“Kingdom Talk” (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)

Jesus talks a lot about the kingdom of heaven.    He teaches about the kingdom of heaven, about the in-breaking of God’s way of doing this thing we call life, and about the alternative vision of what it means to really live into the divine economy of abundance, grace, and love.  Jesus even tells them, from time to time, what the kingdom of heaven is like.  In our reading this morning he tells those who are listening that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed . . . like yeast . . . like a treasure . . . like a fine pearl.  Tells them that it is old and new.  This is what the kingdom of heaven is like says Jesus.

Then he turns to them, looks them in the eyes, and asks: “Have you understood all these things?”

 

To which, of course, they all respond, “You betcha!  Clear as a bell!” 

 

Well, I have to be honest . . . I would have probably said the same thing because who wants to come across as looking like a dummy!  Who wants to look ignorant in front of family and friends?  Not me!  Not you!  The truth is that all this kingdom talk of Jesus can be confusing and frustrating as we attempt to make sense of it from a bunch of parables.  Come on . . . a mustard seed?  Yeast?  A pearl?  Treasure?  What do these have to do with kingdoms?

 

When I say “kingdom” are these the adjectives you would use in describing what a “kingdom” is?  If I say “heaven”, would you describe it as a tiny seed, a micro-orgasmic fungus, or a fine pearl?  Probably not!  In fact, if we were to be honest, none of us is too sure how we would describe the “kingdom of heaven”.  But if Jesus is asking the question . . . well, you betcha.

 

The problem is that we don’t quite get it. 

 

Actually, we do get it, but don’t quite get it . . . a sort of “already and not yet” understanding.  We catch glimpses of it, but don’t quite see the whole thing.  It is an elusive concept but as concrete as the nose on our faces.  One of my favorite books is the story of the King Arthur legend called The Once and Future King by T.H. White.  As the story goes King Arthur marries Guinevere despite being warned by Merlin that she is in love with another.  True to form Guinevere loves Sir Lancelot, one of Arthur’s knights of the Round Table.  When Arthur finds out about the affair, Lancelot flees for France.  Arthur pursues him.

 

In his absence Arthur’s nephew, Mordred, takes the throne.  Upon his return there is a terrible battle in which most of his knights are killed and he is grievously wounded.  At that point Excalibur—the sword of the kingship—is thrown into the lake as he boards a boat for the magical Isle of Avalon.  It is there that he hopes to be healed so he can return and regain Excalibur and the throne to lead his people once again.  It is for this reason that he is called “the once and future king”. 

 

So . . . he is the king, but he is also going to be the king . . . he is going to leave and then return.  Sound familiar?  As clear as mud, but none of us is going to admit we don’t get it.  You see the kingdom of heaven that Jesus speaks about . . . that he implores his followers to establish, well it is present now and will be in the future.  It is now and yet to come.

 

And it is magnificent!  More than anyone could ever imagine.  It seems so small and yet it blooms into this huge creation . . . like a mustard seed.  It seems so insignificant yet when mixed with faith it mixes itself with the dough until the result is unimaginable . . . like yeast.  It is a treasure that is worth giving up everything to own . . . a fine pearl.  It is so wonderful that nothing should be allowed to diminish its value . . . there is a willingness to rid one’s life of that which would make one deter from it—like separating the good fish from the bad fish.  It is a magnificent gift . . . a wondrous blessing . . . a gift for all to realize.

 

There is no denying that . . . but do we get it?

 

That is the question.

 

We get it.  We get that the kingdom of heaven is the alternative to the world in which we live our lives daily.  We get God’s desire for the world to be what Jesus demonstrates . . . a world of grace and love, peace and justice.  We get it but sometimes we are so immersed in the trees that we cannot see the forest.  We work hard just to get through the day dealing with all the things that life throws at us . . . putting out fires here and there.  It is surviving . . . and tiresome.  Yet we are aware of God’s call through Jesus to establish the kingdom of heaven. 

 

And we see it.  We see the kingdom of heaven all the time.

 

We see it whenever others come out to help the needs of a neighbor . . . to come to another’s aid . . . to ease a burden.  We see it when a child picks flowers for a bouquet for the elderly lady down the street who doesn’t ever seem to get any visitors.  We see it through the simple acts of kindness and caring . . . of grace and love.  It comes in a pat on the back, a hug, or sitting around having a cup of coffee in the fellowship of laughter.  The kingdom of heaven is like this and so much more.  Think of those times when you encountered the kingdom of heaven breaking through in your lives.

