July 10, 2005

The Kingdom of God Is Like...

Listen Up!

Matthew 13:1-9

Opening Words: There came a point in Jesus’ ministry when he was no longer welcomed in the synagogues. The leaders of the orthodox faith were now in open opposition against him. The Master found himself leaving the sanctuary of the synagogue and using the sanctuary of the seashore. It was in this setting that Jesus really develops his use of the parables. It is at the seashore that we find Jesus today. In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew we find seven parables. Six of those seven parables begin with the phrase “the kingdom of heaven is like.” Hence, we find the sermon series title. Each one of these parables answers a basic question about the kingdom of heaven. However, before we look at this morning’s parable, let me give you some basic information about parables.

A parable is a comparison between two objects for the purpose of teaching. It proceeds from the known to the unknown. It is an everyday story with a spiritual meaning. A parable is not an allegory, where every detail has meaning. There is only one point that is being made. Today, we look at the parable of the soils. The question that this parable asks us is what is our response to God’s word?

Introduction

I love the story of Franklin Roosevelt, who endured long receiving lines at the White House. He often complained no one listened to him. One day, during one of those receiving lines he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line he said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded by saying things like, “Congratulations! Keep up the good work,” or “We are proud of you,” or “God bless you.” Only the ambassador from Bolivia heard FDR say, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” When the ambassador heard Roosevelt say, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” He responded by saying, “I am sure she deserved it.” Albert Guinon once said, “There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves.” 

Why is listening such a complex thing? It should be easy. We are born with two ears and only one mouth. So why is it we spend so much more time talking than listening? Sometimes we don’t hear because we are preoccupied. We have a long list of things to do everyday and stopping to listen to someone is not easy. Sometimes we don’t hear because of preconditioning. Our prejudices are built on preconditioning. It is not just our generation that has had a hard time listening. It has been with us since mankind began to communicate. The Master confronted this listening problem in his generation. It is this communication breakdown that is at the very heart of this morning’s parable.

Body

According to the story, a farmer went out to sow his seed. He did not apply modern agricultural methods. He used the farming methods of his day. He walked through a field, stuck his hand into a sack of seed and threw the seed onto the dirt. The intention was that all the seed would germinate and grow. The intention was that all seed would produce. However, the intention and the reality did not match up. No all the seed did produce. The problem was not the farmer. He did his job: he threw the seed. The problem was not the seed. The quality of the seed remained the same. The only thing that determined the success or the failure of the seed was the soil.

So what is the lesson for you and me in this story? The story tells us that our attitudes will affect how productive we will be for God in this world. If you have an open mind God will use you. If you have a closed mind then God will not be able to use you. The only variable in this story is the condition of the soil. The farmer did not change seed field to field. The seed, itself, did not change. The only thing that changed was the condition of the soil. So let me ask you today’s question, “What is your response to God’s word?” Do you have a good attitude about God’s leading or do you need a little attitude adjustment?

This morning I am going to make three proclamations based on this parable. Each one will help force you to evaluate you own attitude about living out the faith. God wants us to reach our full potential. Sometimes we don’t reach our full potential because our minds are closed. Sometimes we don’t reach our full potential because our minds are too emotional. Sometimes we don’t reach our full potential because our minds are too crowded. Let me say this clearly. These proclamations are based on my experience in the ministry.  So if you are ready to listen to three proclamations then say, “Amen!”

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Proclamation Number One: God cannot use a closed mind. Jesus said the farmer threw the seed and some of that seed feel on hard ground. It never penetrated the earth so it never grew. The seed just laid on the surface so it never had an opportunity to germinate. It just could not penetrate the surface. It became birdseed. Have you ever met anyone who just didn’t get it? Their heads were hard and their minds were closed. Their theme for life is, “Don’t confuse me with the facts my mind is made up.” Churches don’t need closed-minded people. God can only work with an open mind.

I talk to people all the time and I am amazed how many closed minded people there are in our churches. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that so many churches struggle today! I hear about pastors who run their churches with fear and intimidation. With their divine calling under one arm and their seminary degree under the other, they make all the decisions. They believe it is their church. I hear about lay people who run their local congregation with an iron fist. They proudly say, “Preachers come and preachers go but this is my church!”  They wonder why other church people are not dedicated like them. The reason is they have run them off! Closed-minded people, both lay and clergy, say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts. My mind is made up.” There is no energy left to fight Satan or help the oppressed because the closed minded people are exhausted from trying to gain control. Closed-minded people fail to see that we can discern God’s will only when everyone has a voice.

