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"For faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." ~ Romans 10:17

The Word of the Lord Grows

2/8/2021

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Picture
James Tissot, The Sower, c.1894, Public Domain
Sexagesima  
Luke 8:4-15 
February 7, 2021 
 
When we consider these four types of earth into which the seed is sown: the path on which the seed is trampled and eaten by birds; the rocks where the seed dries out for lack of moisture; the thorns, which choke out the sprouting plant; and finally, the good soil from which the seed grows and produces much fruit; we must be careful about the assumptions we make. The seed is the word of God, Jesus tells us plainly. These four types of earth are the four types of people who hear the word of God. And as we see, only one of the four groups is saved and produces good fruit. So, a common assumption is that those among the good soil are better than those among the path, rocks, and thorns. But this is not the case. Rather, those among the good soil are given saving faith as a gift.  
Jesus says to his disciples, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God.” Given, that is, as a gift. Faith is a gift from God, as Scripture clearly says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8) Those among the good soil are just as incapable in and of themselves of understanding and believing the Gospel as those among the bad earth. Again, Scripture says, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14) We are dead in our trespasses and sins following the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air until God makes us alive in Christ Jesus. This he does by grace. (Ephesians 2:1-5)  
“Many are called, but few are chosen.” Jesus says. (Matthew 22:14) It is the chosen, elected before the foundation of the world by God’s grace, who are given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God (Ephesians 1:4). So, those among the good soil have no cause for boasting in themselves, but may only boast in the Lord who has created saving faith in their hearts. Once you boast in yourself, your trust is no longer in Christ, but in yourself. So, we must not even trust in our ability to believe in Christ. We are saved by grace through God’s mercy in Christ, not according to our works.  
Yet, there is another assumption equally damaging, that those among the good soil need not beware of the dangers of the three bad types of earth. As with any parable, there are limitations. The good soil is not kept completely separate from the road, rocks, and thorns. Rather, among those who hold fast to the word with an honest and good heart, are those who are pulled away by the enemies of the word. And every Christian must endure the trials and dangers of the devil, the world, and his own sinful flesh. Those among the good soil do get accosted by the devil, wooed by the world, and betrayed by their sinful flesh. And so, they must not rely on their own strength, but on the word of Christ. And, we should be aware of the threats to our faith in this life.  
The birds that gobble up the seed, Jesus says, are the devil, who takes the word from our hearts, so that we may not believe and be saved. Protect us from this, heavenly Father! Yet, how does Satan accomplish this? Well, how has Scripture shown Satan to do this and how has Satan shown himself to do this throughout history? The devil asked Eve in the garden, “Did God really say.” And he’s been playing that same trick ever since. “Did God really say? Do you really want to believe that? Does that sound fair? Does that sound plausible? And so, even in church the devil works to create doubt in your heart at the preaching of God’s word. And he even goes after the preachers themselves, so that many churches preach and teach a false gospel, rejecting what is unpopular or difficult to accept. Satan takes the word of God from Christians’ hearts through false doctrine, which rejects God’s truth for the opinions of men.  
And not only in church does the devil attack, but out in the world. Through television, and countless forms of entertainment and education, Satan works to rob God’s word from the heart of believers. Young people go off to college, which has proven to be the most dangerous place for the faith of young Christians, and while there Satan robs them of God’s word and fills them with ideas that will fade with the grass. All Christians should beware the lies of Satan, which question the clear words of Scripture.  
Jesus says those among the rocky soil are those who believe for a while, but at a time of testing fall away. Christians must endure testing. And they do not get to choose where and when and how they are tested. Testing is what it sounds like. You can either fail or pass. Failing is to fall into sin. To pass is to resist temptation, not fall into sin, and to increase in faith. Those among the rocks with a shallow faith cannot endure testing. When given a cross to bear on account of Christ, or a temptation into sin, or persecution, they abandon the faith. This is a danger for Christians. This is why we should always pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” And when we see that we are weak and when the burden of being a Christian is heavy, to go to Christ for strength. Those among the good soil are not those who are never tempted or even who never sin, but rather, when they sin, they repent and seek forgiveness for Christ’s sake.  
