16th Week OT (W)
Parables usually have a villain – a character or character-type who exemplifies an obstacle for or foil to the hero. Our villains this morning are the birds, rocky ground, and thorns. Individually and all together these villains thwart the good fruit the sown seeds are sown to produce. They prevent the seeds from taking root, or from germinating, or from blossoming. If we understand the seeds to be the Word of God sown into the world, then we can take to the villains to be the enemies of the Word. If we were to give contemporary names to these villains, what would they be? Perhaps the birds would be the people in our lives who come along and devour our hope with their cynicism. Or maybe those who peck away at our faith with their anxiety. The rocky ground could be how we were raised, or our current living conditions. Faith can take root in the most hostile soil, but it's a fight to see it flourish. The thorns would be temptations – pricking skin, drawing blood, causing infection. We all know these thorns too well. They grow even in the best soil. If these are our contemporary villains, how do we combat them? We don't. We surrender to Christ's victory on the Cross and allow the ground where we are planted to be made fruitful.
The idea of not fighting a villain is almost outrageous. Goes against everything we've ever heard about “fighting temptation.” But the truth of the matter is that you and I have already won the fight. Or rather, we haven't won, Christ has won, and we are hidden in him. We win with him. Whatever power the villains have, they have b/c we give it to them by fighting them. They are already defeated. Why fight the loser? Doing so clearly proclaims that the loser isn't really the loser and that Christ has failed to win his victory on the Cross. When one of these villains threatens to damage your good harvest, to choke the seed of the Word given you by God, remember – at that moment – to surrender to Christ's big win and say – aloud if you have to – “You have nothing I want. You have no power over me.” And then give thanks and praise to God for making your soil rich and fertile. You have ears to hear. You understand already. There is nothing and no one to fight. Nothing and no one to lose to. Stay hidden in Christ and produce much good fruit.
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