Sowing Eternal Seeds
Sermon
Sermons on the First Readings
Series II, Cycle C
Object:
Who among us has not been stunned by the splendor of a summer sunset, the sparkling spring waters of a mountain stream, brilliantly striking contrasts of autumn leaves twirling and spinning, or winter trees swaying gracefully against a cool, crisp sky?
I believe the Native American population has much to teach us when it comes to care of and respect for God's majestic creation. Chief Seattle declares that even the dust under his feet responds lovingly to his footsteps because it is the ashes of his ancestors. His bare feet are conscious of the soil's sympathetic touch. The soil is indeed rich with life.1
Iroquois Chief, Oren Lyons, is an author and tenured professor of American studies at the State University of New York. He explains how the Iroquois make decisions, always keeping in mind the Seventh Generation yet to come. They feel it is their responsibility to ensure that their progeny, the yet unborn generations, will have a world no worse than this, and hopefully better.2 The future is in our hands.
The stewardship of creation is not a new idea. It is as old as the first chapter of the Bible, where we are given dominion over creation. Recycling cans, glass, and paper on an earth that is becoming an extensive pile of waste matter is one expression of that responsibility. Driving less and purchasing more gas-efficient automobiles is another. Supporting legislation that leads to clean air and fresh water is still another.
Protecting and enhancing this earth may require changes in our lifestyles. When we plow our fields, fill our gas tanks, set our thermostats, and choose between paper or plastic, we are making decisions that affect future generations. Those of you who live in areas where your recyclable materials are picked up at the curb may be very surprised to walk through your neighborhood on garbage collection day and notice the lack of recycle bins. These same households without the recycle bins frequently have multiple garbage cans that are literally overflowing with the spoils of humanity's creations.
No words can adequately describe the dignity of God's created order. The dawning of each new day calls forth adoration and praise. Every mountain, every hillside, every valley, is revered. Creation is a sacred place, leaving us awestruck by its beauty. The prophet Isaiah lauds creation as he speaks words of encouragement to his people in exile.
Two generations earlier, the Hebrew people had been scattered to the four winds by invading enemies. They had forgotten God's mighty acts, those very acts that had brought about their exodus from slavery in Egypt. They had strayed again from keeping the Law of Moses. Their story is our story, too.
The people and places may have changed, but the scenario is the same. God's people forget God, and rebel against God. We forget to set aside a time to read scripture and to talk with God. We forget to care for the poor, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised.
We rebel by not being good stewards of God's creation, by living beyond our means, by accumulating much more worldly wealth than is necessary for sustaining life, and by wasting our excesses. In spite of humanity's shortfalls, God's saving hand is always ready to intervene anew in our lives.
Our psalm for today recounts God's faithfulness in the past, sings praises to God in the present, and proclaims that God will always rule with justice and integrity in the future (Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15).
Isaiah is addressing those who are in exile in the faraway country of Babylon, offering comfort and consolation. A new exodus is close at hand, Isaiah explains, and salvation is on the horizon. Again, God will provide redemption from captivity and restoration in a land flowing with milk and honey.
Fertile fields and prolific vineyards were a part of God's promise to a landless people. Issues of faithfulness to God and possession of the land were interrelated in ancient times. In an earlier time and place, God had entered into an everlasting covenant with the people, and God honored that promise because God loves humanity with an everlasting love.
God's Word is the bread of life, our strength and sustenance. In the cycle of planting and harvesting, everything in its season will be provided. You may be the one chosen to cultivate the soil and plant your seeds, while another is destined to harvest what you have sown. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that, "One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor"(John 4:37-38).
We all know folks who have exiled themselves from corporate worship, claiming they can commune better with creation by walking in the woods or walking on the golf course than they can in this room. Still others claim that it's their only day to "sleep in," and they prefer to spend Sunday mornings at "St. Mattress-by-the-Springs." I do believe that God wants us here in this very room on Sunday mornings. Church is the place where we learn more about God's Word and how it speaks to us today. The most reliable place to find God is within the fellowship of other believers.
