In the mid-80's several of us presented our pastor with some concerns about the prospects for Woodbrook, particularly its financial picture. John took our fears and channeled them into having Woodbrook form a future of the church committee. This committee studied Bob Dales insightful book To Dream Again and led the church in a series of Dreaming and Doing meetings that has carried us through over a decade of significant change. The new sanctuary is just the final part of that dream for Woodbrooks future. Our special missions giving, the Minister of Christian Education position, the WEE program and many new people are all fruits of that dreaming and doing.
I have always been impressed with how John took our real fears and led us to see our possibilities. He led us from despair to hope. His faith in God, the Christian cause and Woodbrooks part in the kingdom allowed us to capture a new vision of who we were.
Are we finished or in Biblical terms perfect/complete? Heavens no! In fact we will vote in July for the forming of a new future of the church committee to help us build the church God wants us to be for the foreseeable future.
Are we meeting everyones needs? Certainly not! Some have left us for other gatherings of believers. Both they and we have been less than we could have been. May we become a church that can bless people who go elsewhere because our community does not help them be the best Christian they can be.
Are there reasons for concern about Woodbrooks future? Of course! We still need more resources--people, money (remember, I serve as our treasurer), vision and commitment--to be what God calls us to be.
Are there reasons for hope about Woodbrooks part in the kingdom? Indeed! Let us look to todays texts to see the word of the Lord for us.
Scripture
Jesus and his disciples were having a tough time. The honeymoon with Judaism was over. Opposition of all kinds was rising, even among the disciples. The people were listening, but not hearing the message. So, the response was discouraging. Jesus kept teaching about the kingdom of God, but all the disciples could see was a small group of followers. Where was this kingdom?
Todays text from the gospel of Mark addresses both the oppositions criticism and the disciples fears. The fourth chapter of Mark has three parables, two of which are part of todays reading.
Jesus taught in parables because they invited hearing and involvement in the parable before one realized the parable might be about the listener and his/her needed change. Parables, as any great art form, have depth, mystery and creativity, which captivate our heart and soul. They are alive and pregnant with understanding of Gods purposes for us and all creation.
The first of the two parables, usually called The Seed Growing Secretly (vs. 26-69), is the sole parable found only in Mark. Scholars debate whether its focus is on the seed, the growth process, the farmer or the harvest. The Greek word translated produces of itself in vs. 28 gives us the English word automatically.
The second parable, The Mustard Seed (vs. 30-32), is found in all three of the synoptic gospels and in the Gospel of Thomas. As one of Jesus most famous and beloved parables, we often steal its meaning for whatever pep talk we want to give someone. By the way, the mustard seed is not the smallest, although one of the smallest, and Mark is more accurate than Matthew or Luke in saying it becomes the greatest shrub rather than a tree. It does grow into a shrub of 8-10 feet in height. The point is the mysterious growth from the smallest of beginnings to an awesome outcome.
What do these parables from an agricultural setting say to Jesus opposition, to the disciples and to us here at Woodbrook?
Harvest of Hope
They proclaim hope--to the oppositions sneering, to the disciples discouragement and to our despair. They proclaim hope on so many levels that they invite their hearers to harvest hope in amazing depth. They proclaim hope from theological, political, discipleship and personal levels.
Let us reap.
Theological Hope
On a theological level they proclaim God is at work and will see things through to Gods purposeful conclusion. The inherent makeup of the seed and the earth will bring full maturity to the grain. We do not understand Gods ways, but they will not be ultimately thwarted, regardless of opposition and misunderstanding. Gods kingdom will thrive. Jesus personifies and initiates Gods kingdom. Nothing will stop it, not even tiny and humble beginnings.
Legend has Napoleon saying to Pope Pius VII whom he held captive for five years: I will destroy that church of yours. The Pope replied: I doubt it. We priests have been trying to do it for eighteen centuries and have not succeeded.
Gods kingdom goes forward regardless of whether we Christians betray our Lord, even in spite of our sin. Neither external nor internal opposition to Gods kingdom will overcome the power of God. May we be so confident in God.
Political Hope
No human political kingdom, era, dynasty, empire of superpower will win out over Gods kingdom despite long periods of evils triumph. The sickle of vs. 29 refers to Joel 3:13 where God promises defeat of Israels enemies. The shrub/tree of vs. 32 refers to Ezekiel 17:22-24 where God promises the defeat of Babylon and Egypt. In Jesus day the Roman Empire was the political giant. Today we are. In between many political powers have come and gone--the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, the British Empire, the Byzantine Empire, etc. Gods kingdom will eventually overcome them all. All will seek comfort under the limbs of Gods shrub/tree and will recognize Gods sovereignty.
When imprisoned in a concentration camp during WWII for trying to hide Jews the Christian author Corrie ten Boom was asked: Where is your God now? She replied: There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still. May we be of such courage and conviction.
