"Weeds or Wheat?" - Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Weeds or Wheat?

Pentecost 7A

July 19, 2020

Grace, Waseca, MN

Matthew 13.24-30, 36-40

Today we have another parable, with its explanation, from Jesus’ third discourse in Matthew’s gospel. The five discourses, or bodies of teaching, show Jesus to be an authoritative teacher like Moses. As it turns out, the imagery in today’s parable is like last week’s when we heard about a sower (God) who spreads seed (Word/Jesus) with reckless abandon and invites us to do the same. This week, however, the dramatic tension is provided by an enemy (devil) who sews bad seed (children of the enemy) in a field along with the good seed (children of righteousness). Here, the surprise reversal is provided by a master (God) who refuses to pull them up, preferring to wait until the harvest (end of the age) lest he pull up what is “good” along with the “bad.”

Last week I reminded you that all of Jesus’ parables are kingdom parables. These are stories told to help us understand the reign of God here and now, not in some time in the future. It’s as we say in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” That may be hard to grasp since the explanation talks about the end of the age, but nevertheless, the thrust of the parable is in the here and now. But I also reminded you that parables are not puzzles to be solved but rather mysteries to be entered. They are not so much designed to be opened but rather to open us up.

So, how is our theological imagination stretched by this parable; how does it open us? A clue might be found in remembering that Jesus (and Matthew) are addressing a community of faith who were distressed and confused. They couldn’t understand why it looked like God’s word wasn’t taking root everywhere. Furthermore, it looked like the devil’s “plants” were stronger than God’s. Perhaps even worse, it wasn’t just “the world” that had them worried; it was their church as well.

The implications of this realization–for them and for us–are difficult: if evil seems to be winning, if not everyone is following Christ, then perhaps God’s word isn’t as strong as we think it is. And if we really want to confront or deepest fears, perhaps we’ve been snookered by Jesus. What if all this Jesus stuff about love, grace and a new way of life is just a con job? What if it’s not true? So, we react defensively. Instead or inspecting each other’s hearts like we were tempted to do last week, we want to “weed out the garden” of anything we deem suspicious.

I think the parable is not so gently reminding us that weed inspection and removal is not our job in this world, it’s God’s job. Although that might sound crazy, it is actually good news because weeding is exhausting work. Besides, Jesus is hinting strongly that we might not know wheat from weeds and vice versa. For me that is certainly true: I cannot tell a good plant from a bad one in my garden, let alone in the world. And I’ve seen enough cases of people who looked a bit “weedy” to me but turned out otherwise.

Like many of you, over the years I’ve wrestled with the place of LGBTQ people in the church. But also, over the years I’ve had the opportunity getting to know a number of them. There were those two older, professional women living together for many years. There was that younger woman who became a friend to me and my family. There was that Gustavus student who became a frat brother 40 years after I did. And there was that teenager transitioning to another gender enfolded in the love of the church. All of them seemed to love Jesus just as much as me, probably more. I just can’t see them as weeds. So, I’m going to let God sort it out.

I know that this issue and the vote of the ELCA caused a split in this congregation 10 years ago. I’m not trying to start another argument but I am saying that perhaps we can have a healthy conversation. Besides, instead of defining ourselves or being defined by what we are against, let’s talk about mission and what we stand for. Let’s ask ourselves what is it the God is up to at Grace Lutheran Church and in the Waseca community. Where is God calling us to join in God’s mission and ministry to love and bless the world?

God has blessed this congregation with talented, committed leaders and a unique place here in Waseca. Because of our history, maybe, just maybe, God is calling you to have this conversation again, but in different way. Grace is a leader in this community and can leverage that position in a healthy way. So, do not be afraid; God’s word of grace and love is powerful. If there is any sorting out to do, God will do it in the future. And those people who look a little weedy; perhaps they just need a bit of water and fertilizer. Meanwhile, Jesus reminds us to remember what our calling is and what God’s is. We are blessed to be a blessing. Thanks be to God. Amen.

To view the video of the worship service with the sermon click here.

