4000 Chickens And 2000 Eggs
Sermon
No Post-Easter Slump
Gospel Sermons For Sundays After Pentecost (First Third)
One autumn, a young man aiming for the seminary left home to complete his college degree. When he returned in the spring, his parents had gone into the chicken-for-eggs business. To that point, he knew little about chickens, except for the fact that they made an excellent dinner. He learned quickly, however, that to call a person a chicken, though perhaps appropriate, is not an act of admiration. For the novice, nothing is more nauseating than a chicken house full of chickens. He decided, nevertheless, to learn about chickens. His dad enlightened him that every chicken house contains four kinds of chickens. When he heard the descriptions, he thought of Jesus' parable about the seeds and the soils. So today, I offer to you this message about chickens and soils and people.
I
"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up." Jesus interprets this soil. "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path." When the sower scattered the seeds, they fell on hardpan soil, with no opportunity for the seed to get established, and thus, no opportunity to grow.
Caution: please refrain from pushing the analysis too far. We will see both similarities and dissimilarities between seeds, chickens, and people.
The first seed and soil reminded me of the first group of chickens, the "pullets." Pullets are young, immature birds, too young to produce. They are in the process of preparing for later life, when they will begin to lay eggs. The desire of the pullet, if pullets have desire, is to become a productive member of the hen house.
The church, we hope, has many pullets, boys and girls too young to produce in the same way as adults. Yet, please never refer to children as "the church of the future." They are the church of "now." And, they need our nurturing to help them develop their potential. We adult members make that promise to them in our membership vows and their baptismal vows.
So, with the seed which fell on the path, the potential for growth is present, but can be fulfilled only if it sinks roots into the ground. With the pullet, the potential also is present. The pullet's potential will be realized only after painstaking care by the farmer. All kinds of things can happen, and happen quickly, to destroy a whole flock of chickens -- disease, crowding together, fire. With children, the potential is present. However, only with a parent or parent-substitute will those children become fully human, fully productive, a complete member of society, an integral member of the community of faith. That is our privilege and responsibility.
II
"Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away." Jesus explains: "As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away." Some hear the word, and receive it with joy. With no root, they endure only a short time. When they're put to the test, they fall away. Yes, this person does have potential for growth. These folks began as roman candles in the church. Many of these joined the church after John Kennedy's death. And soon dropped out.
The second chicken, the molter, goes temporarily or permanently out of production. Now, this is a natural and necessary process; but some molt frequently; so the farmer cuts them from the flock. In the church, this becomes the annual trimming-the-roll exercise.
These church members give their all for Jesus and the church for a few months or years. Then, they disappear. A man joined the church one Sunday. Immediately, he asked what he could do. No one turns down a volunteer. He ushered, he cleaned up the sanctuary after worship. He became a deacon. When others asked if they could assist him, he always said, "No. I'll do it." For five years, he did it all, and he did it "my way."ÊThen, he began to complain and gripe because he "had to do it all, and no one would help me." A few weeks later, he left the church. When the honeymoon is over, some members go out of production. We all need temporary rests; but for many, this "temporary" becomes permanent. So, if we have moved from the pullet stage, have we decided to rest temporarily or permanently in the molting stage?
III
"Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them." Jesus clarifies. "As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing." Again, the seeds have begun to realize their potential. They remind us of some fields, mustard fields which are supposed to be clover fields. In only a short time, the mustard takes over the whole field; the other plants suffocate and die.
This third seed/soil identifies the third group, the cluckers. The cluckers, too, go out of production temporarily. They waltz around the chicken house pretending that they are productive; but their only productivity is clucking. The cluckers are noisy, loud, and great-pretenders. A second quality of the clucker is that it insists on incubating the eggs which it has not laid.
In the church's life, the cluckers become the complainers, criticizers, condemners. These folks spend considerable time and energy clucking about what they don't like. They never quite get around to cluck about what is right, good, and positive. These dart-flingers have a never-ending supply of ammunition. These people contribute to the destruction of marriages, even those they attend. They ignore the pastor's invitation. "If anyone knows any legitimate reason why these two should not be married, speak now, or from now on, keep your mouth shut." Unfortunately, most cluckers keep on clucking, and hear nothing but the sound of their clucking. Chicken cluckers are culled from the flock. Church cluckers may remain in a congregation until the day they die. Ultimately, Jesus will cull them from the flock. "I never knew you."
IV
And then, once more: "Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!" Jesus clarifies: "But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundred fold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." These are the pride and joy of the sower. These make the planting worthwhile. This fourth group, the layers, also is the pride and joy of the farmer. These mature birds produce daily. They bear the burden for the rest of the flock. The layers make up for all of the non-producers, the pullets, molters, cluckers.
In the institutional church, these people realize that they must lose their life to find it, must share their life to save it, must give their life to have it. Some of them tithe their time, talents, treasure. Some are pray-ers, who keep an open circuit between God, self, others. They are not crisis-oriented Christians. Some are teachers, choir members, church officers, and active participants. They recognize that they, not the pastor, are the ministers, priests, saints in communion.
So, which soil, which chicken, which person do you represent? I invite us to suppose for a few minutes. Suppose that the membership of this church were limited to 100 people. Would you be in or out? Suppose that you had to "run" for church membership. Would you win or lose? Suppose that membership were good for one year only, and that reelection depended upon what you had done in the church's life during that time. Would you be reelected? Suppose that there were a long waiting list of those desiring to get in. Would your name appear on the list? Suppose that you were called on to tell why you thought that the church should keep your name on the roll. Have you a record of helpful services to offer in self-defense? Suppose that every member of the church did just as much as you're doing right now. Would more room be needed, or would the doors be shut and nailed?1
Some seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Those who have ears to hear, listen, and listen carefully, for God's sake, for the world's sake, for your sake. Amen!
