D-V's Desk

              What customs or traditions did you have growing up?   Traditions you’d like to pass on to the next generation?   In my family, the birthday person got to pick dinner, and what flavor cake and ice cream came for dessert.   On Christmas Eve, we got to pick out one present to open before we had milk and cookies before bedtime. Jesus and His usual adversaries, the Pharisees, debate over the tradition of washing hands, pots, and cups prior to eating.   The Pharisees ask Jesus’ followers why Jesus doesn’t uphold the customs.   Jesus responds by telling His followers that true cleanliness comes from the heart and not by rigid rule keeping. After all, what one puts in one’s mouth is later passed out of the body as waste.   What comes from the heart, from one’s thoughts and motives, one’s words and deeds, is more important than food and drink that is eventually eliminated.   What come...

  Snakes.                          Spiders. Speaking in public. A scary movie.             What makes you afraid?   What scares you the most?   I think the friends of Jesus can relate.   Today, they face their worst fears.   A huge storm on the Sea of Galilee.   And considering four of them are fishers, that is saying something.   The storm must be extraordinary to terrify four seasoned seafarers. The Sea of Galilee sits in a bowl between two mountains.   Pop up storms are common.   The disciples struggle against the heavy winds.   Their boat is being tossed and turned by the tempest.   Amid the storm, they see a lone figure walking towards them.   Between the winds and the vision, Jesus’ friends are terrified.      ...

             Jesus gives us five snapshots of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like this morning.   The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, some yeast, hidden treasure, a pearl, and a net of fish.   With the exception of the catch of fish and the hidden treasure, all of these are small, seemingly insignificant.             I have here an index card.   On the index card is a mustard seed, a pearl, and a grain of yeast.   There is also a quarter for comparison.   You may be able to see the quarter.   How many can see the other items?   Not too many.   The mustard seed, the pearl, and the grain of yeast are so tiny in comparison.   But their impact is huge.             A tiny mustard seed can grow into a large bush.   Large enough to provide shelter for birds and small animals.  ...

  Now I am no gardener or even a farmer.   But I was a biology major.   And I loved to help my Mom in her garden.   I also lived in rural Missouri for eleven and a half years, where corn and soy grow on the sides of the highways.   So, I do know a few things about how gardens work.   I am sure you may as well. First, you must carefully select the ground.   Nothing too rocky or shady Then you need to make sure the soil is prepared.   Fertilizer and topsoil may be needed. Finally, you can sow your seeds or plant your seedlings. Your garden will need adequate sunlight and water to flourish. What the sower does in Jesus’ story goes against all good gardening.   Notice how the sower scatters seed haphazardly.   There is no thought for the soil or how the soil (or lack thereof) will impact the growth of the future plant.   No gardener would garden this way in real life.   Rocky ground, thorny ground, good soil all get seed....

          “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy.   I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.   Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.   If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me.   If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.”                                     Matthew 10:34-37 (MSG)             Jesus’ words seem harsh.   Especially on a day like today.   A day when we celebrate the fathers and those who have been father-like to us.   After all, many of us first come to know love in our families. ...

  Jesus never says that following Him is easy.   In fact, time after time, Jesus says that following Him is hard, demanding, and not for the faint of heart.   “If any want to follow me,” Jesus says, “they must take up their cross and follow me.”   This morning, in our Gospel lesson, Jesus calls His first followers and gives them this advice: 9-10  “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start.   You don’t need a lot of equipment.   You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day.   Travel light. 11  “When you enter a town or village, don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn.   Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave. 12-15  “When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting.   If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation.   If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw.   Don’t make a scene.   ...