s word fell along the path and we never paid attention. At other times we recall being in a rocky place where the word would not take root. We can also identify with being surrounded by the thorns of life where worry and strife prevent the seed from thriving. Of course we all want to be people of good soil who bear a fruitful harvest. But in reality this story is not about the seed at all. It’s about farmer - the guy who sows the seed.

The parable of the Sower is Jesus talking to his disciples about the reality of the task in front of them. Jesus is explaining to his disciples that no matter how much they preach and teach the majority of their effort are going to be in vain. Only a small portion of the work they do will actually produce a harvest.

In second Corinthians 9 Paul says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” He was talking about giving to the church but nonetheless it echoes the same thought expressed by Jesus in the Parable of the Sower. We are called to sow the seed and the more we do the larger the harvest will be. We can’t give up the work just because it is hard.

This idea of sowing and reaping is one that was easily understood. But what is left out of the sound bite is the time necessary for things to grow and the work that happens tending the crop in between. Sowing is usually done in the spring and reaping is usually done in the fall. So there are three seasons that transpire during the process. For most of the year the field is tended, it is watered and fertilized and weeds are pulled all in preparation for the harvest.

I think we often get discouraged when we start a work in someone’s life; we bring them the good news and expect that they will immediately flower into a beautiful tree ripe with fruit. My grandfather used to say; you plant pears for your heirs. He understood that it usually takes a generation for a pear trees to mature enough to bear fruit. We need the same patience when we strive to bring someone to Christ. Some times it is a long process and just because you are the one to plant the seed does not mean that you will also see the harvest. That may be somebody else’s job entirely.

In 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 Paul says,

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but it is God who is making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, God is the one who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field.

We are all farmers working in the field. In due season we sow, tend and harvest. But we need to remember that it is not our responsibility to bring conviction. Only God can change a person’s heart. As Paul says it is God who makes the seed grow. No matter how much we try we cannot cause growth. That miracle belongs to God.

We need to make sure we are leaving room for the Holy Spirit to work. He is the one who brings conviction. He is the one who brings growth to the word planted a person’s heart. We have no control of this part of the process.

The up side of this parable is that even though only a little seed actually finds it’s way to good soil, it produces a bountiful harvest. Jesus looked at the world and reflected on the millions or souls that needed Him so desperately. He longed to see the harvest come. But he also knew that no matter how much he tried that many would choose to reject him.

Matthew 9:37

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

We cannot grow weary of the work that God has set before us. Our time here is only the beginning of a much greater adventure that lasts for all eternity beyond this life. The work we do here and now has eternal consequences. So go into the field and sow the seed of the gospel with joy, tend the ground that God has given you and await the harvest.

Remember not every seed sown will bear fruit but it is our responsibility to do our part and trust God to do the rest. Amen.