First Lutheran Church

June 13, 2021 + The Third Sunday after Pentecost

Mark 4:26-34. 26[Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

30He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet 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.”

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

Sermon

“Enchanted Soil, Invasive Weeds, and Annoying Birds”

Pastor Greg Ronning

In today’s appointed Gospel Jesus teaches his followers about the Kingdom of God.  He begins by comparing it to a farmer who simply scatters seed upon the ground, goes to sleep and rises day after day, only to discover that one day, somehow, it has grown and is ready to harvest.  He then offers up a second comparison, the kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed, which when sown upon the ground turns into a gigantic bush, large enough for the birds to make nests in it.

As I began to ponder these parables, I couldn’t help but wonder what my grandfather might have thought about them.  You see, my grandfather spent his whole life farming in North Dakota.  And I can’t help but think he must have thought Jesus was a fool when it comes to farming.  These comparisons must have seemed ridiculous to him.  Did Jesus really just say, “The Kingdom of God is like a dim witted lazy sleepy farmer, enchanted dirt, an invasive weed, and a flock of annoying troublesome birds?”

That was not how my grandfather understood and lived life as a farmer.  He worked hard, he never slept in, he was out on his tractor at the crack of dawn.  He rarely left the farm, there was always work to do.  And he needed to understand the soil.  He didn’t scatter seed and just wait around, he had to work the land, he had to apply fertilizer.  He knew which soil was the best soil for each of his crops. 

And he had to work hard to keep the weeds out!  So why would any farmer ever sow mustard seed?  Mustard plants are the enemy of the farmer, that unrelenting weed could destroy a crop if it wasn’t kept in check, eradicated. And then there’s the birds, farmers aren’t big fans of birds, that’s why they invented scarecrows!  A large flock of birds might eat the seed before it can grow or eat the kernel of the crop before it could be harvested.   Why would anyone, plant a mustard see, let alone allow a mustard seed plant to get so big that it became a home for birds.

My grandfather loved Jesus, but he must have thought Jesus knew absolutely nothing about farming.  Farming was hard work, work that never ended, work that demanded skills and knowledge, and work that could never be considered carefree.

So, what is Jesus up to in these counter intuitive parables about the Kingdom of God?  It easy to see at first glance that they don’t make much sense in any real-world applications.  There is no lesson today that will make you a better farmer, nothing that will help you become a better gardener. 

Yet perhaps that’s part of the point, the Kingdom of God“breaks” into our world, turning things upside down, challenging the status quo, questioning perceived realities; and in that disorienting process revealing to us the nature of God, the way of God, the very heart of God.  The Kingdom comes to rattle our cages, and in doing so, shake loose that which binds us, setting us free, setting all of us free.

So, let’s take another look at today’s Gospel, let God shake things up a bit, let the Kingdom collide with the world, explore the disconnect, and see what“Word” might be present to bring us life!

Perhaps the Carefree Farmer comes into our life to remind us to slow down, to practice sabbath, to let go and to trust.  We may not all be “Type A” people, but we surely live in a “Type A” world.  And that often makes all of us victims of workingtoo much, slaves of perfectionism (our own or somebody else’s), and competitors in vicious dog-eat-dog world.  Yet that doesn’t have to be our reality.  In the end the Carefree Farmer puts their trust in God, in God’s mysterious presence, in the larger picture, in the values of the Kingdom.  The Carefree Famer is not under the illusion that they are somehow in control.  In this parable, it is not our endeavors, our good works, our knowledge, our spirituality, or our discipline that causes us to grow and thrive in God’s garden; it Is only the constant grace and love of God.  Nothing more is needed. 

And perhaps that is the enchanted soil, the love of God.  When we are planted in such unconditional love, we can’t help but rise up, grow towards heaven, and bear the fruit of the kingdom.  When we are planted in poor soil that does not happen, on the path the seed is snatched away by the birds, on the rocky ground without deep roots we fade, amidst the thorns we are choked out.  We are reminded to plant ourselves in love, in the love of God.  When you have love, experience love, understand such love, nothing more is needed.

