Say What, Now?! (Pentecost 9A)

 

Say what, now?!

Yes? Hey! Disciples!  the answer is no, no you do not understand.

Perhaps you understand the kindom parables. Versed in the words of the prophets, living in covenant with God, following the Law, you have interpreted – know- what Jubilee Year, what God’s reign, what shalom, what Messiah, what new creation is. Yes, you understand through your 1^st Century lens, that judgement is simply the removal of ‘bad fish,’ nothing to do on your part or within the rest of the Hebrew community. Evil will be plucked out and thrown away, and you can go on, as is – minus the evil that was around you. Praise the Lord.

 

What you don’t know is what is coming.

After your YES, Jesus speaks further -

Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.

Say what, now?!

 

The beginning of chapter 13 of Matthew has Jesus telling parables to the crowds. The disciples ask Jesus why he teaches in this way, trying to understand the purpose and meaning. The chapter closes with a return to the notion of understanding using the image of a scribe.

The Hermineutica commentary interprets the scribes to be those who open up the treasures of wisdom. Scribes are those of a learned class who study Hebrew scripture and serve as copyists, editors, teachers, jurists.

Those who have been trained for the kindom of heaven – meaning Jesus’ disciples, those who answer ‘yes’ to understanding these things – is the master of a household who brings out treasure, what is new and what is old; a master who brings out treasures of wisdom.

Have you understood all this?

 

Yes --- No, no you do not understand.

What you don’t know is what is coming.

 

This wisdom – old and new- is Word; written in the Law, scripted on parchment as spoken through prophets, scripted in Words spoken over the waters to create; written on hearts; the Word become flesh. Wisdom to be made known in preaching Jesus.  It is not in the message where the wisdom is scripted, it is embodied in the recipients. It is not that the ‘bad fish’ get removed – and life goes on – it is Wisdom that catches; fish are released to proclaim that they have been changed through the experience of being caught. Some go and some rot. Have you understood all this?

 

O disciples, the day is coming when

The kindom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the kindom of heaven is like yeast, treasure in a field,, fine pearl, net in the sea… when these will be dimed by the magnitude of the very kindom Wisdom has tried to describe;

On that day God will scribe a story so powerful that God’s action is not simply the removal of evil but rather that the righteous likewise are changed, becoming a new creation.

God – through Jesus- the Word- your Teacher, your hoped for Messiah – will be crucified; not to assuage sin; but to illuminate and inscribe on hearts to what length God will go to unconditionally love the world. God loved the world so much that…

God dared to set God-self aside to suffer and die; to die on a cross.

Say what, now?!

 

Yes, God’s covenant loyalty and relationality -God’s love is that grand.

A love so grand it changes the scribe – the learned, the jurist, the copyist, the conveyor of scripture text.

O disciples, be prepared for that is not the end of Wisdom’s story, the day is coming when you will proclaim:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

 

Three days after death Jesus comes again. It is written that the women find the tomb empty and as they go to tell you this “Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to Jesus, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

 

Have you understood all this?

Yes. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

 

Perhaps you understand the kindom parables. Versed in the death and resurrection stories of the Gospels, living in the covenant of baptism, filled with the Holy Spirit, you interpret  - know- what communion, what church, what commonwealth, what shalom, what heaven, what new creation is. Yes, you understand through a 21^st Century lens that grace trumps judgement. You have not lived in a world where this full expression of God has not been present.

And yet, have you understood all this?

 

Yes. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

 

This wisdom – old and new- is Word; written in the Law, scripted on parchment as spoken through prophets, scripted in Words spoken over the waters to create; written in the Gospels; inscribed on hearts;  the Word become flesh. Wisdom to be made known in preaching Jesus.  It is not in the message where the wisdom is scripted, it is embodied in the recipients.

This grace gets engraved on the tablets of the heart, encoded into our DNA, an embodied presence of Jesus the Christ.

And because of this grace -this treasure of wisdom- we can boldly proclaim YES.

Preaching Jesus we say…

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

 

Say what, now?!

