Finding Faith ... in trusting God's timing

EDITOR'S NOTE: In October 2017 I began a new venture as a synodically authorized minister at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. The ride over the past 3 1/2 years has been an amazing journey of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on June 16, the third week after Pentecost. For the summer, we moved to live Wednesday night services, that were simultaneously livestreamed.

This week's preaching text: Mark 4:26-34.

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

The Use of Parables

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Message:

As I shared earlier today, on Monday night, I met with the Faith Lutheran Call Committee here at Faith. It is one of the last few necessary boxes we have to check on this journey together. And during that interview, I was asked the question, "What excites you about serving at Faith Lutheran?"

In the moment I mentioned a few things such as how I've gotten to work more and more with the youth and come to really enjoy that aspect of the ministry here at Faith. ... I mentioned getting to know each of your families and developing a relationship through the Holy Spirit with you. ... And I also mentioned the opportunity and the grace that you've all extended me to develop my preaching skills here as well.

But maybe most importantly, I mentioned the vibrancy and the vitality that is so prevalent here in our faith community. ... I see a couple of smiles in crowd tonight. I don't think I'm the only one that feels that way. ... That's definitely excites me.

But over the last two days, as I've had more time to reflect upon that question, the more this journey together becomes even more of a mystery to me. .... A mystery that of course can only be explained through the Holy Spirit. ... And by a God who is still very much active in our world today. ... How else could you explain the timing of my coming here? The timing of Faith Lutheran needing its next faith leader just as I was about to spread my pastoral wings.

Just days before receiving that fateful call from the synod about the need for a pastor here at Faith, I had left a message with my synod contact at the time. In that message, I said that I felt like I had outgrown my place at Christ the King church in Moorhead, and I was looking for something where I could be more active. ... Two days later, I got that call to come meet with the council here at Faith Lutheran.

I don't think any of those things can just be chalked up to serendipity. Surely the Holy Spirit was involved in all of that. ... How else do you describe it?

But what else is happening here in our faith community? It's not just our journey coming together. ... We also see the vitality that is missing from so many other churches, the vitality that we see in the Bible. ... That vitality here brings people like you together on Wednesday nights, willing to sacrifice a beautiful summer night just to be here together and worship together. ... I've visited with many other clergy in this last five years, and there are many pastors who aren't lucky enough to serve in such a setting as this.

Where else is the Spirit active here? ... In the volunteers and the leadership. ... In the members of the community; just feel that the community feeling that we have when we walk in those doors and everybody smiles at each other. ... In the generosity and the stewardship.

I think back to that desire to stick together through whatever means necessary during the entire year when we couldn't meet in person together. ... Believe it or not, Faith Family, but not every church is this lucky.

And so I can only explain it all as one more mystery of the Holy Spirit. ... As one more mystery of an active and present god who works daily among us.

In listening to one of my sermon prep podcasts this week to prepare for this sermon, one

of the hosts was talking about when he interviews people who are lucky enough to attend a

church like this -- a vibrant church -- and he said, and I quote because it's stuck with me, "So,

for me, the best of them have no idea why it works. ... Yes, they are faithful proclaimers of the

Word among other things. And sure, there is the work of the Spirit, but finally, in the

end, I just don't know why it works."

That kind of sound like a gospel text that we've read tonight. ... When the sower lays down in the seed.

Kind of reminds me of a place like Faith Lutheran, doesn't it? ... And so that brings me to the gospel of Mark tonight, in this very famous "Parable of the Mustard Seed."

Some of you might remember that this particular parable is a favorite of mine. I've preached on this several times before.

The mustard seed. ... Remember, back to our Sunday school days when you would have to color in the the little pictures with the cartoons and then there would be a little speck of the mustard seed. ... Or maybe you were given a seed to grow during Sunday school, as a reminder of the parable.

Regardless, we know that the story is about that small -- one of the smallest seeds on earth -- that grows into the almighty shrub. I think it's such a great parable to help us describe the mystery of faith.

But what is new this time around is that I have to share with you that in listening to another resource to prep for the sermon, I was introduced to an entirely new way of viewing this parable that just kind of flipped it on its head. And it was such a great joy to gain a new insight into something that I've read so many times.

The other source opened up my eyes to see that there's so much else going on and taking place in this parable, and yet we focus on that littlest of seeds. We surely know the central story; after all, it's called the "Parable of the Mustard Seed." But have you ever noticed how many other role players there are in this story?

The sower of the seed, of course, because as those among us who garden or farm are looking at me and saying, "Well, of course, how else is the seed getting in the ground?"

There's also the earth itself, and if you go back and you read the text, it's interesting how many times the soil is mentioned. And we never think about that!

In addition, there's the rain and the sun and the many minerals in the soil that all

work together to help produce a growing plants.

Mentioned in the text also is that there is the harvester who comes along to harvest the results of all that growth.

And there are the birds who make their homes in this growing plants. branches too.

So in the divine mystery of that story of the mustard seed, this text helps us to see that there really are all these other factors that play into the majesty of what we see in the mustard shrub. ... And I have to admit that until I heard somebody else break this parable down for me in this fashion, I could only see it from my point of view. So it was so joyful to be opened up to all of these other facets of this wonderful story!

Because I think it's this view of the parable that helps us with a metaphor of the Holy Spirit. A metaphor of our active God in this world. ... Because that's what's so special about our God: He is still active today. And we believe that, so just as there is a divine mystery involved in the many factors that mix together to produce a mighty mustard shrub from that seed.

You see, there also is a divine mystery in the factors that lead to a vibrant church such as ours. And I think that is the new view that I've found in the "Parable of the Mustard Seed" tonight.

We have to remember that our God is active, and he is intervening in all of our situations. ... Day in and day out. ... He's not stuck in the Old Testament. He's not stuck in the New Testament. ... Our God is present in the actions of our every day lives. ... So, we must remember that tiny mustard seed.

The text reminds us that we cannot, alone, force the divine action. We, alone, are not in control. ... There are a whole lot of other factors involved to create that mighty shrub that becomes home to those birds.

There are a whole lot of other factors involved in creating a vibrant and vital church. ... Not just one person's actions.

And finally, there are a whole lot of other factors involved in the other complex

situations in each of our lives. ... In each of our communities. ... And even in our bigger, broader world.

I'm thankful to this theology professor that opened my eyes this week to the fact that, maybe, after all, the message of this particular parable is to teach us trust ... trust of our God

in the times that we don't understand.

And maybe the message this week is also to teach us patience. ... Patience in the times when we think God's actions aren't moving that fast.

And maybe the text this week teaches us humility. ... Because far too often in our human arrogance, we believe that we are too strong. ... And that we are too smart. ... And that we are too capable, and so that we don't need God's help.

Maybe, the text this week teaches us the ultimate faith is that God will use a little mustard seeds in the appropriate time and in the appropriate way ... mixed in with the appropriate other factors ... to grow that mighty shrub.

And that's the Good News for this Wednesday, June 16, 2021. ... Amen.