Those who fell among the thorns are probably the most familiar to us. Jesus says the cares and riches and pleasures of life choke out the word. We see this all the time. Why do Christians stop going to church, where they hear the word of God? Because the cares, riches, and pleasures of life distract them and become more important to them. Why do Christian families neglect to have devotions? Why can’t they take a few minutes for God’s word and prayer each day? Because there are too many other things to care about. And so, the word of God gets choked out. The fruit breaks off the vine before its ripe, and the plant dies. Not a day should go by that you do not cast away the idols in your life, which distract you from Christ and his word. If you are choosing some care or pleasure in life at the expense of hearing God’s word, remember the warning of the thorn bush! Repent and seek Christ in his word.  
Yet, those that fell among the good soil are those who hear the word of God, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. With patience means that they must endure attacks of the devil, the world, and the sinful flesh. Yet, they endure. How? By holding fast to the word. We are saved by grace apart from our works. Faith is a gift of God. Yet, this gift is not given without means. It isn’t just dropped from the sky or infused in your heart while you’re dreaming. The gift of faith is given and strengthen through the word of God.  
This is why Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Saving faith comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). God promises that his word does not return to him empty, but will accomplish that which it purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11). The purpose of the word of God is to create faith in our hearts, so that we are saved from eternal death, as St. John writes, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”  
Don’t be confused by the fact that God has chosen the elect before the foundation of the world. This does not mean that God does not desire all people to be saved. He desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). This is why Christ has commanded that the Gospel be preached to the whole world. Neither assume that the elect can be saved apart from hearing and believing God’s word. You can know nothing of your election apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which promises forgiveness of sins to all who believe. The teaching of election is meant to be a comfort for those who gladly hear and believe the Gospel, not to those who despise God’s word.  
The word of God is so precious, because it gives us Jesus. Jesus says that unless a kernel fall to the ground and die it will not grow to bear much fruit (John 12:24). He was speaking of himself. He needed to die for our sins on the cross. Jesus is the seed that is buried into the ground dead and rises to new life to bear much fruit. We are that fruit! St. James tells us that the implanted word is able to save our souls (James 1:21). And St. Peter writes that we are born again by imperishable seed through the living and abiding word of God. The word of God plants Jesus in our hearts, so that we die to sin and live to righteousness.  
The word of God, which saves is received through faith and not by works. This is because the saving word of God, that is, the Gospel does not command works, but promises salvation. Jesus has done all the work for us. He has died for our sins in our place. He has opened the gates of heaven to all who will believe in him. This is why this word is so precious. It gives us the kingdom of heaven as a gift. We must cherish Christ’s word and guard it at all times from all enemies, whether from the devil, the pressures of this world, or even our lazy and stubborn hearts, which would rather be attached to something transient and mortal. We should seek to hear and learn God’s word at all times, teach it to our children, and hold it as our dearest treasure, because it has the power to forgive our sins, create and preserve faith, and defend against the devil and all temptation.  
Jesus says that those who hold fast to the word with honest and good hearts bear fruit with patience. He is speaking of the fruit of faith, which is love, peace, charity, gentleness, self-control, and things like these. These fruits can be a comfort, because they are a sign that the word of God is alive within you. When you forgive those who sin against you, you are comforted, because you are reminded that God has forgiven you for Christ’s sake. Yet, we must remember that we are not saved, because of the fruit we bear. We bear good fruit, because we are saved. If you want an apple orchard, you don’t just buy bushels of apples and stick them on trees. You must plant apple trees. And so, you cannot make yourself a Christian by bearing good fruit, but you must start with the seed, the word of Christ, which is the power of salvation to all who believe it.  
When we believe the promises God makes to us in his word, we receive everything Jesus won for us through his death and resurrection. We inherit the kingdom of God! May no delusion from the devil, the world, or our sinful flesh ever rob us of this greatest treasure. Amen.  
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your word. Curb those who by deceit or sword 
Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son, And bring to naught all He has done.  
Amen.  
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God Saves the Elect through His Word

