Offered by Nathan Ferrell for Trinity Episcopal Shared Ministry
Texts: Isaiah 49:8-16a; Psalm 131; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 6:24-34
Title: Consider How They Grow
Throughout this Epiphany season, we have been working our way through the better part of the Lord’s masterful Sermon on the Mount. We will leave this great teaching for a while, until we observe Ash Wednesday and hear once again our Lord’s call to pray and fast in secret, rather than in a way that is intended to impress others.
I hope that you are able to see the impressive structure and composition of this teaching session, this sermon on the mount. It has been intentionally put together in a way that is intended to deliver a compelling vision of life within the realm of God’s presence.
Let us be very clear about what we are given here in this most famous teaching. Jesus is not giving us a series of laws and rules to govern our behavior. These words are descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, they are intended to describe life within the kingdom of God rather than to prescribe the precise way that we can experience it.
And what an amazing vision of life it is that Christ gives us here! It is a simple vision of life organized around one dominant priority, one overriding thought, one prevailing focus. That is, the goodness of God.
“No one can serve two masters.” So the teacher explains to us. This is not a rule that must be followed; it is a very simple and straightforward observation. It simple cannot be done, and besides, God is so much greater and better than wealth, why would anyone wish to serve a lesser master?
“Look at the birds of the air,” he says. “Consider the lilies of the field.”
I tell you, I would like to live in a community where flowers are considered to be far more beautiful than any royal person, and more worthy of our attention than any celebrity on the red carpet.
Who among us does not wish to live in a community where anxiety and worry are foreign concepts, because we all are embraced by an overwhelming sense of goodness and security?
All of this is a matter of orientation, of intentional direction, of perspective and priorities. “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
When Jesus says to strive first for God’s community and the inner goodness which is found in that community, it is implied that there will be other strivings after this.
Of course we need to sweat and labor by the work of our hands to procure food and clothing and housing for ourselves and those we love. But when we mesh our kingdoms with the kingdom of God, then all of these things lose their sense of importance. All of these things are temporary, temporal, short-term items which will fade and ebb away.
But the life of the kingdom, the life lived in conscious dialogue with God our Creator – that is a life which carries on and on into eternity.
At the very heart of Jesus’ vision for human life, there is a child-like simplicity which is vital for us to maintain. The birds of the air and the lilies of the field simply are what they are, and they glorify God. They don’t wring their hands in anxiety over their state of life; now do they fret over whether or not they are doing what God desires. They simply are, and in that simple being, they give praise and honor to God.
Now, let’s be clear. Simple is not the same thing as easy. Do we have any golf players here today? (Bart) Golf is a simple game. Hit the little white ball into 18 different holes. Very simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy, right?!
Just a few days ago, the Church remembered the missionary Eric Liddell in our daily round of commemorations (February 22). Do you remember the movie, Chariots of Fire? Eric Liddell was the Olympic runner for the United Kingdom; that movie was based upon his life. Liddell had a God-given talent for running fast, and he gave God the praise and glory for that. The best-known quote from the movie epitomizes his attitude: “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel [God’s] pleasure.” Have you ever watched birds fly in the air? Don’t you get the sense that they too feel God’s pleasure when they fly?
I think that we tend to over-complicate life, and we do the same with our journey of faith in Christ. To live a full life in Jesus Christ is quite simple. It is not complicated, not difficult to understand or to master.
In fact, this is one of the clear ways by which we can avoid being led astray by false teachers. A false prophet is one who comes with a claim to some secret knowledge, some esoteric wisdom, or a special formula by which you can know God, and experience God. But, in fact, there is no special language that we have to learn, no magical formulas that we have to memorize, no secret knowledge that we have to study in order to be close to God.
Did you notice this amazing psalm which we prayed together this morning?
Psalm 131:What a testimony to the simple and quiet spirit of one who lives close to God. “I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother’s breast; my soul is quieted within me.”
O LORD, I am not proud; *I have no haughty looks.
I do not occupy myself with great matters, * or with things that are too hard for me.
But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; *
my soul is quieted within me.
O Israel, wait upon the LORD, *from this time forth for evermore.
This truly is the very heart of prayer. Just to sit in God’s presence and to soak up the grace of God, like a springtime tulip opens up while basking in the morning light.
In fact, may I propose that this might be a wonderful discipline to consider for your Lenten observance? Just to sit quietly in God’s presence for 10 to 15 minutes every morning, eyes closed, thinking of nothing except for thoughts of gratitude and praise, soaking up the steadfast love of the Lord which never ceases.
This is a very simple discipline, but – once again – this does not mean that it is easy. Distractions, both internal and external ones, make this difficult to maintain.
And so it is, my friends, with where we find ourselves now as the Church in this place. The remedy to our situation of dwindling numbers, shrinking budgets and falling influence is quite simple. Our task is simply to be the church of God: to love one another, to care deeply for the people in this town/city in all of their trials and difficulties, to boldly share the good news of God’s love with them, to worship God with heartfelt devotion, to invite everyone around to experience God’s grace along with us, and by doing all of this, to turn our world upside down, just like the earliest church after the resurrection.
None of this is particularly complicated. In fact, it’s quite simple. But this doesn’t mean that it’s easy! May God give us the grace to maintain our simple priority of focus upon what it means to live as the community of God here and now, seeking first everyday to live in the presence of God and to carry that presence to those we meet. Amen.
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