How to Receive the Greatest Benefit from the Word of God

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

1. Listen and Think!
2. Dig Deeply into it.
3. Dedicate yourself to it

SERMON TEXT: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

See Gospel Below

Bible Readings

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 55:10-13

Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, and it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so it will be with my Word that goes forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty.

Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it. Because in joy you will go forth, and in peace you will be carried along. The mountains and the hills will burst forth before you with shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn, a fir tree will grow up. Instead of the brier, a myrtle tree will grow up. And it will make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.

SECOND LESSON: Acts 18:1–11

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them. Because he had the same occupation, he stayed and worked with them, for they were tentmakers by trade. Every Sabbath he led a discussion in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was entirely devoted to preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they opposed Paul and slandered him, he shook out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”

He left that place and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshipper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the synagogue leader, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid, but keep on speaking, and do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.” He stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

VERSE OF THE DAY: Deuteronomy 30:14

The Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. A large crowd gathered around him. So he stepped into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. Immediately the seed sprang up, because the soil was not deep. But when the sun rose, the seed was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on good ground and produced grain: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

“So listen carefully to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the seed that was sown along the path. The seed that was sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he is not deeply rooted and does not endure. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed that was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worry of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it produces no fruit. But the seed that was sown on the good ground is the one who continues to hear and understand the word. Indeed he continues to produce fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown.”