Transplanter

 

A parable invites us into new ways of thinking – in today’s parable- thinking specifically about the kindom of heaven. Parables push us to ponder that which is beyond familiar and comfortable.

Creator, open my ears that I may listen and hear, the seeds of your Word. Till and prepare my heart and mind to be good soil, ready to receive the Word as spoken. Nourish and grow my roots, shoots, and abilities – to be a vibrant planting in your garden. Amen.

 

I have to brag a little. The garden in the front yard of the parsonage, in my mind, looks amazing! Each day, I like to have my coffee on the porch overlooking the plants. I take delight in them! Their colours and flowers, their movement in the breeze; how they look different in the rain. I enjoy working around the plants, a little here, a little there, pulling weeds, picking sticks, trimming shrubs, moving rocks. Every day I play in God’s garden and I commune with Hosta, Lily, Violet, Chive, and Rhubarb.

 

I have a confession to make. I am not a sower of seed. I have tried. Squash, Carrot, Lettuce, Bean, and Corn they grew a little, but never grew big enough to produce fruit; well honestly, didn’t grow enough to really have leaves either. Stems – from seeds I can grow stems that measure two inches in height. But then they shrivel or get eaten, or just remain sickly looking. So, I am not a sower of seeds. I am willing to admit this and accept it!

 

I have other talents. Hosta, Lily, Violet, Chive, Rhubarb, and their friends were invited to the garden. I met them in other peoples’ gardens. They were full and vibrant and were ready to move further afield. With the help of a shovel, I separated Hosta, Lily, Violet, Chive, Rhubarb from their mother plant and carefully transported them, replanting them in their new home, the front yard of the parsonage.

I have learned that I am not a sower, but rather a successful transplanter.

 

Paul, in the Romans text, goes on and on describing Christ within. If Christ is in you this Spirit is life.

In my experience this Spirit that is life is like a mother plant which can be subdivided and transplanted, allowed to grow, and subdivided and transplanted again and again. This Spirit that is life moves farther and farther afield; recreating, accentuating, renewing, God’s garden, God’s kindom.

 

When I ponder Christ within, I consider what grows in me that when subdivided will continue to grow. What grows like weeds, what grows like good seed?  Plants that grow in me, grow from my understanding of the Gospel  - that God unconditionally loves humankind so much that God dared to die to show us to what lengths God goes to have us comprehend this love. The Gospel is an abundance of grace and God being vulnerable and present in a hurting world. Receiving this grace and abundance through the risen Christ overflows and enters the world as life giving water, through me, through you, for the healing of the world.

 

The Sower of Seed – reading the passage it says A sower, not sowers; maybe none of us are sowers of seed.

Reflecting on this passage Bishop Larry Kochendorf of the Alberta and the Territories Synod writes:

“God – a farmer – a sower who is extravagant, reckless – perhaps even wasteful in desire and intent. God who casts the seed of the word, of grace, of forgiveness, of reconciliation, of promise, of life – God who casts this seed everywhere – in every place, in every life, in every community – God who casts this seed – listen!- [it’s] for you – for me.

Extravagant grace for you – forgiveness for you – reconciliation for you – promise for you – life for you.

This sower – this farmer – God – who we know best in Jesus Christ and in his extravagant, restless life and death – and life for us.

…the God we know in Jesus Christ – who [in these kindom parables] is extravagant, reckless, and yes, wasteful – in God’s desire and intent to be in relationship with us…

God, a sower who casts the seed everywhere – for the love of the world.”

 

God is the sower!  God is the farmer.

 

I am a transplanter.

And based on Bishop Larry’s explanation of God’s seed there is much that can be transplanted, - divided, shared, moved – extravagant grace, forgiveness, reconciliation, promise, life, relationship.

Transplanters are about taking the extravagance and abundance of God – that which is wholesome and healing, and moving it to new places. It is looking at one’s life and being, discovering what one has in abundance and separating off chunks of this abundance to share with and plant in another person’s garden.

Perhaps you have an abundance of care, common sense, a capacity to listen, empathy, agency, optimism, hope, forgiveness.