In the Carefree Farmer and the enchanted soil,we hear a strong word of grace, however in the parable of the mustard seed that grows up into a giant bush we are challenged by the Kingdom.  No matter how you look at it, the Mustard Seed Plant is a weed!  And we don’t like weeds.  Weeds are a nuisance, an annoyance, a bother, a trouble that needs to be destroyed.  Yet Jesus insists that we check this gut reaction and ponder this weed as an invitation to better understand and engage, place ourself in the Kingdom of God.

The Mustard Seed, often described as the smallest of seeds, reminds us once again that God is often present in the most unlikely places, even forgotten and unwanted places.  Perhaps Jesus is reminding us of his own origin story, the story of baby born in a lowly stable.  Perhaps he is reminding his lowly disciples, a suspect group of fishermen and tax collectors, that the Kingdom of God is within each of them.  Perhaps he is reminding us, that God is present with the coming of the kingdom, here and now, in our very own life.  Perhaps we are being challenged to look for the sacred, the holy, the beautiful, the heart of God, in something as tiny and insignificant as a mustard seed?

And finally, we have to deal with the birds.  This is where today’s parable really challenges me.  Once again, while we all love birds, we have to admit that birds and farms and gardens do not go together well.  Once again, that’s why we invented scarecrows!Even Jesus concedes this earlier in chapter four, he identifies the birds as agents of Satan snatching away the seeds, the word, that has fallen on the hard soil.  The birds seem to be undesirable in this farming context!  Yet, the mustard seed plant, attracts, welcomes, and houses them!

One of my favorite theologians Debie Thomas writes, “But Jesus isn't a scarecrow kind of gardener. Why? Because the kingdom of God is all about welcoming the unwelcome. Sheltering the unwanted. Practicing radical inclusion. The garden of God doesn’t exist for itself; it exists to offer nourishment to everyone the world deems unworthy. It exists to attract and to house the very people we’d rather shun. Its primary purpose is hospitality, not productivity.” 

The Kingdom of God is like a giant mustard seed bush that attracts and houses those birds that can be annoying, difficult, and even troublesome.  Perhaps we are being reminded that the same love and grace that was offered to us in Christ, “while we were yet sinners; ”we are now called to offer to our neighbor, especially our neighbor in need, the neighbor who is different than us, the neighbor who is stranger to us, even the neighbor that is enemy to us.  May God grant us such faith, the courage and patience to resist shooing those birds away, and the love of the kingdom to begin to find ways, shape policies, and enact strategic plans to provide for all those in need, especially those deemed undesirable.

Today Jesus offers us nothing helpful when it comes to farming or gardening, but he does reveal unto us the Kingdom of God.  In grace and love we are embraced, we are planted in love; and in grace and love he rattles our cages in hopes that the things that binds us will shake loose, and we will be set free to love and to serve, to be a part of the kingdom that is coming, the kingdom that is here.

Hear the good news, you are loved, and in that love, you will grow and bear fruit.  And hear this as good news too, God is coming into the world like an uncontrollable weed, God is on the loose reconciling all of creation, bringing us all together in a Kingdom that does not cast out anyone, a kingdom that has a place for everyone.  Let us join in the prayer, “May thy Kingdom come, may thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  Amen.

June 6, 2021

First Lutheran Church

The Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 6, 2021

Genesis 3:8-15. (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Sermon

“Naked Dreams”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Have you ever had a dream in which you were at one of the following places: at work, at the grocery store, at a party with your friends, giving a presentation, singing a song, or even standing in front of the church preaching a sermon; and you suddenly realize that you have forgotten to put on your pants, or worse yet, that you arestark naked!  They say such dreams, dreams in which you are“exposed,” are almost universal, they are among the top ten most common dreams of humankind.