"It’s Not about You" - Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

It’s Not about You

Pentecost 6A

July 12, 2020

Grace, Waseca, MN

Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23

A good song tells a good story, and the best songs not only tell a great story also stretches our imaginations. In 1972, Carly Simon released “You’re So Vain,” a great song telling a great story that stretches our imagination. “You’re So Vain” is supposedly about a self-absorbed famous person who is not identified. The first verse goes like this:

You walked into the party

Like you were walking on to a yacht

Your hat strategically dipped below one eye

Your scarf, it was apricot

You had one eye in the mirror

As you watched yourself Gavotte

And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner

They'd be your partner, and…

Simon stretches our imagination in the song in two ways. First, she refuses to reveal who the song describes and has steadfastly done for almost 50 years. As you can imagine, there has been a great deal of speculation. Second, she does a totally unexpected move in the refrain,

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (you're so vain)

I'll bet you think this song is about you

Don't you?

Don't you?

Throughout the song, relentlessly, Simon insists that this song is not about the apparent subject but about something else.

I see something similar in our gospel reading from Matthew. Instead of a song, Jesus tells a parable. It is the third of five large blocks of teaching in Matthew and this one contains almost all parables. The parable seems straightforward: a sower (God), sews seed (Jesus as the Word) onto different kinds of ground (the hearts of people) and only the “good soil” produces abundant, lasting fruit. But as he tells this parable to the crowds and explains it to his followers, I can almost hear him saying, “You’re so vain, you probably think this parable is about you, don’t you, you’re so vain.”

It’s understandable that we think this parable is about us. Our first reaction in hearing it is to wonder about the condition of our own hearts. Maybe we have our rocky, thorny times, but aren’t our hearts good soil most of the time? Then our next reaction is to wonder how we can make our hearts better soil so that God’s Word is more fruitful in our lives. In our weaker moments, we might look around and compare our “soil” with that of other people. Surely my heart is better than those others, we might think. Yet, I hear Jesus saying, “You’re so vain, you probably think this parable is about you, don’t you?”

It’s important to remember that when Jesus tells a parable it’s almost always a “kingdom parable,” what the kingdom of God is like. He often uses the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like…,” but not always. By kingdom of God, Jesus wants us to know that it’s not about some heavenly realm where we are going in the future, but God’s reign breaking in here and now. It’s helpful to remember that parables are not puzzles to be solved but mysteries to be entered. Parables are not to be opened as much as they are about Jesus opening us up to a new way of thinking and doing. The way that God does things, what God values, can be hard to grasp and run contrary to what this world values, so Jesus uses parables to help us be open kingdom living.

Now, it’s true that one reason Jesus (and Matthew) tell this parable is to explain to his followers why it is that not everyone receives the good news of Jesus’ presence in the world. It’s is to look around and see that the good news has not taken root everywhere. But even that’s not all; a clue to the parable’s invitation to us lies in the reckless abandon in which the sower (God) sows seed. Today’s farmers wouldn’t dream of doing this, but that’s the point: God is going to sow the word of mercy, grace and love anywhere and everywhere no matter what your or I think. And, as our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah reminds us, God’s word will accomplish what God purposes not matter the obstacles.

Having proclaimed this good kingdom news about God’s abundant word, we haven’t solved the parable. We’ve only entered the mystery and are left with some questions to further open us up. For example, what are the “soils” (hearts) that we have prejudged as not being worthy of attention? Are there ways we’ve been stingy with God’s word of grace? Have we succumbed to a scarcity mentality that says we don’t have enough? In a different vein, can we see places where God’s word has taken root that defy logic, just as we’ve seen plants growing in the most unlikely spots? Who hasn’t seen a plant growing out of a crack in concrete, a bush on the rocky side of a mountain, or a tree in a ditch with no other trees around it?

Okay, so maybe this parable is a bit about us and we’re not so vain as the person in Carly Simon’s song, but it’s about God first and foremost. God’s word, Jesus, has been scattered abroad in our hearts and God invites us to join in that work, with joyful and reckless abandon. Amen.

To watch a video version of this sermon click here.

