July 31, 2005

Genesis 32:22–31;Psalm 17:1–7, 15; Romans 9:1–5; Matthew 14:13–21

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Our reading in Matthew today takes place just after the murder of John the Baptist.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand (NLT)

¹³ As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages. ¹⁴ A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹⁵ That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."

¹⁶ But Jesus replied, "That isn't necessary—you feed them."

¹⁷ "Impossible!" they exclaimed. "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!"

¹⁸ "Bring them here," he said. ¹⁹ Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. ²¹ About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children!

As soon as Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded, he sought solitude (verses 12-13). By this time in Jesus' ministry, however, the crowds had begun to gather at every opportunity. They followed him on foot and gathered by the thousands (verse 21). The passage notes Jesus' compassion: The crowd stayed with him for the day as he cured their sick (verse 14).

When evening came, Jesus miraculously fed the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish (verses 17-19). The text states that there were 5,000 men present, besides women and children. Therefore, the total number of people Jesus fed could have been 10 to 15 thousand. The number of men is listed separately because in the Jewish culture of the day, men and women usually ate separately when in public. The children ate with the women.

It would not have been uncommon for travelers to bring dried fish or bread on a journey or for a youth to sell a limited variety of food items to the captive crowd. However, in a spontaneous gathering of this kind, it would be safe to say that the meager supplies of the food venders had long since been exhausted. Fish and especially bread were central components of the Palestinian diet; meat was rarely available except at feasts. Food was always sold in village markets, and the Galilean countryside was full of villages (Mark 6:36); but Jesus had withdrawn his followers some distance from the nearest villages (Mark 6:32). Even the larger villages would have under three thousand inhabitants; despite Galilee’s agricultural self-sufficiency, feeding the crowd in the villages would thus have been difficult. But it would have taken more than two hundred days of an average person’s wages (around seven months of hard labor) to feed the great multitude that had assembled.

SO Jesus performed a miracle. He took the meager food resources they had, and he blessed it. It was customary among the Jews to begin a meal by giving thanks for the bread and then dividing it. The form of prayer which they used in the time of Christ has been preserved by their writers, the Talmudists. It is this: "Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hast produced this food and this drink, from the earth and the vine." All ate until they were filled, and there were twelve baskets of broken pieces that remained. Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed over 5,000 people. What he was originally given seemed insufficient, but in his hands it became more than enough. We often feel that our contribution to Jesus is meager, but he can use and multiply whatever we give him, whether it is talent, time, or treasure. It is when we give them to Jesus that our resources are multiplied.

The opening verse of today's passage speaks to our own need to recognize when we need a retreat. John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin and, in a sense, his colleague in ministry. After hearing of John the Baptist's horrible death, Jesus and the twelve had set out for a deserted place for reflection. Along the way, however, another reality dawned. Although we frequently know what we need, the pressing needs of others often stand at the gate. From this passage, two conflicting issues become evident: self-care and compassion for others with genuine needs. As we look at Jesus' response to the multitudes, it becomes clear that we may not always be in a position to legislate when or how we take care of ourselves, take the solitude that we need. Most of us live in the tension of that narrow place that lies between caring for ourselves and caring for others. On the other hand, however, we do need periods of solitude, centering, and reflection. A critical question for today: How do we discern when to shut the door and pull down the shutters before damaging sanity, identity, or self-worth?

Seeking solitude was an important priority for Jesus (see also Mat 14:13). He made room in his busy schedule to be alone with the Father.

Luke 9:18-21 (NAB)
¹⁸ Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
¹⁹ They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.' "
²⁰ Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Messiah of God."
²¹ He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

Matthew 14:22-23 (WEY)
²² Immediately afterwards He made the disciples go on board the boat and cross to the opposite shore, leaving Him to dismiss the people.
²³ When He had done this, He climbed the hill to pray in solitude. Night came on, and he was there alone.

Psalms 55:6-7 (NLT)
⁶ Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!
⁷ I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness.

Jeremiah 9:2 (NLT)
² Oh, that I could go away and forget them and live in a shack in the desert, for they are all adulterous and treacherous.

How may we benefit from solitude?

Matthew 14:13: As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages.

Solitude can be time to deal privately with pain. Jesus sought solitude after the news of John's death. Sometimes we may need to deal with our grief alone. In our reading, Jesus was not able to dwell on his grief, but forced to returned to the ministry of his flock by his compassion for them.

