Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away?

I mean, have you ever felt that the time and effort you put into something was no longer worth it?

Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away from exercise and dieting?

Maybe you have felt that all of the walking, the running, the lifting, and the depriving yourself of tasty treats, isn’t really making any difference in the way you look so, why continue doing it?

Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away from your job?

Maybe you have felt the the time, effort, hours, and years that you have worked for your company weren’t leading anywhere and weren’t fulfilling your need for meaning and purpose.

Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away from your marriage?

Maybe you have felt that the relationship has been one sided for several years now.  You feel that you are putting in all of the effort to keep the marriage together and your spouse doesn’t give or compromise in return.

Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away from your children?

Maybe you have felt that you have given more than enough chances for your kids to straighten up and fly right.  You have felt tired, hurt, betrayed.  You have been lied to, mocked, embarrassed, shamed, and disrespected.  You have felt taken advantage of.  

Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away from your government?

Maybe you have felt that your local and national leaders aren’t getting things right.  There is still injustice, suffering, inequality, and lack of clear direction for where our neighborhood’s and country are going.

Have you ever wanted to give up and walk away from your church?

Maybe you have felt that the pastor and leaders aren’t inspiring people to live good Christian lives.  Maybe you feel that the lack of attendance shows apathy for the once on-fire faith of your friends and family members.  Maybe the pastor isn’t political enough for you.  Maybe the pastor is too political for you.  Maybe the pastor is the wrong kind of political for you.

On a drizzly afternoon in early 2015 seven people gathered for Washington D.C.’s newest group—The Quitters Club. Tagline: “Let’s Give Up on Our Dreams … Together!” One attendee was ready to cast aside her long-held ambition to become an actress. Same deal for a would-be writer. Another was ready to quit Washington D.C. The hodgepodge group of strangers were drawn together by the same invite that read: “Most of us have something special we’d like to do with our lives. At the Quitters Club we can help each other stomp out the brush fires set in our hearts, and get on with our lives.”

Founder Justin Cannon has quit all sorts of things—filmmaking, music, graphic design. He is tortured by the dueling forces of grand ambition and intense self-doubt. Most often, the battle leaves him frozen. And despondent. At one point Cannon expressed his growing exasperation. “I was like, ‘We should have a group where people want to give up on their dreams.’ I was making a joke,” he recalls. “But somebody said, ‘You know, that’s a really good idea.’”

A few days later he took action. He posted a note on Meetup for his new group. He thought he might be forming a club of one, but within 48 hours, 35 people signed up. And for the next two hours, one after another the attendees expressed their dreams and their inability to make progress and their readiness to give up and walk away from the passions that once got them out of bed in the morning.

In this morning text, we hear a story about a gardener who doesn’t give up—even though at times we would have understood if he did. He knows exactly what He is doing every second of every day and because of that, He is able to produce a massive crop of grain through His work with the seeds and soil even after having some not so great results. And, he ends up with a never ending supply of crops.

We hear this in Matthew 13.1-9:

[1] That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. [2] And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. [3] And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. [5] Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, [6] but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. [7] Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. [8] Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [9] He who has ears, let him hear.” (ESV)

Now, you and I, not having been raised in an agricultural society — meaning a society where everyone’s livelihood comes from farming — may have a bit of trouble understanding the meaning behind this parable — this story with a spiritual point.

And, Jesus knows that, so Jesus interprets the parable for us so that there will be no confusion as to what He is revealing to us.

Jesus says this:

[18] “Hear then the parable of the sower: [19] When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. [20] As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, [21] yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. [22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. [23] As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (ESV)

Jesus tells us a story about a farmer who sows seeds in order to produce a crop.

This farmer goes out into his field and spreads seeds everywhere.  He is very generous with the seed.

Some seed falls on the path and doesn’t take root.

Some seed falls into rocky soil and can’t survive because there is no room for its roots to grow.

Some seed falls into a thorn patch and can’t survive because it is beaten up and choked out by the other plants.

And, some seed falls into healthy soil where it grows and grows and grows and grows.

Jesus goes on to explain that the Sower is the Son of Man, Jesus, the seed is the Word of God that tells about the rescue from sin through forgiveness and enteral life, and the soil is the different types of hearts that hear the good news that is that Word of God.

So, what he is telling us is that He, Jesus, comes into the world sharing the good news of salvation with everyone, no one is excluded from hearing the good news that God’s desire is that all men and women come to repent, believe, and receive hope for today and tomorrow.

This isn’t some specialized message for only some to hear, it is a message that is generously spread everywhere for everyone to hear.

However, some reject it.

Others believe the facts for a short time but it never has any personal meaning to them.

While still others believe the good news but when the cares, concerns, and worry of the world come their way — financial struggles, marital struggles, career struggles, sickness, death, natural disasters, racial tension, governmental negligence, etc. — they just can’t hold onto the truth that good God is still in control and that once vibrant faith fades away.

