Month: July 2023

Sermon

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 11
Sunday July 23, 2023
Year A

First Reading: Genesis 28:10-19a
Psalm 139:1-11,22-23
Romans: 8:12-25 
Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

God’s Purpose will Prevail

The Collect:

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, now and forever. Amen.

What is the Kingdom of Heaven and Where is it?

Matthew 13, from the beginning, Jesus is teaching all who are following him. The great crowds have gathered beside the sea, to listen to him. He has been teaching in parables.

 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.”

It is difficult for the farmers, to be able to watch their fields grow, only to have weeds taking over and squeezing the roots of the wheat they planted.

We all have the weight on our shoulders and some people have more then others, lost jobs, lost income, possibility of being homeless…. The people who gathered on the beach to hear Jesus tell them stories, were not much different. They all had experienced oppression from Rome. Even among their own people, they watched the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Jesus, says, “Let everyone with ears listen” we are reminded that these parables are more than entertaining stories.

They are stories that read to us, and how we hear them, depends on the condition of our hearts and minds and where we are in our faith.

In the passages, following our gospel today, Jesus talks about 5 different parables regarding the kingdom of heaven.

“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So, it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil form the righteous. 

This is where we can have that AHA moment of understanding, is it always clear? No, but it is something the disciples understood, He is speaking their language where they could at a time in history that only they can understand him. 

He is saying, it is not far off in a distance, or up there, or somewhere out there. The kingdom is everywhere, in everything that God has created.

With the parables and the others to follow, he tells us just how big the kingdom of heaven is. By talking about the mustard seed.

Mustard seeds are so small that they can go un-noticed when planting wheat and the farmer would sow his wheat and soon a mustard seed would sprout up with the wheat.

The farmer of course, would want them re-moved, because they were weeds in his field.

Jesus is saying, it is hard to separate the good from the bad, but as his kingdom grows and like the smallest of the seeds, become the biggest in the field, to offer shade and comfort to the smallest of birds. (people)

Showing us and the people at that time, how God is at work in the world. 

Jesus has described the growth of the mustard seed and the flour mixed with the yeast and it turns out to be leavened bread.

I must tell you that yeast was used for many reasons during the time of Jesus and it was not positive. Its symbolized impurity, evil and unclean. 

But we also see the positive of how it grows, God’s kingdom grows, infiltrating all of creation and the world.

If we look and try to see God’s beautiful creation, imagining his presence in all things, growing like the unleavened bread.

Yes, just like the field of wheat, the seeds are difficult to see and the bad mixed in with the good, it is difficult to separate out. 

God is telling us, it is not your job to do that, I will do that, when I send the angels and they will separate the evil from the righteous.

Jesus wanted them, to see that it was a way to describe, how God is growing in the community and working in them to spreading the news of how God grows in each one of us.

The problem with us, we do not see God in all places and in all things. 

We only look for God when we need him, we do not realize that God is working in us every day in his kingdom that is bigger than we ever thought. 

In Romans, we see that Paul says, all things work together for good for those who love God.

People are God’s creation and we cannot be separated from his creations, we have been called and we are glorified in him. (Romans: 8:12-25)

The Christians have no further obligation to the flesh. They are to live according to the Spirit rather than the flesh. There is enormous privilege in Christian living in having the presence of power of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. 

What does God want us to do and how does He want us to handle these periods of waiting? 

(Romans 8:25) Paul encourages us by saying, “That we should look forward to something we do not have yet and to do so with patience and confidence.”

Paul means, not that all circumstances of this life are good for us, God’s love is reaffirmed; despite all present adversities, and that in all these things God’s purpose prevails.

Conclusion and Good News. 

The kingdom of God is as far as the ocean is wide and deep, the highest of the mountains and into space. We cannot even imagine the how big his kingdom is, because our minds do not reach that far.

Because we are in communion with Christ Jesus, God’s kingdom lives in each one of us and it is comforting to know that through us, God’s kingdom will continue to grow.