Matthew 14:23-24 : Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

Solitude can be time spent with God. Seeking solitude was an important priority for Jesus. He made room in his busy schedule to be alone with the Father. Spending time with God in prayer nurtures a vital relationship and equips us to meet life's challenges and struggles. Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God—it will help you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ.

Luke 4:42: Early the next morning Jesus went out into the wilderness. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them.

Solitude is important for prayer and refreshment, but will only be possible if we make it a priority. Jesus had to get up very early just to get some time alone. If Jesus needed solitude for prayer and refreshment, how much more is this true for us? Don't become so busy that life turns into a flurry of activity leaving no room for quiet fellowship alone with God. No matter how much you have to do, you should always make time for prayer.

Spending time with God in prayer nurtures a vital relationship and equips us to meet life's challenges and struggles. Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God — it will help you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ

Relate to our lives: We all have times when we need to get away from it all, seek some peace and quiet, some solitude. I think it is essential – I have found this to be true for me. How often are we able to find this respite, and how long does it last before something intrudes –telephone, children, spouse, pet? Where can you go to find solitude?

THE ELUSIVE SOLITUDE
By James LaJocies

I stepped into the clear sunlight on a spring like day,
To enter the lush forest and search for the elusive solitude.
To help my minds jigsaw puzzle to fit.
To iron out the wrinkles of stress and smooth the mind of life’s highways.
To give me direction, reward me with clarity and to bring peace to my soul.

I searched for the elusive solitude.
I sought her out with purpose and found her hidden,
In the colors of Emerald Green, Sapphire Blue and Snow White.
She surrounded herself with a symphony of soft ocean waves,
With water in a cascading free fall. All of which she harmonized,
Using the wind, caressing the leaves of towering trees.
I found the elusive solitude and then solitude was interrupted ........ People.

Michael R. Martin – July 31, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

July 17, 2005

Genesis 28:10–19a; Psalm 139:1–12, 23–24; Romans 8:12–25; Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (NRSV)

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat

²⁴ He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. ²⁶ So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. ²⁷ And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' ²⁸ He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' ²⁹ But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. ³⁰ Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

{. . .}

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds

³⁶ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." ³⁷ He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, ⁴² and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Like last week’s parable about the farmer sowing seed that fell on four different types of soil, this week’s parable comes to us with an explanation from Jesus. Keep in mind that not every farmer in the world plants seeds in rows. Sowing seed is quite different from planting seed, making it likely that weeds would ordinarily appear in the field. The parable indicates that the presence of weeds (other translations, tares) is not by accident. The weeds or tares, like the wheat, had also been sowed into the field — by an enemy.

In this, the second parable, Jesus again used the figure of the sower, but with a different twist. After a farmer sowed his wheat seed, an enemy came at night and sowed weeds on the same soil. As a result, the wheat and the weeds grew together and would continue to do so till the time of harvest, for removing the weeds early would result in destroying the wheat (vv. 28-29). Therefore they must grow together until the harvest when the weeds would first be gathered out and destroyed. Then... the wheat would be gathered into the barn.

As Jesus and His disciples came into a house away from the crowd they asked for an explanation of this “wheat and weeds” parable. First, Jesus said, the sower of the good seed is the Son of Man, the Lord Himself. This fact is an important starting point for understanding parables. The parables cover the time beginning with the Lord Himself on earth ministering and proclaiming the good news.

Second, the field is the world into which the good news is spread.

Third, the good seed represents the offspring of the kingdom. The good seed in this parable corresponds to the seed in the first parable that produced a fruitful crop. The weeds are the offspring of the evil one (cf. v. 19) that had been sown among the wheat by the enemy... the devil. This condition of the kingdom was never revealed in the Old Testament, which spoke of a kingdom of righteousness in which evil would be overcome.

Fourth, the harvest is the end of the Age, and the harvesters are angels (cf. v. 49). This fact gives the ending of the time period suggested by these parables. “The end of the Age” represents the conclusion of the present Age before Christ establishes the messianic kingdom. Thus the parables in Matthew 13 cover the period of time from Christ’s work on earth to the time of the judgment at His return. At His second coming, the angels will gather the wicked and throw them into judgment

Tares

Let’s talk about weeds and wheat. The most basic staple of the Palestinian diet (and the ancient diet in general) was bread; thus wheat was critical. The bearded darnel, Original Word: ζιζάνιον, zizanion. It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, growing in the grain fields, as tall as wheat and barley, and resembling wheat in appearance. The seeds are poisonous to man and herbivorous animals, producing sleepiness, nausea, convulsions and even death (they are harmless to poultry). It bears a close resemblance to wheat until the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine. The fields were normally weeded in the spring, but if the weeds were discovered too late – as in the parable – one would risk uprooting the wheat with them; the master does not want to risk his wheat. Once they were fully grown, however, harvesters could cut the wheat just below the head, leaving the shorter weeds to be cut separately.