____________
1. From a denominational newsletter, source lost.
I
"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up." Jesus interprets this soil. "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path." When the sower scattered the seeds, they fell on hardpan soil, with no opportunity for the seed to get established, and thus, no opportunity to grow.
Caution: please refrain from pushing the analysis too far. We will see both similarities and dissimilarities between seeds, chickens, and people.
The first seed and soil reminded me of the first group of chickens, the "pullets." Pullets are young, immature birds, too young to produce. They are in the process of preparing for later life, when they will begin to lay eggs. The desire of the pullet, if pullets have desire, is to become a productive member of the hen house.
The church, we hope, has many pullets, boys and girls too young to produce in the same way as adults. Yet, please never refer to children as "the church of the future." They are the church of "now." And, they need our nurturing to help them develop their potential. We adult members make that promise to them in our membership vows and their baptismal vows.
So, with the seed which fell on the path, the potential for growth is present, but can be fulfilled only if it sinks roots into the ground. With the pullet, the potential also is present. The pullet's potential will be realized only after painstaking care by the farmer. All kinds of things can happen, and happen quickly, to destroy a whole flock of chickens -- disease, crowding together, fire. With children, the potential is present. However, only with a parent or parent-substitute will those children become fully human, fully productive, a complete member of society, an integral member of the community of faith. That is our privilege and responsibility.
II
"Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away." Jesus explains: "As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away." Some hear the word, and receive it with joy. With no root, they endure only a short time. When they're put to the test, they fall away. Yes, this person does have potential for growth. These folks began as roman candles in the church. Many of these joined the church after John Kennedy's death. And soon dropped out.
The second chicken, the molter, goes temporarily or permanently out of production. Now, this is a natural and necessary process; but some molt frequently; so the farmer cuts them from the flock. In the church, this becomes the annual trimming-the-roll exercise.
These church members give their all for Jesus and the church for a few months or years. Then, they disappear. A man joined the church one Sunday. Immediately, he asked what he could do. No one turns down a volunteer. He ushered, he cleaned up the sanctuary after worship. He became a deacon. When others asked if they could assist him, he always said, "No. I'll do it." For five years, he did it all, and he did it "my way."ÊThen, he began to complain and gripe because he "had to do it all, and no one would help me." A few weeks later, he left the church. When the honeymoon is over, some members go out of production. We all need temporary rests; but for many, this "temporary" becomes permanent. So, if we have moved from the pullet stage, have we decided to rest temporarily or permanently in the molting stage?
III
"Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them." Jesus clarifies. "As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing." Again, the seeds have begun to realize their potential. They remind us of some fields, mustard fields which are supposed to be clover fields. In only a short time, the mustard takes over the whole field; the other plants suffocate and die.
This third seed/soil identifies the third group, the cluckers. The cluckers, too, go out of production temporarily. They waltz around the chicken house pretending that they are productive; but their only productivity is clucking. The cluckers are noisy, loud, and great-pretenders. A second quality of the clucker is that it insists on incubating the eggs which it has not laid.
In the church's life, the cluckers become the complainers, criticizers, condemners. These folks spend considerable time and energy clucking about what they don't like. They never quite get around to cluck about what is right, good, and positive. These dart-flingers have a never-ending supply of ammunition. These people contribute to the destruction of marriages, even those they attend. They ignore the pastor's invitation. "If anyone knows any legitimate reason why these two should not be married, speak now, or from now on, keep your mouth shut." Unfortunately, most cluckers keep on clucking, and hear nothing but the sound of their clucking. Chicken cluckers are culled from the flock. Church cluckers may remain in a congregation until the day they die. Ultimately, Jesus will cull them from the flock. "I never knew you."
IV
And then, once more: "Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!" Jesus clarifies: "But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundred fold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." These are the pride and joy of the sower. These make the planting worthwhile. This fourth group, the layers, also is the pride and joy of the farmer. These mature birds produce daily. They bear the burden for the rest of the flock. The layers make up for all of the non-producers, the pullets, molters, cluckers.
In the institutional church, these people realize that they must lose their life to find it, must share their life to save it, must give their life to have it. Some of them tithe their time, talents, treasure. Some are pray-ers, who keep an open circuit between God, self, others. They are not crisis-oriented Christians. Some are teachers, choir members, church officers, and active participants. They recognize that they, not the pastor, are the ministers, priests, saints in communion.
So, which soil, which chicken, which person do you represent? I invite us to suppose for a few minutes. Suppose that the membership of this church were limited to 100 people. Would you be in or out? Suppose that you had to "run" for church membership. Would you win or lose? Suppose that membership were good for one year only, and that reelection depended upon what you had done in the church's life during that time. Would you be reelected? Suppose that there were a long waiting list of those desiring to get in. Would your name appear on the list? Suppose that you were called on to tell why you thought that the church should keep your name on the roll. Have you a record of helpful services to offer in self-defense? Suppose that every member of the church did just as much as you're doing right now. Would more room be needed, or would the doors be shut and nailed?1
Some seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Those who have ears to hear, listen, and listen carefully, for God's sake, for the world's sake, for your sake. Amen!
____________
1. From a denominational newsletter, source lost.
