New Creation

New Creation Gospel: Mark 4:26-34 Jesus frequently uses parables to teach ordinary people as they are able to hear and understand. Images of sowing and growing show the vitality of God’s kingdom. 26[Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”   30He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet 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.”   33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 [11-13] 14-17 Paul encourages believers to live by faith and not by sight. We do not consider Jesus from a human perspective but through the eyes of faith, believing he died for all and was raised. All who are in Christ are now in God’s new creation. 6So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.   [11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ] 14For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.   16From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (v.18: All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… ) Our Gospel goes through 2 Cor 5:17, but I want to add the first part of verse 18 as well... So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… —2 Corinthians 5: 17-18 (SLIDE: MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION) Reconciliation is one of the toughest things Jesus asks us to do. It is hard to forget all of the hurt people have caused us, even when we are ready to forgive them, and move forward. Reconciliation requires more work than simply saying the words, “I was wrong and I’m sorry,” and “I forgive you.” Becoming NEW means to be reconciled in the Kingdom of God. Becoming new, STARTING OFF FRESH, is the ministry of reconciliation. It requires vigilance, and to truly see one another as a new creation, not as the same old people we were before. (SLIDE: FORGIVENESS, NEW BEGINNING, TUTU) As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.” And it means that we have to keep ourselves from falling into old patterns –of quickly snapping at someone who has hurt us, but who is trying to be different. We have to let people be new. How many times in an argument with a loved one does all the stuff you both did in the past come up? This is an obstacle we must avoid when we want to live into new lives. (SLIDE: OLD TUNA STINKS) Because if you forgive someone, but then hold onto the old junk that happened, you are the one mired in that old life – you can’t see the other person in a new light, and you are also not living a new life. It’s repeating the past, which is like eating leftover tuna from last week – it tastes bad, IT STINKS and will probably make you sick. (SLIDE: HURTING PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE) In fact, holding on to grudges turns you into the person you are condemning, someone who hurts others out of your own pain. We need to choose new life instead. Because -- HURTING PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE. (SLIDE: WEEDS) Like a garden needs to be weeded regularly, our hearts and minds need to be tended, pulling out the weeds of petty arguments and sharp words, so that love, kindness and trust can grow. So if you are living out reconciliation with another person or a group of people, try to see them through the eyes of love first. (SLIDE: KEEPING YOUR HEART KIND) You will see whether or not they have been transformed through God’s grace and forgiveness. If they continue to behave in the old, hurtful ways, you can still be reconciled to them by keeping your heart kind and peaceful – hoping the best for them, but simply choosing not to engage them anymore. Sowing forgiveness may seem like a small seed to plant, that nothing will become of it, but it multiplies. (SLIDE: MUSTARD FIELD) When people experience the freedom that forgiveness brings, they also forgive others. Forgiven people and the one who forgives are set free and can grow in a healthy way to bring life to others. Forgiveness is life giving - it makes all things NEW. This is how the Kingdom of God grows! It grows by multiplication, viral growth! Like weeds! (Mustard is a weed - don’t need to plant, don’t want it in your garden! It takes over!!!) (SLIDE: PARAMOUNT, LES MIS) Friday night, our family went to see the musical Les Miserables at the Paramount in Seattle. Incredible set designs, choreography, acting, singing, music from the live orchestra -- but, the story is what is so amazing. If you’ve never seen it, you must make a point to do so. I won’t give away the ending, but most of you have probably seen it. The story is about a man named Jean Valjean who once stole a loaf of bread to help feed his sister’s children during an economic depression. For that he was sentenced to work on a chain gang, and after he was set free, (SLIDE: TICKET OF LEAVE) he had to display his “ticket-of-leave” or “yellow passport” which showed he had been a convict and this made him an outcast in society. Only one person treated him with dignity, the Bishop Myriel of Digne (DIN) (whose name means “honorable”). (SHOW “LES MISERABLES: I GIVE YOU BACK TO GOD”) Nevertheless, though treated with compassion, Valjean steals pieces of silver from the Bishop and flees in the night, only to be caught later by the police. When the Bishop is brought out to identify the thief, he lies and tells the constable that he gave those to Valjean and added two more candlesticks to his sack of silver he stole. After everyone left, The Bishop tells Jean Valjean, that he has just bought his soul and he gives him back to God, to take this opportunity to make something new of yourself. (SLIDE:AFTER MOVIE, Jean Valjean) Jean Valjean does become a new man. The power of forgiveness, being set free, changed his life. (SLIDE: Jean Valjean 2) And, the grace shown to him is given many times over to others in need whom he helped throughout his lifetime. The play/book/movie is about this new creation that Jean Valjean became. This stuff is not easy. As Jesus said, (SLIDE: JESUS 1) "Blessed are those who have it easy, for theirs will be … (SLIDE: JESUS 2) "...wait a minute, if they've got it so easy, they're not getting anything else!" OK, maybe Jesus didn’t say anything like that. He did teach us to pray, (SLIDE: FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES...) “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” This Ministry of Reconciliation is, the hardest thing in the world. And it is the most rewarding, AT THE SAME TIME! AMEN Reflection Questions: Do you tend to hold grudges? Do you forgive easily? What does it, or would it, look like to forgive every person who hurts you, and keep working at it?