Parable of the Sower

Most weeks during the Corona Virus pandemic I have visited several worship services. Sometimes I hear the same scripture, but with different interpretations. These would be the weeks church is preaching lectionary. Last week was one of those weeks. Both the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville and the American Church of Paris preached on the parable of the sower.

Most Christians are familiar with the text. Some of the seed fell on rocky soil, some fell on thorny soil, some were gobbled up by the birds, some fell on good soil and bore good fruit. Yes, that is a really condensed version of scripture, which I linked in the previous paragraph.

Pastor Grant preached at the American Church in Paris about this scripture on his last Sunday at the church. His internship was ending during one of the craziest times in recent Parisian history -- the yellow vest protests, metro strikes, and COVID. I hope he still managed to enjoy Paris.

I don't often write about church services, but a week later his 20+ minute sermon (beginning around 37 minutes) stayed with me. Halfway through he talked about the "literary particularities."

Quickly he said the rock/rocky soil is Peter (which means rock -- Pierre in French/rock in English). Peter denied Christ three times. He spread the fruit quickly, but did not sustain it. (No mention was made about how he later became the first pope and the foundation (rock) of Christianity.)

The thorny soil is the wealthy man who was asked to give everything to the poor and follow Jesus. He had potential but did not bear fruit.

The seeds gobbled up by the birds, a phrase only used twice by Mark (the other time was when the Pharoses gobbled up the widows' possessions while she prayed). It is about oppressing poor people trampled soil because it challenged their comfort.

The good soil bears fruit is seen in all marginalized oppressed people even though they are told are offensive, including the leper and the woman who could not stop bleeding, still sought out Jesus and ignored the religious leaders.

There is a lot more to his sermon. "We all must be actively anti-oppresssion. ... Bearing fruit is a choice." In this last sermon he challenges us to bear fruit.

Last week Grant returned to Princeton Theological Seminary, only 15 minutes away from where I live. I hope our paths cross.

To God be the Glory.