Let’s talk about the devil as portrayed in this parable. His work was to sow wicked or lawless people in the world and to do it secretly so that they will be unnoticed (Matthew 13:38, 41). He came while men slept (Matthew 13:25). The devil comes while we are unconscious, too busy, too unconcerned, unaware, too preoccupied, too content or too enticed with pleasure and other affairs. The devil operated under the cover of darkness and deception.

And when the devil comes, he sows in the same field as the Lord. The bad are sown among the good. The devil's method is counterfeit and imitation (cp. 2 Cor. 11:13-15). Some within the world and even within the Church have not been sown by the Lord. They may be in the world; they may even look like they belong to the Lord, but they do not.

The devil is a sworn enemy to Christ, to the world, and to all good. He is the sworn enemy of man, to his peace, and to the fulfillment of his purpose and life on earth. Whatever power he uses on earth is the same as the power used by wicked men: it is usurped and unjust. Perhaps one reason so many weeds are sown is because so many righteous are sleeping when they should be watching over the field (Matthew 13:25). Satan never sleeps; he is ever awake for every opportunity.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

Note that the enemy – the devil – came and sowed his evil seed while people slept, then "He went his way." Satan does not want to be known as the sower of wicked men. In fact, he wants the wicked to disclaim him, never to confess that he is their "father" (John 8:44). The weeds are "in the Lord's field" professing that they belong to God, but they are deceived (2 Cor. 11:13-14).

As with the growing of all things, a day for bearing fruit always comes. It comes for every professing Christian. The weeds themselves were called "darnel," a wild plant that was slightly poisonous and narcotic. When eaten it would cause dizziness and nausea. It was called the bastard wheat. Its roots became intertwined with the roots of the wheat. If it was rooted up it would destroy the wheat plant before the fruit became mature. The method used to get rid of it was to let it grow and then to harvest it with the wheat. It was then separated from the wheat, bundled together, and cast into a flaming fire.

The weeds looked like wheat when sown and during the growing stage. All people appear the same in religious practices. In life, the unregenerate – those who are not spiritually reborn or converted – look just like the true believer. It is during the fruit-bearing stage that the difference appears. The unregenerate people can imitate true believers for only so long; eventually their true nature begins to show.

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matthew 7:17). "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God". "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:19-23).

A person's nature always comes out eventually. A weed shows itself. A wicked person may profess to be righteous, but a life of selfishness and unrighteousness will eventually take hold. The profession may continue, but so will the life of wickedness. The weeds among the wheat (the wicked among the righteous) are hurtful to the wheat.

1) They are an evil reflection upon the wheat. They sometimes make it very difficult for the world to distinguish between good and evil; therefore they are the primary cause for the charge of hypocrisy leveled against the church.

2) They stymie the growth of the wheat. Their behavior and conversation and thoughts are centered in the world, not on Christ. Therefore the righteous are not edified – are not improved in moral and religious knowledge – when weeds are clinging to them.

3) They are a threat to the wheat. They can draw needed nourishment from the wheat. The professing weed can tempt and lead the righteous away from the Lord and His nourishment, tempt and lead the righteous into the world and its delights.

4) They can cause the death of the wheat. The professing weed can persecute and even kill the wheat.

There are these questions concerning weeds or evil in the world.

Þ Where does evil come from?

Þ If there is a God, why is evil allowed to continue?

At this particular stage of the disciples' growth, Jesus simply states that evil persons are present – that someone who is an enemy to God plants them. His statement without an explanation is enough, at least for the present time. However, in answering the question of evil, a person needs to consider the full revelation of God that is given in Scripture. Scripture reveals that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is the original Sower or Creator. He is the Master and Owner of the field or world. He created man to be perfect (Matthew 13:43), that is, in His own image; and He planted within man a spirit to do right (Genesis 1:26). But immediately after creation, the other sower, the devil, went right to work. He began with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1f); and ever since he has sown nothing but weeds, the unrighteous, among God's "good seed."

There is the question as to why evil is allowed to continue in the world, not just globally but locally, even with the Church itself. This question, of course, concerns judging others. Jesus' answer to this question needs close attention. A person on this earth is not to judge others.

