Our text is the Gospel for today, the story Jesus told about the sower sowing the seed. The seed lands on four different kinds of ground: the hardened path, the rocky places, the thorny ground, and the good soil. Each of these stands for a different kind of reception people have when they hear the Word of God.

Why did Jesus tell this story? Was it simply to explain that people have different reactions to the Word of God? or was it to help people become more receptive to God's Word?

I think the application of this story is not only for those who are hearing the Gospel message for the first time, but also for those of us who have been hearing God's Word for many years.

Even we long-time hearers can sometimes slip back into these less receptive modes of hearing God's Word. We too can become hardened. We too can become discouraged to the point where we wonder if it's worth it to be a Christian. We too can let the pleasures and cares of life crowd out the more important matters of the spirit. But we can also be receptive to what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in our lives.

Just what is this Word that the Holy Spirit is placing within us. The Word is the Good News of the coming of the Kingdom of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

Through His incarnation as God and man in one person, through His holy life of fulfilling the Law of God, through His innocent suffering and death on the cross, Jesus did all that was necessary to take our place. He fulfilled the Law in our Place and suffered the punishment's of sin in our place.

Now the guilt and shame is taken off of us for every evil thought, word, and deed. Jesus gets rid of our sin and gives us instead His holiness. And just as Jesus rose again from the dead, we rise to a genuinely new life in Him. And that new life extends into living eternally with God and God's people in a new creation of perfect joy and happiness. 

All this happens for believers in Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. This is the heart of the Good news, the utter love of God for us rebellious children, a love that does all the work in reconciling us back to God and restoring the image of God within us.

This Gospel is so powerful and so precious, that it calls for a radical change in our lives. God calls us to turn away from sinful ways and evil deeds. He call us to follow Jesus Christ. God's Word falls like seed into our broken and contrite hearts; and it sprouts into fruitful faith. 

However, this process is not automatic. God does not so overpower you that you cannot resist. Certainly God can overpower you, but He won't . So God appeals for you to be receptive to His Word. "Do not resist what I am trying to do in your life," God says, "because what I am doing is good for you, even though it may not seem that way."

God soes the seed of His Word, His Gospel, and it comes to us in different ways. Compared to many other countries of the world, the United States is saturated with the Word of God. There are churches in virtually every city and town, of all different sizes and with a huge variety of programs for outreach. You can hear the Gospel on radio and television, on the internet and on social media.

You can buy a Bible in most of the bookstores in the country, in almost any kind of version you could possibly want. Christians have used all different kinds of music to share the message of Christ crucified and risen. And besides all that , many Christians share the Gospel the good, old-fashioned way, by word of mouth, by personal witness. Here are two simple questions you can use with almost anybody. " Do you know Jesus?"... How can I pray for you ?"

Well, that brings us to the first type of ground, the hardened path. These are people who have hardened their heart to the Gospel. 

A pastor tells the story-true story-of an encounter he had with a film director who was asking him some very hard questions about Christianity. And finally the pastor had to break it off because he was late for a luncheon appointment, so he told the man, 

"Look man, I gotta go. Let me write out for yyou a mini-bibliography: tow or three books you ought to read." I wrote'em on the back of my card. "If you read those, we'll have lunch and we can discuss these issues."

He said, "Man , thanks!"

So I started out the door and I remember walking out the door and I could hear his voice saying, "Hey, hey reverend!"

I turn around and said, "What?"

He said , "I ain't going to read these books."

I said, "What do you mean, you're not going to read these books? You're the one with the questions."

He said, "If I read these books, I might find out you're right.... And if you're right, I would have to change ....And I don't want to change."

Have you ever felt that way? That you don't want to change? I have. "I'd rather not change, God. So don't bother me right now. Maybe later." Maybe later. 

What happens when the Word of god falls on hard ground? What happens is: the Bible stays closed, the church service stays unattended, the Gospel radio or TV program is  switched to another channel, a "safer" channel. Or if, by accident, the Gospel is heard, it is ignored. It's scary to open yourself up to the changes God wants to make in your life!

That's what the Word of God does, it exposes what's in our heart. It penetrates deeply into our soul, like a sword, cutting through all the layers of pretense, until it finally gets to the truth. It reveals our thoughts and attitudes.

