Opening Hymn: Thy Word AGPS 247

Scripture: Mark 4.3-20 Teacher Jen Batty

Sixth Petition:

Hymn: Books of the Old Testament AGPS 76 and New Testament Song AGPS 180

Message: Pastor Michael Walther

Prayers:

Baptismal Remembrance: Principal Bob Mayhew

Closing Hymn & Offering: God Loves Me Dearly, AGPS 109

Message: Learning and Sharing God’s Word

We have sung this song before…

But all too often we should sing that song in this way…

Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower to remind us that there are many things that can keep us from receiving and benefiting from God’s Word.

The Devil, Tribulation/Persecution, Cares of the World

Jesus says we are permitted to know the "mysteries of the Kingdom." These are the things we believe about God – the things we have learned from the Bible. God created the world miraculously by His word in six days. Satan led this world into sin. God sent prophets to prepare the world for His salvation. God sent His Son, Jesus to defeat Satan with a perfect, obedient life. Jesus also saved us by dying of the cross for our sins. God gives people faith through the work of the Holy Spirit, who comes to us through the Word and Sacraments.

He quotes from Isaiah. Isaiah was a great "sower" from long ago. God wanted him to know that many people would reject the word of God that he would sow. But God wanted him to keep sowing (telling it) anyway. Jesus wanted the Twelve disciples to be sowers of the Word. He wanted them to be sowers of the Word even though there would be a lot of opposition to it.

God wants us all to be sowers / planters of His word. How?

First the seed of God’s word has to planted in our hearts. We have a lot to be thankful for here. At times we are like all three of the bad soils that Jesus mentions. But God made sure that someone kept planting the seed of God’s word in us (mother/father, grandparents, pastors, Sunday school teachers, Christian Dayschool Teachers, friends). The Holy Spirit broke up the hard soil. He dug out the rocks. He pulled up the weeds. He made the living plant of faith to grow. We can’t take credit for becoming children of God. He called us to be His own.

2 Timothy 1:9 [God] saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

Can you ask yourself… How am I like one of the bad soils? In this case the Holy Spirit would call you to repent – He will change your soil.

Can you see how God has graciously sent you the seed of His word and has given you faith in His Son. Thank and praise Him for that.

Do you think the Devil will give you up so easily? Pray to God that He will continue to keep you steadfast in His Word.

Dear God, please help me want to learn Your word. Help me to want to come to worship and to Sunday School. Help me listen and learn. Give me faith so that I will continue to be Your child. Help me read the Bible, understand it and believe it. Help me to memorize it as much as I can. Amen.

Now let’s talk about being a sower of God’s word.

Challenge: Martin Luther once said that children should write down their favorite Bible verses on little pieces of paper and put them in a pouch. They should pretend that this little pouch is like a pouch that contains gold or silver coins. They should memorize those verses.* I would like to challenge all the children of Good Shepherd to do that. I would like you to start writing down your favorite Bible verses on a piece of paper. You could decorate that paper with pretty pictures about God or the Bible. Keep that paper with you all the time. Keep on memorizing as many verses as you can. Add more and more verses, but keep remembering the old ones. How long to you think the list might become? Five verses? Ten? Twenty? You should be able to hand that paper to your mom or day or your teacher and say, "Ask me any verse – see if I can say it." Then they might pick one of the verses like Psalm 119.105 "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Now you’re ready to be a sower of God’s word.

When you talk to other people you can tell them about Jesus. You can sow the seed of God’s word because you actually remember the Bible stories and even the very words of God that you’ve memorized. You wouldn’t do that to show off so people can see how smart you are. But in love you could really plant the word of God, and the Holy Spirit can bring people to faith.

* Luther’s Works, American Edition, 53:56