Discipleship Hope
The farmer in our first parable sows the seed and takes his sickle to harvest when the grain is ripe. Jesus teaches the disciples and us that we have work to do as God directs us for the Kingdom. We will not understand the mystery of Gods ways. We will be tempted to two extremes--to do nothing or to do everything. To do nothing because God is at work. To do everything because we do not see God at work.
Churches, which demand nothing or everything, seem to be flourishing at the moment. One writer described those who like churches that demand nothing, providing entertainment and spectacle, as attracting people who want a Jacuzzi Jesus. They want an experience that will leave them relaxed, warm and bubbly, at the same time feeling fit and trim, like they have gotten in shape. They want to be soothed, not stirred, reshaped or transformed. Please no disruption or challenge.
Churches that demand everything leave nothing for its members to worry about. People attracted to such communities prove the evaluation of Dostoyevskys The Grand Inquisitor that humans want security more than freedom. It is so easy to let someone else give the answers to all of lifes dilemmas. One just functions on auto pilot. The potential for sin, cult activity and unhealthy religion is obvious. Idealism and commitment lead in these groups to a de facto death of the image of God. Jonestown and Waco are modern extreme examples. The current climate of the SBC may be a more insidious example.
Churches need, as preaching has been described, to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. We all might be better disciples then. As disciples we need to do our part in Gods kingdom even though we will not fully understand how it all comes together. May we plant seeds and be ready to harvest.
Personal Hope
To the daily joys and sorrows of our lives the message is clear. Be confident and trusting of the inherent makeup of Gods creation to produce kingdom results. Be obedient to Gods demands by actively participating in life with a faith consistent with the kingdom.
Please realize that we have much to despair over. By nothing I say today do I wish to diminish the pain or sorrow that each of us experience in life, individually or corporately. Some of us have suffered the loss of job, security and, even, identity from downsizing or economic failures. Some of us have experienced the grief of divorce, ill health or death. On Fathers Day we are aware we have more parenting helps than ever, but find less time to spend with our children. As a church we are spending almost four million dollars on our new building yet have reduced our giving to mission causes. We live in a metropolitan area where we suburbanites flee from both the racial majority and the economic problems of the city. Our denomination meets this week and we do not care anymore what is happening in Dallas--the radical reorganization of the SBC. In our society the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. In our world the ethnic, economic and political differences lead to starvation, death and destruction. Yes, we have much to despair over.
Please realize that we also have much from which to gain hope. The Orioles are having an amazing year only exceeded in accomplishment by the stock market. We experience the birth of children in our church family, even this month. As a father nothing is more awing or hope giving than the miracle of birth, followed perhaps by the mystery of human development. As a church we come close to a long anticipated milestone with the occupancy of our new sanctuary. Our missions tree depicts our involvement in Gods kingdom and challenges us to be invested even more. Johnson & Johnsons new commercial portrays fathers in a nurturing role, showing many Hallmark moments--a refreshing shift in the depiction of our responsibilities. A city school from a very poor neighborhood wins the award for most service involvement in Maryland. Many serve heroically the needs of people suffering from floods in the Midwest, war in Europe and Africa, hunger in Baltimore and inadequate shelter worldwide. Yes, we have much from which to gain hope.
This week our family has experienced despair and hope on multiple occasions. Perhaps yours has, too. Let me tell you of one of the moments of hope.
On Monday Rob and Chris each bought a ten-dollar rod and reel set including a tackle box, one stopper and one lure. We only go first class at our house! In the late afternoon of Tuesday Rob insisted on trying his new stuff out at the small pond at Padonia Park. Having only been fishing once before several years ago Rob hardly qualified as a bass master yet he was full of hope and confidence for his success in catching a fish. After several casting experiences with the trees Christy suggested he go where several other boys, who were older and more experienced, were fishing. Rob confidently threw in his lure and caught a 10-12" bass that all the boys had been trying to catch, some for several years. Work quickly spread. Rob was famous. Other mothers wanted pictures with the bass and their son. All had questions as to how Rob had done it. Lets just say that it is a mystery to us all. Rob beamed. We now have a family story that will endure. In spite of all the odds and the collective wisdom of us all Rob was wildly successful with the smallest possible opportunity to catch a fish. May we face life with such a child-like hope.
Conclusion
Dr. Clyde Atkins, our late pastor emeritus, used to pray that Woodbrook would have babies born into our fellowship. He prayed confidently for many years before God began to bless us beyond Dr. Atkins' dreams. We have been graced with many children in our church family, in our WEE family and through our extended family and other ministries, like Summer Daze. We are blessed.
Many who moved here from Eutaw Place have long prayed for our permanent sanctuary to be built. Many of those have died. Several have graced us with the financial wherewithal to realize our dream. We fast approach its realization. We are blessed.
May God, todays scripture, our churchs life and our personal experiences invigorate each of us with hope. May we be planters of seeds of hope. May we persevere to the harvest of hope. So be it.
