Sunday August 6 th Partnership with God Russ Pearson The stories of Creation may be the most familiar ones in all of

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1 Sunday August 6 th Partnership with God Russ Pearson The stories of Creation may be the most familiar ones in all of Scripture outside of the Christmas and Easter stories of Jesus. When I read the first verses of Genesis I feel like I am about to enter an epic as if it could open with A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Sometimes it seems like that. These stories seem to be distant narratives of a time long ago where God makes light from a word, snakes talk, and God walks in a garden. In the 2nd creation story, the first human is made from the ground- the word used to name the human, Adamha, means dirt man. And the 2 nd human is made from a rib from the first. Confirmation class seems to be one of the first times youth realize there are two very different creation stories. The first one begins with the first words of Genesis where God calls creation into being. God said, and it was so. The word in Hebrew for God in Genesis 1 is Elohim. Elohim is a cosmic God of great power. Power, might, strength. These are the characteristics at play in Genesis 1. The 2 nd creation story 1

2 begins a little into chapter 2 and God creates by making with his hands. The earth and heavens are created then God forms the dirt into a human and breathes the breath of life into it. The word in Hebrew for God in chapter 2 is Yahweh. Yahweh is a personal God of the Hebrew people that is described using qualities associated with humankind. God walks and talks with creation. God questions and seems to be an ever present live being with the human dirt man. These are the characteristics of God we are introduced to in the Bible. Big and powerful, but real and alive. Cosmic but grounded. King of the Universe and God of the world. Creating by Word, Creating by dirt. What a way to begin the epic that is the Bible. The first creation stories are not just about God- they are also about humanity. The first creation story culminates with the creation of humankind in the image of God. The 2 nd creation story has its focus on the human s task to work and to find a partner. The dirt man s job is to till and keep the garden of Eden. I don t have much gardening experience but I know it is dirty. 2

3 On our high school mission trip to Charlotte we helped with two community gardens. Both gardens had the focus of providing fresh food to food pantries and to people who were homeless. We weeded the garden, laid mulch and sowed seeds. We watered the ground and plants to help give them new life during some pretty rough heat. We got dirty. I didn t make the connection to our work and Genesis 2 until sitting down to write this sermon. We were doing exactly what the dirt man was doing in the Garden of Eden. Someone else a while ago planted the two gardens we visited, just as God planted the Garden of Eden. Our group was called to till and keep it so it could keep producing, just as the dirt man was called by God to till and keep the Garden of Eden. There were sections of the community gardens that did not have a lot of help. They were dry and covered in weeds and hard to get back to good. It took a lot of work to get the garden to a place where it could continue to produce vegetables again. Maybe the dirt man experienced that as well. By working in these gardens we 3

4 partnered with the ministries that were working to help provide good food to people. Just as the dirt man partnered with God. God planted the Garden first, before any dirt man could weed it, which means God had to get dirty. I love that image of God sitting on his knees planting seeds. This simple idea reminds me that God can relate to us. And that God is in the mess of our beautiful lives, is he not? God set the stage and began the process but doesn t continue to go at it alone. God called Adamha to till and keep the garden that God planted and made grow. The dirt man had a calling from the moment the breath of life is breathed into him, marrying flesh and Spirit forever. This pattern continues when God begins to find the dirt man a partner. God makes the animals of the field and bird of the air out of the same holy dirt of the human. God makes, then tasks the dirt man to name them all. Digging, tilling, keeping, naming. All a part of the human s first call from God. This work is not just so God can sit in a hammock and give orders. God calls us into partnership as co-creators. 4

5 We too have been given the mighty gift of life and are called to help life continue in partnership with God. I experienced that feeling on our mission trip in the midst of a dry garden trying to pick out weeds with a bunch of high school students. A long time ago, in a church not so far away, I was in confirmation class listening to my preacher talk about our responsibilities as full members of the church. Much of that is fuzzy to a teenager but the idea stuck that as a member I had a responsibility to everyone else in church to support the ministries of the church. A few years ago I was leading one of my first confirmation classes with the current rising college seniors. They were in 8 th grade at the time and I remember planning a retreat at Kim Plemmons mountain house. Knowing full and well talking about the membership responsibilities to teenagers could be a potential waste of time, I did it anyways. We discussed what it meant to be a member of a church and yes (surprise surprise!) the PCUSA has a 5

6 section the book of order that talks about what it means to be a member. This section of the book of order opens with Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is a joy and a privilege. It is also a commitment to participate in Christ mission. A faithful member bears witness to God s love and grace and promises to be involved responsibly in the ministry of Christ s Church. As a member, we are partnering with God in the great commandment. Jesus said to love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Quoting from the Old Testament Jesus is explaining to all who have ears that being a disciple is more than just proclaiming a faith by word. Love is action. Being a member of a church doesn t necessarily mean you are a disciple. Sometimes folks treat membership like a country club. If you show up a few times a year and pay your dues you are in. That s not discipleship, even though it could be church membership. 6

7 Discipleship is much more rewarding than that. Discipleship as a member of this church is probably like most other churches. We lift each other in prayer, we take part in the common life of the church and worship together regularly. Disciples respond to God s activity in the world through service. They try to live responsibly with other s and work for peace and justice and freedom and human fulfillment for all. They study Scripture and the issues of Christian life, and they participate. As fancy as these examples sound they are listed in our book of order also. I couldn t rewrite them better. In that confirmation retreat we discussed what each of those responsibilities can look like as a teenager and as an adult. Each one is an open ended statement about what membership in a PCUSA congregation should look like. It leaves it open ended to allow members to work in particular congregations to fulfill their membership. I encourage you to check out the book of order and read more about the idea of membership. 7

8 It is interesting and with things for the fall season beginning your research could aid you in finding a place for service. So every member has a ministry. The dirt man, who would later be called Adam, knew his calling. God gave it directly to him. Adam was working and through working responded to his calling to be a partner with God. I wish I could say that our calling was easy to decipher, it s not. Sometimes we must jump in the deep in and begin to work out our faith through service before we get a glimpse of our calling. And I do encourage you to jump in. Don t wait around for an invitation before you act out your faith, the invitation is always there. Do some research. Look at our website. Read the bulletin. Check out the needs of the church. Then go and do. Respond to God s activity because God is moving in our congregation. God is ever present in our times of trouble and confusion and inviting us to join in the work- as partners with God. Many things come from the dirt. In our story this morning humanity came from it, as well as the animals and birds. God can use 8

9 the most mundane things to make extraordinary works of art. I believe that type of creation happens all the time. One example that stuck with me is about Habitat for Humanity. Many of you probably know much more than I do about its history and it is a fascinating history. It began in a farm, and I like to think in the dirt. Koininia Farm, owned by Clarence Jordan, was outside of Americus Georgia, and it was that farm that took the seeds of what would grow into Habitat for Humanity. (From their website) On the farm, Jordan and Habitat s eventual founders Millard and Linda Fuller (who sold all their possessions for the poor) developed the concept of partnership housing. The concept centered on those in need of adequate shelter working side by side with volunteers to build decent, affordable houses. The houses would be built at no profit. New homeowners house payments would be combined with no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fundraising to create The Fund for Humanity, which would then be used to build more homes. And the rest is history. That was how the Fuller s and Clarence Jordan partnered with God. How will you? 9

10 Faith goes a long way. Work and faith can go even further, I think. Not all of us are called to sell our possessions, or start a non-profit, or work in a church. But all of us are called to work and have faith. God is always talking to us. God is always calling us to love. Sometimes we have to get a little dirty to hear it. God has planted the seeds of faith for us. It is our job to till the ground and keep it so it can keep producing. If we ignore our faith calling, our faith will dry up like a neglected garden. We will become angry and bitter and forget that the #1 responsibility of a disciple is to love. So, as we look to the new season that is upon don t be afraid to jump in the deep end of your faith. Work, get dirty, live out your faith as full members of this congregation, knowing that God is right there beside us, as he was in the garden. AMEN. 10

11 Prayer of Thanksgiving: God of the garden, you have given us the gift of live and of love. We thank you for planting the garden of faith for us and ask that you help us in our journey to till and keep it. We thank you for this church and its ministries. Help us respond to your action and invitation as full partners to help bring your Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. Bless these offerings to bless others in our church and in our community. AMEN. 11

12 Charge and Benediction As you leave remember the story of the garden. Remember the call of Adamha to work. Listen to God this week for what God is calling you to do at our church and do it. Paul tells the church in Ephesus- Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 12

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