9th Sunday in Pentecost – Sermon – The Sower

Text: Matt 13:1-9,18-23 (OT lesson Isa 55:9-11)

Exegetical Point: The word, the message of the Kingdom, is received in multiple ways. We don’t know until the harvest (the yield) which is which, but we are guaranteed a crop.

Focus statement: God sends out his Word into all kinds of soil

Function Statement: That my hearers may share the word

The sermon is set up as a simple text-application. When I was finished drafting, I liked the text portion. I set up the reading in the larger context of Matthew’s gospel. My proofreaders liked the application section which I thought might have been a little weak. What do I know? The Children’s sermon I did probably was better. Object lesson, so not really for the kids, but focusing on how water/snow from the OT lesson alters the ground, even hard pack.

Final thoughts. This sermon touched on important points, but in my view too specific on the law, but not specific enough on the gospel. The gospel went warm-fuzzy relying on the hearer to supply their specific definition of grace. It could be better. All that has to be balanced with the fact that the part I’m dumping on is what my proof readers liked best.

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