As a transplanter, it is valuable to know something about dirt and caring for the transplanted plant. It takes a little time to support the plant until its roots catch in the new-to-it soil; a little encouragement and walking in relationship.

Although one would never read, ‘transplanter,’ as part of a pastor’s CV or job description, I think it is an apt description of what I do; and what Christians are called to do. Specifically, for me I transplant weekly through teaching and preaching – I take a piece of myself, wrapped up in the Christ within me, and pull it out– lovingly give it to the person or people receiving it. Most weeks I transplant a piece of myself and give it to you; I give you a portion of God’s grace that has been grown, pondered, and formed within my heart and being.  

Over time, the transplanted piece is nourished, given encouragement, fertilizer, water, sunshine, - until it once again has taken root and grown and can be separated and divided, pulled out to be passed on and transplanted again – from your heart to another.

 

Consider what has been transplanted over the years– from me to you- planted into your heart and mind? What has grown so much that it can be subdivided and shared? And I know that what has been transplanted in you, grows and gets transplanted by you to others.

Bonnie Arbon once said, You are a piece of the puzzle of someone else’s life. You may never know where you fit, but others will fill the hole in their lives with pieces of you.

 

The pieces of me that are worthy of being a piece in the puzzle of someone else’s life, are the ones that come from the abundance of God’s grace; the pieces Paul talks about as Christ within.

 

The Sower has planted seed, extravagantly, everywhere.

The seed has taken root and grown here (hand motion church), and here (point at own heart; then at others in congregation). This is a place of good soil – soil that is tended and nourished – we are full bodied, vibrant plants, with gifts and abundance overflowing the garden bed. It is time for us to be transplanters, taking that which is precious and sacred – pieces of ourselves, our faith, our hope, our belief that God’s kindom is present- and transplant it to others for the healing of the whole world.

 

 

Faith, Family, and Focus - a sermon for Confirmation Sunday 2023

 

It is time for Isaac to marry. Isaac’s father, Abraham, sends one of his staff back to his ancestral land to choose a wife for Isaac from his kin. The servant gets to the land and prays, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going. And, then continues with a prayer suggesting to God a sign, so that he knows exactly who Isaac’s wife is to be. Because otherwise how would he choose, how would he know? This was a big deal and not a time to make a poor decision. God’s promise to Abraham, that his ancestors would number as the stars, all depended on this choice- a wife for Abraha’s son, Isaac. The future depended on this one decision.

This is a good passage for confirmation Sunday, not because I expect that Lina, Meaghan, or Nakana are choosing spouses and getting married any time soon, but because it talks about how one makes important decisions. There are many important decisions -life changing ones- that Nakana, Lina, and Meaghan will make in the next few years: affirming one’s faith today and committing to relationship with God and the church community is one; there is deciding what classes to take in school and later if one will go to university or college, choosing summer jobs and later careers; and figuring out who to be, how to act, and which people to hang with. There are choices of where to live, how to dress, what to eat, will I drive; where will I spend my money? There are decisions about how to use one’s time: what hobbies to participate in, which skills to hone, and where and how to give to and serve the community.

 The Bible text that describes finding a wife for Isaac is not so much a beautiful love story as it is a story that teaches us, all of us, how to discern where God is leading and how to faithfully make significant life decisions.

I have organized the teachings into ‘the Three Fs,’ Faith, family, and focus. Each ‘F’ is accompanied by a confirmation verse as chosen by the confirmands.

 

FAITH

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness -Lam. 3: 22-23

Abraham is an example of faithfulness. Although this scripture was not written at the time of Abraham, it sounds like the song of his heart and the story he lived. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Abraham’s story recounts a decision to leave his home, taking his household and following God to a different place. Late in years, Abraham is told that he and Sarah will have a son and their descendants will number like the stars. Through the story Abraham has intimate conversations with God and entertains God’s messengers. Not all of Abraham’s choices were solid, sometimes getting himself and his family into sticky situations, but, with a little nudging from the Spirit the situations right themselves through a series of new choices on Abraham’s part. Abraham’s relationship with God is strong and Abraham has faith that God is present, even when he screws up. Abraham has faith, so much so that Abraham sends out his staff person to go find a wife for Isaac. This is a big decision, to not go oneself, but to trust and have faith that the servant is capable of the task. Abraham assures the servant that God goes ahead, so Abraham rests assured that God will aid the servant.