Isaiah compares God's Word to the rains and snow that come down from heaven to refresh and replenish the earth. God's Word inspires us to go out in joy and be led back in peace. Even the mountains are jubilant, the hills are alive with the sound of music, and the trees clap their limbs in response.
The painful, punishing thorns and briers of exile will be replaced by myrtle and cypress trees back in the homeland. The myrtle tree is first mentioned in scripture during the Babylonian captivity. As a fragrant evergreen, the myrtle is an appropriate symbol of the recovery and establishment of God's promises in Judah. Cypress trees were used for shipbuilding. Cypress was Noah's wood of choice when it came to building the ark. These trees will join all of creation in proclaiming new life for God's people.
You are an invaluable part of the very creation that proclaims the love and grace of God. You also proclaim God's message by the way you treat others, the kind and uplifting words you speak, your stewardship of possessions, and your actions, which speak loudest of all.
Twelve-year-old Allison really enjoyed youth choir, participating in rhythmic speech ensembles, and singing the contemporary songs she loved. She already knew most of the words from listening to the radio. The words of scripture came alive to her when set to the music that pulsed through her veins. On Wednesday afternoons, she began inviting another girl, who was a good friend and neighbor, to accompany her.
Allison's friend was a little skeptical about going to church at first, but Tom, the choir director, quickly won her over. It may have been his winsome personality, or the microwave popcorn and hot chocolate the group shared in the youth room after rehearsals. Whatever it was, she was having fun.
Although her family did not belong to a church, this visitor began to attend Sunday morning worship once a month when the youth choir provided special music. She also accompanied Allison to youth group on Sunday evenings, and before long, Pastor Cindy had signed her up for Allison's confirmation class. She joined the church along with Allison's class and remained a faithful, active youth member of the congregation.
Years later, Tom, who had been director of music at Allison's church, was teaching a seminary class in church music. Tom's class sang the hymns as they studied and learned hymnology. One afternoon they sang "What Wondrous Love Is This," the story of Christ's gracious life given for us. The final stanza ends with the words,
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on, And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, and when from death I'm free, I'll sing on and joyful be, and through eternity I'll sing on, I'll sing on, and through eternity I'll sing on.3
Tom then related the story of Allison's friend, and how we never know fully the impact on eternity of the seeds we plant. Allison's friend became an active member of her church, graduated from high school, and then went on to seminary. Tom astounded the class by saying, "That friend Allison brought to youth choir so many years ago is sitting in this very room with us today."
Class members looked around at one another, wondering, "Who could it be?"After a lengthy pause, Tom revealed her identity. She was a professor of biblical studies at that very seminary, and sitting in on the class at Tom's request that afternoon, all because of seeds a young girl named Allison had planted nearly a quarter century earlier. There was hardly a dry eye in the classroom.
Think of the lives this professor will touch as she prepares future pastors and lay professionals who, in turn, will equip others to plant seeds and spread God's Word. Through eternity, they will sing on because the voice of Allison has set the song into motion. Their influence will never end.
Toss a stone into a pond and long after that stone has settled into the silt on the bottom, you will continue to see the circles on the pond's surface ever-expanding, widening, disturbing, encompassing more and more of the once-placid surface. That's how it is with God's Word, once it has touched your life.
The prophet Isaiah has proclaimed that God's Word never returns empty. The ripple effect from Allison's invitation is eternal in nature, singing on and on. Because of the power of God's Word, Allison's influence will never end.
Take heart when you share your own faith stories of how God has touched your lives. They, as well, are timeless and eternal. Invite your friends to worship, to Bible studies, even to social events at church. You will never know all the lives you influence, the lives God has placed into your capable hands. May your voices also sing on, throughout eternity, or in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "It shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
_________
1. Chief Seattle, "Wilderness Quotes,"Outward Bound, available online at http:/ /www.wilderdom.com/QuotesWilderness.htm [Accessed September 1, 2005].