Þ It is sometimes hard to distinguish between the wheat and the weeds, the righteous and those who profess to be righteous but are not. If a person judges another, he may tear out some wheat along with the weeds.

Þ A day of judgment is coming; however, it is not to be executed by men, but by Christ at His return. The young weeds and the young blades of wheat look the same and can't be distinguished until they are grown and ready for harvest. Weeds (unbelievers) and wheat (believers) must live side by side in this world. God allows unbelievers to remain for a while, just as a farmer allows weeds to remain in his field so the surrounding wheat isn't uprooted with them. At the harvest, however, the weeds will be uprooted and thrown away. God's harvest (judgment) of all people is coming. We are to make ourselves ready by making sure that our faith is sincere.

In last week’s message, I talked about the sowing of seeds on the bare soil in front of my house as part of the ongoing road construction, how they used a hydroseeder to spray a soil and mulch and fertilizer mix over the rich soil, sandy soil, and paved driveway, too. What I didn’t mention was that even before this was done, weed seeds had already begun to sprout and weeds were becoming established across the much of the area. As of today, those weeds are well established while the grass is just now beginning to sprout. If I were to walk out there and hand-pull those weeds, I would destroy a lot of new grass in the process. I would squish the young grass plants with my footsteps, and I would surely yank a lot of young grass up along with the soil attached to the weed’s roots. And if instead of pulling the weeds out, I were to use a chemical herbicide, such as Roundup, I would surely kill as much grass as weeds as I was spraying the weeds.

I also think about thinning plants. If you have ever grown carrots, you know that these are some of the tenderest seedlings around, and because the seeds are so small, carrots tend to get planted and come up in little bunches. If you don’t thin them out, you’ll end up with a row of green tops with no orange, edible bottoms. But you have to be very careful. Weed them too soon and you just end up breaking off lots of tops, weed them too late and you end up pulling up young carrots that you meant to keep. Don’t thin them at all and you get a lot of stunted, deformed carrots. Sometimes it seems like tweezers are the best tool to weed carrots.

Weeding, or thinning seedlings, is an important function of gardening, but you have to be careful how it is done. Weed killer destroys weeds - but you have to be very careful with it. So it is with the church. Sometimes we think that there are folk who don't belong. They do things that aren't very loving. They don't seem to believe in what we believe. They may talk down on their brothers and sisters. They seem like weeds amongst the good plants. We have to be very careful about how we deal with these kind of people. Jesus tells us that we shouldn't worry about plucking up the weeds that grow around us. While they may belong to his enemy and ours - that pulling them out can damage the good plants. He suggests that we leave the judgement for God to make - and concentrate on doing what he asks us to do - which is producing fruit for God.

I think that is good advice. Let us go about the business of being true to God and self, focusing on good and right in our own lifes, and let God worry about the rest.

Michael R. Martin – July 17, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

It All Depends on the Soil • July 10, 2005

Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-112 or Psalm 25 (UMH 756); Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Matthew 13:1-9 (NIV): Later that same day, Jesus left the house and went down to the shore, ²where an immense crowd soon gathered. He got into a boat, where he sat and taught as the people listened on the shore. ³He told many stories such as this one: "A farmer went out to plant some seed. ⁴As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, ⁶but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. ⁷Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. ⁸But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. ⁹Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"

Matthew 13:18-23 (NIV): "Now here is the explanation of the story I told about the farmer sowing grain: ¹⁹The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts. ²⁰The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. ²¹But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. ²²The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced. ²³The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a huge harvest—thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."

We have entered in our readings into the “season of parables.” Now, there is no such thing as a season of parables on any clerical calendar that I am aware of, but our readings over the next weeks will re-introduce us to many of these teaching stories. This parable of the farmer sowing grain onto four soils is the first of Jesus’ many parables recounted by Matthew. It takes place on the shores of ??. It is said in some gospel translations that a boat was always kept ready and waiting, and here Jesus takes to the boat perhaps that he might better be seen and heard by the immense crowd that had gathered. Keep in mind that this parable is shared at time when Jesus faced opposition. Parables, like satire and other relatively obscure forms of speech, are frequently used when straightforward speech could be life threatening. Parables continue to be used as a rabbinical teaching tool. In Hebrew, parables are often called meshalim. I would say that there are two main questions for you to keep in mind as we explore these parables in our readings:

• First, what is the main point of the parable?
• and most importantly, how does this parable speak truth to you, today, in our time, in your life?

