The Joshua Victor Theory

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. The sermon text is the Gospel reading, from Matthew 13. Last week we heard Jesus tell the parable of the sower, a lesson about hearing the Word of God and taking it to heart. In today’s parable, following shortly after the parable of the sower, Jesus changes the imagery slightly and gives a new parable about planting seeds. This time Jesus contrasts the good seed that He has sown with the weeds that were sown by His enemy, the devil. Again the parable ends with the familiar admonition: “He who has ears, let him hear.” Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Above a small garden in my parent’s back yard, hangs a little sign on the wooden fence. It reads, “Garden of Weedin.” Of course it’s an ironic pun on the name “Garden of Eden,” where Adam and Eve’s first sin triggered the devastating consequences of sin into the world, with the accompanying...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. The sermon text is the Gospel reading, Matthew chapter 13, but I’m going to read the verses that were left out between the first part where Jesus told the parable of the sower, and the second part, where He explains it. If you’re following in your Bible, that’s verses 10-17. In those verses the disciples ask Jesus why He uses parables to teach, and Jesus gives His answer. He who has ears, let him hear. 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hea...