“Preparing Your Soil for the Harvest.”

Sermon by: Deacon Ken Ritter

We are in the book of Matthew, in the scriptures and Jesus starts talking in Parables.

What are parables? Let's talk about them. They are supposed to be simple and illustrative. As Jesus told them to the people, he took something like a familiar item [ie: seeds or boats] and makes a story about them that the people can relate to, to understand his message, of spiritual truth.

Even though they are supposed to be simple, they aren't always easy to read threw and understand.

For example, Matthew 13: Parable of the Weeds.

We see that people ask what the parable mean.

2,000+ years later, different times and different culture, sometimes we have a hard time understanding the parables.

Why wasn't it as simple as Jesus "intended?" …Because if you are really interested in the story and wanting to know more, you will seek deeper understanding and deeper meaning. This helps us to dig deeper into the word and to connect us more spiritually with him.

Children's Message: Growing Seeds.

If you plant the seeds on rocks, the seed won't grow and easy eating for the birds.

If you put some soil, there isn't a firm foundation for the roots for plants to grow.

If there are weeds, the crop would be choked out by the weeds and thorns.

If you plant the seeds in nutritional soil, and you water the seeds gently, you will get seeds! if you take care of the seeds, they will grow. Chives and radishes grow in 2-3 days! Fun fact!

Deacon Ken had seeds he planted to show the children. He shared how he planted them and how he took care of them all week, bringing them in and out of the house, as to make sure they were protected. He then shared that an unexpected rainstorm came with high winds, and by the time he got outside to his seeds to bring them inside, they were already dumped everywhere. He thought they were ruined and was very disappointed. As he went to clean up the mess, he saw that there were three seeds with strong roots laying there. He was able to gently pick them up and replant them, and these are the seeds that he had to show the kids today at church. He explained that even in difficult times, when we get frustrated— the storm, if you will— God is there, when you look for him.

Back to the Adult’s Message:

You can have faith, you can loose faith. Everyone has the opportunity to come to or back to church. We have a God of Love. GOD IS LOVING AND NUTRITIONAL LIKE THE SOIL, SO WE THE SEEDS CAN GROW STRONG.

The growth that you have will produce something. What you do with the growth is up to you. You can do a lot with the growth. We are sowing the seeds and fruits [word and love] of God.

Look back at our old testament reading today, of Isaiah 55:10-13. It says: “(10) For as the rain and the 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, (11) 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. (12) For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (13) Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

God wants us to take his word and love and to grow it. To Harvest it. To remember it can go bad sometimes. Sometimes if something seems really bad or lost, you have to remember it isn't all lost. God is still there, subtly sometimes, but he is there. We should always aim to keep growing. We should be taking the seed and sharing the harvest with those around us.

We want to draw people to the word of God. “A light and a lamp to my feet.”

Be prepared, pray, ask for strength from God. Spread the good News of the Gospel. Let Jesus take our burdens from us, the burdens that are weighing us down. Those are the opportunities to tell others of the word of God and his goodness. 

Amen.

GOD IS LOVING AND NUTRITIONAL LIKE THE SOIL, SO WE THE SEEDS CAN GROW STRONG.