Pastor’s Notes, July 2021: A quick review of Christian growth.
“Pastor, are you crazy? That title is obscure and difficult and why would I want to read an article like that?” Hopefully, it will help you understand what the lessons are trying to teach us through the first five Sundays in Pentecost. The goal of this church is more than salvation (you know, Jesus died to pay the price for our sins.). The goal of the church is to turn us into little Christs. We do more than represent Jesus to the world, we change into people that are willing to die for our enemies, take on the world’s pains and bring life and healing. That is a huge change from where all of us start; namely, babies who are self- centered and immature.
The first Sunday dealt with the Garden of Eden story after Adam and Eve disobeyed. It shows God essentially asking both of them, “what happened?” The big surprise and revelation is that each answered with accusations of blame. Adam blames God and blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent. It is important to realize that Adam and Eve represent us. What do people do when things go wrong? All of us blame someone or something else. The Gospel revealed how the religious folks blamed Jesus for being in league with Satan. Lesson 1: Take responsibility for self. Blaming others does not lead to growth and is certainly not self-awareness. (I should probably apologize now for making such short work of each week’s lessons, but the longer I preach, the more glazed over are the eyes of my hearers.)
The second Sunday dealt with God and us. First, God does the impossible, takes a sprig from the top of a tree and plants it. It becomes a mighty cedar. Wow, isn’t God mighty? Yes, but it is God who makes things grow, even impossible transplants. God is now transplanting us after he has cut off the bad parts, planting the fresh growth. (And what is the fresh growth? It is your newfound faith in Jesus!) The Gospel amplifies this theme of growth. Here is the fun part; Churches like to carry out plans about how to convert people and bring them to spiritual growth. It is nice. But the Gospel says in Mark 4:27, He does not know how! The way you come to Jesus may not be how someone else does. God knows us best. We can always reject God’s love and forgiveness but do not think you know the system of how to grow spiritually. (Remember the first lesson, we are not in control.)
The next part of this Gospel is that this little seed that God starts in us grows into a mighty (a mighty what?) oak? a sequoia? No, a bush, a big bush. Oh, did you want to become a world famous, mighty source of strength and power or a hero or an institution that people will run to? No, with God you grow into a bush, there to provide branches for the birds of all sorts to make their nests, to have shelter from the sun. Isn’t that how life really works? You bring children to Sunday school, you bring people meals on wheels, you pray for the neighbor and sit with them as they deal with chemotherapy. Real Christian power involves daily contact with the simple, the basic, essential acts of life by simple acts of caring. The grandeur of Christianity is simply taking care of the birds in our life. Some need food, or jobs, or forgiveness. That results in the bush (you) not being worried about self, but daily trusting in the providence of our creator and savior. Keep growing my beloved.
Pastor Littke
“Pastor, are you crazy? That title is obscure and difficult and why would I want to read an article like that?” Hopefully, it will help you understand what the lessons are trying to teach us through the first five Sundays in Pentecost. The goal of this church is more than salvation (you know, Jesus died to pay the price for our sins.). The goal of the church is to turn us into little Christs. We do more than represent Jesus to the world, we change into people that are willing to die for our enemies, take on the world’s pains and bring life and healing. That is a huge change from where all of us start; namely, babies who are self- centered and immature.
The first Sunday dealt with the Garden of Eden story after Adam and Eve disobeyed. It shows God essentially asking both of them, “what happened?” The big surprise and revelation is that each answered with accusations of blame. Adam blames God and blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent. It is important to realize that Adam and Eve represent us. What do people do when things go wrong? All of us blame someone or something else. The Gospel revealed how the religious folks blamed Jesus for being in league with Satan. Lesson 1: Take responsibility for self. Blaming others does not lead to growth and is certainly not self-awareness. (I should probably apologize now for making such short work of each week’s lessons, but the longer I preach, the more glazed over are the eyes of my hearers.)
The second Sunday dealt with God and us. First, God does the impossible, takes a sprig from the top of a tree and plants it. It becomes a mighty cedar. Wow, isn’t God mighty? Yes, but it is God who makes things grow, even impossible transplants. God is now transplanting us after he has cut off the bad parts, planting the fresh growth. (And what is the fresh growth? It is your newfound faith in Jesus!) The Gospel amplifies this theme of growth. Here is the fun part; Churches like to carry out plans about how to convert people and bring them to spiritual growth. It is nice. But the Gospel says in Mark 4:27, He does not know how! The way you come to Jesus may not be how someone else does. God knows us best. We can always reject God’s love and forgiveness but do not think you know the system of how to grow spiritually. (Remember the first lesson, we are not in control.)
The next part of this Gospel is that this little seed that God starts in us grows into a mighty (a mighty what?) oak? a sequoia? No, a bush, a big bush. Oh, did you want to become a world famous, mighty source of strength and power or a hero or an institution that people will run to? No, with God you grow into a bush, there to provide branches for the birds of all sorts to make their nests, to have shelter from the sun. Isn’t that how life really works? You bring children to Sunday school, you bring people meals on wheels, you pray for the neighbor and sit with them as they deal with chemotherapy. Real Christian power involves daily contact with the simple, the basic, essential acts of life by simple acts of caring. The grandeur of Christianity is simply taking care of the birds in our life. Some need food, or jobs, or forgiveness. That results in the bush (you) not being worried about self, but daily trusting in the providence of our creator and savior. Keep growing my beloved.
Pastor Littke