Isaiah 44:1-8; Psalm 86.11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Rev. Tiare L. Mathison, Pastor & Soul-Tender
Let me tell u a story... As we talked in Pastors’ Bible Study last week, my Lutheran colleagues were quick to respond when I posed this question: “How do we know we are wheat and not weeds?” “The promise of baptism!” They almost shouted. Right. I have to be reminded that baptism is not simply a ritual of the church done when we are babies. But it is the sign and symbol of the promise of God that we are adopted into God’s kingdom, we are made heirs with Christ, as Paul writes, our identity is secured through the redemptive act of the cross. We are liberated from the power of the enemy to live full and holy lives. So Let me tell you a story...
Imagine for a moment you are part of the crowd as you listen intently. Its like a cascade of images: The sower, seeds and soil that can change; weeds & wheat; mustard seed; the woman and the yeast; treasure hidden in a field; a merchant searches for fine pearls; a fisherman with a full net; each time Jesus says, "...the kingdom of heaven is like..." this or like this or like this. 7 parables, 3 pairs with a concluding story of good fish and bad fish. All in one chapter, some of these stories only here in Matthew's gospel. Jesus' words bring the kingdom of God alive in the common vernacular--not some lofty religious language that only a few can speak. His storytelling is purposeful. He's not outlining his doctrine of God, nor answering every theological ? we might have. Instead, He wants us listeners to take these words in, chew on them and be changed. You know, we pray every week: thy kingdom come. What do we mean by that? Jesus says, let me tell you a story. That’s His full witness. He proclaims in the narrative; He expects listeners to pay close attention. It’s like when you have a deep conversation with someone you love. There’s a richness, a fullness of expression - thought & emotion - that is generated in the space the two of you create. You have to listen carefully, with the ears of your heart I like to say. In Hebrew fashion that is, where ‘heart’ is viewed as the seat of rational reflection. An undivided heart, with affections all concentrated on this other person. The kingdom of heaven is like this...(pause) Tell me, do you have a divided heart? Does your whole heart, your whole life revere God’s Name? As Augustine says in his Confessions, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee. I want it to be so. But there are days, right? Where at the end of it, you just take a deep breath, say, ‘forgive me, I’ll do better tomorrow’. Let me tell you a story...
Now Jesus does not tell us where the enemy comes from, He simply recognizes the existence of evil. In our day, It is the organized sin of empire that stands against the empire of the heavens and until the reign of God is finally made wholly manifest, at the end of the age, we live in the already of the resurrection and the not yet of eternal glory. Some of this sowing by the evil one might be dramatic but some of it may be subtle. Your workplace might feel infested with weeds - corrupt practices that harm employees; a culture that looks the other way when racist or sexist statements are made. It might be performance based, where the pressure is on you to act their way, when their way is dehumanizing for you. It might be extended family demands; its even possible for there to be weeds in our faith communities. We live in the midst of God’s paradox until God’s consummation. What are we to do? Let me tell you a story... We are living in unprecedented times. The chaos of pandemic with a virus that knows no bounds, has killed 150,000 Americans, and 450,000 other people around the world. We are so traumatized as a country and a world, we don’t have capacity to grieve. The deaths just keep coming. We are experiencing An economic collapse not seen since what has been called the Great Depression; ours might be the greater depression. We know there are businesses that are never coming back - restaurants, shops, small stores we love. There are jobs not coming back. Unemployment is predicted to stay at record highs with Black and Brown communities hardest hit, once again. Because we live in a country built on their backs with the wealth accumulation going to white people. We are a country in protest of police brutality against People of Color, us white folk waking up finally to what Black People have suffered for hundreds of years. Big questions around school openings, teaching on the Internet - and what if you don’t have access to computers? And a total lack of leadership on the federal level. These are the stories of our time.
Remember your baptism and be thankful. I mean it! Remember your baptism. Your identity as a child of God is secured in the promise of baptism, that the power of the universe is infused into the very fabric of your humanity, your body, your mind, your heart, your soul. Every breath you take, every step you make, all the work of your hands, the Holy Spirit goes with you. You were enslaved to the death machine of evil. Now you are free to live in the Spirit and be a witness to the amazing grace and mercy and love of God found in Jesus Christ. You are not alone. You have been adopted and given permission to enter into the most intimate relation with God, who you are now allowed to call ABBA, Father. It is the Name above all Names Jesus uses in His Lord’s Prayer. It signals you are joint - heirs with Christ. Now thats power! What is required of us is to remain filled with hope. It is the fire of imagination that must be kept burning fueled by glimpses of that other world. Yes indeed there is suffering, yes indeed. But as one baseball fan quipped, “God always bats last.” The work is not finished, God is not done, God does not rest. She hears our groans, with all of creation longing for the final revelation. Let me tell you a story...