Becoming Accountable to God

            This Sunday (Sept. 21st), I will continue my series of messages on “Building Stronger Relationships.”  In the first three sermons, we have explored building stronger relationships within our families, with our friends, and with ourselves.  This weekend, we will examine building a stronger relationship with the Divine.  Throughout this series, I have wanted us to focus on the following three questions:

Ø  What kinds of relationships does God intend for us to have and maintain?

Ø  What kind of relationship-partner does God call us to be?

Ø  How can we be faithful to God in the manner that we live out our relationships?

My scripture for this week is the “Parable of the Sower” in Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23.  In this parable, Jesus describes a farmer who goes out into the field to plant his crop.  He sows the seed by scattering it into the field. 

As he scatters the seed, some falls upon a pathway, where the soil is packed hard and worn by foot traffic.  This seed was quickly eaten up by birds.  Other seed fell on rocky ground, which did not have very deep soil.  This seed quickly germinated and sprang up, but it was soon scorched, withered, and died because there was no room to put down deep roots for moisture and stability.  Still other seed fell in an area where there were a lot of weeds and thistles.  This seed began to grow, but it was quickly choked out by the weeds and thistles.

Despite these failures, some seed fell in the good, rich, deep soil.  This seed germinated, sprouted, put down deep roots, and flourished.  The plants from this seed produced grain in large quantities of hundredfold or sixtyfold or thirtyfold. 

When Jesus finished the parable, the disciples were baffled by what it meant.  So, after they were alone, Jesus explained the parable in verses 18-23.  The sower of the seed refers to Jesus himself and the seed represents the word and teaching of Christ.  As Jesus explains, the seed that falls upon the path refers to those who hear the word of God but are confused and do not understand. 

The seed that falls on the rocky ground signifies those who initially hear the word of God with great joy, but then lose their faith and fall away when they learn that being a follower of Christ is not always easy and requires sacrifice.  While the seed that falls among the thistles and weeds represents those who hear the word of God, but then their spiritual lives are choked out by other activities and distractions, such as “the cares of the world and the lure of wealth"(v. 22).

Finally, the seed that falls in the deep, rich soil refers to persons who hear the word of God and allow it to shape who they are.  The good soil refers to those who have a strong relationship with the Divine.  It refers to those who are growing in their faith and have a strong spirituality.

One of the most important aspects of this parable is the inevitability of the bountiful harvest of grain.  In both the parable (v. 8) and Jesus’ subsequent explanation of the parable (v. 23), there is the assumption that God will provide a bountiful harvest:  thirtyfold or sixtyfold or even a hundredfold.  God will provide.  The only question is whether each person who hears the parable will be part of the harvest.  Ultimately, this is a question about our accountability to God.

As hearers of the Good News, will we provide rich soil so that God’s Word can take root and grow within us, enriching our lives with a strong spiritual dimension?  Or, as hearers of the Good News will we offer nothing except a hard path or rocky dirt or soil infested with thistles and weeds?  In other words, do we have a strong relationship with God?  Or, do we allow confusion or difficulties or distractions to interfere with our spirituality?

The key to building a strong relationship with the Divine is making ourselves accountable to God.  To have a strong relationship with the Divine we must make that relationship a priority in our lives and we must work on our relationship with God through prayer and meditation and study and sacrifice and commitment.  It is not always easy, but it is always worthwhile because we will never be fully happy and flourishing without a strong, vibrant spirituality.

 

Come, join us this Sunday, Sept. 21st, at Meriden United Methodist Church, as we explore the spiritual practices for a stronger relationship with the Divine.  Our church is located at the corner of Main and Dawson Streets in Meriden, Kansas.  Our classic worship service starts at 10 am on Sunday mornings. 

Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.