Service Sheet (pdf)
Call to worship
Isaiah 55:10-13
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever. Amen
Prayer
Lord God, the earth is yours, and all its people. We thank you today for heaven-sent waters feeding the soil, for seeds germinating and bread baking. We praise you too for your word of life, and pray you will speak it clearly this day, that we might hear and respond. Take our listening, thinking, praying, and lead us to those actions which reflect your purpose of love and justice for all. Clear out the thorns and brambles of our self-centredness and fear, and plant in us cuttings of generosity and joy. For your renown. Amen.
You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of, Hymn StF 254, which concludes, “We shall not live by bread alone, but by every word / that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord; Allelu, alleluia”
Reading
Read Matthew 13:1-9, first silently to yourself, then, if you can, out loud. For now, resist reading on beyond verse 9 – we want to stay with the initial story rather than its explanation.
Matthew 13:1-9 (NIV) The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Prayer exercise.
You will notice that in the Bible translation above (New International Version) the story is given the title (by the editors, rather than the original writer) ‘The Parable of the Sower’. In the Message Bible it’s called ‘A harvest story’. The New Century Version calls it ‘A story about planting seed’, and JB Phillips ‘Jesus tells the parable of the seed’. It’s a story which also appears in Mark (4:1-9) and Luke (8:4-8). In the Message Bible the story in Mark is called ‘The story of the scattered seed’, and the Luke account ‘The story of the seeds’.
I wonder what ‘title’ you are giving to the story we are living through at present. In the media it’s the Corona 19 Crisis, the Pandemic, Lockdown. We hear, ‘Saving the NHS’, ‘Searching for a vaccine’, ‘Discovering the new normal’. I wonder also how we see our church, faith, discipleship in these days. What title might we give this chapter? Closed Church? Church come home? Church done differently? Missing friends? Meeting neighbours? Time to pray? Is this episode the one where God has gone missing, or the one where God is in the house? Take a few moments to reflect on the events of this season, and your experience of them, and prayerfully consider how you would name this time.
Let us pray. God, as I think about these days, in various ways different, difficult, challenging, help me to be open to your presence. When I am hurting or distressed, let me know your healing. When I’m uncertain or unsure, grant your peace. When I’m struggling or angry, turn my energy and effort to good use. When I’m counting blessings, turn my thankfulness into generosity. Amen.
Reflection.
It might not seem important what we call it, but the titles attached to the parable do suggest different ways of coming at the story. And recognizing that parables are generally intended to illustrate a single point of teaching, more metaphor than allegory, then maybe it does matter.
If it’s The Sower, perhaps we focus on that farmer sowing his seed. We wonder if he was in sight as the story was told, Jesus noticing as he stood in the boat, pointing out the man as he strode back and forth scattering the seed. Was he young or old? Had he been to the Galilean College of Agriculture, or learned by watching father and grandfather? Was he owner, tenant, or employee – what was his stake in the process? The technique he was using was the accepted way in Palestine at that time. The sowing preceded the ploughing, and terrain being what it was it was inevitable that some parts of the field, where a path was trodden or limestone lay just beneath the surface, would be inhospitable and unproductive. Although some commentators suggest that the thistles, thorns, weeds suggest bad farming, that they should have been dug out but had only been cut down or burnt, so the roots were still there to spring up and choke the wheat, others are clear that there is no criticism, overt or implied, of the husbandry in the story. The sower scatters the seed, indiscriminately, generously, determinedly.
If it’s The Parable of the Seed, or The Story of the Scattered Seeds, perhaps we focus on the seeds in the sack, the hand, the air, finding their place in the soil. We notice those that don’t make it, becoming food for birds or failing to flourish. We see those that germinate, grow well, and become the harvest. We rejoice that the harvest, despite all the seed that was unable to flourish, is bountiful – thirty-fold would be a bumper crop, a hundred-fold is almost beyond imagining. There will be plenty for milling, baking, supplying, enjoying, and sowing next year.
So what’s the point of the story? Just as every Palestinian sower does his work in spite of many frustrations, so the kingdom of God, which Jesus offers to his hearers, makes its way. But not without much apparent loss along the path. The parable is one of promise – God’s kingdom will come, a harvest beyond imagining – but also reality – there will be hard work, disappointment, difficulties, even death along the way – but God’s kingdom will come.
Reading
Read Matthew 13:18-23, first silently to yourself, then, if you can, out loud. Here we have an explanation of the parable. Scholars vary over whether this is original to Jesus and the telling of the story, or a later interpretation worked out by the early church. It is found in the same three gospels, so was certainly widespread. Although it offers an answer to our question about a title – “listen to what the parable of the sower means” – I wonder if its content doesn’t suggest yet another name – the parable of the different soils.
