The Seed, the Soil, and the Fruit

September 1-7, 2014

The Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:1-17: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell… on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

St. Paul, the Apostle, prayed for the Christians in Colossae saying, “May God fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding… that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work; growing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9-10)

Having come to faith in Jesus Christ our Savior, Christians begin their spiritual development through the seed of God’s Word implanted in them. Their growth in Christian’s knowledge, wisdom, and understanding progresses as, over the span of a lifetime, they take to heart and apply the Word proclaimed in sermons, studied in Bible devotions, and read individually in the Holy Scripture. Christian homes, schools, and churches are lay seminaries, that is, places where the seed of the Word is sown. In order to be good soil, Christians need to keep in close contact with the Word, for from it they learn God’s “good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

Through the power of God’s Word and the workings of the Holy Spirit, the Christian’s knowledge of the divine turns into the performance of it. The result is not only a life consistent with the faith professed, but also a life worthy of the Lord. When the Will of God is carried out, God’s purpose in strewing out the seed of the Word comes to fruition: the Christian will be “bearing fruit in every good work,” perfected through the righteousness of Christ, crucified and risen for us. That is what the Lord our God desires –that we bring forth the grain of godly works “a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

In Paul’s prayer we find outlined a program of knowledge leading to fruitfulness. What remains is that it becomes a process of Christian growth continually perfected in Christ’s righteousness. Now may the peace of God that surpasses our human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen