Scripture. Prayer. Kingdom Seeds Mark 4:26-34 Sunday, June 17, 2018 The Rev. Sharon Snapp-Kolas, preaching Opening. Happy Fathers Day! Did you know that Father s Day was started by a Methodist and first observed in a Methodist Church on a Sunday in 1910? Thank you, Sonara Smart Dodd, whose mother died when she was 16, and whose father raised her. Dad s are wonderful, aren t they? Not all dads, of course; but if we happened to have a dad who wasn t the greatest, we are still supposed to respect our fathers, even if only for the fact that we wouldn t be here if it weren t for them. And, we can always be grateful for the men in our lives who have been like good fathers to us. Paul Harvey, that radio icon, has a few words to say about fathers: A father is a thing that is forced to endure childbirth without an anesthetic. A father is a thing that growls when it feels good and laughs very loud when it's scared half to death. A father never feels entirely worthy of the worship in a child's eyes. He's never quite the hero his daughter thinks, never quite the man his son believes him to be and this worries him, sometimes. So he works too hard to try and smooth the rough places in the road for those of his own who will follow him. A father is a thing that gets very angry when the first school grades aren't as good as he thinks they should be. He scolds his son though he knows it's the teacher's fault. Fathers are what give daughters away to other men who aren't nearly good enough so they can have 1
grandchildren who are smarter than anybody's. Fathers make bets with insurance companies about who'll live the longest. Though they know the odds, they keep right on betting. And one day they lose. I don't know where fathers go when they die. But I've an idea that after a good rest, wherever it is, he won't be happy unless there's work to do. He won't just sit on a cloud and wait for the girl he's loved and the children she bore. He'll be busy there, too, repairing the stairs, oiling the gates, improving the streets, smoothing the way. (Paul Harvey). For those of us who have good fathers, let s remember to thank them today. For those of us who would wish for better fathers, let s take comfort in the fact that God is a good Father who loves us more than any earthly father ever could. And there are many good men in the world who can be like fathers to us, whether our Dad was good or lousy. Happy Father s Day, dads! And Happy Father s Day to all of you men among us, who have been and continue to be like fathers to us. Turning to our gospel reading from Mark, Jesus tells two seed stories. One, The Mustard Seed, is a familiar parable about the amazing growth God can bring from small, insignificant beginnings. The other, The Growing Seed, is less familiar. It only appears in Mark. This story is about a mystery: seeds are scattered, but growth comes only from God. I. Seeds. Some of the smallest seeds produce the biggest trees. The most massive living thing on planet Earth is the General Sherman, a giant sequoia that many of us have probably visited. It is found in central California s Sequoia National Park on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas. This tree stands at nearly 274.9 feet and has a width of 102.6 feet near its base. It is estimated to weigh 2,756 tons. It is approximately 2,200 years old. The seeds of the giant sequoia are about 2
the size of an oat flake, and according to the Guinness Book of World Records they each weigh only 1/6,000 of an ounce. (from Deryl R. Corbittanger). This is a central point that Jesus makes about seeds and the kingdom of God. Great, wonderful, huge, magnificent things grow out of small, tiny, insignificant things. Like mustard seeds and sequoia tree seeds. Like the small, hesitant beginnings of faith in God. Like tiny, insignificant acts of love and kindness. Like little people that no one takes notice of. Faithful people serving God in small little everyday ways. God notices small, tiny, insignificant things and people and faith and actions. In fact, says Jesus, that s what the kingdom of God is all about. The mustard seed is a common metaphor in Palestine for the smallest thing (vv. 30-32). Hidden in these tiny seeds are the mysteries of the kingdom. The tiniest seed of faith grows into a giant sequoia of praise and service to God. One person s faithful actions begin a chain re-action that brings dozens, thousands, millions to Christ. Who knows what a tiny seed will do? When have you felt small and insignificant? What small idea have you seen that, if nurtured, could grow into something wonderful? Who do you know who might be feeling small and insignificant today? What small or insignificant idea intrigues or inspires you today? Could you imagine yourself giving time and energy to nurturing this small, insignificant person or idea? Small and insignificant are words the world puts on people and ideas and actions. To God, nothing is small or insignificant if it is centered in faith, if it is centered in God, and our relationship with God. II. Growth. The story of The Growing Seed, the other parable in today s New Testament reading, is found only in the Gospel of Mark (vv. 26-29). Jesus says, The kingdom of God is as if 3
someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself... The earth produces of itself, or automatically (Greek) verse 28. God gives the growth. In Mark 4:14, Jesus explains the parable of The Sower to his disciples. He says, The sower sows the word. Or, to put it another way, the seeds that the Sower tosses about are the word of God, the scriptures, spiritual truths, wisdom, interpretations of the faith. I like how Edward F. Markquart puts it: For me, he says, one of the classic interpretations of this Biblical passage about the seed growing automatically (Mark 4:26) was written by Martin Luther when he said about this text: After I preach my sermon on Sunday, when I return home, I drink my little glass of Wittenberg beer and I just let the gospel run its course. I like that, Markquart continues. Luther said that after he pounded on the pulpit and expounded the gospel, he would go home and pull out the Sunday newspaper, and pull out his glass of warm Wittenberg beer and start to drink it and enjoy the afternoon. Luther knew that the power of his sermon was not based on the power of his theological acuity. He knew that the power of his sermon was not based on his eloquence or his abilities. He knew that the power of the sermon would have no effect whatsoever unless the very Word of God got into a person s heart. Luther knew that he couldn t do that. It was the Holy Spirit who did that. Luther keenly understood the power of the Word. Only God produces growth. Real spiritual growth comes from God. Jesus story of The Growing Seed encourages us to be like Martin Luther, to just let the gospel run its course. Let go and allow God to be in charge. Let go and let God. 4
III. All good gifts. Jesus tells lots of stories about seeds and harvests and farming. He lives in an agricultural society. Parables about seeds are often interpreted like this: You and I sow the seeds; God brings the growth. This is a valid, useful understanding of the seed stories. It s good for us to think of ourselves as disciples of Jesus who toss the seeds of God s Word everywhere we can, trusting that God will bring the growth. This understanding frees us to share the gospel with abandon. It s not our job or our responsibility to make people respond to the Word. It s not even within our power to bring growth from the seeds we plant. That power rests with God. But we can take this interpretation even further; we can assert that God is also the Sower. God is in charge of tossing the seeds. God is the Great, Eternal, Cosmic Farmer. He is in charge of all the work of the kingdom the planting, the growing and the harvesting. In this understanding, you and I are not even in charge of planting the seeds. The only thing that is truly within our power is to receive with gratitude all the good gifts that God abundantly pours out on us. This morning, as I see all your beautiful faces, I think about how you have perfectly positioned yourselves to receive the seeds of the Word that God is tossing your way. Here in worship you hear the Word in song and prayer and scripture and sermon. You see the Word in symbols of faith around this beautiful sanctuary the cross above the altar, the beautiful stained glass windows, the rich green colors and cloth of the paraments, the inverted Ark of the wooden rafters above us. In yourselves, you are seeds of God s Word in the world, and to each other. I look around this room and I see the seeds of God s Word, God s love, God s redeeming activity. The seeds of faith that are planted in this place by God are carried throughout the world 5
by you. In small acts of kindness, in attitudes of love and humility, in expressions of courage and hope and joy in a world that is often devoid of them you carry the seeds of God s love into the world. God is the Sower. God brings the growth. God brings the harvest when it s ready. You are witnesses, carrying the seeds of God s truth within you. In this church family and in the world, others see the spiritual growth that God is working in you. Entrust all the growth your growth, this church s growth, the growth of God s kingdom in the world entrust all of it to God. Take a deep breath. Rest. Trust in God. Faith is about trusting the Sower. Faith is about trusting God. Faith is about entrusting the growth to God. The earth produces of itself when we are right with God. Let that always be your focus and your center to be right with God. Growth and fruitfulness flow from right relationship with God. Closing. A production of Godspell was done in Glendale not too long ago. I remember being told how good it was and how surprised some of our church members were at how deeply moving the play continues to be; brings tears to your eyes. You may remember the lyrics to one of the songs. It s from a poem by Matthias Claudius, written in 1782. It s about growth, and scattering seeds: We plow the fields, and scatter The good seed on the land, But it is fed and watered By God's almighty hand; He sends the snow in winter, The warmth to swell the grain, The breezes and the sunshine, And soft refreshing rain. 6
All good gifts around us Are sent from heav'n above; Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord For all His Love. We thank Thee then, O Father, For all things bright and good, The seed-time and the harvest, Our life, our health, our food; No gifts have we to offer For all Thy love imparts, But that which Thou desirest, Our humble, thankful hearts. All good gifts around us Are sent from heav'n above; Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord For all His Love. There is no truth more profound: All good gifts around us are sent from heav n above The good seed on the land is fed and watered By God's almighty hand. You are a good gift to me. May the seeds of the Word that are sown in this place always find good, rich soil in your hearts. May you rest assured that God is in charge. He brings the growth in His own impeccable, mysterious timing. Thanks be to God. Amen. 7