2. Oren Lyons, "The Faithkeeper," interview with Bill Moyers, Public Television, July 3, 1991, available online at http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/ 6Nations/OL070391.html [Accessed September 1, 2005].
3. American folk hymn. Both words and tune are in the public domain.
I believe the Native American population has much to teach us when it comes to care of and respect for God's majestic creation. Chief Seattle declares that even the dust under his feet responds lovingly to his footsteps because it is the ashes of his ancestors. His bare feet are conscious of the soil's sympathetic touch. The soil is indeed rich with life.1
Iroquois Chief, Oren Lyons, is an author and tenured professor of American studies at the State University of New York. He explains how the Iroquois make decisions, always keeping in mind the Seventh Generation yet to come. They feel it is their responsibility to ensure that their progeny, the yet unborn generations, will have a world no worse than this, and hopefully better.2 The future is in our hands.
The stewardship of creation is not a new idea. It is as old as the first chapter of the Bible, where we are given dominion over creation. Recycling cans, glass, and paper on an earth that is becoming an extensive pile of waste matter is one expression of that responsibility. Driving less and purchasing more gas-efficient automobiles is another. Supporting legislation that leads to clean air and fresh water is still another.
Protecting and enhancing this earth may require changes in our lifestyles. When we plow our fields, fill our gas tanks, set our thermostats, and choose between paper or plastic, we are making decisions that affect future generations. Those of you who live in areas where your recyclable materials are picked up at the curb may be very surprised to walk through your neighborhood on garbage collection day and notice the lack of recycle bins. These same households without the recycle bins frequently have multiple garbage cans that are literally overflowing with the spoils of humanity's creations.
No words can adequately describe the dignity of God's created order. The dawning of each new day calls forth adoration and praise. Every mountain, every hillside, every valley, is revered. Creation is a sacred place, leaving us awestruck by its beauty. The prophet Isaiah lauds creation as he speaks words of encouragement to his people in exile.
Two generations earlier, the Hebrew people had been scattered to the four winds by invading enemies. They had forgotten God's mighty acts, those very acts that had brought about their exodus from slavery in Egypt. They had strayed again from keeping the Law of Moses. Their story is our story, too.
The people and places may have changed, but the scenario is the same. God's people forget God, and rebel against God. We forget to set aside a time to read scripture and to talk with God. We forget to care for the poor, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised.
We rebel by not being good stewards of God's creation, by living beyond our means, by accumulating much more worldly wealth than is necessary for sustaining life, and by wasting our excesses. In spite of humanity's shortfalls, God's saving hand is always ready to intervene anew in our lives.
Our psalm for today recounts God's faithfulness in the past, sings praises to God in the present, and proclaims that God will always rule with justice and integrity in the future (Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15).
Isaiah is addressing those who are in exile in the faraway country of Babylon, offering comfort and consolation. A new exodus is close at hand, Isaiah explains, and salvation is on the horizon. Again, God will provide redemption from captivity and restoration in a land flowing with milk and honey.
Fertile fields and prolific vineyards were a part of God's promise to a landless people. Issues of faithfulness to God and possession of the land were interrelated in ancient times. In an earlier time and place, God had entered into an everlasting covenant with the people, and God honored that promise because God loves humanity with an everlasting love.
God's Word is the bread of life, our strength and sustenance. In the cycle of planting and harvesting, everything in its season will be provided. You may be the one chosen to cultivate the soil and plant your seeds, while another is destined to harvest what you have sown. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that, "One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor"(John 4:37-38).
We all know folks who have exiled themselves from corporate worship, claiming they can commune better with creation by walking in the woods or walking on the golf course than they can in this room. Still others claim that it's their only day to "sleep in," and they prefer to spend Sunday mornings at "St. Mattress-by-the-Springs." I do believe that God wants us here in this very room on Sunday mornings. Church is the place where we learn more about God's Word and how it speaks to us today. The most reliable place to find God is within the fellowship of other believers.
Isaiah compares God's Word to the rains and snow that come down from heaven to refresh and replenish the earth. God's Word inspires us to go out in joy and be led back in peace. Even the mountains are jubilant, the hills are alive with the sound of music, and the trees clap their limbs in response.