"The Yoke of Love" - Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

The Yoke of Love

Pentecost 5A

July 5, 2020

Grace, Waseca, MN

Matthew 11.16-19, 25-30

About a dozen years ago, I had arthroscopic surgery on my right shoulder, called a subacromial decompression. It involved shaving off a bone spur that had been slowly shredding the rotator cuff. Left untreated, it would have eventually torn the muscle. My arm was in a sling for six weeks with limited usage after two. I had to sleep on my back in the recliner, and I needed help to do just about everything, which was a huge learning experience for me. Imagine needing help with everything you do during the day. I discovered three things during this time: One, you can get pretty creative when you need. Two, people are more than willing to help you when you ask. And three, it can be humbling, but a blessing, when asking for it. 

It was a lesson I learned a few years prior when I discerned that God was pushing me to get a doctorate. I told God that if he wanted me to do that then he would have to help me find the money to pay for it, because I couldn’t afford to do it. God replied that he’d already given the money, but that I was to ask for it. So much for self-sufficiency and doing things on my own.

I wonder if the early faith community Gospel writer Matthew addresses had similar discoveries and similar difficulties with trying to go it alone. If you have been able to be with us the past several weeks, you’ll remember that Jesus has had some hard words for his followers, that following him is not going to be easy. Jesus told them that the good news is not always good news to some people, that he expected them to take up his cross, deny themselves, and follow him. Jesus said this could damage their most intimate relationships, even dividing families. In this section, Jesus uses a short parable that underlines the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who put them in a bind. No matter what they do, the religious leaders of the day are not satisfied. Neither John’s asceticism of fasting nor Jesus’ libertarianism of eating with tax collectors and sinners impresses them. Even worse in Jesus’ mind, they are oblivious to God’s work in both John the Baptist and Jesus.

After Jesus assures them that the so-called intelligentsia aren’t so intelligent he tells them that they are the ones who see clearly who Jesus is as God’s Son. Then he invites them into a soul-refreshing relationship: “Come to me all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; … For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Now, I’m struck with those words, “easy yoke” and “light burden,” which crack me up. They appear to be oxymorons, two opposite words paired together in an ironic way. My two favorite oxymorons were made popular by the comedian, George Carlin: “jumbo shrimp” and “military intelligence.” The latter allows me to tweak the nose of my older brother, who had a career in military intelligence.

Now, celebrating Independence Day this weekend may tempt us to declare we don’t have any yokes. “We’re free” we cry, declaring that no one can or should tell us what we can do or can’t do. In reality, we all have yokes and are carrying burdens to one degree or another. Some of the yokes are placed upon us and others we place upon ourselves. Many times they are expectations; other times there is a sense of hopelessness or despair. The yoke that I often carry, the one I was invited to shed after surgery, was self-sufficiency. It was a yoke that claimed I didn’t need anybody’s help and I certainly wasn’t going to ask for it. Trust me, it’s a lonely yoke and heavy burden.

I often read these last few verses to people going through difficult times. Maybe they are hospitalized or dying. Perhaps it’s family members who are gathering to say goodbye to a loved one. Jesus’ words are a reminder to them (and me) that we are not alone in our struggles. You see, we tend to think of yokes as negative things, as signs of oppression, and they can be when used wrongly. But when Jesus talks about a yoke, he is using it positively, because yokes are used for guidance and direction. But even more importantly, yokes are there to share the load of the difficult work we find ourselves doing. The “easy yoke” that Jesus offers makes for a “light burden,” giving rest for our souls.

What is the yoke that Jesus offers us, that makes our burdens light and gives rest to our souls? I think it is the Yoke of Love. Through Jesus’ all encompassing, sacrificial love, he enfolds us and gathers us together with him in such love that both binds us to him and enables us to love others in response. When yoked in love, following Jesus becomes easier, because when it’s about love we find rest for our souls. I learned that during my shoulder surgery and doctoral work, and I continue to learn it as I walk with you. The good news for you today is that Jesus’ Yoke of Love is already there for you waiting to bless you and give you rest. Amen.

To view a video version of this message, go the Grace Waseca Facebook page here.