Scripture: Mark 4:26-34
What if you were to visit a country living in extreme poverty and oppression and were asked to give an account of what life is like in the United State. Would you be able to explain or inform that group of people enough that they would be able to make an accurate judgment of our nation? How exactly would you explain the foreign concepts of a constitution, elections, three branches of government to people who live under the rule of a dictator who has been in power for their entire life? How would you explain the concept of a volunteer military, or market economics, and educational systems to people who are ignorant of all these concepts? To make the issue even worse they do not understand the words you are saying to them so they begin twisting what you say into concepts that they are more familiar with.
The frustration you would feel I am sure is he frustration that Jesus had and continues to have as we debate the teachings of God. When you try to teach to explain something new to someone who is ignorant, you must first meet them where they have knowledge and begin to work your way up together until the understanding is complete. It is a process taking time. For some it is a quick study and for others it may take longer because of obstacles mentally or even physically. It would be completely wrong to describe anyone without knowledge as unintelligent, because their ignorance is not their fault. Ignorance is not a term of intelligence but of access to knowledge.
Imagine yourself explaining our lifestyle and culture to a tribe in the jungles of the Amazon. How would you explain not only your culture but your clothing. Where would you even begin, it is hard to consider because in that case we ourselves are as ignorant of their culture as they are of ours.
This is the uniqueness of Jesus, and the redemptive story we teach as Followers of Christ. How would God the creator of the universe and everything in it explain to His creatures, what life with Him looks like, feels like, and is? For generations He would speak to and through people, He set up a nation among nations to be the beacon of hope and redemption. The problem with prophets and priests is that we speak of heavenly things from human experience.
Jesus is different. Jesus, the Word of God, brought the knowledge and understanding of God to mankind. Yet even Jesus had use human language to teach about things beyond human understanding. What is the Kingdom of God or Heaven? It is like this: “a man goes out and scatters seed.” If you were to speak about America you may begin by saying something to the effect of America is like…
It is easiest to speak of unknown things, is to take a commonly known point and using it to build the teaching. For Jesus the commonly know topics are concepts of agriculture and horticulture. someone scatters seed. That is like the kingdom? No that is the start. As a farmer I know what happens with seeds. We have seeds scattered out in the Willow Creek Garden, something amazing happens. Something begins to happen, something a first century person could not explain. The seed grows.
Today we have observed and recorded what happens to a seed, we have studied the life cycle of them. We know the seed size does not determine anything of true value, but what is of value is what is inside. Inside there is a spark of life, when the conditions are right the correct temperature and moisture, a sprout emerges. It pushes up and always up, because it knows that it must go the opposite direction of the pull of gravity. It pushes through the soil as the rocks tear away the lays of the outer shell until its leave open up into the light.
It is a miraculous story, a story of passion and trial and all we see is a little tufts of green. The kingdom of God is like scattered seeds. These seed grow, they continue to push against gravity reaching higher into the sky while just below the surface roots push through the soils anchoring the plant into the ground while at the same time seeking out the smallest deposits of water. These roots can bore into the hardest mountain face, and find water in the driest of deserts. A plant begins as a little seed yet it dwells in not one but two very different worlds. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed
As these men and women listen to the words of Jesus they begin to see something new. They did not realize the kingdom of God is not just one-sided. Their concept of heaven and hell, life and death were not exactly well-defined. They had heard about the kingdom but in their mind the kingdom was one that was earthly. Yet here Jesus says the kingdom of God is like scattered seeds. There is more to a seed the seed is a mystery. It dwells in the heavens and in the depths of the earth. The kingdom of God is like a seed.
The purpose of a seed is to grow. It grows up from the ground rises toward the sun for one purpose, to bear fruit. Some plants cycle of life is short, only for a single season, it quickly rises reproduces and dies. Wheat is one of these seeds. These plants provide the staples of life. it Produces such an abundance that not only will it produce new plants but will feed birds and provide bread, potatoes, and tomatoes for humans to eat. One seed is the beginning of the food chain. This seed can begin to feed the world. Then there are other seeds that grow for a long period of time, they can continuously produce fruit season after season, year after year. They branch out providing shelter for the birds and animals that the minor seeds fed, and when they die their bodies can be used to house and furnish the homes of many. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a seed.
One seed, a simple seed a piece of life that we may consider insignificant yet this one seed holds the answer to the meaning of life. We have a purpose, we are meant to exist in two worlds, we are to grow and produce fruit while at the same time anchoring our lives deep into the earth to withstand the trials of life. we are to take pleasure in the light of the day, and seek out food and drink in the dark dirt. The Kingdom of God is like a seed.
