June 17, 2012
1
Samuel 15:34—16:13; 2 Corinthians 5:6-17; Mark 4:26-34
I’ve always been fascinated by
kaleidoscopes. Bits of color, a tube that holds the pieces of color, and a set
of mirrors, kaleidoscopes constantly change the view of the image within the
scope. If I look into the scope, then hand it to someone else, chances are
strong that what I saw will not be what another person will see.
When I read a Bible story, I often get
something different out of it today than I did when I read it three years ago,
or even earlier in the week. And what I get out of a Bible story is not
necessarily what someone else gets out of it.
It’s the same thing with life. We all
see something different in every encounter, every event, every relationship.
Just think about the different stories siblings and parents tell about family
dinners!
And it’s the same between us and God.
We humans have one set of values; God has a different set. God looks at our
human lives differently than we do. That is what our Bible texts are about
today.
Last week, Samuel reluctantly anointed
a king to serve over the people. Saul started out well, but even God has become
disappointed in him. God has now sent Samuel to anoint another person as king.
He has been sent to the family of Jesse, who lives with his family near
Bethlehem. Samuel does not know which son will be chosen, and is waiting for a
sign from God.
We are familiar with the story, but as
it was happening, no one knew which son would be the chosen one. Youngest sons
were pretty worthless in Israelite eyes. They came in last in property
distribution and family power. That David even existed was sort of an
afterthought for Jesse. He’s just the shepherd boy – the kid pulling grass out
in left field.
Of course, it will be many years
before David is actually crowned. He must first learn from Saul how to be a soldier
and a leader. He must stay alive when Saul realizes he has lost favor in God’s
eyes and tries to kill David. And then, Saul and his army must be defeated
before David can begin his reign. To Jesse and the other boys, David is just
the kid brother; but to God, this kid is just the right person to lead the
kingdom.
In the gospel, we read two parables
about the kingdom/reign of God. The kingdom of God is not a place. It is not
the here-after life with God in heaven. It is the activity and presence of God
on earth here and now, even though what it to come is not yet fulfilled.
In the first parable, we are reminded
that crops grow slowly, in God’s time, and mostly without human help. We can
work to make it easier for a plant to grow and produce fruit. We can weed and
water but only God actually makes the plant sprout and grow tall and bear
fruit.
Like any plant, the kingdom/reign of
God will sprout and grow and bear fruit in God’s time, not ours. And, again, we
can make it easier for the reign of God to grow but we cannot make it actually
happen. We can plant seeds by sharing our own stories about Jesus’ presence and
activity in our lives. We can invite folks to come and see what God is doing at
Hope. We can learn as much as we can about Jesus by hearing sermons, reading
and studying the Bible, praying, and paying attention to what God is doing in
our lives and the lives of those around us.
In the second parable, Jesus describes
the reign of God as a mustard seed which grows and grows until it is large
enough for birds to nest in it. The mustard plant in Israel is a weed, an
undesirable plant. The seeds germinate as soon as they hit the ground so the
plant can easily take over a cultivated wheat or barley field. Unlike the small
mustard plant most Americans know about, the species of mustard Jesus is
talking about is a large bush, about 3 feet high, certainly large enough for
small birds to nest in.
So, why is Jesus describing the reign
of God as a weed? Because he wants us to know that the reign of God is as uncontrollable
as wild mustard. No matter what we do to try to keep God’s reign out of some
places, the reign of God will take root and grow wherever God wants it to be.
In Jesus’ time, this means that no
matter what the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees and priests do, the reign
of God will come in Jesus. Once again, Jesus is throwing down a gauntlet, and
letting the people know that they will not be able to stop God’s activity.
In St. Paul’s various writings, and
even within the same letter, Paul gives us somewhat different views on judgment
and resurrection. His timeline varies; Jesus’ return and our judgment may come
immediately, or it may come some day. What matters for Paul and for us is that God
will judge us, but that the judgment will not be like human judgment. Jesus has
died for all, out of his love for us. The result of his death is that we become
a new creation, with no sins, no human faults, nothing at all to prevent God
from loving us.
When we look at life through our human
eyes, we see all the limitations and disappointments of human existence. But
when Jesus sees us, Jesus sees no limitations, no disappointments. Jesus sees
neither slave nor free, Jew nor non-Jew, male and female. All of those
characteristics that define us as human disappear when Jesus judges us. We are
new people, with our sins wiped away through the gift of Jesus’ love for us.
God definitely sees us differently
than we see each other. When God looks at us, God looks on the heart. God
chooses the youngest son, the most unlikely persons to help fulfill God’s plans
and purposes. God’s reign is like a plant, growing with God’s power and purpose
to produce fruit. God’s reign is like a mustard seed, growing uncontrollably,
even where it is not wanted. And God’s reign is a new creation, in our lives,
each day.
It’s really hard for us humans to see into
one another’s heart, because we tend to hide our true hearts from each other.
We don’t want to expose the softness, the fear, the impurity that lies within
our true selves to others. But God sees past all the yucky stuff of our
humanity and into the goodness of each human heart.
This week, try to see in those you
spend time with the new creation that God sees. Try to see others – and yourselves – as God’s chosen
children, as called to fulfill God’s purposes right here in Citrus County.
Please pray with me: Merciful God,
help us to see ourselves the way you see us: as new creations. Help us also to
see others the same way, as your new creations. And help us to share that good
news with those who need to hear that God looks beyond whatever they have done
into their true hearts. Amen
