Between Sundays for Week of July 17, 2023
Listen! A sower went out to sow . . .” Matthew 13:3
With these words, Jesus begins an extended section of teaching through the use of parables in Matthew’s gospel. In the coming weeks, we’ll encounter a number of these parables, which are metaphors or similes drawn from common life that are intended to subvert our understanding of the ways things are or the ways things should be. They are meant to be surprising or confusing or leave us scratching our head! They are intended to fill us with wonder about God’s ways!
For me (Pastor Amy), talking about parables can stifle their expansiveness. Music, poetry, or art, (like this van Gogh painting, The Sower III, version 2) gives space for some of the imaginative and playful nature of these stories to come to life.
It’s easy to hear Jesus’ share this parable and think that it’s about seed or soil, but Jesus calls it the parable of the sower. (You can listen to Pastor Amy’s entire sermon online.) Like all parables of Jesus, it’s meant to open an insight into God’s ways of being. As such, the parable of the sower paints an image of our God who extravagantly, prolifically and hopefully sows seeds of the gospel! The sower dares to believe that soil that has been trampled down and compacted, dried up, or choked with weeds — soil that may look an awful lot like ours — is soil in which the seed of the gospel can take root and grow and blossom!
God does not play it safe with the seed of the Word! God scatters it fully prepared to be surprised and aware that when the seed of the gospel takes root, it’s fruitfulness will multiply!
P.S. How are your marigolds doing?
Jesus begins to teach great crowds who have followed him through parables. And the first one he names: The Parable of the Sower. Amy reminds us that the name Jesus gives says something about the parable’s meaning. This is a parable about God, the sower of seed, who sows extravagantly, and prolifically, and hopefully, daring to believe that our imperfect lives are just the place where the good news could be sown, and even thrive! Let anyone with ears listen!
Ponderings
If exploring scripture through art is something new to you or something you’ve long enjoyed, considering visiting the Vanderbilt Library website, that links to Art in the Christian Tradition. The database is searchable and includes a wide variety of art from around the world.
In addition, the Visual Commentary on Scripture provides theological commentary on the Bible in dialogue with works for art. It helps users to (re)discover the Bible in new ways. It contains an entire commentary in art and word on The Parable of the Sower.
