The Parable of the High-Risk, Indiscriminate Farmer

Sermon for July 10, 2011
Isaiah 55:10-13 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
The Rev. Rita L. Henault

Two of the Scripture passages for July 10, 2011 were Isaiah 55:10-13 and Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 – two of my favorites. I know I say that a lot; I have a lot of faves. The 55th chapter of Isaiah, though, starts out with invitation, “everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.” As though God is saying, “my economy is not your economy, come to me if you’re hungry”, “you that have no money, come, buy and eat”. The invitation to “come” continues. “Incline your ear, and come to me”. God invites us to come and God will give us what we need. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. Then at verse 10, “for as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and don’t return until they have watered the earth . . . “ The blessing of precipitation that renews a dry, arid land, the rain and snow are part of the cycle of God’s creation. “So shall the word 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.”

Wow, that is a wonderful vision. The Word of God is the source of abundance, the source of water and food for the entire earth. The “Word”, the “Ruach” is the very creative power of God’s love. This is the “Word” that summoned paradise into being; the “Word” that creates, redeems, and sustains. It is the creative “Word”, the breath of God, God’s Ruach that heals. Even the land will receive healing. And this “Word” will never return empty; it will accomplish God’s purposes.
“You shall go out in joy and return in peace.” Even the mountains and hills will be singing and the trees will be clapping their hands. What a fabulous image – the whole earth rejoicing. There is healing for God’s people and for all of God’s creation. God’s Word does not return empty. This is a picture of God’s Word returning FULL.

Then we heard the Gospel story, commonly called “The Parable of the Sower”, but perhaps more fittingly could be called “The High-Risk, Indiscriminate Farmer”. This sower seems to be flinging seed out everywhere, willy-nilly, without plowing or fertilizing or irrigating. He doesn’t know where this stuff is going; whether the ground is fertile or not, or even if the seed hits dirt or lands in a patch of weeds. The goal of the sower is just to sow seed - everywhere, extravagantly, on all soil, as if it were all good soil. This farmer isn’t looking for guarantees; he’s just grateful when the seed lands and produces. Really though, is there any place or circumstance in which God’s seed – God’s Word – cannot sprout and take root, even in the most unlikely places?

There are those who worry that the world is not fertile ground for sowing God’s seeds anymore – that hope is plucked up, and cynicism produces hardened soil that has no need for God’s seed, and shallow faith is being cultivated by feel-good, prosperity-gospel churches, and the thorny problems of today’s world is choking out God’s harvest. But as The Rev. Joseph Evans reminds us in his recent Day-1 sermon, we are the sowers of God’s seeds and our goal is just to sow. He reminds us not to “quibble about theological differences, but just to sow love; Not to worry over membership numbers, but just to sow grace and mercy over new ground, and not to worry over where it will land, only with casting as much seed as possible – leaving all the rest up to God”. I like that a lot; very wise. Let’s just sow the seeds of God’s Word, sow the seeds of God’s love and mercy, and then let God do the rest. Trust God; trust that whatever we scatter in God’s Holy Name will not return empty. It will be full to the brim.

What might God’s fulfilled Word look like? I think it is a life filled with hope. It is a place of kindness and compassion; a world of justice; a people brimming with joy. I think it is a world renewed – a world of plenty for those who have been hungry and thirsty. I see God’s Word – that creative Ruach, breath of God – continuing to create, day after day in God’s world.

This creative Word of God, this seed of love, mercy, healing and renewal, is God’s good gift to us. It is abundant and life-giving, and free! We can afford to scatter it far and wide. So invite those you meet along the way to share in this abundance. Everyone who thirsts for hope and friendship, COME to this place and share in the water of baptism. You who hunger, COME and feast at the Lord’s Table with us. You who are hurting, COME among this healing community and we will love you. These are the seeds we have for sowing, so let’s sow extravagantly. And don’t worry; go ahead and scatter the seed far and wide. You never know what will sprout.