Matthew 13:18-23 (NIV)
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 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. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Reflection
Here, rather than a single point, we have an allegorical interpretation, making more of the four patches of earth into which the seed falls. In different ways they represent those who might hear God’s word. The person who fails to understand God’s word, perhaps to reflect on it enough, and so loses it. The short-term enthusiast for whom opposition or difficulty proves too much to handle. The person whose good intentions get swamped in self-concern – too much worry or wealth. And the person who hears with understanding, and in and through whom there is growth, harvest.
The allegorical explanation has its value, perhaps as we analyse our spiritual journey – what kind of soil we are – perhaps as we reflect upon others, including those with whom we have tried, with differing degrees of ‘success’, to share something of our faith.
But it seems to me that it is the original story which speaks most stridently in the strange days through which we travel. As we wonder about the life of our churches in these uncertain times, and worry about the diverse folk we normally welcome into our premises, I need to hear that assurance that God’s kingdom is at work despite my anxiety. As we face difficult questions, and try to balance the frustrations of those who are desperate to meet with the anxieties of those who are clearly not yet ready, I need to know that the seeds of God’s kingdom are still being sown. As we struggle towards a society where equality and justice are the new normal, and the planet is cherished, I need the promise that God’s kingdom will come to challenge me and confront me with my need to change. As we acknowledge our tiredness, our niggles, our frustrations and failures, I need to hear that God will grow new things within me, because God has promised. That promise echoes the words we began with today from Isaiah 55 – “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
(We’ve spoken this morning about God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is a biblical concept using biblical language, and as such might be a bit inaccessible for some. It might be helpful to think of it in terms of the triumph of light over darkness, humanity over inhumanity, justice over injustice, with freedom and respect for all, creation honoured, its resources cherished and shared. It might help to think about the values we identify as most significant – if we’re living in God’s kingdom those values are about love, for God, neighbour, creation, self – and our choosing to live by those values. The Bible tells us that the Kingdom is already but not yet, both a promise and a pattern, Jesus says it is within us and at hand.
You might like to sing, or reflect on HP 769, God is working his purpose out.
GOD IS WORKING HIS PURPOSE OUT, as year succeeds to year;
God is working His purpose out, and the time is drawing near;
Nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the sea.
What can we do to work God’s work, to prosper and increase
The harmony of all the world, the reign of the Prince of Peace?
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the sea.
What can we do to hasten the time, the time that shall surely be,
March we forth in the strength of God, with the banner of Christ unfurled,
That the light of the glorious gospel of truth may shine throughout the world:
Fight we the fight with sorrow and sin, to set their captives free,
That the earth may be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the sea.
All we can do is nothing worth, unless God blesses the deed;
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide till God gives life to the seed;
Yet nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the sea.
Praying for others, and ourselves, on Action for Children Sunday.
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we ask that you bring healing to any child or young person who has been the victim of abuse or neglect. They are your children and have been called into your wonderful light.
Show them that you see them and know what they are going through. Show them that you are right beside them. No matter how terrible the situation, we pray that they will know that they can lean on you.
Open our eyes, Lord, to see any potential signs of abuse and remove every form of ignorance from us.
Give these children and young people hope and provide healing in their body, soul and mind. Ease their suffering, Father, and cause a complete restoration in their lives. Amen.
(Prayer by Alison Smith, Fostering Marketing Officer and Action for Children Christian Network).
Prayer of committal
In celebration of over 150 years of work and witness of Action for Children, formerly NCH, we commit ourselves afresh:
Where children cry in need: We will hear their cry.
Where children are denied the gifts of childhood: We will provide for them to delight in good things.
Where there is exclusion or deprivation: We will challenge injustice.
Where poverty is rife: We will share what we have.
Where others also care: We will work with them.
Wherever we see a need: We will pray for means to meet it.
Let us pray: Loving God, you have called us to be your people and to share in the ministry of your Son. Grant us, we pray, ears that are open to the cries of those in need, hearts that are eager to respond, voices that are ready to speak out for the oppressed, and hands that are active in sharing your bounty. In the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Prayer by the Reverend Dr Jonathan Hustler, Secretary of the Methodist Conference).
We pray, with all God’s people, the Lord’s Prayer.
You might like to sing, or reflect on, Hymn StF 487, MP796, SF 640 You shall go out with joy.
Closing blessing:
Now may God, who gives seed to the sower and corn to the reaper, give to us all that is needed to produce a good harvest. May God make us fertile in faith, love and goodness, and take us out with joy, and lead us on in peace, as signs of the fruitfulness of heaven. Amen.
(A Wee Worship Book, WGWG)
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