Within this parable of the sower, the sower does his job. The seed is all of equal quality. Yet there is unequal growth. The problem is with the soil. It helps to know that in Palestine the seed was sown before plowing so the sower could not tell what the ground was like and what depth the soil there was as he sowed. Some soil is hardened, like the path that is beaten across the field, and there is no place for the seed to enter. Some hearers are calloused, made hard by life, their disappointments, the circumstances around them. They cannot hear, because they will not let themselves hear. Some soil is shallow, lacking in depth. It appears to be receptive but just below the surface is solid rock and no room for roots. Some hearers respond with immediate fervor, but soon it chokes and their good beginning is over. The problem here is that their great enthusiasm is superficial. Some soil is deceptive, so filled with the seeds of other plants that there is not sufficient room for the grain to grow. Evil desires choke out evil good desires that God plants in our hearts. A portion of the field is good and fertile soil. Most hearers cannot nurture and support the word; three quarters of them, if we read the parable literally. But Jesus is not interested in numbers or percentages. It is enough to know that not all of those who hear will be receptive to real growth. But some will hear and respond, and this consolation is at the heart of the parable; its central teaching. The few who accept more than balance the great numbers who do not. They maybe little in number but their growth and productivity is miraculous. The best yield that a farmer in Jesus' time could expect would be something around tenfold, more usually sevenfold. But the seed Jesus plants in receptive hearts multiplies up to a hundredfold. The great theme of today's Gospel is hope in the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God. It is grounded in the certainty that the Word of God will be effective. The First Lesson is important in helping us understand this (Isaiah 55:10-13). God's Word cannot be ineffective. The ancient Hebrews understood the power of the Word to accomplish what it was intended to do. In the beginning, "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Gen. 1:3). We ought not read that with surprise, for the creation of light follows naturally from the command. God creates by his Word: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth" (Ps. 33:6). God's Word is creative, and it carried with it divine force to accomplish its intention. This may be a new idea for many of us. We assume that words are merely "hot air," empty, meaningless, without power. But a careful reading of the Old Testament shows again and again that this is not the biblical concept of the Word. The Word has power to do things. We know as soon as an insult slips past our lips that we have made a mistake. Yet we cannot bring back the words; they are already out there doing their rude and destructive work. Words do have power. The kingdom of God, because it is rooted in the Word of God, will succeed. Its ultimate triumph is certain. But its beginnings are small and unnoticed by the world. Contrary to expectation, the kingdom came without fanfare; there was no perceptible change in the human condition. Everything seemed to go along as it had before. The kingdom, like a tiny seed, was planted and began to grow imperceptibly. It was not at all what the world or God's people expected. The parable can be seen on different levels. It speaks to us when we are sowers of the seed. This is not only the task of preachers, but of us all. Consider how we can be sowers. The basic point is that one needs to have faith in the Word one proclaims. If it is the Word of God that we proclaim it is assured of success. But patience is required, for the growth of the kingdom is very slow by human standards. Also, we need to learn not to be too concerned with results. Faithfulness is far more important. Faithfulness to one's duty is the key. Too much attention to the results of one's work can be deceptive and misleading, and can even corrupt the messge itself. If this is true, what are the implications for church membership? Is a growing church necessarily a good church? Can a church that is losing members still be doing its job? These are important and probing questions. This parable also speaks to us as hearers of the Word. It is easy to find contemporary illustrations of each of the kinds of soil the parable mentions. We might even be tempted to mention the representatives of these categories by name! But the parable is not meant to encourage spiritual pride. It ought to be applied personally. We should be encouraged to examine ourselves -- using the kinds of soil as a measuring rod. Each person will probably find this parable can function as law, driving us to our knees in confession as it brings God's judgment to us. Yet it can also function as gospel, consoling us with absolute certainty of God's promises, which may work slowly, but also work surely.