2/17/2020

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Picture
Behold, A Sower Went Forth to Sow, George Han, 1893, Public Domain. Commons.wikimedia.org
Luke 8:4-15 

February 16, 2020 
 
As Jesus preaches to this large crowd, he describes to them in a parable what is happening to the words he is preaching. He calls his word, seed, and his preaching, sowing. Jesus sows his word into the ears of his listeners. The word goes into the ears of some, but the devil quickly snatches the word away like a bird gobbling up seed on a road. Many people fall into this group. They hear the word of God. They understand the words and grammar. But they pay no attention to its meaning. Some follow the lies of Satan and follow after other religions, seeking wisdom from manmade philosophies, which cannot grasp the truth of Christ and his redemption for our human race. Others reject the notion of God completely and imagine that nature produced itself through random processes.  
The word goes into the ears of others and they actually receive it with joy! They believe for a while, but at time of testing they fall away. “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus teaches us that whoever would be his disciple must take up his cross and follow him. Faith in Christ comes with a cross: persecution. The most notorious of these crosses comes from intolerant governments, which forbid the preaching of the word: The ancient pagan Romans, the Communist regimes from yesterday and today, Islamic theocracies. Even in nominally Christian lands, Christians face persecution from their government. Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola, who is the Dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese in Finland was interviewed by the Helsinki Police Department last Tuesday, because he is suspected of inciting hatred against a group. Why is he suspected of inciting hatred? Because as editor of the publication The Lutheran Foundation Finland, he published a booklet, which argued on biblical grounds that homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity. Of course, homosexual relationships do challenge the Christian concept of humanity. God created them male and female. Yet now, in Finland, declaring such a truth puts you at risk of punishment from the government. Meanwhile the national Lutheran Church in Finland has given into the pressure of the secular world and so, does not bear this cross.  
Pastor Pohjola must bear a cross for Jesus’ sake, just as John the Baptist and the apostles bore their cross for the sake of Christ and his teaching. Yet, for many, the cross is too heavy. Even when the government leaves us alone, there is the pressure from family and friends. What will you choose? Disapproval from friends and family or being faithful to the Word of God? When the hot sun rises those seedlings that sprouted on the rocks whither up. And so does the faith of those, who desire the comforts of the flesh and the acceptance of people when these niceties are threatened.  
The word is sown into the ears of yet others, but along with the good seed grow thorns. The cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life are the thorns, which choke out the word. Such unlikely culprits, don’t you think? How are cares thorns? Shouldn’t I care about what my children eat and wear, the condition of my home, the quality of my car? How are riches and pleasures of this life thorns? Don’t we pray for such things when we ask for our daily bread? Don’t I need these things? Aren’t these things gifts from God?  
Indeed, food and clothing, spouse and children, house and cars, these are all things we pray for and our heavenly Father gives them to us out of his fatherly divine goodness and mercy. Yet, when we set these things above God and his word, they become false gods, idols. Yet, this appears to be the most dangerous and prevalent attack on the word in the Church today. God has made us rich. Yet, we worry more than ever and we want more than ever. We neglect hearing the word of God, so that we can work and make money. Though there are 168 hours in the week to make money, we can’t take a couple hours to listen to God’s Word. We have 24 hours in the day, yet we can’t afford 15 minutes to read scripture and pray. In our foolishness we value the gifts God gives us for our body more than the gift he gives us for our eternal soul, which will give eternal life to our bodies as well! 
Although, it might be understandable that the weak in faith would choose the necessities of the body over the necessities of the soul at times of weakness, we abandon the word of God for nearly any reason we can find. Sports, sleep, vacation, friends. We teach our children that literally anything is more important than hearing the words of Christ. The thorns that choke out the word are made up of the least threatening things: job, kid’s sports, hobbies, friends, family. Yet, these good things truly are thorns that choke out the saving word when we place them before God and his word.  
Finally, there is the good soil. The word is sown in their ears and bears much fruit. Yet, that does not mean that the good soil does not endure attacks from the devil, or trials, or thorns. They must bear all these things. Yet, Jesus says, with patience they overcome.  
Despite attacks from the devil, the allurements of the world, and the weakness of the sinful flesh, these in the good soil receive the word and let it grow to produce much fruit. Yet, this is not because those who are good soil are better than those who are bad soil. They did not believe and come to their Lord Jesus Christ by their own reason and strength or overcome the devil, world, and their sinful flesh by their own power. Rather, as Jesus says, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God.” It has been given; as in, a gift. It is as if Jesus said, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).  
