“Signs in the Seeds”
July 16, 2023
Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’
‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When 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. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet 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. As 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. But 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.’ ***
About 20 years ago there was a popular movie titled “Signs.” It was based on the true story about intricate patterns carved in fields across England in the 1980s. In the movie, Mel Gibson played the part of Rev. Graham Hess, a widower with two young children, are living with his brother on a farm in Pennsylvania. One day they discover mysterious crop circles in their fields.
In the movie and in reality, the circles created lots of curiosity and some people drew wild conclusion that they had been left by aliens and contained encrypted messages. Some years later, two English farmers confessed that they had created the circles.[i]
As you may guess, some people did not believe the farmers and continued to believe the crop circles were the signs of aliens and were related to a secret military experiment.”[ii]
The producers of the movie used this fascination with crop circles as the platform for a story that, in the end, was about this question: Is there someone in charge of this world and what signs do we have to help us figure out who? When you view the movie, you begin by thinking the title “Signs” refers to the circles that appear in farm fields. But as you watch it, you discover that the title refers to something else altogether, something more vital to life and not merely to the plot of a science fiction story.[iii]
In Biblical times, signs from God were prominent. In the Old Testament book of Genesis, after the great flood ends, only Noah’s family remains. God comes to Noah and promises a fresh covenant with all of Noah’s descendants. God promises that never again will the whole earth be destroyed by a flood. And the sign of this new covenant? It will be the rainbow. God says: “When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” Genesis 9:1
The sign of God’s promise of protection was provided to Noah’s family every time they saw a rainbow.
Moving to the time of Jesus, people asked for signs. They wanted proof of God and to know more about what God was going to do in the world.
Today’s reading about the Sower, seeds and soil is part of a string of stories (called parables) that Jesus tells following a question about signs.
Have you ever asked for a sign from God? For centuries people have asked Jesus for signs about God when they were doubtful or in need of direction and assurance.
Don’t we look for the same thing? Have you ever asked: “What are you up to in this world, God?” Or “Give me a sign to know what you want me to do” — or — “Guide me through this challenge in my life.” People still look to God for signs of what God really wants of them. Do you?
But here’s the tricky part of looking or asking for signs from God. When we strain to see them apart from the Word of God, the results are often confusion or division. Like the farmers who made the crop circles in the English countryside which led some people to believe it was the work of aliens — we too are subject to confusion regarding signs from God when we do not have an authentic starting point in God’s Word.
Josh was an energetic entrepreneur who had tried several business ventures — each one flopped and he lost money on all of them. One day Josh had an idea for yet another business, but his wife was skeptical that it would not do any better than his previous endeavors. She suggested that he ask God for a sign as to what he should do, so Josh did. “God, please give me a sign” Josh prayed. “Help me know if I should start this business.”
The next morning, after buttering a piece of toast, the slice slipped out of Josh’s hand and fell on the floor. But it fell butter side up. Josh immediately cried out that this was an answer to his prayer, the sign for which he had been looking.
I guess butter-side up indicated God’s favor — the sign that Josh desired. His wife, however, was not so sure. She urged her husband to talk to their pastor about the sign. Josh did, and the pastor, after thinking about Josh’s dismal track record as a businessman, issued his conclusion: “Josh,” he said, “your bread was buttered on the wrong side.” Jesus provided many signs to teach people about God, to show us the heart of God, and give us insight into the kingdom of God. Why? To encourage our daily lives as faithful followers of Jesus.
Today’s bible reading from Matthew has Jesus telling a parable. It is a story and one of the ways Jesus answered people’s request for signs about God.
In the parable, Jesus tells about a person who sows seed and the seed falls onto lots of different soil conditions.
This is a parable full of signs about God. First, the seed is available in abundance. There is an endless supply it seems. The sign? God provides abundantly and generously. The seed is God’s Word — which comes to us in abundance for the good of all.
The Sower in this parable lets the seed fly, willy-nilly in all directions and on to many different soil conditions. Seems ridiculous to any of us who planted seeds. But not to Jesus.
The sign is this: God is inclusive. God wants the Word to be shared with everyone.
Notice what the parable does not say? There is no correction of the Sower. Jesus does not provide tips to the Sower to make sure the seed is put only in the spots where it is likely to grow. No. Instead the Sower casts seed everywhere and into the worst growing conditions.
So, this seemingly wild and crazy Sower tosses out seeds and gives us a sign that God wants the Word to come to everyone — all people — no matter what. And right there is another sign.
The sign in the seed spread everywhere is that God’s Word is for all people. There is no meriting it. There is no calculating any return on investment. Let the seed fly — let this Word of God’s love be for even those we may think do not merit the goodness and mercy of the Divine.
The Old Testament reading from Isaiah 55 read in mainline Christian churches today tells us of the power of this seed of God’s word: “For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
The sign — God’s Word in the seed — is good news. God does not assess whether the odds are good for a return on investment before casting the seed in all directions. God, through Jesus, gives us the Word and when that seed grows in our lives and we share its fruits, this world is offered grace, mercy, and life abundant.
A question for you: how is the seed of God’s word growing in you a SIGN for others of God’s grace and mercy?
May the signs Jesus shares in the Sower who casts the seed everywhere, be in your life this week, a rich experience of God’s goodness. May it also be motivation in your daily living for faithfully serving in Christ’s love and sharing the Good News.
[i].See Daniel Pinchbeck, “Wheat Graffiti,” Wired, August 2002, p. 115.
[ii].Brian Hussey, “Theories on the Formation of Crop Circles” www.paradigmshift.com/theories.html.
[iii].More about the movie “Signs” may be found at www.imdb.com.
Image: Parable of the Sower, Illumination in the St. John’s Bible
