Sexagesima

February 23, 2025 

Luke 8:4–15

The Rev. Christian Mundorf

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our text for today is a familiar one, the parable of the sower. The image of a sower spreading seed recklessly onto the various soils is striking and there is much which could be said about it. Yet, we shall focus our meditation on the last words of the text. Namely, that

THOSE WHO BEAR FRUIT DO SO WITH PATIENCE.

Patience, then, is what distinguishes the good soil from all other kinds of soil. Thus, the life of the Christian believer is one of patient hope which clings to the Word of God and does not let it go. The Word is given time to mature in one’s own heart that it may affect and drive the believer’s whole being. Finally, the believer dwells on the Word of God rather than on the cares of the world that it may grow in him and not be choked out. Only then, with time and patience, does the Christian bear fruit. 

Patience is opposed to the ways of our world. The world is anxious and eager to engage in all sorts of activities. The world wants to see immediate results. Just look at the stock market. If the prices go down too far on any given day, alarm bells go off. Panic ensues. Journalists have a hey-day writing articles about the next recession. Then it is all forgotten about in a week’s time as we look for the next result. 

The Christian life is not like this. The Christian life requires patience. Now some take one look at the Gospel and their hearts are hard and they say, “what does this mean for me in my life, right now? How can this solve my concrete problems which stand right in front of me?” This sort of person is a very practical sort of person and so he cannot even give the Word of God the time of day. The Christian believer cannot be so hard hearted, we dwell on the Word and see its value to be more precious than fine jewels. We hold fast to the Word and do not let it be snatched up from us. 

For what can be more pleasing to the ear than this message: your sins are forgiven you. The penalty of death has been taken away. Christ Jesus has stood in your place and received the punishment of sins on your behalf. Yes, cling to this Word which has been given to you! And do not let the devil snatch it from you, for he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour. 

Some, though, see the value of the Word of God and rejoice in it. Yet, they cannot let go of the impatience of the world. They must see results right away, so they spring up quickly. They try to bear fruit before roots are formed and are thus destroyed. That is why Paul instructs Timothy, “do not be hasty in laying on of hands” (1 Ti 5:22), for Christians need time to mature before they take on leadership. That which comes up quickly dies all the same.

So, we resist our own urges to act hastily and without knowledge of the Word of God. Understand yourselves to ever be students of Scripture that roots may grow firmly in you. This takes time. It requires patience. Encourage the same in others. Avoid self-absorption and conceit but study the Scriptures with humility that you may be richly steeped in it. He in whom the Word of God is firmly planted will not easily be moved. He will stand in the time of trial and hold fast when it beats against him. 

Finally, it is only the firmly rooted plant which can resist the cares and riches and pleasures of this world. The devil always uses these things to draw us away from God. How easy is it to sleep in on Sunday morning when it has been such a long week? How easy is it to say my money and efforts are better spent on myself than on the praise of the Lord? How easy is it to give in to sinful temptation that appeals to us every moment of our lives? Every manner of pleasure and sin is open to us so that we would not bear fruit keeping with repentance. 

How shall we resist such things? Pray to the Lord of harvest that He would take these temptations from us. Yet, understand that such temptations must come but also that Christ gives us the power to resist them through faith. The Christian, then, bears through temptations with patience knowing that they are not eternal, and that God will someday take them away. 

So, we see that the Christian life is one of patience that we may achieve the full maturity of manhood and bear much fruit. Results do not come right away but we trust in Christ to do as He has promised. For all things have already been accomplished for us. In His death, Christ trampled death underfoot. In His resurrection He has made us alive to God. The victory has been accomplished for us and is given to us by the Holy Spirit through faith. Since all things have been accomplished, we need not be anxious for immediate results, but we can be patient knowing that all things work together for our good. 

Christian maturity which finally bears fruit, then, is accomplished with patience by holding fast to the Word of God in all times, seeking its wisdom and guidance and viewing our whole lives in light of the Gospel of Christ who has made us a new creation in Him. 

