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The other morning I was driving to work when one of my all-time favorite songs came on the radio. (Ok, since I know someone is going to ask… it’s this one: Click to watch! [<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hnpILIIo9ek" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>]I like the Smiths. Feel free to mock me). And you know, I was having a pretty bad morning by that point. Running late, spilling coffee, forgetting my breakfast, didn’t sleep well, etc… It was one of those mornings where already seem overwhelmed and you haven’t even made it to work yet. But as I sat at a red light, fuming and wiping coffee off of the passenger seat, this song started to play, and all of a sudden the gloomy storm clouds broke. As the song began to play like a gift from above (literally whether by God or radio waves), I felt it. My spirit and attitude changed. I started to sing along… loudly. And as I sang along with the music, the world seemed to change too. I no longer felt stressed or overwhelmed. Instead, I felt like the gift of this song had wiped all of that away, out of the blue. It interrupted everything and made it all new.
But, here’s the twist. When that song came on the radio and changed my morning, it doesn’t make sense to me, in retrospect. And it doesn’t make sense because here is the thing: I already own that song. It’s on my iPod and in my car. I mean, if I really wanted to hear that song to change my morning, all I would ever have to do is just take control of that moment and play it. So why didn’t I? If it’s just as simple as hearing that song to change my mood, then why not just play it whenever I need to?
Well, I think the truth is that it’s not just about the song, but more about the gift of the song being played on the radio for us. Really, to hear a song on the radio out of the blue is always so much better than just playing it ourselves. Right? And I think that is because there is literally something about the song being "given" to us that makes it better than if we played it ourselves. To be given something as a gift, or something we have not “earned” changes its effect on us. Don’t you think?
And I think this idea also reveals something to us about the Scripture for this week. In our passage for Sunday, Jesus tells a parable about the reign of God, and in essence, it is a story about the sheer giftedness of the work God is doing in the world. It’s a simple story, blunt and surprising, about how we get to reap the benefits of that growing thing which we have not worked for or completed. That is who God is. God is the one who is building, forming, and tirelessly creating a new thing. And we get to gain the fruits of that new thing. Faith is a mystery that bears a goodness that we all share in… not something we earn.
How might this change your idea of God or faith? What if rather than the ways we tried to earn or work towards faith, grace, or spirituality, we just started thinking about what it means that we’ve already received it? The Scripture this week invites us to consider that faith and spirituality, or our worth, is not about what we do or control, but about how much we are willing and open to celebrate and participate in what God is already doing in the world, and in us. So I ask you, where do you see God living and breathing this week? How can you join in that and participate in it? I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again on Sunday, and if you’d like to read the story before then you can find it here.
Also, be sure and mark your calendars for our September sermon series on the Book of Jonah! While we have all probably heard the story of Jonah and the whale before, you won’t believe what a funny, satirical, and insightful story the book really is. See you here next week as we start the series called “Running from Grace: Four weeks on Jonah"(Pastor Brent)
Scripture:
Mark 4:26-29
Mark 4: Never Without a Story
26-29 Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows—he has no idea how it happens. The earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. When the grain is fully formed, he reaps—harvest time!
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary:
Mark 4:26-29
Verse 26
[26] And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
So is the kingdom of God — The inward kingdom is like seed which a man casts into the ground - This a preacher of the Gospel casts into the heart. And he sleeps and rises night and day - That is, he has it continually in his thoughts. Meantime it springs and grows up he knows not how - Even he that sowed it cannot explain how it grows. For as the earth by a curious kind of mechanism, which the greatest philosophers cannot comprehend, does as it were spontaneously bring forth first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear: so the soul, in an inexplicable manner, brings forth, first weak graces, then stronger, then full holiness: and all this of itself, as a machine, whose spring of motion is within itself. Yet observe the amazing exactness of the comparison. The earth brings forth no corn (as the soul no holiness) without both the care and toil of man, and the benign influence of heaven.
Verse 29
[29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
He putteth in the sickle — God cutteth down and gathereth the corn into his garner.
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BIBLE STUDY DISCUSSION AND PLANS
In preparation for our upcoming Bible Study, we would like to hear from you. What would you like to cover? What times work well for you? What would you hope to get out of a study? If you are interested in forming or joining a Bible Study, Pastor Brent would love to get your feedback. Join him on Sunday, September 14th at 9am to look over some curriculum and offer your thoughts. We will meet in the small conference room upstairs directly ahead from the top of the stairs. We’ll have coffee and snacks for you and, ideally, have a Bible Study set by the end of the morning! This will enable us to launch byOctober 5th. Questions? Can’t make it, but also want to give your input? Please email Pastor Brent at brent@nhunited.org. See you there!
NEW INTERIM MUSIC LEADER
We are thrilled to announce that we have hired Melissa Roth as our interim music leader! Melissa has a long history leading worship here with us, and with Tyler’s departure, we knew she was an excellent fit for this position. Hiring Melissa will not only free us up to do a more in-depth search for our Community Music Coordinator, but she also brings a really great spirit to worship. Be here on Sunday to meet her and welcome her to the staff!
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Mark your Calendars! Pat Waller is planning and organizing a “Fall Potluck & Picnic in the Park.” The date is Sunday, September 7th, starting at noon. A clipboard with a scrumptious menu outline will be available starting Sunday, August 10th. All you need to do is find a page listing a course of your choice, sign your name, and indicate what you will prepare.
Pat could use some help in filling the following positions:
A) Logistics Coordinator - to manage moving and set up of tables, and other items of furniture, etc. B) Activities Arranger - to organize lively games and activities for children and adults, and C) Cleanup Supervisor - to make sure all the food and trash are properly contained and moved! All who apply will be hired!
Now that we have merged into one service, this will be an awesome opportunity to join in fellowship with your congregation mates for a delicious and fun-filled afternoon!
P.S. The Chargers don’t play until Monday night.. so no excuses!
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Faith on Tap is tonight! Faith on Tap is our casual beer and faith discussion group, and this month we will be discussing the (very) loaded question “Is the Bible perfect?” We will be meeting in Mike and Nancy Palmer’s backyard at 4983 Mansfield Street. If you’d like directions or more info, please email Nancy at Nancy@nhunited.org. Everyone is welcome at this event!
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Our next movie night is September 13th, where we'll be Showing Monsters U! We'll meet every 2nd Saturday (9/13, 10/11, 11/8) at 4650 Mansfield Street in the Church Social Hall. Bring food (for potluck or just your family) and a blanket/beanbag/pillow or mat, we have chairs if needed!
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San Diego, California, United States - Normal Heights United Methodist Church with Senior Pastor, Reverend Brent Ross for Thursday, 28 August 2014
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