February 25, 2025
Sowing Seed - Part 2
Luke 8:5,11-12
02/25/2025
5 ``A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he
sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled
underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.
11 ``Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of
God.
12 The ones along the path are those who have heard.
Then the devil comes and takes away the word from
their hearts, so that they may not believe and be
saved.'' (ESV)
Why do people, who can see that each of us has sinned
against God and neighbor, reject the good news that for the sake
of Christ Jesus our sins are forgiven? Why do people reject
God's rich grace, love, and mercy? The Parable of the Sower
shows us that the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh
conspire to pull us from our Savior's compassion.
``A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed,
some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot,
and the birds of the air devoured it.''
The disciples were unclear about the message of the parable.
Jesus explained:
``Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then
the devil comes and takes away the word from their
hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.''
The lies told by the devil seem reasonable. On the surface,
we really can agree. For example, one lie says ``You don't need
God in your life.'' This seems true, until the moment you are
confronted with your mortality, or with personal disaster. All
of a sudden, the focus on yourself, on the goodies of life, is
inadequate. The same lie, in different terms, ``You don't need
to wear your seat belts while driving.'' Yet the instant you
need seat belts, you are glad you followed the safety advice.
After all, you don't know when you will have an accident, so you
are prepared. By going to Church, by seeking first the Kingdom
of God, by taking your eyes off of yourself, you are better
prepared for the problems of life.
May our Lord grant that we ignore the lies of the devil,
that we may look to Jesus Christ for our salvation. Amen.