Sometimes we are the path.

Sometimes we are the rocky soil.

Sometimes we are the thorn patch.

And, by the grace of God alone, sometimes we are the good soil.

In these times, we hear, receive, and believe the Good News of Jesus’ life of perfect obedience to God’s commands which he gives to us so that we have a life of perfect obedience to God’s commands, Jesus’ death of the cross for the forgiveness of sin, and Jesus’ resurrection from the grave for our life in Heaven after death in this world.

Regardless of where you are right now, rejecting God, unsure about God being personal to you, unsure about God being good, or full of faith in God’s goodness to you,

God does not give up on you.

Jesus does not give up on you.

Jesus continues to be gracious to you.

Jesus continues to share the good news of forgiveness of sin and eternal life with you.

Jesus continues spreading the seed of God’s grace that will change you life and give you hope for today and tomorrow.

Jesus comes to you with the great grace give away. Receive the free gift of God’s love that he is giving you!

In our text this morning, there is also an implicit call to be sowers of seed, as Jesus was first a a sower of seed in our life, in the world around us.

There is also the call to go into the world with the Word of God and the love of God and not give up.

Even though you may not see plants or fruit or herbs growing right now, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t happening.

In the church that I grew up in there was a woman who was married to an unbelieving husband.  If you knew her, the top item on her daily prayer list was that her husband would find himself believing in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, record of righteousness, and eternal life.  

For the first 25 years of her marriage, she prayed, she invited him to church and she constantly used her home as a place for Christian fellowship.  And, even though she continually spread the seeds of God’s grace over her husband, it didn’t take root and grow.

That was, until year 26 of her marriage.  It was in that year that her husband asked the pastor to start meeting on a regular basis which eventually led to him receiving the gift of faith that made Him part of God’s eternal family.

The wife in this situation kept sowing seeds of grace.

Even when her husband didn’t go to church with her.

The wife kept sowing seeds of grace through sharing God’s Word with him and praying for him.

Even when her husband made fun of her and her Bible study friends.

The wife kept sowing seeds of grace through sharing God’s Word with him and praying for him.

Even when there were glimmers of hope and excitement through her husband fishing with some of the church guys, but no further desire to be around them.

The wife kept sowing seeds of grace through sharing God’s Word with him and praying for him.

Until, one day, the seed of God’s grace in Jesus Christ fell on the good soil that God was preparing all of the time and it took root, grew, and the husband found himself believing in the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal life, and ending up serving God through his church in countless ways.

In his book Handling the Word of Truth, the author, John T. Pless says:

“In this life, we should not despair of any person or conclude that he [or she] is beyond the reach of the Gospel.  Rather, with patine and prayer we continue to hold out to the the Word of Life who alone is abled to rescue them from condemnation.” (page 127)

In a funeral sermon I preached on Monday for a family in Staten Island who lost their husband, father, and grandfather, I shared the following text that encourages us to persevere and keep going, even when we are ready to give up.

Romans 8:31–39 says this to you:

[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

[37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ESV)

As we were looking through some of the husband, father, and grandfather’s Bibles, we found the following passage highlighted that gives us a similar exhortation to persevere and not give up.

Colossians 1:9–14 tells you this:

[9]… be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; [11] being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (ESV)

To return to where we began with The Quitters Club, the story continues like this:

The founder thought he might be forming a club of one, but within 48 hours, 35 people signed up. And for the next two hours, one after another the attendees expressed their dreams and their inability to make progress and their readiness to give up.

But surprisingly they ended up encouraging each other to persevere. 

The actress, they decide, should give it a hard push for a year before tossing out her ambitions of making it on the stage. 

The unhappy Washingtonian should look for a new job before giving up on the city. 

The writer whose day job is getting in the way of her artistic pursuits should carve out time each day for her passion.

“Here we are at the Quitters Club and we’re all encouraging each other to keep going,” one attendee mused. “I knew that was gonna happen,” Cannon says. They will meet again the following month to continue in their quest to help people quit. Or, as it turns out, to keep on believing.

Using the words of pop singer Rick Astley, I am going to rick-roll you here to the end of the sermon.

God’s never gonna give you up.

God’s never gonna let you down.

God’s never gonna run around and desert you.

God’s never gonna make you cry.

God’s never gonna say goodbye.

God’s never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.

God never gives up on you.

Jesus never gives up on you.

He continues to be gracious to you time and time again.

Even in moments when faith is a struggle for you, when believing in a God who you can’t see, when the world is crumbling in a broken mess around you, Jesus is still throwing His seeds of grace on you to nurture you, care for you, and help you grow.

This is the Word of God for you today.

This is the Grace of God for you today.

Amen.

Pastor Fred Scragg.

July 16, 2023