The painful, punishing thorns and briers of exile will be replaced by myrtle and cypress trees back in the homeland. The myrtle tree is first mentioned in scripture during the Babylonian captivity. As a fragrant evergreen, the myrtle is an appropriate symbol of the recovery and establishment of God's promises in Judah. Cypress trees were used for shipbuilding. Cypress was Noah's wood of choice when it came to building the ark. These trees will join all of creation in proclaiming new life for God's people.
You are an invaluable part of the very creation that proclaims the love and grace of God. You also proclaim God's message by the way you treat others, the kind and uplifting words you speak, your stewardship of possessions, and your actions, which speak loudest of all.
Twelve-year-old Allison really enjoyed youth choir, participating in rhythmic speech ensembles, and singing the contemporary songs she loved. She already knew most of the words from listening to the radio. The words of scripture came alive to her when set to the music that pulsed through her veins. On Wednesday afternoons, she began inviting another girl, who was a good friend and neighbor, to accompany her.
Allison's friend was a little skeptical about going to church at first, but Tom, the choir director, quickly won her over. It may have been his winsome personality, or the microwave popcorn and hot chocolate the group shared in the youth room after rehearsals. Whatever it was, she was having fun.
Although her family did not belong to a church, this visitor began to attend Sunday morning worship once a month when the youth choir provided special music. She also accompanied Allison to youth group on Sunday evenings, and before long, Pastor Cindy had signed her up for Allison's confirmation class. She joined the church along with Allison's class and remained a faithful, active youth member of the congregation.
Years later, Tom, who had been director of music at Allison's church, was teaching a seminary class in church music. Tom's class sang the hymns as they studied and learned hymnology. One afternoon they sang "What Wondrous Love Is This," the story of Christ's gracious life given for us. The final stanza ends with the words,
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on, And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, and when from death I'm free, I'll sing on and joyful be, and through eternity I'll sing on, I'll sing on, and through eternity I'll sing on.3
Tom then related the story of Allison's friend, and how we never know fully the impact on eternity of the seeds we plant. Allison's friend became an active member of her church, graduated from high school, and then went on to seminary. Tom astounded the class by saying, "That friend Allison brought to youth choir so many years ago is sitting in this very room with us today."
Class members looked around at one another, wondering, "Who could it be?"After a lengthy pause, Tom revealed her identity. She was a professor of biblical studies at that very seminary, and sitting in on the class at Tom's request that afternoon, all because of seeds a young girl named Allison had planted nearly a quarter century earlier. There was hardly a dry eye in the classroom.
Think of the lives this professor will touch as she prepares future pastors and lay professionals who, in turn, will equip others to plant seeds and spread God's Word. Through eternity, they will sing on because the voice of Allison has set the song into motion. Their influence will never end.
Toss a stone into a pond and long after that stone has settled into the silt on the bottom, you will continue to see the circles on the pond's surface ever-expanding, widening, disturbing, encompassing more and more of the once-placid surface. That's how it is with God's Word, once it has touched your life.
The prophet Isaiah has proclaimed that God's Word never returns empty. The ripple effect from Allison's invitation is eternal in nature, singing on and on. Because of the power of God's Word, Allison's influence will never end.
Take heart when you share your own faith stories of how God has touched your lives. They, as well, are timeless and eternal. Invite your friends to worship, to Bible studies, even to social events at church. You will never know all the lives you influence, the lives God has placed into your capable hands. May your voices also sing on, throughout eternity, or in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "It shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
_________
1. Chief Seattle, "Wilderness Quotes,"Outward Bound, available online at http:/ /www.wilderdom.com/QuotesWilderness.htm [Accessed September 1, 2005].
2. Oren Lyons, "The Faithkeeper," interview with Bill Moyers, Public Television, July 3, 1991, available online at http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/ 6Nations/OL070391.html [Accessed September 1, 2005].
3. American folk hymn. Both words and tune are in the public domain.
