First Lutheran Church

June 20, 2021

“Lost in Paris”

Ecclesiastes 4:7-13

Again, I saw vanity under the sun:  the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. "For whom am I toiling," they ask, "and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?  And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice. 

Sermon “Lost in Paris”

Pastor Greg Ronning

This morning I would like to share a story with you.  It’s a true story.  It’s a story about being lost.  It’s a story about being a “solitary individual,” a “rugged individualist.”  It’s a story about being foolish instead of wise.  It’s a story about pride and humility.  It’s a story about me, and most likely it’s also a story about you.  It’s a funny story and a scary story.  It’s a story that takes place in Paris many years ago, and it’s about a story that is about to take place here and now.  “Let those who have ears, hear!”

In the summer of 2007, I had the opportunity to travel to Taizé, France for a campus ministry conference.  Taizé is a well-known ecumenical retreat center well known for its worship life.  We use some of the music from Taizé in our worship here at First Lutheran, “Eat This Bread,” “Jesus Remember Me,” “O Lord, Hear My Prayer,” and others.

The retreat center is located in rural France, a few hours by bullet train from Paris, in the beautiful French countryside.  During my week-long stay I had the opportunity to wander about the area.  Each day I would venture out, head out on the small country roads, and explore nearby villages.  And each day I would find my way back to the small village of Taizé.  No problems!  It was wonderful.

The week came to an end, and I headed back to Paris, for my return flight home.  Thankfully my flight did not leave until the next day, so I had some time to explore the sights of the city.  That evening I left the hostel where I was staying in search of the Eiffel Tower.  The woman running the hostel handed me a map with some directions.  (Pre Smart Phone!)I followed them easily, taking all the main boulevards, and in just 30 minutes I found my way to the Eiffel Tower.  I waited in line, climbed the tower, and watched as the sun set beautifully on Paris. 

Eventually it was getting late, so I started back to the hostel.  I got back on the main boulevard, ready to retrace my route back to the hostel.  That’s when I had this great idea.  You see, the main route was not the most direct route back.  It appeared to me that if went back on a more direct route, weaving my way back and forth on the small streets, I would get the chance to see something different, and maybe even save some time and distance.

So, I headed off the main boulevard and down a side street.  Off the beaten path I found myself in more of an “everyday” kind of Paris.  I stopped and got a snack at a local market, andas I walked along,I enjoyed “people watching.”  It was delightful.  And soon I found out that people were watching me! At one point a few “ladies” yelled down to me from the second floor of their apartment, they yelled in French so I had no idea what they said, but I decided that I was looking good in Paris, and they must have thought so too!

But my confident attitude was about to change.  Soon I noticed that I had been walking for a good while and had not yet found the street intersection where my hostel was located.    I had been walking much longer than it took me to get to the Eiffel Tower.  I looked at my watch and realized that I should have already been back at my hostel. 

I began to wonder if I was - lost.  So, as I came upon a larger street, I decided to just stay on it till it crossed a major boulevard, something that I could I find on my little tourist map, then I would know where I was, and where I needed to go.  It was getting late, at this point it was almost 9:00 in the evening, but I still had two hours until they locked the Hostel, no problem.I walked for about twenty more minutes, and never crossed any street that I could find on my map, and it seemed like I was deeper into Paris than I wanted to be.“OK,” I finally conceded to myself, “I’m lost.”

A few minutes later I found myself in front of a church, surely this was a sign from God!  And from this church there were four streets, four possible directions that I could go.  I looked at each possible route, quickly ruling out one road “that went up a hill and into some trees,” I knew that was not the right way.  After some analysis and reflection, I chose the road that, in my mind, seemed most likely to get me to some kind of landmarkthat I could find on my map.   As I headed down the street, as it twisted and turned because there are no straight streets in Paris, I suddenly heard my “lady friends” once again call out to me from their windows.  This time,they scared me, so I quickly passed by and turned down another street.  And before I knew it, I looked up and I was back at the church.  Somehow, I had traveled in a complete circle. 

