A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
The Rev. Patricia A. Gillespie
Acts 17:22-31
Psalm 148
1 Peter 3:8-18
John 15:1-8
Because it's Mothers' Day, I will take a mother's privilege and read my children a story:
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Frog was in his garden. Toad came walking by. "What a fine garden you have, Frog," he said. "Yes," said Frog. "It is very nice, but it was hard work." "I wish I had a garden," said Toad. "Here are some flower seeds. Plant them in the ground," said Frog, "and soon you will have a garden." "How soon?" asked Toad. "Quite soon," said Frog. Toad ran home. He planted the flower seeds. "Now seeds," said Toad, "start growing." Toad walked up and down a few times. The seeds did not start to grow.
Toad put is head very close to the ground and shouted, "NOW SEEDS, START GROWING!" Frog came running up the path. "What is all this noise?" he asked. "My seeds will not grow," said Toad. "You are shouting too much, " said Frog. "These poor seeds are afraid to grow." "My seeds are afraid to grow?" asked Toad. "Of course," said Frog. "Leave them alone for a few days. Let the sun shine on therm, let the rain fall on them. Soon your seeds will start to grow." That night Toad looked out of his window. "Drat!" said Toad. "My seeds have not started to grow. The must be afraid of the dark." Toad went out to his garden with some candles. I will read the seeds a story, " said Toad. "Then they will not be afraid."
Toad looked at the ground. The seeds still did not start to grow. "What shall I do?" cried Toad. "These must be the most frightened seeds in the whole world!" Then Toad felt very tired, and he fell asleep.
Toad looked at his garden. Little green plants were coming up out of the ground. "At last," shouted Toad, "my seeds have stopped being afraid to grow!" "And now you will have a nice garden too," said Frog. "Yes, said Toad, "but you were right, Frog. It was very hard work."
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Toad is right. Growth is hard work. Exhausting and painful at times. One only has to remember adolescence to know the truth of that. And we, like Toad's seeds, can be afraid to grow and change.
And yet we all long for growth because it is a sign that we are still alive. When something stops growing and changing, it is dead. Some of the changes we may not like, especially as we grow older. Some things in our lives are pruned away: Our bodies change: eyes dim, feet are slowed, hands stiffen. Our communities change: friends move away or die, relationships fade. Even our church, which we want to be a stable place in our lives changes: old prayers are forgotten, things aren't like they were before.
But here is Jesus reminding us that those things that seem like losses may be being pruned away to allow new growth in a different direction. Perhaps there is growth in understanding and wisdom, growth in finding new ways to do the old things, growth in our souls instead of our bodies. The change happens whether we want it or not. The choice we have is whether to grow and bear fruit or to be pruned.
Sometimes what God wants us to do IS hard work, but not as hard as we sometimes make it. Remember we are the branches. It is God who does the real work: the Father who tends us and Christ who gives us growth. The growth happens whether we work or not. Our work is simply to hang in there, like branches. Our "work" is to be disciples so that we stay connected – so that we abide in Christ since it is because of Christ in us that we bear much fruit.
Apart from Christ, the gospel reminds us, we can do nothing. Abiding in Christ we are able to grow, to survive the painful pruning in our lives. Abiding in Christ is what gives us those things that Peter writes about in today's second reading: "unity of spirit, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind." Those aren't always easy, especially when it includes repaying evil and abuse with blessing.
You are right, Frog. Life is hard work. Yet God's kingdom will come, whether we work or not. But those branches who work to remain in Christ will see God's kingdom growing in their lives and bear much fruit.
If that is what you want, it is yours for the asking. As Jesus has told us, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
"The Garden" is from "Frog and Toad Together" by Arnold Lobel (HarperTrophy, 1971). Click on the picture of the book for ordering information. The illustrations are superb and the other stories are wonderful.
Toad put his head close to the ground and said loudly, "Now seeds, start growing!" Toad looked at the ground again. The seeds did not start to grow.
Toad read a long story to his seeds. All the next day Toad sang songs to his seeds. And all the next day Toad read poems to his seeds. And all the next day Toad played music for his seeds.
"Toad, Toad, wake up, " said Frog. "Look at your garden!"