Remember, “That nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And God’s purpose will prevail! (Romans 8: 38-39)

Jesus, help us to remember not to focus on things that are on the surface, but to focus on what is eternal and to not live in the artificial world, but to live for the spiritual world which is where we find our strength and our salvation in God’s kingdom! 

Amen.
The Rev. Lola Culbreath

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 9
Sunday July 9, 2023
Year A

First Reading: Genesis 24:34-38,42-49,58-67
Canticle: The Song of My Beloved (Song of Solomon 2:8-13)
Second Reading: Romans 7:15-25a
Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19,25-30

Collect:

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving thee and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of they Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God for ever and ever. Amen

Rest For Your Soul

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

How many times have we been troubled by something and feel like we have the world on our shoulders? I have felt this way many times and I bet you have too. 

The first part of the gospel, Jesus said, “To what will I compare this generation? 

The Israelites were expecting a new king a Messiah and they were complaining that neither John the Baptist nor Jesus met their expectations. 

Jesus is showing how the current generation of Israelites is like children who are disappointed because their friends will not participate in their games.

Jesus is highlighting the reality of being judged by others. John the Baptist was judged to be too radical and Jesus himself considered too ordinary.

Our world is full of prenotions of who we think people should be like. Jesus desires us to be free of these prejudges and instead, be rooted and guided by His truth.

Heavy Burdens

We have all been guilty of trying to do everything ourself and not asking for help. It might be something as simply as trying to open a door with your arms full of things, you would rather struggle then ask for help.

Why a Yoke?

A yoke was made of wood and it was made to help the animals bear the heavy burdens. Did you know that it is possible, Jesus made yoke’s, He was a carpenter. 

Jesus is using the yoke as a picture, for them to imagine being together with someone by illustrating the use of a yoke. 

I thought of a bicycle built for two, you are working together to move the bike down the road, its less of a burden on just one person.  

Jesus promises us rest for our souls, by coming to him with our burdens, we can sit down those heavy burdens that we carry and He will give us rest. We take His yoke upon us and because of that, He will carry our burdens.

“Learn from me he says; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden in light.”

Why is it so hard for us to understand? Maybe you are someone that turns over your heavy burdens to Jesus and you can rest…. You know your now, in His loving care. 

But maybe it is something hard for you to do. You turn over your problems to Him, but you have not convinced yourself and you are still carrying the burden’s around with you.

We know that when we do turn over our problems to Jesus, who has stretched out his arms upon the cross, that He might embrace the whole world and take all our sins, all our burdens on himself.

If we can give up to God, to take Jesus’s yoke to lighten up our burdens, we also need to be open to God giving us the answers we are looking for. 

Stay alert and awake to the answers when God is helping lift those burdens. 

God often uses other people in your lives to help offer comfort and direction. It might take multiple answers, for you to be able to move on. 

God will help, just be open and ready. But first you must ask God for that help, pray, Jesus prayed to God many times. 

Sometimes we do not always ask, some people do not think they are worthy of help or underserving. 

Wrong! God knows what is going on and He is always there waiting for you to ask.

In the Gospel, Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. 

Do we thank God for all the prayers that has been answered? This loving giving God has show us through history just how much he works through broken things.

Story

The author of this story is unknown. 

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a yoke he carried across his shoulders. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a long time, this went on daily, with the water bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master’s house. The cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfection, and miserable that it was able to carry only half a load of water. One day it spoke to the water bearer by the stream. “I am ashamed and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the water bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house.”

The water bearer replied, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” And as they went up the hill, the cracked pot noticed the sun warming the beautiful flowers on the side of the path. This cheered the pot some, but he still felt bad about being broken.

The water bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That is because I have always known about your flaw, and I used it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For years now I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Let Jesus put His yoke on you, walk in love as He has taught us to do.

Remember if you feel you are flawed and your pot is cracked, while you are walking toward His altar of forgiveness, you might be watering and helping those along the way, we can spread His seeds of love as we find our own way, and you will find rest for your soul.

Amen
The Reverend Lola Culbreath