St Colmon Parish Church

Sunday 12th July 2026

Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23
The Parable of the sower

Todays` reading is a well-known parable of Jesus. This parable is the first one that Matthew records Jesus as saying, and it has so much to say to each one of us. Jesus stepped into a boat to address the crowds that had gathered, which allowed many people to see him and hear him. He spoke about everyday life, and used a scene which would have been familiar to all those people, who were living in an agricultural society. -And from it he drew spiritual parallels. He spoke about the sowing of seeds and related this to the receiving of Gods kingdom. The passage comes to us firstly as a challenge, and then as a word of encouragement.

In the parable Jesus mentions four areas on which the seeds fell. Some seeds fell on the path, and did not germinate as the birds ate them up. Some seed fell on rocky ground, sprang up quickly and then withered because they had no roots. Other seeds fell among thorns and did not reach their full potential, because of the challenges of their vicinity. The fourth kind of soil, the good soil, led to phenomenal growth.

The question comes to each one of us… How well do we respond on the whole to the word of God? How well prepared are our hearts to receive Gods word? Are we regularly studying Gods word asking what he would have us do? It is important that we keep up our daily devotions and remember that God seeks to bless us. Many of us have very real worries and distractions and it is important that we worship God each day. Through the Holy Spirit he will open his word to us and mightily bless us, if we come with a seeking heart and mind. God wants to bless us with his presence and peace, and when we call to him, he will come to us. May we place ourselves where we can be built up by Gods word. We can still read our bibles and other resources. Let’s prepare the soil of our hearts to receive the word well.

The other way in which the parable speaks to us is by way of encouragement. As Christians we are to share Gods word with others (or sow seeds, if you will). We are to let others know of God’s love for each one of us. Our Lord went to Calvaries cross that we might know sins forgiven and inherit eternal life. When we plant seeds, we need to do so in faith trusting in the Lord of the harvest. He will bless the words that we use in the lives of others. When people receive the Good News lives are transformed with everlasting hope, joy and peace. So, may we go on in in hope knowing that God can take our feeble efforts and bless them by his great power. No farmer expects every seed he sows to germinate, but he sows them in trust that there will come a time of harvest.

May we put ourselves in a place where we can be built up by Gods word and may we sow seeds of gospel hope, trusting in the Lord to do his work, in his good timing!

Every blessing

Rev`d Theo Corney