Messy Church returns tonight Sept. 11 5pm-7pm. The story of the sower is our theme for the evening. Everyone is welcome.

THE SOWER

Jesus told this story to the people to help them understand about God and our relationship with God.  Jesus drew from the common life of the people, to help them understand about God.  Jesus begins by saying, “a farmer went out to sow his seed”.  Some of the seed fell along the path and the birds ate it.  Some fell on rocky places, sprang up, but because the soil was thin, was scorched by the sun.  Some fell among thorns and was choked by them.  Some fell on good soil and produced abundantly.

God is like no farmer we have ever known.  God throws the seed everywhere, imprudently, carelessly, with abandon, whether it seems like a good place or not.  Thankfully for us, God reaches out to all.  God offers everyone the opportunity to be in relationship, to be the person God created them to be.  God showers us freely with blessings whether we deserve them or not so that we may know God’s love and care.  God sends people who speak God’s truth and show us by their lives how we are to live in the world.  God is gracious.

Sometimes this is called the story of the different soils.  We are like the various soils.  In fact, at one and the same time, we can have places in our lives that can be rocky, or filled with thorns or hard packed like a path.  Into those less than perfect places God continues to sow seeds.

Sometimes this is called the story of the seeds.  We are also like the seeds.  We carry within us great potential, after all we are created in the image of God.  In order for a seed to grow, it needs warmth, water, sun and soil.  Our faith also has needs if it is to grow.  It must be watered with knowledge of who we are and who’s we are.  We need to hear about God.  We need to have others show us how to be the person that God created us to be.  We need love shining in our lives.

When we hear this story of the sower, we need to remember that it is a story about God and the goodness of God.  God never gives up on us.  God continues to reach out to us when we are undeserving.  The story of the sower is God’s story and our story.  It is a story of love.