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Dear friends in Christ: perhaps upon hearing the Gospel reading you presumed that the topic of this sermon would be about evangelism. Instead, we seem to be discussing the Christian life and how the maturity of faith is distinct from the immaturity of unbelief. But you see, I have been speaking about evangelism. If you think this sermon has not been about evangelism, ask yourself this. Where do seeds come from? They come from fruit. How shall one bear fruit? With faith, with repentance, by dwelling deeply on the Word of God, and with patience. If we are to evangelize, we must first seek to grow into the maturity of faith with patience. 

Everyone wants the Church to grow. Everyone wants to see the pews full, Bible class bursting at the seams, and to hear children crying in worship. Few have the patience to allow the Word to grow firmly in themselves first. Perhaps even a shallow and sickly plant might bear a few seeds but only the one firmly planted will bear fruit a hundredfold. 

Do you desire to see the Church grow? It is a godly desire. This is what you must do: go home. Go to your inner room. Close yourself off from the world. Open your Bible. Let the Word seep deep into your soul. Pray to the Lord that He may make you a mature Christian in whom the Word rests securely with deep roots. Pray to the Lord that the Word may bear fruit in you so that you may be God’s instrument by which the Word grows.

Let us also mature in the faith together. Come to Church every Sunday. Receive God’s gifts of Word and Sacrament with an open heart. Pay honor to God by your words, your offerings, and your deeds. Come to Bible Study to learn more deeply. Speak about the faith to one another here in Church and at home with your family. Have patience as the grace of God which dwells in you matures and strengthens you in the faith. If you wish to see the Church grow and for there to be a pious revolution here in Carrollton and beyond, then, have patience, for it must come to your own heart first. A mature faith cannot be hidden, but it will shine through you by your pious and Christian works. 

Patience, dear friends, is the opposite of fear. Fear drives frantic activity, on the one hand, or a defeated malaise on the other. Fear says, “we must do everything and take every opportunity. Yet, none of it will make a difference so it is not worth putting in the effort.” Fear leaves a congregation scattered in activity and tired and frustrated at one another. Nothing that the fearful do will prosper since they act in fear of the world not in the fear of God. 

Fear distracts us and causes us to focus on things without enduring significance or on those things beyond our calling and control. In a panic we can look at the budget and finances to say, “the money isn’t there. We need activities and programs to bring in new donors to the Church. What are other larger, successful congregations doing and how can we copy them? We need to attract younger hands to take up our labors or else we will not be able to do what we have always done.” Thus, evangelism especially is often driven by fear. 

Yet, fear does not bear fruit. Patience bears fruit. Patience which says, “let me take in the Word of God. Let me dwell on Gospel of Christ. Let me contemplate His crucifixion and death for the forgiveness of all my sins. Let me think on all that God has done for me, even though I be a poor miserable sinner. Let me receive the precious tokens of His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Let me give God praise with my whole heart here at Church, then at home, then finally everywhere that I go and to everyone that I meet.” This bears fruit. 

There is no way to cut corners. Not all the evangelism activities and events in all the world can shortcut this fact: mature Christians bear fruit, for it is not us who works but the Word of God which grows in us and works in us that fruit may be born. And from this fruit, much seed can be gathered for the sower. 

If this congregation is to be an evangelistic congregation, and I know that you earnestly desire it, we must grow to the full maturity of the faith. That means putting our energy in things which don’t, on their face, seem evangelistic. It means reading your Bible. It means studying Christian doctrine. It means giving offerings for the upkeep of this building. It means learning to sing good hymns with gusto. It means praying. If we commit our lives to these things with patience, and if God wills it, the yield will be one hundredfold.

Dear friends in Christ: the conclusion of this sermon is this: put away fear and frantic activity. Rather, ask yourselves, how can I grow and mature in the faith through the Word; and how can I give God praise in my words, my deeds, my offerings, my songs, and my prayers. Finally, if you desire to see the Church grow, know this: the Church is grown through mature Christians in whom the Word of God is firmly planted—mature Christians whose whole life is praise to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. To Him belongs all glory and honor, forever and ever. Amen.