Reflection on readings for Sunday the 10th July 2011

Year A Proper 10 10 July 2011
Genesis 25: 19-34 Psalm 119: 105-112 Romans 8: 1-11 Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23

It is that time of year, here in Mackay, where cane is cut and cane is being planted. In the words of the song, Mm Bop, by Hansen, “Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose-You can plant any one of those - Keep planting to find out which one grows - It's a secret no one knows...”
Anyone who has planted something from a seed will know that some seeds sprout.... but some don’t. And then some of those that sprout will only last a while and die. Others will grow to maturity.

Jesus used the parable of the sower to explain about the kingdom of Heaven. When the disciples were confused about what he meant Jesus then explained to them: Matthew 13:18-23 ““Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When people hear the message about the kingdom and do not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to people who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to people who hear the word and understand it. They produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.””

Our first reading tells the story of twin boys who lived a very, very long time ago. The elder of the twins was entitled to the birth-rite, his name was Esau and he was the father of the Edomite nation. The other boy was Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel and so, as you can guess, Jacob was the father of the Israelite nation.

The first reading relates the story of how Esau sold his birth-rite to Jacob in return for some red lentil stew. Can you imagine that? Selling something as important and meaningful as a birth-rite for a lentil stew? We are told that Esau despised his birth-rite. This was a birth-rite that included the promise of God. It was connected to the history of being the child of Isaac, who was the direct result of God’s miraculous intervention. In fact Jacob and Esau were also a result of God’s intervention as we read that Rebekah, their mother was barren until Isaac prayed for her.

It would appear that Isaac learnt from his father, Abraham’s mistakes. Abraham tried to make things happen himself. He tried to do God’s work in his own human strength. The way the story reads about Isaac praying for his wife, seems very matter-of-fact, and portrays a trust and reliance on God. It was this faith that was a testimony to the power and providence of God, which was part of Esau’s birth-rite. This birth-rite included the destiny crucial to all of humanity, the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which was ultimately fulfilled through the line of Jacob.

I suspect we are often a lot like Esau. We don’t fully realize the magnitude of our birth-rite. We belong to a faith into which we were baptised. Being baptised means that we have died to our old identity and now we are identified through our union with Christ. Through this union we have a spiritual birth-rite. It is something quite amazing and the essence of which is captured in our second reading from St. Paul to the Romans:
Romans 8:1-4 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is the birth-rite that we receive when we are united to Jesus. We are set free from the law of sin and death. Do we understand the implications in being set free from the law of sin and death...???? This is something so good that we seldom even dare to grasp it. We have no need to fear the judgment of God because there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In death some may fear what comes next. We don’t need to fear because there is No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Often times there are things about our faith that we don’t understand, but it is important that we continue to grow in our knowledge because otherwise we will be subject to the temptation of Esau who sold his birth-rite for red stew.

Esau seemed to be more interested in the temporal things. He was hungry there and then and wanted food, but he paid a huge price for his lack of understanding. Do we act on how we feel here and now instead of understanding our spiritual birth-rite? Example number one (warning – me on my soap box again!!)... Sunday morning and it is time for church. We’ve had a late night and we are tired. Do we stay in bed or do we understand our birth-rite and the important responsibility we have as a child of God?????

Now I’m going to bring your attention back to the parable of the sower. Traditionally I’ve always thought of this as a way of understanding outreach, but look more closely. The seed sometimes falls on rocky ground and never actually takes root, but other seed that sprouts are those who received the message with joy. These are people who walked the walk, talked the talk and then hardships came...... because their roots were shallow these seedlings withered. There is a very real message and warning here for all of us.

We all experience hardships and some experience more than others. Regardless of our circumstances our faith will wither unless our roots are in fertile soil. To some extent that fertile soil is something that we have control over. We are remaining in fertile soil when we remember our birth-rite and the responsibility we have as a child of God.
I recall a section of the Anglican confirmation service where the confirmee promises to commit themselves to prayer and study of God’s word. This is what we need to do to grow in the knowledge of the Good News- our birth-rite.

You may well feel that your life is rocky ground and everything around you seems hard. Or you may feel overwhelmed with the troubles of this life. The Psalmist relates to suffering and worry, but understands that the statutes of God are a heritage forever and an enduring reward. Like him we need to come to the realization that the word of God is an illumination for the path of our lives and commit ourselves to keeping God’s decrees to the very end.

Psalm 119:105-112 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word. Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”