I have always been fascinated with dreams, the language of the soul and the psyche, the forgotten language of God, a mysterious language that seems to communicate our deepest realities, our inspirations and perhaps even more importantly - our anxiety and our fear.  While dream work, the interpretation of dreams, unlocking the meaning of the symbols, discovering the purpose of your dreams, is ultimately the discernment of the individual; there are some common general interpretations of common dreams that are helpful in beginning to understand the basic meaning of those dreams.

Here’s a few common dreams and their general meaning.  Perhaps you’ve had some of these dreams?  Dreams in which you find yourself falling might represent instability in your life. Dreams in which someone is chasing you might indicate that you are avoiding something in your life.  Dreams about losing teeth might mean you’re afraid of losing power and the ability to be assertive.  Dreams about being back in school and being unprepared for a test might reflect fears that you are not prepared for something in your waking life. One of my most common dreams, is that I am playing golf, and I have shot that is impossible to hit.  There’s just no way to find a stance and a swing that will allow me to hit the ball.  Try and try as I might, it’s just impossible.  And then, there’s the naked dream, today’s topic, the embarrassing and awkward moment of being discovered in public – missing some or all of your clothes.

Dreams of being naked, being naked in the wrong time and place, also have somepossible shared universal interpretations.  Nudity often indicates feelings of vulnerability – moments and situations when you literally have nothing to hide behind.  Nudity can indicate the fear of exposure – feelings of inadequacy and even shame.    Sometimes we feel like we are imposters in life, and that one day we will be exposed for who we truly are.  Sometimes we feel like we are hiding behind our clothes, our props, our illusions – hoping that no one will discover the fraud and phony person that lies underneath.  Nudity in a dream might indicate feelings of insecurity – the feeling that everyone is looking at us, laughing at us, criticizing us, and judging us.  Nudity also might symbolize being caught off guard – the fear of showing up for something unpreparedto do an important task.  Nudity in a dream might also serve to wake us up from our own arrogance, like in the parable “The Emperor Has No Clothes.”

Nudity in a dream could mean many different things, it could even illustrate a healthy sense of self, that you’re a person with nothing to hide.  Such a dream lifts up your honesty, openness, bravery, and carefree nature.And as I look out on all of you, I’m sure that’s the interpretation that would most assuredly fit all of us.  Because we don’t have any issues with feeling vulnerable, we don’t feel insecure, we’re not afraid of being exposed, we don’t hide behind things, we don’t care what other people think about us, and we’re always confidently prepared for whatever life throws at us!Right?  Right?

Well, maybe not.  Dreams of being literally “exposed” are common because it’s a common concern that we all share.  It’s part of the human condition to have feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, fear, and even shame.  We all have those uncomfortable moments, from time to time, from day to day, from season to season, - we all share in the so called “human condition.”All of us, in one way or another, fear being exposed.  And so it is that in the beginning, in the book of Genesis, in perhaps the first recorded naked dream; God speaks to those very fears.

In the beginning we are told that God created everything, and that everything was “good,” even “very good.”  But somewhere along the way, the idea crept into the heart of humankind, that perhaps - we might not be so good.  So instead of trusting God’s word, that we were created good by our very nature, loved unconditionally by our creator- just because; humanity decided they wanted to “see” their own goodness for themselves, by themselves.We didn’t want to have to trust God.  In short, we wanted to be good all by ourselves! 

So, they listened to the words of the serpent, they ate of the fruit from the one tree from which they were not supposed to eat, in hopes that it would set them free, enable them to discern between good and evil. Yet in that moment, they were no longer able to see themselves through the eyes of God, through the eyes of unconditional love.  Suddenly the perspective drastically changed, “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.” (Genesis 3:7)No longer trusting in their God given goodness, they suddenly saw themselves as naked, as incomplete, as inadequate, as imperfect, as shameful, and even unlovable; and in fear and anxiety they covered themselves up,attempting to hide from each other and from God.

