Pastor’s Note

Preparing The Soil

Matthew 13:1-23

This Sunday, we begin a new ten-week sermon series called More Than a Story: Discovering the Kingdom Through the Parables of Jesus.

Jesus was the greatest storyteller the world has ever known. He told stories about farmers and seeds, servants and masters, banquets and lost sheep. They were simple enough to remember, but they carried truths that could challenge the way people understood God, themselves, and the world around them. The parables were never just stories. Through them, Jesus revealed what the Kingdom of God is like and invited His listeners to respond.

We begin this week with one of Jesus’ best-known parables, the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13:1–23. A farmer scatters seed generously, but that seed produces very different results depending on the soil where it lands. Jesus reminds us that hearing the Word of God is not the same as allowing it to take root in our lives. The condition of our hearts matters.

Over these next ten weeks, my prayer is that we will not simply hear the stories Jesus told, but allow them to examine us, challenge us, and shape us. So, as we begin, perhaps the question for each of us is simple: What kind of soil is my heart right now?

May we have ears to hear and hearts ready to receive what Jesus wants to teach us.

 -Pastor Margaret