"God in a Box" based on Mark 4:26-29
The Second Sunday after
Pentecost (B) -
Pastor Troy Slater - Our
I think it's
safe to say that this is one parable of Jesus' that would not be as well received
today as it was 2000 years ago. I mean,
imagine just for a moment the response Jesus would get today if He told a
crowd, "a man scatters seed on the ground. He
sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows though he does
not know how."
What do you mean "does not know how"? Why this process of seed sprouting and
growing is called "germination".
Given the right conditions, certain chemical and biological reactions
begin to occur and then the young plant sprouts forth and begins to grow. It's not a bunch of unknowns but rather a
science, you can even read about it in grade school textbooks. … Yes maybe
Jesus is just a bit behind our times.
Or,
now imagine the farmer among us who, having invested much blood, sweat and
tears, not to mention money into each of his crops over the years, hears Jesus'
next words in this parable that "the
earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full
grain in the ear." .. "by
itself"? Are you kidding me? This might have been true in Jesus' day when
the farmer simply went out and scattered a few seeds on the hard ground and
hoped, or rather prayed, that something would survive the birds and actually
grow. But today the farmer works and
works to assist the land in bring forth a crop - preparing the soil for
planting, planting the seed at just the right time and at just the right depth,
fertilizing, irrigating in many cases, spraying to protect the growing crop
from weeds and diseases. "by
itself"? Again, maybe Jesus is just
a bit behind our times. Yes maybe this
is one parable of Jesus' that would not fly today. …
So
what's all this mean for this parable? What
does this mean for Jesus' point that the kingdom of God is like this farmer who
scatters seed on the ground" yet he does not know how it grows and who
puts little to no effort into bringing forth the crop? Well here again Jesus seems to be behind our
times. For He seems to be saying that
the workings of the kingdom of God are but a mystery which does not rely upon
our efforts. … But think about it. Have
you ever gotten on Amazon.com or gone to one of those bookstores at the mall
and looked in the religious book section?
It's amazing the vast knowledge of God and His ways and His kingdom that
you can find there in those books. You want to know God's secrets that will
transform your future? You want to know
how to cooperate with God for your greatest personal fulfillment or how to have
"your best life now"? Then
read the book. You want to know the six easy steps of acquiring spiritual
power, you want to know how to be just like Jesus, how to chase God, how to
catch God? Just read the book. You want to know just what to say, just what
to pray in order to open up the flood gates of God's blessings into your
life? It's all right there in black and
white. In this day and age we've got God
and His kingdom all figured out. We've got Him nailed down to who He is and how
He operates and how to get the most out of Him for our own benefit that it's
amazing that we still have any problems in this world today. …
Now,
I know I may be exagerating the point here a bit, but isn't it sort of
true? And not just in the books, but in
our own lives? I know as I look at
myself, I often fall into the trap of constructing an idea of what my life
should look like and then how God needs to bring it all about. It's like we build these boxes - we set up
these parameters - and God is supposed to fit into them and then neatly operate
according to them. It's easy to think
we've got God all figured out. I do this
for Him, He does this for me. I attend
church this weekend, He helps my week go better. I give some time or money to the church, God
rewards me with more money. We put God
in a box. Beings God is a God of love,
He's not supposed to let bad things happen to good people - little children
aren't supposed to die, me and my spouse, my parents, children,are supposed to
live relatively long and healthy lives, free of cancer or a debilitating
stroke. We put God in a box. God only loves the loveable, we tell
ourselves. You know, people like you and
me, those who try their best to be good people, are good citizens and don't
break any major laws. God certainly
cannot expect me to help spread the news of His love to those who are different
than me or those whose lifestyle leaves a lot to be desired. We put God in a box. We say, God operates His church like a
business - last year's bottom line determines how effective He can be this year
at carrying out the mission of His church.
We put God in a box. God wants me
to be successful; He wants me to be wealthy and wise. We put God in a box. God wants me to be happy. Therefore He certainly would not want me to
stay in this marriage that is going nowhere.
We're incompatable, besides there is someone else out there that I would
be much happier with, and again, God wants me to be happy. We put God in a box. … We put God in a box. …
Of
course constructing boxes and trying to put God into them is nothing new, in
fact we see it all over the Bible, even in Jesus' day. They had a lot of finely constructed boxes
regarding what God should do to establish His kingdom, how He should deal with
His people. Some thought God should come
and rescue them from their oppression under the Romans; some thought God should
come and give them a life of health and wealth; some had just given up on God
all together, thinking He was too small or too ineffective to be relevant in
their lives. They had all, like you and
I all too often are tempted to do, they had put God in a box.
And
so God came; that's right, God came.
Jesus came as a lowly servant of no reputation or honor. Jesus came and said "I am God." and
they said "No you are not! For you
do not fit into our box." But He
still said "I am your God and so they took Him to Pilate and said
"This man is not our King and certainly not our God." And Pilate said, "What should I do with
Him?" and they all shouted, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
For He does not fit into our box." …
And
Jesus went along with it. Jesus went along
with it. He went along with it because
He knew it was the only way to break those boxes that the people of His day
were trying to force God into. He went
along with it because He knew it was the only way to break those boxes that you
and I try to construct and force Him into.
He went along with it. He let
them crucify Him and when they did, all those boxes that we force God into
began to fall apart and on Easter morning those boxes were shattered as the
seal on His tomb was shattered. God showed
that the only true God was much more than a God-in-a-box, but rather that He was
one who would come into His creation, who would take on flesh and blood and who
would bring His people into His kingdom by His own death on a cross. That's right, the cross is God's answer to
those boxes we try to force Him into.
The cross is the way of God's kingdom.
The cross is the way of God dealing with His people; it's His way of
bring His kingdom into our world and into your life. …
And yes I
suppose it doesn't make sense; it does seem like a bit of a mystery; beyond our
very limited understanding. I mean, what
good could possibly come from the Son of God dead on a cross? But it is there that God has come to us, not
as one to fit all of our boxes; not to give us what we think we want, but
rather to give us what we need - forgiveness of sin, comfort for the present,
hope for the future, eternal life in His kingdom. At the cross Jesus gives you His promises, "Never will I leave you, never will I
forsake you." At the cross He
gives You His Word that "nothing -
absolutely nothing - in all creation can separate you from my love to you of
the cross." No, Jesus does not
fit into our boxes but thank God that He does not. Thank God He chose the way of suffering, the
way of death, the way of the cross for you and for me. … Thank God. …
Life in God's
kingdom, yes, it is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether you sleep or get up,
His seed sprouts and grows. His kingdom
comes as He forgives all your sin and as He teaches you to trust in Him and His
promises. And so even during the times
that life does not fit into some neat little box but rather looks like it will
never be good again; even when it looks like the difficulties cannot be
overcome; hope will be lost; even then, through His Word of grace, through His
Holy Supper, through His promises, God reminds you that He is still here, not as
a God-in-a-Box, but rather as the one risen from death on the cross. Risen that He may continue to lead you and
shape you until the great day of the harvest that will come when the grain is
ripe. That great day of the resurrection
will come, when the time is right. Not a
minute sooner, but also not a minute later. …
And so trust
God, not according to our boxes we try to construct for Him, but rather by
faith. Live by faith under the shadow of
the cross of Jesus Christ, for God is bringing you to the great day of
the harvest. Amen.