I often wondered if Jesus decided to use this particular parable first as a lesson in parables – he certainly spells this one right out for us; or perhaps Matthew chose it as something easy to cut our teeth on. It is a simple, straightforward story. It was very applicable to the agricultural life of the times, so it was accessible to the people – they could easily understand the imagery, as I think we still can today. Who here hasn’t at one time or another broadcast grass seeds over the soil, or perhaps fed chickens by broadcasting feed, as pastor Linda used to love to recount? So we can identify with that farmer, sowing seeds.

Just in case you have never sowed seed or fed chickens, I have a modern day equivalent parable for you – recount the hydroseeding out in front of our house. Road construction nearing completion, some areas top soil, some still stony sandy soil, some areas pavement, some concrete curbing. Nowadays, road crews use hydroseeder to sow seeds over large expanses. . .

So, in front of our house, some of this mixture was sprayed onto our paved driveway, some was sprayed onto the sandy rocky subsoil, and some was sprayed onto the clean, rich loamy topsoil. Yesterday it rained. Yesterday it rained a LOT. Most of the seed mixture on the driveway washed away, but some is stuck in little cracks where the pavement meets the concrete curb. The seed mixture stuck pretty well on both the sandy soil and top soil. The sun will come out, the seed will sprout – what do you suppose is going to happen to the grasses that start growing? The grass stuck on the pavement will grow, tucked into the spray mixture, but the roots will have nowhere to go, and soon the sun will wilt them and they will die. The grass mixture on the sandy, rocky subsoil will also sprout, the roots will take hold, but the sand will hold little moisture. So although these grasses will grow, they will not thrive. Ah, but the seed that landed where it was meant to land, on the rich loam, it will sprout, the roots will reach down into a soil that holds moisture for it and the grasses will do well here.

So, there is the parable, for the old-time farmer or modern soil conservationist in you. But the easy thing about this parable – it’s a pretty short hop to see how this story can relate to God’s word and our mission as disciples. Believe me, some of the parables are not so easy to decipher, to relate to our own lives. But here, we have God’s Word -- the seed, and God’s disciples – the farmer, and the people of the world – the soil. We are not the seed, YOU are not the seed. The Good News is the seed! And although you and I are in the world, we are not the soil, WE are not the soil. We are among God’s chosen people, YOU are among God’s chosen people. God has nurtured your life from before you were born, and made you who you are, and led you, to this very here and now. God’s seed has been planted and tended and taken root in your heart and soul. YOU, my good friends, are farmers. Or, if you’d rather, you are the person directing the nozzle of the hydro spray truck – it IS after all a heck of a lot more efficient!

As any farmer knows, you have to have two things first and foremost to grow a crop. . . good soil and good seed. Our mission, then, is to tend to the soil so that it is ready to accept seed, and plant seeds wherever and whenever we can. The nice thing about being God’s farmer is that you don’t have to do it all. You may never know the fruits of your labor, but perhaps that little bit of soil you cultivated in someone was just the planting bed needed for the next farmer that comes along. And after that farmer, someone did a little watering, then someone took out a hoe and did a little weeding. And before you know it, we’ve got another honest to God farmer on our hands!

I’ll reiterate what I said a few weeks back. We sit in this church at a time of incredible opportunity and challenge. We are by and large not happy with the way things are going, we have an inspired church council willing to evaluate change, and we have a new pastor who comes to us loaded with experience and energy and ideas. None of us is here by accident, nothing that has come before is wasted. I want to see this church bursting with farmers who come eagerly in each Sunday to get a little well deserved watering and tending so they can take it right back out their into the fields.

Can you IMAGINE what that would be like? How exciting that would be?

I know I am preaching to the choir here, or auctioning to the farmer, or whatever. I wish I could teleport our entire membership into this room right now and give them the same story. If I could teleport our membership here, I suspect we’d have mixed company -- farmers of all types and soil of various qualities -- but that’s ok, too. The body of Christ is made of many parts, each with a special purpose.

I am blessed that I can come here and worship with you, that you come here and worship with me, that we can worship together as often as we do. I am ready to do more.

I won’t ask for a show of hands, but if you are ready to do more, pray with me.

Heavenly Father, Creator God, continue to keep our church under your careful guidance. I praise your glory and am ever thankful for the gifts you have given me. I offer myself to you, Lord, in service. Guide me, Lord, that I might give what is most needed, where it is most needed, when it is most needed. Continue to water those of us gathered here with your blessings, Lord, that we continue to grow in your love. And, as always, I ask that all things be your will, Lord, not mine.