 

The kingdom of heaven is here . . . right now.  The kingdom of heaven is yet to come . . . and that is up to us.  We know the value and holiness and powerful potential of this kingdom that Jesus speaks about and calls us to.  It is like a mustard seed . . . like yeast . . . a treasure . . . a fine pearl.  It is such a gift and blessing that it is too much to resist, and we would do anything to have it.  It is so valuable, holy, and powerful that we would sort our lives out to remove any barriers that keep us from fulfilling it . . . like sorting the good fish from the bad fish.  We would mingle it with the goodness of now with the goodness yet to come.

 

That is what the kingdom of heaven is like, and it is up to us to make it a reality.  Let us not limit ourselves, as difficult as it is, to the point that we cannot see the kingdom through our daily adventures of living life.  As the followers of Jesus, we have all been trained for the kingdom of heaven . . . we have all been given the keys to the heavenly realm.  We are rich in the gift of the Holy Spirit and Jesus has shown us the way—it is right there in our bibles.

 

And that is enough . . . more than enough.  Theologian Darrell Guder states that the church is a “parable of the kingdom.”  As the Body of Christ, we truly do embody the good news.  The kingdom of heaven is like you and me, ordinary sinner/saints, when the Spirit shines through us to part the clouds and mists of this beautiful, broken world.  The kingdom has come.  We live in the “now and yet to come” . . . and it is good. Let the kingdom reign!  Amen!

 

“Sacred Space” (Genesis 28:10-19a)

 What do you know about Jacob. 

From the beginning he was quite a character.  During her pregnancy, Rebecca was having a lot of discomfort and inquired of God why she was suffering.  The answer she received came as a form of prophecy.  She was told that the twins she was carrying were fighting and that they would fight all of their lives, even after they became two separate nations.  The prophecy also stated that “the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23d) And so it came to be.

 

The Hebrew meaning behind Jacob’s name carries a lot of different interpretations.  One meaning is “to follow, be behind” . . . of which Jacob came in second to his twin brother Esau in the race out of the womb.  We are told that he came out grasping the heel of his brother.  He was deemed the younger of the two, which seemed to be a point of contention throughout their lives. 

 

Another meaning of the name is “to supplant, overreach”.  No one can deny that aspect of Jacob’s character.  Remember he takes advantage of his brother when he was hungry and bought Esau’s birthright for a bowl of soup.  This did not make Esau happy.  Then with his mother’s help he deceives his father into thinking that he was Esau and stole the blessing that was due to the eldest son.  Again, Esau was not happy.  To say he held a grudge would be an understatement . . . he swore to kill Jacob.

 

Another meaning of Jacob’s name is “heel”.  This makes sense when one considers that he came out of his mother’s womb holding the heel of his brother.  That is one meaning of the word “heel”, but the word “heel” can mean so much more.  It can be the crusty end pieces of a loaf of bread . . . Jacob was pretty crusty.  It can also mean “a contemptible person—a person who is self-centered or untrustworthy”.  In professional wrestling a “heel” is the one who plays the role of the unsympathetic antagonist.  Jacob is definitely that.

 

The writers of this story had a sense of ironic humor when it came to the name of Jacob.    Jacob’s name describes him quite well. He was a wheeler dealer . . . always needing to stay one step ahead of the competition.  With such a life it would not surprise us then that he had a lot going on in his mind . . . he had a lot to think and stew about.

 

It is to Jacob’s good fortune that his father sends him away to seek a wife . . . it gets him out of the range of his angry brother.  He is safe.  It is here that we pick up the story in our reading this morning.  Jacob is on a journey, and he stops for the night.  As he is sleeping, he has a dream . . . a magnificent dream of angels ascending and descending a stairway from heaven.  In the dream he is given a blessing from God much like the one that his father, Isaac, had received . . . about a great and mighty people—a powerful nation . . . that all the people of the earth will be blessed through him and his offspring.  And, to top it all off, God tells Jacob: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

 

Upon waking up Jacob jumps up and proclaims that where he was sleeping was a holy place . . . a sacred place.  He erects a stone cairn, anoints it with oil, and declares: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.  How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

 

If anyone needed the assurance of God’s presence, it was Jacob.  And don’t we all?  Don’t we all need the assurance and reassurance of God’s presence in our lives.  Don’t we all need those sacred places . . . those holy places . . . that assure and reassure us that we are safe in the presence of God?  Though our lives may not be as convoluted or crazy as Jacob’s life was, our lives can be a source of concern as we navigate our way through life.  We all need those sacred spaces where we feel that we are loved and wanted . . . that we are taken care of.  We all do.

