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Two Vimeo Fails Today - Superbowl? - I Think So.

Sexagesima Sunday, 2023. The Sower and the Seed

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

10 AM Central

The Hymn #326          Lord I Make To Thee My Confession   

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Lord? 

Arise, cast us not off forever.

Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face: 

and forgettest our affliction?

Our soul is bowed down to the dust: 

arise for our help and redeem us.

Psalm. We have heard with our ears, O God: 

our fathers have told us what work 

Thou didst in their days.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

O God, who seest that we put not our trust in anything that we do, mercifully grant that by Thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, 

who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual    

Gradual

Let the nations know that Thy name is Jehovah: Thou alone art the Most High over all the earth.

V. O my God, make them like a wheel 

and like chaff before the wind.

Tract. Thou, O Lord, hast made the earth 

to tremble and hast broken it.

V. Heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh.

V. That Thy beloved may be delivered, save with Thy right hand.

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 339          All Hail the Power

 

The Word Is a Living Seed

The Hymn # 308                    Invited Lord                          

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #46       On What Has Now Been Sown

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical care - Dr. Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader, Lito Cruz and Pastor K - diabetes, Callie, Anita Engleman.

 Norma A. Boeckler

2 Corinthians 11:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.  21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.  22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.  23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool ) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.  25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen,in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.  29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?  30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.  31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.  32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:  33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.  2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.  3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)  4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.  5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.  6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.  7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

By Norma Boeckler

KJV Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:  5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.  6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.  7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.  8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?  10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

 

The Word Is a Living Seed

KJV Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

The parables of Jesus are unique, though many try to make them fit into similar categories. The parables are unique because they are taught by God in the flesh, the Word Incarnate (Incarnate meaning "in the flesh" in Latin).

Nothing from man can equal Jesus' parables, which why we should pay special attention to them. Jesus said they were for believers, which is why they seem puzzling to non-believers. Apostates - who have fallen away from the Christian Faith, harden their hearts against the parables and against the divinity of Christ. Religion and seminary professors are usually apostates, using their former faith to ridicule believers or those teetering on the edge of unbelief.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke have almost the same version of this parable. John supplemented these parables with additional ones, like I AM the Good Shepherd.

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 

The seed in this parable (and other places, such as James) is the Word of God. God's Creation has many ways to multiply, such as spores. Seed and God's Word are very close, having two natures. The flower becomes the seed, and the seed is always ready to grow and take root, unless its destiny is foiled.

Here we see the Word is trampled down in compacted earth of the path and the birds quickly devour it. If you garden, you often notice birds take notice and chortle among themselves. They look for seed and living creatures to devour. They have a complex method of leaving some for the next shift or for larger, more aggressive birds, and squirrels. Soon all traces are gone.

The Bible exists in such an abundance that people take it for granted. No other ancient book is so well preserved. No other book is translated into so many languages and in so many forms. When the grape presses were turned into printing machines, Europe was flooded with Bibles and Christian books.

Broadcast used to mean throwing seeds by hand. Now we cast the Word of God through email, blogs, radio, TV, and Internet.

The Word of God is trampled underfoot, not only by unbelievers but also by those who abuse and mock the Scriptures and rely on non-Christian and anti-Christian distortions. The seed and the Word are alive, but they can be snuffed out. 

All the trappings can be there - and no faith in Christ taught or experienced.

Am I the only one noting that the Church Growth Movement has caused a catastrophic decline in the churches? Millions of dollars have been spent on CGM classes, books, programs, popcorn machines, and soft drinks. They also sponsor Bible study in bars, for alcoholic pastors and members. True? True!

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 

This is also so clear we can cannot miss its meanings. Jesus Himself saw people filled with joy from the Word but falling away. As the disciples (not the 12) said in John 6, "Those are hard words!" - and they no longer walked with Jesus.

Great joy and faith were shouted when Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the Son of David, the Messiah. That withered away. Strengthened by the Resurrection and the Ascension, the Apostles quickly established congregations before they died. And their followers were persecuted and killed while spreading the Faith.

 

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

Thorns grow well where the soil is rich, and the wealthy suburbs have a way of building deluxe chapels, providing deluxe housing and cars, and having little to do with spreading the Gospel. 

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

As Luther often said, God has His own way of spreading the Gospel. And that is only with pure Word, not with a mixed message, not with sugar coating or tricks and schemes.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

It is the Word of God that grows, and we know that the Gospel must be cultivated by the various ways in which the effective Word acts upon us -

1. By hearing the Word
2. By speaking the Word
3. By remembering the Word.

 Norma A. Boeckler designed the Bethany altar
and created this photograph of it.