God knows us completely. He's not fooled by appearances: He sees what's in our heart. And the more we read His Word and hear His Word, the more we will see the truth about ourselves as well. The truth can be uncomfortable and disturbing.

And for that reason, many people try to avoid God's Word, because they don't like what it shows them about themselves. But ultimately, God's Word liberates us, as we face our sin and weakness, as we turn to God for forgiveness and the strength to change. 

Then there's the second type of ground Jesus talked about, the rocky ground. This is a thin layer of soil over hard rock. This is superficial religion that is based mainly on feelings. If it makes you feel good, ot must be right!" This is "Christianity lite: l-i-t-e". A lot of froth but not much substance. It's the religion of the easy chair instead of the cross. It's religion of the wide road instead of the narrow path. 

The seeds sprout and grow on the rocky ground. But without roots going deep into the soil, the tender shoots are vulnerable. They cannot survice the heat of the sun. The Gospel is heard and received with enthusiasm, but when there's adversity, there's no staying power. 

People decide not to follow Christ any longer; it's too much of a sacrifice. Jesus put it this way: "when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away."

The third type of ground Jesus talke4d about was the thorny ground. The thorns choked out the young seedlings. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and heard, but there are so many other voices clamoring for our attention. Jesus talks about two different things that tend to choke out the Word: the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth.

On the one hand are the worries of life. How many of you don't have any worries in your life? Of course, we all do. Jesus is not saying we don't have worries or anxieties or cares. But we make a big mistake when we are so focus on the worries and anxieties and cares that we no longer look to God for help. 

Hear God's promises:

Psalm50:15: " Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me."

1 Peter 5:7 " Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

On the other hand is the deceitfulness of wealth. This is a huge problem in the United States, where we have virtually equated wealth with happiness. 

How many millions of people are caught up in this endless pursuit of more stuff? It is a pursuit that so easily consumes out time and energy and attention. It often hides under the very legitimate needs we have for food and shelter and affection and all the basic necessities of life. 

There's another aspect of modern life which tends to choke out the Word and that is simply the busyness of life for so many people. There are so many things to do and never enough time to do them.

There are so many chores to be done, so many places to go, so many people to see, so many children to raise, so many phone calls to make, so many recipes to try! There are so many choices in so many areas of life; well, who's got time for God? Who's got time for prayer? Who's got time to read the Bible? Who's got time to help the neighbor?

Is this not a huge problem in our day and age? What truly is more important in your life: the things that keep you connected with God, or everything else. Jesus says: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

Back to our text , Matthew 13:9, Jesus says: "He who has ears, let him hear." Translate that into contemporary English and this is what you get: "Can you hear me now? If you can, pay attention and follow me." Jesus!

I've saud this before and I'll say it again: it's a rare sermon that I don't have to preach first to myself. For me, Jesus' words are coming in loud and clear, and they are hitting hard. How many times has my heart been like the  hardened path? Or the rocky soil? Or the thorny Ground?

Now, I don't know of any soil that can make itself into a different kind of soil. I don't know of any soil that can break itself up, that can get rid of its own rocks, that can tear out its won weeds! Who does these things? The hardened! The guy who's sowing the seed!

I cant't make my own heart soft, but God can. I can't get the rocks out of my stony heart, but God can. I can't even get rif of the weeds in my life, but God can. God often does it through fiddiculties and disasters and diseases, the trials and troubles of our lives. He does it with His commandments that clear away our sinful pride that thinks we can do without Him. 

And in the Savior Jesus Christ, God invites you to see just how much He really loves you and cares for you, more than you realize. In one way or another God breaks your heart in sorrow over your sins. And then what does He do? He places the good seed of the Gospel inside of you. The Holy Spirit lovingly places Jesus Christ into your heart and soul, exactly what you need. 

So if you feel like you're getting plowed under, if you feel like some weeds are getting pulled in your life, if you feel like some of your hard places are getting broken up, maybe, just maybe, it's God the Master gardened making good soil out of you. Maybe God is sowing the seed of Jesus Christ in you. 

I invite you to sing with me once again the sermon Hymn," Break Now the Bread of Life."

Written By Pastor Jack Flachsbart.