7-12-20 Sermon Notes “Freedom to Change”
Let me tell you a “veggie tale.” Many years ago, Tammy and I decided to try our luck at having a garden. We both enjoy fresh vegetables – both grew up with grandmothers who were prolific gardeners. We figured, “It can’t be that hard…right?” I’ll skip to the end of the story. Didn’t get a single vegetable from our garden that summer, even though we put quite a bit of work into it.
We had the best of intentions. We went to the co-op, and got some seeds. The seeds looked great on the little packets. We picked a spot out behind the garage where we were living. We borrowed a tiller. That’s when we discovered that the ground was as hard as a rock. I “tilled” until I thought I was going to shake something loose in my brain. The ground looked ready…ish…
Carefully we planted our seeds. We put on some fertilizer…because we had both heard that that was a good idea. We ran a water hose out there and watered. Things started to sprout! But, you know what we found out? Weeds grow much faster and better than whatever else you plant. We worked and sweated. Finally we gave up, and we went to the farmer’s market. We’ve been going to farmer’s markets ever since.
So what was our problem? I’ll bet you know. It wasn’t the seeds. They were perfectly fine. The problem was with the preparation of the soil on which the seeds were sown. The ground wasn’t ready. It turns out the sower and the soil are pretty good metaphors for our spiritual lives. Remember the story that Jesus told in Matthew 13?
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears listen!”
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matt. 13: 1-9, 18-23 NRSV)
If Tammy and I were really serious about growing vegetables – if we were to try gardening again – we wouldn’t do it the same way we did it all those years ago. If something isn’t working, you change…right? Let’s talk more about “change” Sunday. The Good News of the Gospel is that we are free to change! Join us on Facebook Live or on our website (fumcgadsden.org) at 9:00 or at 11:00 for online worship.
God bless you!
Pastor Sam