The good soil is good soil, because God made the soil good, not because some individuals are better than other or have made themselves better. Salvation is a pure gift of God. Even faith, which receives forgiveness and salvation apart from works is a gift given by God. St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 1, “Even as [God] chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world,” (vs. 4) and “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace,” (vss. 4-6). This is what Jesus means when he says, “To you it has been given”. God makes you good soil that can receive the good seed and bear fruit.  
This teaching is offensive for two reasons. First, because it offends our pride. We want to believe that we are Christians and that we will be saved, because of something we have done. Even if it’s that we chose God. Yet, Jesus makes clear, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” 
This teaching is also offensive, because it offends our reason. We reason that if God chose some before the foundation of the world to be saved, then he must have chosen others from the foundation of the world to go to hell. It seems pretty logical. In fact, there are many churches that teach this: God chooses some to go to heaven and he chooses others to go to hell. But this is not what the Bible teaches. Rather, holy Scripture teaches us that God desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Scripture teaches that God does not delight in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11). The Bible teaches that Christ Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2) 
Even is this parable, Jesus shows God’s desire to save all people by how the sower recklessly throws his seed into the most hostile places. No farmer would throw his seed onto the road, or onto rocks, or in thorn bushes. Yet, God desires his word to be proclaimed everywhere, so that all may hear of his love and desire to save. Here we must make a distinction between God’s election and God’s foreknowledge. God knows everything that will happen. But that does not mean that he has chosen for it to happen. God has not chosen anyone for hell. Yet, he does know who will reject him. Yet, God’s election is not simply his foreknowledge. God does not simply know beforehand that you will believe in him. God has chosen you before the foundation of the world to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.  
This is a difficult teaching and a mystery that goes beyond our human understanding. Yet, it is the truth revealed from Scripture. Faith is a gift from God, given by God to those whom he predestined. Yet, those who do not have faith cannot blame God for their unbelief. If you reject the word, it is your own fault. God desires all people to be saved, which he shows by proclaiming his word throughout the world, even to those, whom he knows will reject it. It is as Jesus said when he mourned over Jerusalem, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Luke 13:34).  
This teaching should not lead you to be complacent. Some may think, “Well, if God chooses who will be saved before the foundation of the world, then what does it matter what I do. I can’t save myself anyway. If it is God’s will that I go to heaven or hell, I can’t change that.” That is not the message Jesus is giving us. Rather, Jesus teaches us that it is by means of his word that we are saved. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) And St. Paul warns us, “Let anyone who thinks that he stands, take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)  
God indeed chose you before the foundation of the world to believe in Christ, but he did not choose you apart from Christ. God does not save anyone apart from the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, which washed away all our sins. And he does not call you apart from Christ’s word. It is only through the word that you can hear and believe this Gospel of Jesus. This is why it is important for us to continue to hear the words of Christ, because that is the only way God has revealed to us that he creates saving faith and forgives our sins.  
The teaching of election can seem scary, but it is actually a very comforting teaching to those who hear the words of Christ. Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29) The teaching of election teaches you that you are secure in God’s hand and no one, not the devil, not the world, not your sinful flesh, can snatch you out from the safety of your heavenly Father’s hand. That is comforting. That is assurance that can stand against every attack of the devil. And how do you know that you are elect? How do you know that you are secure in the Father’s hand? “My sheep hear my voice,” Jesus says. By hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that Jesus died for you and has taken away all your sins, and by believing this, you know that you are secure forever.  
The importance of hearing the words of Christ cannot be overstated. We have real enemies. The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh all seek to destroy our faith in Christ. Yet, God promises that his word bears fruit. It does not go out from his mouth and return empty, but it accomplishes that which God purposes. So we hear the word of God with the belief that God will keep us in his hand. And we proclaim this word to our children, so that they too hear the voice of their shepherd. “He who has ears, let him hear.” our Lord says. So, let us hear. Amen.  
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Sexagesima: The Word of God Bears Fruit