 

We all need sacred space in our lives . . . we need those places where we are safe to be who God created us to be and that we are accepted for who we are.  The key “word” in that statement is “safe”.  Jacob recognized that in that spot he had found safety in the promise of God to always be with him.  That God would not abandon him.  That God would receive him just as he was no matter how despicably he lived his life.  We all seek those places in our lives.

 

Now it is true that this space that we are occupying in this present moment is deemed to be “sacred space”.  In the walls of this building—this church—we have discovered the “holy”.  We have designated it as such . . . marked it as such . . . proclaimed it as such.  Here we gather to worship, pray, sing, and fellowship with one another grounded in the assurance of God’s presence.  As a group of Jesus’ followers, we strive to make this space “sacred space”.  A place where one can come and be who God created us to be—to be ourselves—and feel safe.  In our church covenant we state that we want this space to be a safe place where everyone feels accepted and loved for they are.

 

Acceptance for who we are . . . loved . . . and we feel safe.  Safe because we know that God is with us.  This is the making of “sacred space”.  It is not a building or a place, though it can be.  Instead, it is the awareness and acknowledgement of the “holy” that makes such places and space “sacred”.  Which is exactly what happened to Jacob.  Even Jacob said this . . . “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”  That feeling happened in a particular place, but it was in the awareness within himself that revealed the “holy” to Jacob.  The sacredness came through the relationship that he acknowledged between him and God . . . and it could have been anywhere.

 

So where are those sacred, holy places in your life?  Are there particular locations . . . like this church sanctuary . . . that you find that sacredness, that holiness, that safety and assurance that you are loved?  I have been surprised over the journey of my life of those places that were sacred, holy, and safe for me.  Think about it . . . often I have mentioned how sacred and holy our kitchen table whenever our family gathers to share a meal.  The teasing and laughter, the conversation . . . even the quietness makes me feel assured that I am loved, cared for, and that I can be myself . . . that God is truly with me.

 

And there are other places.

 

I love those moments when I can go “critter creeping” as Dana and I call it . . . when we just go back roading to view God’s creation.  I have come to find that sacredness . . . that holiness . . . that comes with the rising or setting sun . . . of witnessing the gathering of the elk . . . a moose munching on a bush . . . Sandhill Cranes in flight.  The sacred is there and I am aware of the presence of the Holy.

 

That sacred space can be discovered in the presence of another . . . in a conversation, in a hug . . . in the acknowledgement of the Holy in me recognizing the Holy in you.  Sacred space is all around us because it is in us.  We all need it.  All we need to discover the sacredness of space . . . the sacredness of relationship . . . sacredness of place is to become aware of it within ourselves.

 

You see God promises to never abandon . . . to always be with us . . . to protect us, love us, and care for us.  To always be there wherever we go.  It is up to us to be aware of it.  Such was the situation for Jacob in our reading this morning.  He became aware—through a dream—of God’s presence.  Remember he even said that he was not aware of it until that came through loud and clear in a dream.  Take time to listen to the Spirit . . . allow it to open your eyes, open your ears, and open your heart to the presence of God who is within us and around us.

 

God loves us for who God created us to be.  May we all become aware to that loving presence within our lives wherever we might be.  In the acknowledgement we discover the sacredness, the holiness of time and place. It might be in our gathering for worship on Sunday morning, or while we are taking a walk.  God is there . . . always there.  May we declare with the enthusiasm of Jacob: “Surely the Lord is in this place . . . how awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

 

God is with us . . . always with us.  Amen.

“God’s Reckless Love” (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Okay . . . I get it.  Jesus gives a good explanation of what the parable of the sower means in our scripture reading.  He states, “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means . . .”  Then he lays it out in black-and-white.  It is cut and dry.  So, why are we even sitting here this morning?  It seems like a wrap to me . . . except I belong to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and we have a firm belief that scripture is meant to be interpreted as each individual reads it.  That is why I always put the statement in the newsletter about the “sermon preview”: Take a few minutes to prayerfully read this passage and see what God is saying to you.  Come to worship on Sunday morning and hear what the pastor has to share.  That is just good Disciples of Christ practice.

