9pentecost2008 - Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, Los Alamos, NM

In today’s Gospel text, we are taught about four different types of disciples. That’s right, four types of disciples. Keep in mind that a disciple is a hearer of God’s Word. We are not talking about people who have never heard the Word of God. Instead, these are people who would consider themselves Christians, they attend church services currently or at one point in their lives they did, they participate in Bible Study, and they undergo personal devotional time with God’s Word. This parable is given to us for our instruction so that we keep the Word of God and continue to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd.

This is not just a story found in a children’s book about a farmer sowing seeds. No, this parable is given to us in order to teach us. Our Lord wants us to learn to hear His Word. In this parable, we learn how incapable and frail we truly are. We are constantly under attack. The devil tries to steal the Word from us. Those who hate the Word of God try to destroy us. The cares of the world try to suffocate us. Our own sinful flesh vomits out the Word of God as if it were a poison rather than a medicine. Let us learn from these words of Jesus to continue to hear His word. Those who remain in His Word are truly His disciples. As His disciples, we gather today to hear His Word. The one who has ears, let him hear.

As a seed is planted in the ground with a purpose of bringing forth life and fruit; so too, the Gospel is planted into our hearts to bring forth life and fruit. Where there is no life, there is no fruit. At the same time, where there is no fruit, there is no life. The purpose of the Gospel is to bring life, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins.

The first type of disciple is anyone who hears the Word and does not understand it. The Word is taken away by the Evil One. The devil does not want you to gladly hear and learn God’s Word. He desires that the Word would go in one ear and out the other. He does not want it to take root in your heart. He causes people to doubt the power of the Word. He leads people to believe that the Bible is just the word of sinful men full of their own personal opinions and speculations about God. These types of hearers do not understand the Word of God and they are unfruitful.

The second type of disciple is the one who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy. He does not remain in the Word. The seed fell among rocky ground. These are Christians who hear the word and immediately become zealous for the Kingdom of God. But, just as they quickly came to faith, they quickly lose faith when they experience persecution and trials. These are people who do not have deep roots in God’s Word. They treat the Christian Faith like a 100 meter dash rather than a marathon. They have not continued to grow in their understanding of God’s Word. These types of hearers perish and are unfruitful. They stumble and fall.

The third type of disciple is the one who hears the Word, but is over taken with the cares of the world. The Word is choked out. The seed fell among the thorns. These Christians are choked out by the cares of the world and the deceit of riches. The word is choked out of the hearts of theses hearers and they are unfruitful.

The fourth type of disciple is the one who hears the Word and understands it and bears much fruit. He abides in the Word. These disciples are those who hear the Word and understand it and it produces much fruit. These are the ones who hear the Word of God and keep it.

As Americans, one of our biggest temptations is to become a disciple caught in the thorns of life. We live in a society that is based upon capitalism. It is all about making money and spending money. The more you have, the more you want. It is oh so easy to let the cares of the world overtake us.

It doesn’t help to hear about all the budget cuts for the lab. Without funding, there will be no work. We wonder what will ever happen to the lab. Will this community become a ghost town? We wonder about our own church budget. We are about $6,000 behind budget. Will we ever have enough money to build our own church building? Oh how easy it is too let the cares of the world choke out the Word. The church is more than a building. Our lives are more than food and clothing. In the eternal perspective, money is nothing. It is only relevant for the time being.

At our house, we have these wild rose bushes. Now I emphasize the word “wild.” These thorny bushes send out these runners under ground that pop up all over the lawn. With in about a week’s time, these thorny shoots sprout up. I am constantly in the process of pulling out these shoots. I go through the yard and pull them out one at a time. If I were to let them run their course, they would over take the yard. It is the reality that I live with at this house.

Jesus gives us these words so that we are on the watch for the thorns that grow up all around us to choke us out. When we see them sprout up, we are to pull them out and not let them overtake us. For this reason, the Scripture warns us that we cannot serve both God and money. "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”" (Hebrews 13:5-6, ESV)

"But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. " (1 Timothy 6:8-10, ESV)

Life is more than money. With the proper perspective we realize that money is for spending. It’s only money. It is amazing how different things look from different perspectives. I grew up here in White Rock, but I don’t seem to remember ever paying much attention to the mountains and the wonderful landscape here. I didn’t really notice it. Apparently, when I was a child I was only looking at the things that were directly in front of me. Now I come back and I can see the gorgeous mountains off in the distance. They’re down the street. They’re at off in the distance at the soccer field. I can’t help but notice them now. What a difference in perspective that I must have had as a child. Now I am able to look at the bigger picture.

When money dominates our time, energy, thoughts, and concerns it becomes idolatry. What good is it to horde all your money when you know that the day you die it will not last forever. There is more to life than money. God gives to us more than what we need for our bodies. He gives to us what we need for our souls. The things in this life are temporary. They are not eternal.

It would be like going to Disneyland and staying at a hotel outside the gates. It would be silly to stay in your room all day long with tickets in hand and saying to one another, “Isn’t it great that we are at Disneyland.” Yet, you never enter into the park. You become so attached to your lodging that you forget about Disneyland. You stay in your hotel room and fail to see that the hotel is just a temporary dwelling. The real thing is the theme park across the street.

In this life, we forget that all of our earthly possessions are temporary. They are not eternal. The Gospel is the true eternal treasure that we have now and will take us into forever. We are heirs of the Kingdom of God. This is the Heavenly Kingdom that is eternal. It is not the magical Kingdom that lasts only as long as your budget can afford.

The Lord gives us mouths to pray that His Kingdom would come to us. It comes when He gives His Holy Spirit so that we believe His Holy Word and lead godly lives according to it. It is Jesus who gives to us ears to hear His Word. He makes us His sheep and we listen to His voice. As we abide in the Word of God, we abide in Jesus. As we abide in Jesus, we bear much fruit. He is the true vine and we are the branches. In Holy Baptism, you have been grafted into Christ. In Him, you have life and you bear much fruit. Amen.

9th Sunday after Pentecost, 2008