Martin Luther explained that the original sin of humankind was not an act of disobedience, it was not the physical act of eating from the forbidden tree, but rather it was the desire to somehow trust in their own goodness and not in the gift of God’s created goodness.  It was their desire to be like God, to play the role of God.  It wasn’t the disobedience per se, it was the reason “why” they disobeyed.  Humankind wanted to “see”salvation and “do”salvation for themselves, “to see good and evil for themselves;”and in doing so they rejected, they forgot, the original goodness that God ordained and proclaimed in the beginning.

And thus, shame entered into the world, a shame that would set humanity apart from each other, a shame that would put us at odds with each other, a shame that would separate creation from heaven, a shame that would make it harder for us to believe, “it was good – very good.”And so it is that humanity still cries out, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”Unfortunately, the nightmare continues, we continue to dream that we are naked and alone in this world; - exposed, judged, and shamed.

Thankfully the story of humanity that begins in Genesis chapter three with a naked dream and the expulsion of humanity from the Garden of Eden, - does not end there!  Genesis chapter three will not have the last word, it may define the human condition, but it does not condemn humanity to that condition forever.  The story does not end there, but begins again, in the fullness of time, in that moment when the love of God would become fleshed out among us in Jesus.  In the life and ministry of Jesus, the unconditional love of God, the saving love of God is revealed forever.  The story that begins in Genesis, in the beginning with the waters of chaos, ends in the waters of baptism, in the waters of the cross, the waters of death and resurrection, the waters of life, the waters that proclaim,“You are the beloved of God.”

This is the Good News!  Once again, in - with - and through Christ, God proclaims, that we are “good,”“very good.”  We are loved because we are loved!  We belong because we belong!  God comes into our naked dreams and clothes us with the righteousness and salvation of Christ.  We are set free from shame, from fear, from judgement; set free to boldly live out our life and our callingin faith,through love, in peace.

Adam and Eve dreamtthat they were naked and awoke in fear and anxiety filled with shame.  And then they hid away.  Adam may have gave names to all the animals in the beginning, yet Adam did not name us.  And neither are we named by Adam’s naked dream, his doubt, his fear, and his shame.  No, We have been named by God the Creator, who declared that all of creation was “very good.” We have been named by Christ in the waters of baptism as nothing less than the beloved of God.And today we are named again by the Holy Spirit which has gathered us together to be the very body of Christ in this world. 

If you hear any other voice, if the serpent tempts you, if the world wants to call you by another name, if a naked dream causes you to be anxious and filled with doubt –simply do as Martin Luther instructed us to do in such situations.  Faithfully dip your fingers into the waters of baptism, make the sign of the cross, and remember that you are nothing less than the beloved child of God.  This is most certainly true!  Amen.

Sunday May 30, 2021

First Lutheran Church

May 30, 2021

“The Visit of Mary to Elizabeth”

Luke 1:39-57  39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.  Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.  52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. 57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.

Sermon

“Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth”

Pastor Greg Ronning

On May 31st the Christian Church celebrates the “lesser festival” – “Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth.”  Today we recall this wonderful story as recorded in today’s Gospel reading from Luke.  In this story Mary travels to be with her relative Elizabeth, both women are unexpectedly pregnant.  Both women are in need of the care and comfort of companionship, as they try to understand the mystery of God’s presence in their life.  As they meet, Elizabeth becomes the first person to recognize the great thing that is happening to Mary, and Mary responds with a song called “The Magnificat.” This song echoes the song of Hannah found in First Samuel, thanking God for bringing down the powerful and lifting up the poor. But while Hannah sings her song in the official house of worship, Mary sings hers in what many see as - the prototype of the Christian church. Not a holy building but a gathering of the faithful: two women meeting in a home, who rejoice together in what God is doing in the coming of Jesus.  Mary’s visit to Elizabeth is the very beginning of the church. 

The Gospel of Luke begins with the story of Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah who served as a priest.  Luke tells us, “Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.  But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.”  Unfortunately, in those days, having children was seen as a blessing from God, and childlessness was seen as a curse.  Thus, Elizabeth and Zechariah suffered, despite the fact that they were faithful.  Without children they had to endure both an internal and public disgrace. However, God is not done with Elizabeth and Zechariah!