The Pharaoh, King Ahab, Queen Jezebel and Judas had closed minds and God could not use them. Do you know anyone with a closed mind? God is speaking; we need to listen. God doesn’t need closed-minded people. God needs open minds. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Proclamation Number Two: God cannot use an emotional mind. Jesus said the farmer threw the seed and some of the seed feel on rocky soil. At first the seed began to grow! Things looked good but in time the optimism was replaced with depression. The reason was simple. The roots couldn’t sink deep into the soil because of the rocks below the surface. Have you ever met anyone who was truly excited about Jesus! That can be a good thing! The problem is the emotionalism will only carry them so far. How many times have you seen this in the life of the church?

Oliver Cromwell, who took the throne away from Charles I and established the Commonwealth, once said to a friend, “I do not trust the cheering. They would cheer just as much if I was going to be hanged.”

Several years ago I had the privilege to pray with some of our young people as they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It was an emotional moment. One by one they accepted Christ. There was not a dry eye in the crowd, including mine. They were excited and filled with awe. The seed of the gospel had taken hold. That was a good thing! I wish I could have bottled that moment. I wish I could have bottled those emotions so they could take a swig from it from time to time. They were fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years old. I wish I could have given them a vaccination to protect them from this world. I know that someday they are going to heaven but what we don’t know is what is going to happen to them between now and heaven. Experience tells us life is hard and the emotions of that night were not going to carry them for the rest of their lives. Their faith needs deep roots to sustain them through the darkest hours. How deep are your roots?

Peter, James and John went to the mountaintop with Jesus. They saw Moses the great lawgiver and Elijah the greatest prophet. They were excited and asked the Master if they could build tents. They wanted to stay on the mountaintop. But they couldn’t stay on the mountaintop because life is lived in the valley. Emotions are a good thing but emotions are not enough. God is looking for people who have sunk their roots deep, who are really committed to Jesus. Do you know anyone with shallow roots? Emotions will only carry you so far. God is speaking; we need to listen! God doesn’t need emotional minds. God needs open minds. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” 

Proclamation Number Three: God cannot use a crowded mind. Jesus said the farmer threw seed and some of it fell among the thorns. The weeds chocked off the good plants. The soil was good but it needed to be weeded. There seems to be a lot of churches that need weeded. There are a lot of churches that are busy doing church work but they are not doing the work of the church! Do you know any churches like this?

Dr. Martin LaCore was the Senior Minister of the First United Methodist Church.   He was concerned about the spiritual health of his congregation so he decided to survey the congregation on their spiritual health. He wrote a survey and gathered his lay leaders. He asked them to go out and survey the congregation and just talk to them about Jesus. The next morning one of the lay leaders came back. He was a local banker, who had served on all the church committees through the years. He was committed to the church and a valued member. He stood in Dr. LaCore’s office and said, “Martin, you finally smoked me out. I have been a member of this church for years but I don’t believe I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior.” You can do church work but still not know Jesus.

Did you hear what I said? You can do church work but still not know Jesus. You can serve on the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees and still not know Jesus. You can come to every worship service and still not know Jesus. You can be the most generous with the plate and still not know Jesus. You can go to Annual Conference and still not know Jesus. You can be a preacher and still not know Jesus. There are a lot of churches that are busy doing church work but they are doing the work of the church!

What is the purpose of this church? The Western Reserve United Methodist Church does not exist just to collect food for the poor.  The Western Reserve United Methodist Church does not exist to just send nice kids on a mission trip. The Western Reserve United Methodist Church does not exist to help you make friends or keep me employed. The Western Reserve United Methodist Church exists to make disciples for Jesus Christ and when we make disciples, positive things are going to happen! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Conclusion

During Annual Conference all the clergy got their pictures taken for a conference wide pictorial directory. Like the local church, the conference, itself changes. Kathy and I got our pictures taken. They told us we would get our individual pictures sent to us in the mail. Kathy got her picture back the other day. Her picture is wonderful. It may be the best picture she has ever had taken. My picture has not been returned. Kathy said, “Where is your picture?” I really don’t care. I hate having my picture taken. I hate looking at myself in pictures. My face is always red. My nose is always big. I always look about ten pounds overweight. I hate looking at myself in pictures. I really hate looking at myself in the mirror.

What do you see when you look in the mirror. I don’t mean the size of your nose or your thighs. When you look in the mirror how is your attitude? God wants you to reach your full potential but you will never reach your full potential as a disciple with a bad attitude. God can only use an open mind not a closed mind. God cannot use an emotional mind. God cannot use a crowded mind. Let me ask you the question again. What is your response to God’s word? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”