2/20/2017

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Picture
Luke 8:4-15

The Word of God is not like any other word. It relays a message, true. It tells of the good news that Jesus died on the cross for all sinners and freely forgives all, who put their trust in him. Yet even more than a simple message, even a good one, the Word of God is powerful. It has the power to penetrate the stone hard heart of the unbeliever and create a burning faith. Our Lord spoke through Isaiah, "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) 

The Word of God has power to save, yet not everyone who hears God's word has faith and is saved. This is not the fault of God's Word nor is it a weakness of God. The only one to blame for the rejection of God's Word and faith is the one, who rejects it. You can't blame anyone else for your unbelief, let alone God! Neither is God's word proved weak when it is rejected. Even in the unbeliever it works, but not for salvation. Our Savior Jesus says, "The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day." (John 12:48) 

Many hear the Word of God, which has power to save. Yet not everyone who hears it is saved. Jesus tells a parable, which divides those who hear God's Word into four groups.  

The first group is where the seed is scattered on the path. It gets trampled underfoot and the birds of the air devour it. Jesus says these are the ones, who hear the word of God, but the devil snatches the word from their hearts, so that they do not believe and are not saved. The devil snatches the word from your heart by lying to you. He says, "Did God really say?" And so we even have many churches and pastors, who question God's Word. They pick at it and choose what they want and don't want to believe. They trample God's word under their feet and rule over it as if it were their disposable property. And so many are led astray, taught even from pulpits to question and doubt God's Word. And yet even in such dangerous spiritual environments, God's Word is still powerful enough to break through and create faith. There are even some who belong to heterodox congregations, which question God's Word, but when they hear God's Word they believe it by power of the Holy Spirit.  

Yet even in faithful parishes, the devil takes a seat in the pew. He pecks at your ear, "Did God really say? Do I need to believe that?" He makes you think that the Word of God is any other word, for you to judge according to your own wisdom. In this way, many hear the Word of God, but they aren't transformed by it. Their faith isn't formed by what God promises nor is their life guided by God's council. They take and leave what they want like at a restaurant buffet.  

Of course Satan can also simply make you not listen. You hear, yes, but the Scripture lessons and sermon are but white noise, like the humming of a boiler or the whirling of a fan. You can sit and hear it, yet not grasp a single word. So pay attention! Listen to God's Word! Don't let Satan take it from your heart.  

Then there is the seed that falls on the rocks. These people hear the Word of God and receive it with joy! They actually believe that Jesus is their Savior, that their sins are forgiven and they have new life promised for them. Yet their faith has no roots. When testing comes, they soon fall away. Their faith is shallow, superficial, just skin deep. They are concerned about frivolous things instead of the deep mysteries of God. They value their flesh, which will die and decay more than the promise of eternal life with Christ. So, when persecution comes, they give in. And not even the great persecutions of the early Church or what is still being practiced on the far parts of the globe. There are accounts in history of churches being lit on fire, when the church was full of worshiping Christians, who refused to sacrifice to a false god. Christians have been crucified, fed to animals, and even today they are beheaded for their faith in Christ. Many escaped such attacks on the body, yet they did it in exchange for their soul.  