One day while Zechariah is serving in the temple the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.”  Zechariah responds in doubt, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” And because of his doubt, he is rendered mute, “Unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”  And then God does what seems impossible, the unexpected happens. “After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, ‘This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.’”

Six months later, the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary with the news of her unexpected pregnancy, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.” And before Gabriel leaves, he tells Mary the good news about Elizabeth, “And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.”   To this Mary declares, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”   And then, as told in today’s Gospel, “In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” 

So it is that these two women, both unexpectedly pregnant, gather together in the strange mystery of God’s presence, to begin a new adventure with God.  One is old, “getting on in years,” presumed to be “barren,” and her son will close an era; The other is young, and her son will usher in a new day.  Together the old and the young will give birth to the coming and present Kingdom of God.

So, what are the takeaways for us today?

On a personal level, - beware, God does unexpected things!  You might think you’re too old or you might think you are too young, but God might think – this is the perfect time to do something in - with - and through - you!  God plants seeds in all of us, seeds that will grow into kingdom things. 

So it is that Elizabeth and Zechariah continued in prayer, hoping with but a glimpse of the kingdom, trusting in the midst of their suffering, believing in grace in the midst of disgrace, unwittingly expecting in the unexpected. 

And so it is that Mary upon hearing the startling and bewildering news of her pregnancy, “went with haste” to see her relative Elizabeth, to gather together with someone else who might be able to understand her situation and provide comfort and care.  She needed a mentor and a confidant.  She knew that the adventure that lay before her was one that demanded companionship.

God is never done with us, when it comes to the Kingdom, God is ever at work in each of us.  And God has provided us a place to go when the Word comes to life in us, when we feel the Spirit stirring things up inside of us.  For times such as these God has gathered us up into the church, a community of faith, First Lutheran Church in Downtown Fullerton; The place where we comfort and strengthen each other, the place where the Kingdom emerges from deep within - out into the world.  Elizabeth and Mary needed each other, to give birth they needed help, and the same is true for each of us.  Living out the unexpected presence of God in our life, demands the relationships that we have with each other in our community of faith.  It is only together that we can faithfully proclaim, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

And that brings us to the communal level, what is the takeaway this morning for us, for us as First Lutheran Church?

I find it interesting that Luke begins his Gospel with the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, that the story of the Good News of Jesus Christ begins with the story of an older couple who have not been able to have children, a couple who are now beyond the age of having children.  And that this story is then coupled with the story of Mary and Joseph.  It seems important that both Mary and Elizabeth suddenly and unexpectedly become pregnant; And that these two women are drawn together in their common experience, to comfort and support each other as they give birth to children who will bring about the Kingdom of God.

As the pandemic comes to an end, as we begin to entertain plans to begin “anew,” it’s important to remember that we need both Elizabeth and Mary.  Elizabeth and Mary both give birth to the emerging Kingdom of God, each in their own unique way.  New ways must be blessed by the old ways.  New ideas must have their roots in the old ideas.  John the Baptist must prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus.  Jesus must be baptized by John and John must then declare, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  Both of them need to show up, and both of them need to be actively involved.

Elizabeth and Mary are not just chronological metaphors, they exist in all of us in a variety of ways.  As we seek God’s guidance in the days before us, let us be mindful of both, and the way that each of them give birth to the Kingdom of God, the way that each of them help to make “all things new.” 

Mary’s visit to Elizabeth is the prototype of the Christian church, the very, very beginning of the church.  They gathered together to comfort each other, to strengthen each other, to do things that seemed impossible, to sing and praise the mighty and just deeds of God, and to give birth to a Word made flesh that would be the very love of God. 

May we continue to “visit” in that way, may we continue to be blessed by such “visiting,” may we all give birth to the Kingdom.  Amen.