This kind of faith, one doesn’t grow in a vacuum. It is practiced with others in community. In Abraham’s day it would have been his whole household: immediate family, relatives, household managers, servants, hired hands, and their families. Abraham modeled conversation with God, even argued and bartered with God, and trusted in God’s faithfulness.

Today we grow faith by practicing with others in community. Here in this place, we wrestle with big picture questions – is there God, what is the meaning of life, what is my purpose, is their life after death? Through sacred texts (Bible) and ritual we hear and are reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning.

This year in confirmation class we learned about the Bible. There was not time to read most of the stories written in it. We are all encouraged to continue reading. Between the covers we will read about people of faith, people figuring out who God is and what that means for daily living and decision making. We will note that when it comes to making decisions there can be more than one option or choice that is a faithful, responsible, good, godly. We will also find that even God, changes God’s mind from time to time. Don’t be afraid to make decisions, a decision leads to more options, more decisions. Trust, have faith, that what you have learned here, and continue to grow and practice here, will give you confidence in making faithful decisions.

 

FAMILY

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. -Jer. 1: 5

Okay, Meaghan, Lina, and Nakana, you can roll your eyes if you want, because this ‘F’ starts by talking about your parents and families. You have been blessed with families, parents who are involved, who care, who love you, who bring you to church, who sat with you through confirmation classes. Parents help us make decisions.

Family in the story is represented by two separate households. Isaac and his father Abraham, and their household, and Rebekah and her father, brothers, and her maids. Through the interactions the families communicate with each other over this important decision. What I appreciate in the story is that although families -particularly fathers of households- usually made the marriage decisions, Rebekah has voice and agency, she is asked her opinion and it is valued. The family helps in the decision making process.

A biblical principal through the ages is that it requires two or three to be present as witnesses to make significant life choices. It is a great cloud of witnesses that contributes to discerning what option to choose. We are not alone. It is not unlike the process of the congregation figuring out what this church’s future looks like.

Church community is another family, your chosen faith family. This congregation, or wherever you go and in whatever Christian community you find yourself in, is a conversation partner; a place to find support, encouragement, and direction. Time spent together in worship and prayer, coffee conversation, learning, applying scripture to daily life and the world around us reminds us that God knew us before we were born, consecrated us and appointed us to be God’s grace in the world. This colours and aides our decision making.

 

FOCUS

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1: 6

Abraham’s servant goes when sent, to find a wife for Isaac. The servant though does not go on his own, with his own ideas, or under his own power. The servant prays. It is a big decision after all. The prayer models for us the importance of taking time to pause when making big decisions. The focus of prayer reminds us that faith and family and God are the support system and voices to help us make decisions. Prayer also opens our hearts, ears, and eyes to opportunity and possibility. Prayer focuses us to pay attention. Abraham’s servant expects to encounter God, as described by receiving a sign – in this case Rebekah coming to water the camels.

When we pray, prayer has us face the day looking for hope and grace; sets a focus of being loving and caring with self, others, and creation. The focus of prayer is discipleship – meaning going to live the day faithfully trusting your family is behind you and God goes ahead. The focus of asking, turning to God, family, community of faith, frees us and decision making from doubts like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

 

Today, Nakana, Lina, and Meaghan, you are making a decision that has been in process throughout your entire lifetime. It has been guided by the Spirit, grown faithfully in community, encouraged by family, and focused through study and prayer. My prayer, our prayer for you, is continued conversation and relationship as you grow and make life changing choices for yourselves and that you actively participate in making life changing decisions for this congregation and the church. We support you, we love you, we pray with you.

 

As Bonhoeffer prayed, let us pray:

My courage fails me, but with you there is help; I am restless, but with you there is peace; in me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me. Amen.