Deconstruction in The Parable of the Sower

"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us." - 1 John 2:19a, NIV

Photo by Cesar Carlevarino Aragon on Unsplash

Introduction

I’m not typically a lectionary preacher, but I will look at it and consider the texts if I’m not currently in a sermon series. The Gospel reading for this coming Sunday in the Revised Common Lectionary just so happens to be Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23. This is what we commonly know as the parable of the sower. Some have even referred to it as the parable of the seeds because much detail is given as to where the seeds land. Typically, a sermon over this text will include an explanation of the soils, and then end by asking, “Which soil are you?”

But, I’m not a typical preacher. I don’t want to take a text and preach it the way everyone else does. I also don’t want to try to be so atypical that I read something into the text that isn’t there. So, the question as I prepare is, “How can I emphasize an idea or concept in the text that doesn’t get that much attention?”

As I prayed and continued reading, I started to think about the problems …