Extraordinary Ordinary Things
Stories
LECTIONARY TALES FOR THE PULPIT
Series III, Cycle A
Catchy quotes help us envision things that are hard to understand. To quote a television preacher: "When you see a seed, envision an apple; when you see an apple, envision an orchard." And "bloom where you are planted." Ordinary images, extraordinary realities.
A tree is quite ordinary. The action of a seed bearing fruit is quite extraordinary. A loaf of bread is quite ordinary. The action of yeast raising the dough is quite mysterious. Jesus used the imagery of ordinary things to explain extraordinary things. Mysterious things.
A seed can be tiny but, with time, it is able to yield a tall, strong tree. The tree grows up to be strong enough to withstand wind and rain. The tree can have many uses, including such important ones as providing shade and giving protection to birds. And all this from a seed. Such big action from a tiny thing! Such big results from a simple act of putting the seed in the ground.
What if we saw the love of God through baptism as the tiny seed within us? The gift of baptism into God's family is no small thing. What if God's love so filled us that we were able to yield a strong faith? A faith so strong that it can get us through life's normal ups and downs - as well as times of great stress or trauma. A faith so strong that when faced with adversity, we can still turn to God for strength and comfort. A faith so strong that God can sustain us when no one or nothing else can.
A loaf of bread is made with common ingredients: salt, flour, water, yeast. The bread is raised as the yeast literally explodes through a chemical action. An amazing process takes place inside such an ordinary thing as a loaf of bread.
What would happen if we saw the Word of God as yeast in our lives? Something so ordinary as words are extraordinary when read in the Scriptures. Ordinary words; extraordinary meanings. When we place God's words deep in our hearts they sustain us through tough times. When we keep the meaning of these words in our minds, there is little room for negative, destructive, or unfaithful thoughts. When we put these words into meaning in our lives, we live lives according to God's will. Such an ordinary thing as words can bear such fruit in our lives!
Jesus used ordinary things to describe the kingdom of heaven. We can use ordinary events such as reading Scriptures and remembering our baptism to have a deeper faith life. Ordinary things can turn a person's life into an extraordinary vessel to be used by God.
A tree is quite ordinary. The action of a seed bearing fruit is quite extraordinary. A loaf of bread is quite ordinary. The action of yeast raising the dough is quite mysterious. Jesus used the imagery of ordinary things to explain extraordinary things. Mysterious things.
A seed can be tiny but, with time, it is able to yield a tall, strong tree. The tree grows up to be strong enough to withstand wind and rain. The tree can have many uses, including such important ones as providing shade and giving protection to birds. And all this from a seed. Such big action from a tiny thing! Such big results from a simple act of putting the seed in the ground.
What if we saw the love of God through baptism as the tiny seed within us? The gift of baptism into God's family is no small thing. What if God's love so filled us that we were able to yield a strong faith? A faith so strong that it can get us through life's normal ups and downs - as well as times of great stress or trauma. A faith so strong that when faced with adversity, we can still turn to God for strength and comfort. A faith so strong that God can sustain us when no one or nothing else can.
A loaf of bread is made with common ingredients: salt, flour, water, yeast. The bread is raised as the yeast literally explodes through a chemical action. An amazing process takes place inside such an ordinary thing as a loaf of bread.
What would happen if we saw the Word of God as yeast in our lives? Something so ordinary as words are extraordinary when read in the Scriptures. Ordinary words; extraordinary meanings. When we place God's words deep in our hearts they sustain us through tough times. When we keep the meaning of these words in our minds, there is little room for negative, destructive, or unfaithful thoughts. When we put these words into meaning in our lives, we live lives according to God's will. Such an ordinary thing as words can bear such fruit in our lives!
Jesus used ordinary things to describe the kingdom of heaven. We can use ordinary events such as reading Scriptures and remembering our baptism to have a deeper faith life. Ordinary things can turn a person's life into an extraordinary vessel to be used by God.