There is more to life than just the here and now, there is more to our existence than the distant future. We were designed to grow, reach out and up, to bear fruit. We were made to dig in get dirty, shelter, clothe, and feed the world. We were made to reach our branches high into the sky to praise the God who set the universe in motion. The kingdom of God is like scattered seeds.
We are made to grow, reproduce, and to pass what we have on to others. I do not know if you have noticed but there are many types of seeds, many types of reasons for those seeds to grow. Just the other day I heard a news report that was speaking of the wonders of one type of plant that has been used to heal illness for centuries. It has cure sore muscles, headaches, it can help prevent a heart attack or stroke, and recently can prevent some forms of cancer. This seed grows into a tree and from its bark the medicine know as aspirin is found. One tree, one seed, and the kingdom of God is like scattered seeds.
We are each unique, we have different passions and desires. Different strengths and weaknesses. But we each have a vital place in the kingdom. Some of us are doctors providing relieve and healing like the willow tree, while others of us may have a more common role like wheat, feeding the masses. Some of us were made to create beautiful works of art like the countless varieties of wildflowers. Some of us bring pleasure and happiness to others like a cherry on top of a sundae. Some are hearty, sound, and strong like an oak to protect others from the storms of life, but none of us are all things. We need all types of seeds scattered throughout our communities each to grow into their own selves and produce what the are meant to produce.
One seed, can do the miraculous just by doing what they are meant to do. Each seed growing out of their purpose can sustain the world. Jesus came to tell us this. The Kingdom of God is like a scattered seed doing what it was designed to do. Growing deep in the earth and reaching up into the heavens. If a seed only reaches down into the earth it dies of starvation, if it only reaches up it dies because there is no root system. We were made to exist in two realms the earth and the heavens. But we are like seeds blindly sprouting in the darkness of the dirt. Jesus came to Give us the way to heavens. He is the light we desire and reach for, He is also the water and nourishment we seek in the soil. He came not only to save our souls but to restore our purpose. to connect heaven and earth, to connect creation to the creator, to bridge the temporal and the spiritual.
The kingdom of God is like scattered seeds. As we enter this time of open worship and holy expectancy consider the world around you, are we connecting it to God or are we focused too much on ourselves? Consider the world around you are you focusing too much on God and neglecting the world that is suffering around you? We are seeds here to feed, beautify, protect, heal, and bring pleasure to the world and to encourage those around us to lift up their arms in praise. What kind of seed are you, and are you growing?
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-17
It seems we have this constant burden in our lives to please everyone around us. Our teens want to be accepted into a group so the immitate any number of behaviors that maybe we would or do not favor. Our coworkers and even at time ourselves do things at our jobs that if the tables were turned we would complaine about. I know many of my coworkers have done this. I of course am the perfect employee so I have not taked about any of my customers degradingly…as long as they are in ear shot at least.
We want to please everyone, we drive ourselves mad trying to do this or the opposite trying to act as if we do not care. The problem is we do care, we get upset if someone is just a little to vocal about their oppinions that contradict ours’. We want to receive a promotion so we act in certain ways even when we would perfer to tell our managers they are full of hot air. Sometimes we are quite when we shoul be speaking and acting out.
I am sure there are many therories to hy we do what we do as humans, but the reality is we do not have to be this way. Paul says to be confident in our faith. Not timid, not judgemental, and not shy. Confident. Are we cofident? Since we spend so much time trying to please everyone around us my guess is NO, we re as far from confident as we could be.
The confidence that I feel Paul is speaking of is being real, honest, and humble. Knowing who we truely are and living it out daily. We are used to facades we are all good actors, if a camera were to follow us around each day it would probably surprise most of us as to how quickly and often we move in and out of character. At one moment you are a smiling friend to everyone, and the moment the back is turned you turn into grumpy. In Christ we become a new creation, the old is gone and the new comes in.
Have you really thought about this new creation? Is it realy throwing every aspect of our present or past person out and making us into something totally different? I cannot say yes or no on this. As I look at my own life I would defenatly say not a lot has changed. I look the same and have the same sense of humor (dry and sarcastic) as I always have, but there are definate differences also. I talk more now than I did before. I enjoy going to social events where I dreaded them before. I could almost say I am totally changed, but I am not I am still myself.
The confidence or the reality is that I know myself. I know who I am, where I stand, and why I am standing there. I am not swayed around in a wind or a changing cultural tide. I am confident. This confidence is not because I have done anything spectacular, I a confident because I know that God has done spectacular in me.
To gain this kind of confidence comes from spending time with God in prayer. It comes through listening to His Spirit in our actions. It comes through living the life Christ would have for us to live with those around us. We cannot do this in our own power. If we actually do not have a relationship with the divine personally we will only be empty shells of humanity. The change in confidence can only happen if there is something real acting in our lives. I know God is real and active in the lives of humanity because I experience it every day. I am fully comfortable with who I am and am just as comfortable even if you do not agree.