Undaunted, this time I chose a different street and headed down a different direction. It was getting later, and the shadows were more ominous, when I heard another call from an open window across the street, “Hey do you want some (weed.)”  I put my head down, and started walking faster, as I prayed, “God, please get me out of here!”  After a few more minutes of brisk walking, I looked up, and once again, lo and behold, I was back at that church.  It no longer felt like a sign from God that I was going to be OK!  Once again, I had walked in a complete circle.  It was now closer to 11:00 PM and I was getting worried about getting back to the hostel before the doors locked at Midnight.  I pictured myself walking in Paris all night long! 

At this point, there were only two more streets left to explore, and the one that “headed up the hill and into the trees” was definitely not the right way, so I headed down the other street.And it was the same old story, I twisted and wound my way (figuratively and literally) down the street, and somehow, once again, I’m not kidding, I came across both the guy with the (weed), and the “ladies” calling down from the second floor.  I was now officially scared, and when I ended up back at the church for the third time, I thought my situation was hopeless.  Forget about getting back to the hostel by Midnight, I might never get out of Paris, and I only had 12 hours till my flight left!

At this point, the only thing I knew for sure is that “the street that went up the hill and into the trees” was the wrong direction. So, I headed back into the neighborhood of circles and this time I stumbled upon an ambulance station. And this time, finally, being too tired and too scared to wander on, I did something drastic, I stopped and asked for help!

In broken English the man on duty told me, “Go back down this street until you see a church,(!) and then take the street that goes up the hill, the street with lots of trees on it, (!)  it will bend to the left, and that will intersect with the street you are looking for.” It was about 11:30 at that point, and with his help, with some good directions, I was back at the Hostel at 11:55 PM.

“Again, I saw vanity under the sun: the case of solitary individuals.”

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

“Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice.”

Why did I wait so long to ask for help?  Why do we all wait so long to ask for help?  Why do we feel like we have to be self-sufficient rugged individualists?  Why do we isolate ourselves?“Two are better than one.”  “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”One of the greatest gifts of faith is the belonging to a community of faith.  It is not good that we are alone, God does not create us to be alone, but to be in community, in family, in relationship.

As we come out of this pandemic, as we begin anew here at First Lutheran, let us not make the mistake of trying to do it alone.  The work before us, is going to take all of us!  And I for one, need your help.We need each other’s help. 

In the next few weeks, you are going to hear about opportunities to be a part of a variety of ministry teams, some old teams, and some new teams.  We need people to help with Messy Church, we need people to help with worship, we need people to help with special events, we need people to help us expand the Caring Hands Pantry, we need people to help with stewardship, we need people to help with our new evangelism efforts, we need people to help fix and maintain our lovely old building, we need people to host fellowship events, we need people to reach out to our homebound members, we need people to reach out to visitors and new members.  It’s finally time to get back together and get to work!

As we come out of the pandemic we have before us a great opportunity – to begin again our ministry here in this place.  As people re-emerge into society, they will be looking for community.  We’re all tired of wandering alone.  If we are going to be able to take advantage of this moment in time, this moment where people are coming out of isolation and looking for community, we are going to need to work together.

My favorite verse in today’s first reading is verse 12, “And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken”.  Note the interesting math; it begins with one, moves to two, and then three.  How do two people suddenly become a strong “threefold cord?”  When we gather together, when we do ministry together, - we are joined by Christ.  Christ is the third chord that makes us stronger.

Let us not get lost or distracted in our ministry, let us not venture off alone into endless circles only to end up back at church with nothing having changed.  Instead let us join together, - you and me and Jesus.Let’s take the street that “goes up the hill,”“the one with the trees,” the one, that for whatever reason, we’ve never taken before.A new beginning awaits us, a new adventure.  Please prayerfully consider how you might be able to help, what gift you can share, what adventure you want to be a part of, - we need “each and every one” of you.  “Two is better than one.”  And three or four or more on every ministry team will be even better!  May the Spirit unite us in our mission.  Amen.

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.