St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 24 - 25, The Kingdom of Heaven: the Good Seeds.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the weeds) Part 1.  

The people are astonished.  Christ has spoken to them about seeds and fruit.  He has predicted that some seeds will produce 100% of the time, some 60% of the time and some 30% of the time.  But the question remains, what happens with those that do not produce 100%?  What happens when the fruit is only being produced 60% and the other 40% of the time it is not producing?  Is this an unprofitable tree?  What happens to the one that is only producing 30% of the time and the remainder of the 70% of the time it is not producing?  Is this a tree that is fruitless?  Can we see the parallel in our lives today?  Are we only fruitful in church?  Do we show our fruit only around our christian brothers and sisters and not at other times when we are out in the public?  

Christ wants us to be fruitful at all times, 100%.  He wants us to provide fruit of love, and of peace and of joy, and obedience.  He wants us to produce fruit of patience, and meekness, and humility so that those who are hungry may partake of the fruit of the kingdom from our trees through the grace of God.  The harvest is great but the workers are few.  The needs of the people are many but few are the ones who will satisfy those needs.  We live in a world that is not of the kingdom.  We live in a world that is selfish, and greedy, and lustful, and vain, and filled with its own passion.  But we do not feed those who hunger for the fruit of life given by Christ.  Sure there are churches, and religious programs, and outreach ministries, and pastors and priest, and teachers.  But these are few to feed the multitudes of  hungry. And these are only brought forth into the public places and not into the hearts of men. 

Christ wants us to have the fruit of the kingdom in our hearts.  Christ wants us to live in him and he in us that no matter where we go he is with us.  Produce the fruit of the kingdom.  Christ tells us a story, another parable of the kingdom of heaven.  He says,  "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;  but while men were asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away."     

The kingdom of heaven is in our midst for the sower has come and planted the seed.  But the evil one has come also and planted his weeds.  And the weeds grow everywhere, all around us.  The weeds are in our schools, in our work places, in our homes.  The weeds are in our churches, in our market places, on the streets, everywhere we may go.  There is no escape from the weeds.  They will grow and we will grow, together.  But we have a weed killer.  We have a trimmer that will take down the weeds in every nook and cranny where they grow. 

We must take our weed killer with us.  We must be prepared to use it at all times.  If we do not then the weeds will overtake you when you are without your weed killer.  For our weed killer should be within us.  It should be within our hearts wherever we go.  This way we are protected at all times against the weeds of the evil one.  Do you have your weed killer?  Did you leave your weed killer at home?  Did you leave your weed killer in the church on Sunday?  Are you unprotected out in the open, surrounded by the weeds of the evil one?  Come, seek the weed killer of all times.  Roundup Weed Killer has nothing on him for he exterminates all weeds.  He will rid you of all the weeds of the evil one and protect you against further attacks.  Will you let him in?  Will you live with Him?  Will you let him protect you?  All that is needed is to surrender and believe! 

ST Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 23, The Seed on Good Ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 4.  

And now Christ concludes the parable of the sower with the last verse.  The purpose of the sower is to plant seed that will yield a crop.  He goes out and clears the ground.  He does back breaking work to remove all the trees, the underbrush, and the weeds, so that what is left is clear ground, dirt.  The soil is where the seeds will be planted.  Next the ground has to be turned so that it is broken and ready for the seed.  The soil has to be turned so that moisture will get into the ground 
without evaporating.  The soil has to be nurtured so that the seed, when planted, will take root and grow.  After all this preparation then the seed is planted in the ground.

Any farmer is familiar with the growing process.  But the most important thing in that process is to make sure you have good seed.  Christ has seed given from the Father.  He has the words given 
by the Father to plant in the hearts and minds of the people.  He has seed that will bring forth a bountiful crop.  And the seed is ready to grow.  Such a precious seed.  Such a glorious seed.  Such a seed that will produce a great crop.  But then there are the outside forces that must be dealt with.  There are the birds that will come and eat the seed left on the ground.  There are weeds that will grow among the seeds, for their seed remains in the earth to grow among the glorious seeds from God.  And there is also the evil one that will come and snatch the seed from the ground that is planted.

And the purpose of the planting is to produce fruit.  Christ tells his disciples and the people the last part of the parable.  He says,  "And the one sown upon good ground, that is he who hears the word and understands it; he bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixtyfold, and in another thirtyfold."

So, the parable is finished, and the seeds are sown.  Will fruit come forth?  Will the good ground bring forth a plant that will produce fruit 100% of the time, or 60% of the time or will it produce fruit 30% of the time?  God is the giver of the seed and the keeper of the soil and the nurturer.  But the soil has to be receptive to the nurturing.  The soil has to receive the living water.  The soil has to receive the cultivation so that the seed may grow and prosper. 

Christ says that the one on good ground hears the word.  Do you hear?  Christ says that the one on good ground understands the word.  Do you understand?  For from your hearing and from your understanding will come forth fruit that will feed and nourish.  From your hearing and from your understanding will come forth fruit that will provide life to those who have no life.  And from your hearing and from your understanding will come forth seed that will feed the ground of other good soil.  And it will produce more good fruit.  And the earth will be populated with fruitful people that love the Lord.  Come, hear the words and understand.  For the sower is ready to sow!

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 22, The Seed among Thorns.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 3. 

And Christ continues to give them what is given.  He explains the parable of the sower so that they may understand.  He gives knowledge so that they may perceive.  He gives wisdom so that they may see with their eyes and hear with their ears and be converted that they may be saved.  But some came not to hear.  Some came not to understand.  Some came to be entertained.  Some came to be healed of their physical ailments but not of their spiritual ailments.  And some came to destroy the seed that was being planted.

Christ saw all.  Christ knew all and yet he gave.  He saw the seed by the wayside and the evil one taking it away.  He saw the seed on rocky ground and knew that it would not stand the test of temptation and  persecution.  Yet he gave.  For his heart was filled with the love of the Father and the love of man.  He continued to give until the end.  And he told the parable of the seed planted with the thorns.  He said,  And the one sown among the thorns, that is he who listens to the word; but the care of  this world and the deceitfulness of riches  choke the word, and it is made  fruitless.

He who has ears let him hear!  The word has been spoken.  The seed has been sown.  The seed is in the world and the world will grow among the seeds.  Throughout the world seeds are given.  They are dispersed everyday through the blessings of the Holy Spirit.  Many will hear.  Many will rejoice.  But few will nurture the seed.  Few will water the seed.  Few will cultivate the seed so that it will grow.  Instead the seed will be in the world and the world will choke the seed.  The seed will be in the world and the soil will yield no fruit.  For man is in the world and the seed is not of the world. 

Turn within and see your seed!  Turn within and nurture your seed!  For it is within that you grow.  It is within that you develop.  For it is within that your new being will come forth.  But, you must water from within.  You must cultivate from within.  You must nurture from within and not from outside.  For the outside is inclined to death and the inside is inclined towards life.  Christ came so that you may have life and have it more abundantly.  Is not the life more than the clothes, the paper money, the cars, the houses, the parties, the wealth of this world?  But life is not of this world and your rewards are not of this world.  So, why do you seek the riches of this world that are dirt compared to the riches of heaven? 

Seek your reward and you will know the joy and peace of heaven.  Ask for your heavenly riches and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.  Then, you will know your true self and your true heritage.  For you are a child of God and he has prepared great things for you in heaven.  Come, get a glimpse of your reward and you will know.  Seek the Holy Spirit and he will be your guide.  He sits at your door waiting.  Invite him in!