Today as you pray consider the areas of your life where you would like to see something new, consider who you have been or are now, and let God take control of those areas. Now once you consider those area, stop worrying about it and just focus on God for a while. After a few weeks I encourage you to look back to this day of prayer and see where God has taken you. If you do not keep a prayer journal I encourage you to do so. It is a great confidence builderto see where your journey with God has gone and als to see how God answers the prayers you make.
Scripture: Ezekiel 17:22-24
Ezekiel to me is one of the weirder books of scripture. I do not know why I feel that way, probably because the ancient alien folks use it so often. If you believe in ancient aliens do not be offended, aliens just FREAK me out so I would rather call them angels.
As I reflect on this scripture I contemplate spirituality. We all know there are various spirtual practices drawing from Celtic, Arab, Hebrew, and Oriental roots just to mention a few. Even Christian mysticism or spirituality draws from various backgrounds to bring us our practices today. The point is not from where the practice originated but if it is bringing us closer to God.
This pasage speaks about God bringing about something new out of something that already existed. In various horticultural practices we see this happening. If you have ever planted a rose you have most likely planted a hybrid rose. These hybrids graft two different varieties of roses together to gain the benifit of both. One may have a better root system another disease resistance. They will breed the plants naturally to form the best color, fragance, and resistance they need then they will carefully cut the flowering portion off of one and physically join it to the root system of another, they tape these together so that the roots of one plant will grow together with the stock of the other. It is very technical and beautiful. They use this same practice in many different types of ornimental and fruiting plants.
There is much research and disipline going into these practices, people invest their entire careers to perfect just one rose bush, and in the case of a vinyard or orchard many lifetimes have been invested to gain the prized product. Our spiritual lives are much like this. We must be careful not to haphazardly bind practices together that do not complement each other. It would not work well to combine the ritual sacrifices of Hinduism with Christian mystism because the theological bases do not mesh. However yoga could be grafted into our spiritual lives. Another concept that has been grafted into Christian discipleship throughout history is the labyrinth. In ancient times people would travel to Israel to walk the paths of Christ. Today people still gain incredible spiritual encouragement from these trips. Eventually due to hostlity and economics it became nearly impossible for many to visit the Holy sites, especially during the Crusades. As a substitute many Medieval cathedral began to incorporate the sacred pathway of a labyrinth into their design so that people could travel to places like Chartres to reflect their spiritual lives on Christ while they physically walk a path. If you want to know more the use of the labyrinth in Christian spiriuality I encourage you to read Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool, by Lauren Artress.
Of course many people will question the incorporation of spiritual practices from other traditons into Christianity, and rightfully so. We must be careful what we do and only do things that direct our mind, body, and spirit toward our goals (in the Christian view this would be closer to Christ). You may ask why I’m going on a rant about these practices? Well I write what comes to mind, and as I consider God taking the top of a ceder and planting it down in the ground to grow something new, I think of the continual emergance of Christ centered spirituality in the world. In our various practices, denominations, and orders we have a multitude of different traditions, yet in the end we are pressing for the same goal. These practices have emerged from various backgrounds and for various reasons. Mainly because what one group was focusing on others found to be dry and dead. For them to stay doing the same thing they were faced with spiritual dry rot. Their lives looked good to everyone around them yet inside under the facade they are filled with dust that is barely holding together. God needs to bring new life into the dry tree. At times in history we see movements rise up quickly and the fall away almost as quickly. In those cases God may have needed to dry out the green tree because it had gotten off track or possibly the world was not yet ready for that type of expression in the mainstream.
The point is that God wants you to have a growing, green spiritual life that will grow branches to provide comfort and saftey to others, and bear fruit. You may be feeling a bit dry in your walk right now, this may not mean that you are doing anything wrong, but it may also mean it is tim to look for a different way to encourage spiritual growth. It may not be anything more than trying out a different type of music for a while, or maybe incorpating excersise, gardening, or art into your prayer life. You may find that your traditional style is right where you need to be and go back, you may also find that there was something detrimental to growth in the faith community you were in. As a disciple of Christ our goal should be to continuously grow into His likeness. I encourageyou to explore some of the various methods used throughout Christianity. If you are unsure or unaware of other aspects of spiritual practices there are people that are eager to help you explore. Many of the are members of Spiritual Directors International, which is a group dedicated to help people like you and me deepen our spiritual lives.
I personally have spent time exploring many aspects of prayer and discipline, some of them I have added to my own spirtual journey others I have found little growth with but the experience was intresting and enriching. I have also spent time consulting a spiritual director to assist me in my own personal walk. To prevent dry rot in your spiritual lives be adventurous. The journey should be challenging, trying, and fun but ultimately it will help you find who you were meant to be.