So, yep, go ahead and sit back because I have want to propose another way of looking at our reading this morning.

 

I want to talk about the sower . . . the person throwing the seed.  I want us to consider the sower and the sower’s role in the story because I believe that it tells us a lot about God . . . and it just might change our understanding about God.

 

I will admit that I am not a farmer, but I have spent a good portion of my life around farmers.  I have never met a farmer who thought that the method that the sower uses to grow a crop is useful or good.  No, most the farmers—if not all of them—thought that the sower was pretty stupid in how he was spreading and planting the seeds.  Not much method or planning to it . . . throw and scatter letting the seed land wherever it lands and see what grows.  Not good stewardship.  Probably expensive.  Low yield.  Reckless.  Most farmers would agree that this method of farming will not produce a long career in agriculture.

 

It is all about the soil . . . right?  Jesus tells of four soil types and only one of them is productive . . . the rest, well they just don’t work out.  They don’t grow and become sustainable.  But it doesn’t matter to the sower.  The sower is out there pitching the seeds in all directions regardless of the soil it lands on.  Reckless . . . yes but let us not get hung up on the negative connotation of the word—reckless.  Reckless means “without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.”  It is the “action” that is the telling point here.  Reckless could also mean “daring, adventurous, and bold.”  And what is taking place in this parable is exactly that . . . it is the recklessness of God and God’s love.

 

God may not be much of a farmer, but God is generous with God’s love and grace showering it upon everyone.  That is the point when we view this parable from the sower’s eyes . . . a showering of God’s love and grace.  God’s love and grace is for everyone . . . all of creation, and what better way to spread that love and grace than to just start flinging it in every direction allowing it to fall where it may.  God loves us all.  Loves us for who we are created to be.  That is a whole lot of diversity seeing how none of us were created alike.  Within that diversity is a whole lot of different understanding about God, God’s love, and grace, and how we—as individuals and as a group—relate to God. 

 

Which brings us back to the point that Jesus is making about the soil . . . there are a whole bunch of different soil types and how the seed is received makes a big difference.  Yet we know . . . Jesus knows . . . and God knows, that it still comes down to the individual as to whether or not growth will take place.  It comes down to individual choice whether the seed is received and allowed to grow.  And we also know that this occurs throughout our lives . . . that we are many types of soil throughout our lifetimes.  But regardless of the type of soil, God isn’t going to stop flinging the seed and allowing it to fall wherever it lands.  God is reckless with God’s love . . . it is for everyone regardless of the soil they might represent.

 

You must admit that is pretty daring, adventurous, and bold on the part of God.  God desires a relationship with us.  God loves us.  Loves us for who we are.  And, most importantly, God will never quit pursuing us nor will God abandon us. Is this not the story we read in our bibles?  Is this not the message we receive from Jesus?  Is this not the teaching the disciples shared?  God wants us, loves us, and will never abandon us.  Because of this God just flings it out there.

 

The soil makes no difference.

 

The point is that God is reckless with distributing God’s love and grace because God loves us.  And, in return, we are to love others in the same way.  We are to distribute God’s love in the same way that we received it . . . abundantly and recklessly regardless of who is receiving it.  The rest is up to the recipient . . . the one who receives it.

 

Let us not beat around the bush . . . we know that this is true.  We cannot control how others receive God’s love.  All we can do is fling it out there and hope for the best.  Thus, some is snatched away, some blooms before wilting away, and others bloom and die . . . and some, win the lottery and “produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

 

Though this act of God may seem reckless let us not forget that it is “intentional”.  God loves each of us . . . all of us . . . with unconditional love.  Remember that God’s love is dependable, faithful, and true.  God promises to never leave us or forsake us.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God.  God is passionate . . . daring . . . bold in showering love and grace on all of creation.  And God is patient . . . God will wait.  The Bible tells us: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9, N.I.V.)

 

We are the beneficiaries of God’s reckless love.  Jesus tells us to go out and do likewise when it comes to following him . . . showering the world and its inhabitants with God’s love . . . to start flinging it!  May we be bold, adventurous, and daring . . . reckless in our love as the followers of Jesus.  Fling away, my friends, fling away.  Amen.