Sermon 26th July 2020 – 8th
Sunday after Pentecost
Text: Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 – The
Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus tells 5 small parables today to
describe the Kingdom of Heaven. They each complement each other and also
describe a different aspect of God’s Kingdom which we’re going to explore
today.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a
mustard seed - the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the
greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and
make nests in its branches.”
We look at the enormity of the problems
that face us and the world – and we look at our resources – our members – our
finances – and it is easy to give up. To switch from mission and ministry to
maintenance. Instead of looking outward and how we can make an impact in the
world we look at our assets and wonder how can we stay open another couple
years.
We stop looking for ways to connect
with our community and we look for ways to cut costs and look after ourselves. But
Jesus shows us today that faith is about reaching out to others for the Kingdom
of heaven with even the very little we might have. Size doesn’t matter. Jesus
teaches us that faith is about reaching out – like a mustard tree –which
doesn’t worry about how small its seed was but stretches out its branches to
help other people. So that the birds of the air come and make nests in its
branches. This is what we are here for. We are not a club that exists for our
own interests but to share the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven.
So, he told them another parable: “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.” What Jesus is highlighting
here is that what we do can have amazing results for the Kingdom of Heaven. A few
weeks ago Jesus said if anyone gives a cup of cold water that it has
significant results.
Greeting someone with a smile. Welcoming
a newcomer to church. Remembering someone’s name. Inviting someone over for
meal. These are little gestures but just as only a small amount of yeast can
have great results in making bread – the lack of yeast in making bread changes
the complete outcome. But the opposite of that is also true. A harsh word to
someone at church. Neglecting a visitor or even a regular who hasn’t been to
church for a while can see that small unintended neglect work like yeast in
their life.
“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. This is an interesting parable. A
person finds a treasure – hides it – and then buys the field where he hid it. To
me it sounds a little bit like my early days as a Christian. I grew up in a
family that did not go to church.
When I began to search for the meaning
of life and read my Gideon’s Bible that I received in High School, I rang the
local Lutheran Churches. I chose Box Hill because they had evening services
which meant I could go to a friend’s place in the afternoon and then straight
to church without my parents wondering where I was. I was embarrassed and
worried I would get teased so I hid my treasure that I had found. If I had gone
out for a morning service they might have asked where I was going. I was a
little bit afraid of telling them and my work colleagues about going to church.
But when I discovered my relationship with God I wanted everyone to know. Even
though I hid my treasure at first I then was prepared to give up everything for
the faith I had discovered. I did lose friends – I grew distant from my family
– and eventually I gave up my successful career to go back to study to become a
Pastor. We also need to support those who are new to the faith because they
might not be receiving the support from their family and friends and like the
Parable of the Sower recently they could find themselves quickly being choked
by the persecution and ridicule of those around them. A visitor or an
enquirer who leaves our church without
anyone welcoming them or talking to them – who finds our ways of worship
strange and confusing – may depart and leave their treasure hidden. We may
become their new family and friends and we need to ensure we provide them with
that support.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went
and sold all that he had and bought it. This parable is similar to the last
parable but without the initial hiding of the treasure.
But note the subtle difference: This
person didn’t find the treasure, he was looking for it. That difference is easy
to miss.
This person is searching for answers in
life, just like I was. We live in a society where more and more people are
searching for spiritual awakening but sadly they are not coming through our
church doors. So many people are saying “I am spiritual but I’m not religious”.
Or, I know there’s more to life but I don’t know what it is. Somewhere along
the timeline the church lost being the place people come to find spiritual
answers and “rest in our braches”. Instead of spiritual awakening they have
found religious dogma. Instead of finding spiritual freedom they have found
religious traditions that have become rigid and even to a point uncaring. We
need to again discover our spiritual treasure so that when people searching for
spiritual awakenings come to us that they find what they are searching for. If
they find a church that is more focused on getting its traditions and doctrine
correct rather than caring and sharing the gospel they will move on. That is
not to say doctrine isn’t important – it is. Paul said that to Timothy – watch
your doctrine closely. But when it causes division and fighting in the church
as we have seen in the past 20 years then how can we expect someone seeking
spiritual truth to understand.
Let us become a place where like the
mustard tree people can come to find rest for their souls in our branches.
And finally: “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 from the righteous and throw them into the
furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Here Jesus
points out the stark reality of why we have mission – to reach out to people to
bring them into the Kingdom of Heaven. I know that not everybody likes to think
about death and judgment but here Jesus tells us what is at stake if we don’t seek
to spread the Good News of God’s Kingdom – that people may miss out. Nobody
wants that – especially God. Every person is a person created in God’s image. Every
person is a person for whom Jesus died. But what we must remember in this is
that the churches task is to spread the Good News. Our task is not to judge
evil Jesus says that the angels are tasked with coming and separating the evil
from the righteous. And this is only at the end of time like the parable of the
weeds – let the wheat and weeds grow together or you may pull out the good
wheat with the evil weeds. And the reason is that we cannot search the heart in
the same way God does.
We judge by what we see and by our own
judgments. There are so many things that we disagree with in the world. There
are so many things that I disagree with in the world. But judgment belongs to
God. Prayer for salvation is what belongs to us. To pray for the world and all
people that they may come to a knowledge of God. To pray for the unbeliever not
judge them. To pray for repentance of the evil doer not judge them. I don’t
know what’s in a person’s heart and what they are going through – the struggles
of dealing with an addiction – the guilt and search for repentance from their
evil. To judge them may in fact undo the work that God’s Holy Spirit is doing
like the wheat and the weeds. Friends we have a priceless treasure that the
world is looking for but do they know we have it? Most people don’t know what
they are looking for but they know there’s something more to life. Let us value
this treasure we have and let it shine so others start to see its glow in us
and like a moth to a flame they come to check out what it is we have. As St
Peter says – Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to
give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and
respect,
No comments:
Post a Comment