Sermon Text

Friday night I returned from 10 days in Minneapolis, MN – primarily for the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), but even before that, for the pre-GA Conference of Stated Clerks. As I mentioned on my Facebook page during my time away – General Assembly put a LOT of Calvinists in a relatively small area, all at one time. I wonder if the Lutherans in Minnesota were getting nervous? If this is any indication, Garrison Keillor did not make one appearance during our visit!

One of the things that happens at General Assembly is that those of us who go year after year consider it a family reunion. So, there is lots of hugging and catching up. Ministers and educators tell tales of their recent relocations, or perhaps their respective desires to relocate. Elders share stories of how they love their pastors, or, perhaps, wish they would leave …. or conversely, share their fears that they may not ever have an installed minister again!

We also think about how the world sees us. Certainly the glaring statistics of membership loss over the past decade is foremost in many minds. Shrinking churches, empty pulpits, and family feuds, covered so intently by the news media – very often inaccurately, I might add -- all of this contributes to how the world sees us, we who call ourselves Presbyterians.

One night after a very long day some of my friends and I were enjoying some after-hours beverages in the lobby of our hotel. We were relaxing and laughing and sharing war-stories. As I left the group and paid my bill, the waiter said “Wow, I never dreamed Presbyterians were so much fun!”

Unfortunately, he reflected another way the world may perceive us. Not much fun. Frozen chosen. Pessimists. Proclaimers of doom and gloom. If it is spontaneous and unstructured fun, it can’t be Presbyterian!

How unfortunate. There is nothing in Scripture or our tradition that calls us to a life of negativity. Nonetheless, we do get painted with that paintbrush. This is the same paintbrush that projects the image that Presbyterians are always judging others … that we set ourselves apart as the ones who know best what is God’s will.

Serious stuff for those in Minneapolis to consider this past week. Serious stuff for us to consider today!

The Old Testament is full of judgment stories. Jesus talked about judgment. Judgment is a part of our theological DNA. The question is: who does the judging?

Our Scripture lesson today is a parable – often called the parable of the wheat and the weeds/tares – and is generally considered a judgment parable.

The parable begins in verse 24 with these words: “The Kingdom of God is like…” This introductory statement announces the intent of the parable: to describe something about the Kingdom of God, and not just the Kingdom of God to come.

Jesus lays out the details in this parable of something in the here and now – of events and responses taking place in the story’s present. Jesus uses this parable to tell those around him that God’s Kingdom is among us now, and his concern is about what attitudes the Kingdom of God evokes.

Surely we can understand the thinking of slaves who immediately presumed they should try to get rid of the weeds. Isn’t that what we do in our gardens? But, central to Jesus’ public telling of this parable is the farmer’s patience and grace. Rather than endanger the wheat growing up among the weeds, the farmer chooses to let both weeds and wheat continue to grow side by side. The farmer refuses to do anything that might injure the wheat; his concern is to tend the field patiently, despite the mixed crop growing in it. Not until the final harvest is it the reaper’s job to separate the weeds from the good crop and burn them up. And, even then, it won’t be the slaves’ job to do this, it will be that of the reapers – the angels!

I kept thinking about this parable at General Assembly. Once again, as we have at every General Assembly since the mid-1990’s, we argued about what some might call the weeds and the wheat of our denomination! Some commissioners argued passionately that some folk should be weeded out …. if not out of the church, at least out of church leadership. Other commissioners argued against that judgment. Neither side was anxious to be patient, and too often there was no evidence of grace.

In the parable, however, we are told that harvesting is really not our job as the church. We are, instead, to be the cultivators! That final harvest when the reaper will separate the wheat from the weeds is not our job.

Now, we all know weeds when we see them. Right???? Well, perhaps not always. We live in a state, for instance, that prides itself in our wildflowers! Beautiful as might be, they are, of course, mostly weeds! The distinction between what is a weed and what is a useful plant is less clear than we may think.

*** A dandelion growing in your yard is a weed; but a dandelion growing in your garden may be a delicate flavorful green.
*** Ivy scaling your brick chimney threatens the stability of the mortar; but ivy carefully trained up a trellis adds beauty and value to your home.
*** Fungus and lichens are just mushy, mossy undergrowth; but as the necessary soil for rare and delicate flowers such as the calypso orchid, they are a rich growing medium.

Just as in our flower gardens, in the garden of humanity we may be too quick to weed out what we believe doesn’t belong. It seems to be a trait of human nature to sit in judgment of other’s actions. But, things may not always be as they seem ….

For instance, consider this story of a young boy named Timmy, who was was the target of the judgment of his peers. Timmy’s father had died the prior winter and when spring came and boys and their dads began to appear outside pitching and hitting baseballs, he felt alone. Not to be outdone, however, he took his bat and ball into his own front yard and started his own game! With a chipper spirit, he threw the ball into the air and swung with all his might. The bat cut the air, and a “helpful” neighbor boy yelled out “Strike one!”

Timmy retrieved the ball and threw it into the air and swung again. “Strike two!” echoed from across the street. By now, a crowd had formed and Timmy’s peers were whispering and laughing. With a tinge of fear and a ton of resolve, however, Timmy flipped the ball for the final swing. “S-t-r-i-k-e three, you’re OUT!” screamed the uninvited umpires, to which one boy hollered, “Boy, you are a lousy batter!”

Timmy, undaunted, sucked in his chest, marched over to the edge of his yard and looked the boys straight in the eyes: “I am NOT a lousy batter. I am a GREAT PITCHER! I just pitched a no-hitter!” [Michael Avery, “Try the Uplook!” God’s Revivalist 107 (October, 1995), 9.]

If truth be told, it is far more likely that those who spend all of the time and energy trying to judge others will be surprised in the end. I believe that is true for our denomination, as well. As we live through this time of turmoil and uncertainty for our church, I believe this is God’s word to us, – evoked for us by the parable in our scripture lesson today:

God does not call us to judge others. Rather, with patience and grace, we are called to proclaim and live the good news – the gospel itself.

Can I get an “Amen” on that?

Amen!