But many don't even need such attacks to fall away. Their soil is much shallower than that. Some fear ridicule by their friends, they don't want to seem too religious. Or sometimes God's Word says something they don't want to hear. They're fine saying that they are sinners, but when God's Word addresses their personal sin, that's just too much. Sickness and financial ruin, which should drive them closer to God's word push them away. Even the sin of other Christians shakes their faith until they are uprooted. A healthy plant would be able to endure the noonday heat, but these have nor moisture to endure.  

Next is the seed that fell and its roots went down deep, but it grew among the thorns. These are they who hear the Word of God and believe for a while, but the riches and pleasures of this life choke the word and their faith doesn't mature.  

I've always marveled how Jesus looks St. Peter in the face and says, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny me three times." (Luke 22:34) And although Peter would deny it, promising to die before he would deny Christ, still he looks at his denial through the rear view mirror when the rooster wakes him from his unbelief. How can Peter hear the clear warning from Christ and set his mind against denying Christ, yet, still deny him just a few short hours later? Well, look at us? Look at yourself. Jesus looks you in the eye and says, "The cares and pleasures of this life will choke the word out of your life." And do you still permit the thorns to grow? How many hear this warning so often from the pulpit and read it from the Bible, hear it from their Christian loved ones, yet still let these earthborne cares steal the word from their heart?  

And it isn't even just the sinful pleasures of this life, like drunkenness and fornication, which choke the word, so that their faith dies. Work has become the great excuse for not coming to church and hearing God's word, you'd think only the unemployed would have faith! Sports, that are meant to teach children discipline and let them have fun to release the stress of school become thorns to choke out even the little children. There is no time for prayer or God's Word or worship. And there are many other cares and pleasures in this life, money, vacation, friends, family, marriage, and the list goes on. Many of these are gifts from God, yet they become objects of worship. And so they choke out faith so that it doesn't mature.  

It doesn't mature, so it dies. If faith doesn't mature, if it doesn't grow, it will shrivel and die. And so the Christian must constantly hold on to the Word of God. You are not saved, because you once confessed Christ, because you once repented of your sins, because you once held fast to Jesus' forgiveness. You are saved when you endure in this faith until your end. And so you must hold fast to this word until your end.  

This brings us to the last group: the seed that fell on good soil. These are they who hear the Word of God and hold fast to it with an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patience. Like the Virigin Mary, these Christians cherish God's Word and ponder it in their hearts. These Christians are fruitful. This means their faith has matured. They actively repent, because they are honest with themselves and let the Word of God rule them. They practice love, forgiving those who sin against them and looking to help their neighbor. They grow to maturity in their faith. Yet they do this with patience.  

They endure the cross. They endure the scorching heat, the high winds, the drenching rains and the droughts. They forsake the pleasures of this life and endure persecution and they frequently tell the devil to shut his trap. As good soil must be broken up and hoed, so these Christians let the Word of God work on them, breaking them up, so that they turn from their sins. God's Word works in them to form them into little christs. And so the Word of God must work in each of us.  

Our Lord Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12:24) And so he spoke of his own passion and death and burial in the tomb. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. He was sown into the ground as a dead man. Yet, he rose from the dead to bear much fruit. You are that fruit. The power of God's Word is the Gospel that Jesus died for the sins of all people. The reason God's Word does not return empty is because Christ accomplished what he was sent into the world to do. He became like you with flesh and blood, trials and tribulations. He did not sin, but took your sin from you to make it his own. And Jesus took your sins to the grave, burying them in the ground forever. This is the power of your salvation. This is why the seed sown in you today has the strength to bolster your faith, to bind you where you are broken, and to give you the patience needed to continue in this faith.  

All Scripture is about Jesus. Hold fast to Jesus with a good and honest heart. Put your sins on him. Trust in him. Learn more about him. Receive his body and his blood for you. Jesus is your salvation. When Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear let him hear," he is telling you to listen to what Jesus has done for you and continues to do for you. This parable is about Jesus. Cherish Jesus and he will strengthen you in this faith to life everlasting.  

Amen.  
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    Rev. James Preus

    Rev. Preus is the pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA. These are audio and text of the sermons he preaches at Trinity according to the Historical Lectionary. 

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