The Mustard Seed and A Young Boy’s Story

Pentecost III, Year B (June 17, 2012)   The Episcopal Church of the Ascension 

The Mustard Seed and A Young Boy’s Story          The Reverend Dr. Howard J. Hess

The Introduction: Those of us who live and thrive in the culture of East Tennessee understand well the power of a story. Skillful story-tellers paint images that capture not only our intellect, but also our imagination. Our culture is filed with stories – about hardy Scotch-Irish settlers who crossed the mountains to settle here, football players, those who served in the armed forces, and, as I first learned in Kingsport, moonshine. When we gather, you can see how much we love to tell our stories to one another.

As a Christian community, we also have a story that deeply helps define who we are. It’s a story about creation, sin, covenant, freedom from slavery, and prophetic voices. At the center of our Christian story is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to be one of us – to teach us, to redeem us, and to constantly re-create us. As today’s Gospel illustrates, one of the most effective teaching methods that Jesus employed was telling stories – typically short, succinct stories called parables, which frequently used the natural world to exemplify important truths. Many parables, including the story of the mustard seed in today’s reading, teach us about the nature of the Kingdom of God.

II. William Barclay, a well-known Christian author, believes that the Kingdom of God is always in the process of becoming, moving toward the day when God’s will will be done as perfectly in earth as it is in heaven. With this understanding in mind, listen again to what Jesus taught: “With what can we compare the kingdom of God . . . It is like a mustard seed, which when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” Barclay believes that the story of the mustard seed teaches us that, in the spiritual world, much can grow from a small and ordinary beginning, the tiny seed of a plant that is actually a huge weed. Barclay adds another piece of interpretation: the mustard plant is like the church. It grows in unlikely places, from unlikely sources, to shelter and care for us -- you and me -- as we rest in her branches. We are like the birds of the air.

III. Parable Within a Parable. For me, the meaning of the Markan parable came alive this week in the form of a parable-like story written by a six year old boy who has attended church here from time to time and Vacation Bible School last summer. The story is not long, so I’d like to share it with you. I invite you to enter into this story with the mind of a young child:

The Doggie Church for Everybody Except People

The Doggies’ Church of Christ

Once there was a doggie church.

Minister Brown Johnson prays on stuff 

and blesses the doggies that help the church.

The doggies sing when there is a storm to make the storm stop. 

They sing Woof-alulia, Woof-alulia until the storm stops.

Sometimes the dogs woof a lot and make Minister Johnson mad. 

Then he throws water balloons at them.

He gets so tired of that!

They stop woofing because they know he is mad.

Then he preaches a sermon to the doggies.

He says, “Thank you so much for helping this church.

Be good doggies. Preach a good church. Amen.”

They sing the Bible, Woof! Woof! Woof! – 

which means “God is awesome!”

At the end of the year they have communion – 

hot dogs and wine, and bread, and chips and salsa, and hamburgers.

And then they are done for that year of church-ness (as the doggies say).

AAAA-men. They give each other hugs and kisses, 

and they bark to their homes.

This parable illustrates something very powerful in the heart and mind of this young child, who has a great love for dogs -- that church is a place where a community gathers to be blessed, to help the church and one another, to worship and pray together, and to challenge the scary storms around them. Sometimes the community gets rowdy and needs direction. This boy loves water balloons, which he throws with others on his birthday, and they slide easily into the story. Sermons are preached, challenges are given, and appreciation shared: “Thank you so much for helping this church. Be good doggies. Preach a good church. Amen.” The Bible is sung, something Jim Garvey would understand and appreciate; the congregation affirms that God is awesome (something the child learned in our Vacation Bible School), and then comes together to share a communion meal of hot dogs, wine, bread, chips, salsa, and hamburgers. The communion meal is an interesting combination of our Eucharist and the Bible School closing family dinner. The doggies say “Amen,” give one other hugs and kisses, and bark home. 

In so many ways, this parable speaks for itself.  God has planted a seed in this young boy’s heart and mind that has great potential to continue to grow. And as it grows, it has the potential to protect and safeguard him through the storms in his life. 

IV. I’d like to share two applications of the parable of the mustard seed and the young boy’s story. But first, I’d like to thank those who helped me frame this part of this sermon. The first application is for all of us. It has to do with how we are being called to respond to a challenge in our common life together at Ascension. The second is more personal. 

First, this church has been planted by God to support the work of God’s kingdom, including the planting and nurturing of seeds in the hearts and minds of those who come to worship with us – young boys and girls, their parents and grandparents, and other adults who make their spiritual home here. The parish leadership is responsible to wisely administer the church’s resources that contribute to the growing of the seeds. As of the end of May, we are $65,000.00 below our anticipated pledge income, the resources upon which our budget is based. The challenge before us is multi-faceted – when our income falls below our budgeted expenses for staff and other program costs, it is difficult to wisely administer the church. In addition, the amount of time and energy required of the parish’s leaders to address this financial issue detracts from our ability to focus on the church’s mission. 

The clergy, staff, and Vestry members responsible for church leadership are well aware that the timing of the pledge payments made by individuals and families in the parish may vary depending on the timing of the receipt of their income and their own financial management. However, I ask us to consider the following: If you have not yet made payments toward your 2012 pledge, please consider beginning to do so. Secondly, if you have been making payments toward your pledge, I would ask you to consider accelerating the timing of your pledge payments; and finally, as God has blessed you, I would ask you to consider giving beyond the amount you initially pledged. With these proposed adjustments, a potentially more serious financial issue can be averted, and our energies re-directed to the church’s mission.

Secondly, the application of the parable of the mustard seed and the child’s story has affected me personally on two levels. As your Rector and spiritual leader, I have felt called to remind all of us of how important it is to appreciate and nurture the gift that God has given us here at church of the Ascension in the growth of the seeds that he has planted, and to do so joyfully from our first fruits. 

I have also been led to an even more personal understanding. The modern parable was written by my 6-year-old grandson, who is a young boy experiencing the illness of his father. As his story illustrates, in the midst of what he is facing, he has the seed of understanding where to find God when a storm strikes. I have been humbled to see this through his eyes and challenged to have a fuller appreciation of what is going on in his life. As his grandfather, I need to more intentionally nurture the seed that has been planted by God; I pray that God will help me to do so. I appreciate your prayers as well. 

V. Conclusion. Here it is my brothers and sisters in Christ: God has given us Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ tells us parables. Parables are meant to teach us about spiritual matters – to challenge us both as individuals and as a community. For example, challenges have taken place with me this week, both as your Rector and as a grandfather. The Holy Spirit stands ready to help us apply what we learn from these parables. Each one of us must decide when and how to listen, what to make of the stories we hear, and how to respond. 

I have not forgotten that today is Father’s Day. I am mindful that sharing with you the insights that God has given me personally may resonate with some of the fathers and grandfathers here this morning. I pray that God will give us as men the opportunities to guide our children and grandchildren through the complicated challenges of their lives. I also pray that God will continue to bless our parish as we intentionally open ourselves to God’s guidance and direction. Amen.