June 18 Sermon
During the next few months in the gospel readings we’ll travel with Jesus, seeing the Master through the eyes of his disciples. Our understanding of who Jesus really is will grow as we watch what he does and listen to his teaching – much of which, like today’s gospel will deal with the kingdom of God.
We’ll see Christ preaching in the synagogue, like a rabbi, and also teaching large crowds. Later, people will compare him to the prophets of old, but at first he is seen primarily as a healer and teacher. His miracles and teaching are constantly revealing new insights about God and his will.
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One of the notable innovations of Jesus’ teaching dealt with our relationship to God – and we have been so influenced by his words that it doesn’t seem like an innovation.
Pious Jews of his day generally thought about God as the almighty creator, the heavenly king – high and lifted up – and distant. Thus a typical prayer of that time would begin Blessed art Thou, O Lord God, king of the universe…
One approached God in the same way a lowly subject might approach their king – with humility and awe – even fear. And one might wonder whether the almighty king was really concerned about the needs of an individual subject.
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In contrast to the conventional piety of his day, Jesus said when you pray say Our Father who art in heaven… Yes God is the heavenly king, but he is also the heavenly Father, who knows and cares for each one of children -- Knows us so well, that he even knows the number of hairs on our head.
Jesus revealed the closeness of God to us – his immanence.
He used the metaphor of a loving Father as a way for us to understand the Lord God. That metaphor cuts two ways. On the one hand, it reveals God to us. But on the other hand, it also reveals Jesus’ picture of what an earthly father should be like – and like most of Christ’s standards, it’s a high ideal.
My father never came close to Jesus’ standards. And maybe yours didn’t – so perhaps it’s good to talk about Jesus’ idea of what a father should be like.
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I think Christ’s references to fathers may tell us something about his relationship to his earthly father, Joseph. One might assume they were close, since at the beginning of his ministry, when he’s back in his hometown, Jesus is referred to as “the carpenter” and the “son of the carpenter”, which suggests that Joseph taught him his trade and they worked together.
Maybe that’s his first point about fathers – simply that they should make time for their children.
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What did Jesus see as the role of earthly fathers that could also be a metaphor for God?
Do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' …Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Our heavenly Father provides for us For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:31f, 8
So we can trust Him – and in the same way earthly fathers are to provide for the needs of their families.
But beyond simply providing, the Father cares for us and loves – wants the best for his children.
Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? … If you ... know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9
Jesus assumes that fathers will always want the best for their families just as God wants the best for His children.
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Our several occasions when teaching, Jesus reminded his listeners of the commandment to honor your father and mother. Parents are worthy of respect, and that’s illustrated by sequence of petitions in the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name – show respect and honor – and then – Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…
One can get the impression that Jesus thought of fathers as being relatively strict, for in the Lord’s Prayer the metaphor of father is combined with that of king.
In ancient times a king is one who made the rules – and enforced the rules – one whose will is to be done. So it would seem that Jesus would expect parents to set rules for their children and to enforce them – in the same way that God has rules –commandments for us.
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God is our heavenly Father and our King – as we pray, Thy kingdom come…
In today’s gospel Jesus teaches about that kingdom in parables. The images are taken from the field - or garden.
Like all of the kingdom parables, each one illustrates only an aspect of the kingdom – not the complete picture. In this case, God’s kingdom – His rule – is not a static thing, but a mysterious process – one that we can’t completely understand – and yet we can, with the eyes of faith, see its result.
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These two parables reveal three hallmarks of God’s work: growth, reproduction and abundance.
Look to nature and observe God’s work there. That same pattern we see in the natural world is also true in the invisible stuff of the kingdom – for both are God’s work.
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A farmer planted seed in the ground, and then went on with
his other activities. As the days went by, the seeds
sprouted and grew, he does not know how. Mark 4:26,27
It is like a seed growing in the ground. We can’t see it germinating and beginning to grow under ground – maybe we don’t even know exactly how that happens.
The tiny seed doesn’t resemble the plant that will emerge.
So it is with the kingdom – God’s rule. It begins in our lives in small, humble way. The seed, the Word of God, is planted in our minds and the Holy Spirit works through it. At first, it may have a limited affect on our lives. But over time, God’s influence does grow – almost un-noticed.
Just be open to what God can do.
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It is like a tiny mustard seed. Though it is one of the smallest
of seeds, it grows to become the greatest of shrubs. Mark 4:31,32
Perhaps we can’t see any change in our spiritual lives. Maybe we don’t seem to be growing in faith. Yet God is at work. And where there is receptive soil, there will be growth. God will see to it.
The Christian life consists of constantly turning toward God and his way – seeking to know Christ better – striving to let His word and Spirit be our guide.
Along the way we stumble and fall - get diverted off the path. We slide back, and then are pulled forward again. But over the long run there is growth in understanding and in faith.
So the parables are words of encouragement and hope - even though it may not be immediately apparent, God is at work. The result does not finally depend on our efforts - God provides the growth in our lives of faith, and for us as a congregation
Our life together should also be marked by growth. As a congregation, we should be drawn into closer fellowship as brothers and sisters. We should be finding new ways to serve the Lord together – and accept new challenges. And we should be reaching out to new people, for the Lord enriches our fellowship be sending strangers, that we might welcome them as friends.
As new people come to the church, it reproduces itself and grows. As parents pass the faith on to their children, the church reproduces itself. The children and youth in our congregation are the future church. As we nurture and teach them, we are a part of that process of growth and reproduction.
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As in nature, the process of growth and reproduction leads to abundance. For God adds the power of the Holy Spirit to our efforts so that the result is more than, and perhaps different from, what we might have expected.
The real question is whether we - as individuals and as a church -- will take part in the growth of the kingdom. Will we be scattering seeds -- nurturing the growth -- taking part in the harvest? The Lord invites us ... and then leaves the decision to each of us.
Listen, God is calling. through the word inviting...