Sermon from July 16, 2017
Gospel text: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Today we get to hear the Parable of the Sower. This is one of those famous passages from scripture. And it happens to be the first parable in each of the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It may have been Jesus’ first parable, but it certainly paves the way for the Gospel writers in telling the parables of Jesus. In the middle of what we read, in the verses we skipped, Jesus explains to the disciples why he uses parables to speak to the people. Jesus says that the crowds have indeed fulfilled the prophecy - if you remember, fulfilling prophecy or what was written in the Old Testament is Matthew’s thing. That prophecy comes from Isaiah and says, “You will indeed listen, but…