Amen

Michael R. Martin – July 10, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

July 3, 2005

Genesis 24:34-38,42-49, 58-67; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Romans 7:15-25 (NLT)

I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. [16] I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. [17] But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.

[18] I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't. [19] When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. [20] But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.

[21] It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. [22] I love God's law with all my heart. [23] But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. [24] Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? [25] Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

This passage always strikes a little too close to home for me. It reminds me of my youth, growing up. There is a certain age in a boy’s life -- at least in my life and I see it on occasion in my son – a certain age when you know doing something is wrong, but you can’t help but do it anyway. Or worse yet, you do something just to see what might happen, not knowing whether it is right or wrong. When I was young and we were living on Cape Cod, my father had a workshop in the basement of the house where he kept his tools and I would watch him for hours, working on this or fixing that. For some reason, the house had several electric meters and they were located in the basement. The meters were the old glass kind with the spinning wheel inside, sealed with a tag to prevent tampering. One day, I decided to see what would happen if I took a hammer and smashed the meters open. Needless to say, it caused a little bit of a stir at the Martin household.

Life is full of these kind of learning experiences. Generally, we are still a species that learns by doing, as well as by example. When Paul laments his inability to rid himself of a sinful nature, he is not talking about those innocent things we do because we do not know any better. He is talking about those frustrating times when we know right from wrong and we still struggle to make the right choice.

7:15 Paul shares three lessons that he learned in trying to deal with his old sinful desires. (1) Knowledge is not the answer (Romans 7:9). Paul felt fine as long as he did not understand what the law demanded. When he learned the truth, he knew he was doomed. (2) Self-determination (struggling in one’s own strength) doesn’t succeed (Romans 7:15). Paul found himself sinning in ways that weren’t even attractive to him. (3) Becoming a Christian does not stamp out all sin and temptation from a person’s life (Romans 7:22-25).

Being born again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. Paul compares Christian growth to a strenuous race or fight (1 Cor. 9:24-27; 2 Tim. 4:7). Thus, as Paul has been emphasizing since the beginning of his letter to the Romans, no one in the world is innocent; no one deserves to be saved—not the pagan who doesn’t know God’s laws, not the Christian or Jew who knows them and tries to keep them. All of us must depend totally on the work of Christ for our salvation. We cannot earn it by our good behavior.

7:15 This is more than the cry of one desperate man—it describes the experience of any Christian struggling against sin or trying to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit’s help. We must never underestimate the power of sin. We must never attempt to fight it in our own strength. Satan is a crafty tempter, and we have an amazing ability to make excuses. Instead of trying to overcome sin with human willpower, we must take hold of the tremendous power of Christ that is available to us. This is God’s provision for victory over sin—he sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and give us power. And when we fall, he lovingly reaches out to help us up.

7:23-25 This inward struggle with sin was as real for Paul as it is for us. From Paul we learn what to do about it. Whenever Paul felt lost, he would return to the beginning of his spiritual life, remembering that he had already been freed by Jesus Christ. When you feel confused and overwhelmed by sin’s appeal, follow Paul’s example: thank God that he has given you freedom through Jesus Christ. Let the reality of Christ’s power lift you up to real victory over sin.

I have a riddle for you this morning:
Question: What happens when you don't pray?
Answer: Nothing!

This riddle works for the atheist and the Christian alike. The atheist believes in nothing, so if you don’t pray, nothing happens. It is meaningless. The Christian believes in the power of prayer, so if you don’t pray, nothing happens. The bible instructs us to pray – not so God will know our needs, but so God will know our love for Him, our commitment to Him.

So if you are ever troubled by sin, unfortunately a natural human condition, take it to God in prayer. What happens when you don’t pray? Nothing. What happens when you DO pray? God listens, God gives you strength, God answers prayer.

Amen

Michael R. Martin – July 3, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

PRAYER

Almighty God, ruler of all nations:
we pray for our nation and its people, and for our leaders.
May we be mindful of your favor and obedient to your will.
Forgive our shortcomings as a nation,
and purify our hearts
to know the truth that alone can make us free.
Save us from injustice and oppression,
from pride and arrogance,
and from greed and self-centeredness.
Increase our concern for people beyond our own boundaries
and for the poor and afflicted in our own land,
that we may be a blessing and an example to all nations.
Bring us at last to that day
when the whole world shall know peace and blessedness,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.