By Matthew Marks
A sower went out to sow his seed. Some fell on hard-packed pathways, and that was for the birds. Some fell in rocky soil, where the promise was exciting but in reality a dried-up disappointment. Some fell where thorns and thistles resented the intrusion. Some fell on soil where it germinated, grew, and brought an abundant harvest.
This is a simple story. Even if you aren’t from a small Midwestern farm community, you understand that corn and beans need good soil. It requires neither genius nor a very broad experience to understand this agricultural lesson.
But this is not an agricultural lesson. This is a parable of Jesus that has locked inside it a “secret” of Kingdom of God. (Matthew 13:3-9) It is a puzzle. We assume that Jesus spoke in parables to help us understand His Word, to clarify His point, to illustrate
His truth. But to the contrary, He tells us that He uses parables to hide the truth, to conceal His point and puzzle people. His use of parables force people to either believe in Him or turn away.
His disciples didn’t understand and when they asked, “What does this mean?” Jesus drew a verbal picture with a detailed explanation. “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.” (Luke 8:10)
But the message of salvation is no secret! The Gospel has not been whispered behind closed doors to a select few.
Forgiveness in the blood and death of Jesus Christ has not been cloaked in mystery. Our Lord spoke openly. His love knows no discrimination. His grace is not selective. He loved the world. He died for all. He who believes in Him has eternal life.
But there are those who reject the world’s Savior, Jesus Christ, and for them the parable remains a puzzle. There are those who have thrown away the key that opens the Holy Scripture. For them the Word of God remains a puzzle. But Christ, the Key, unlocks the puzzle, solves the riddle, and reveals the secrets of the Kingdom of God. The written Word of God is witness to the Word made Flesh, who dwelt among us. For “these things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believe you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)
Matthew Marks is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville.
