Read: Psalm 22:25-31, Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8 Easter Five
Pruning sounds harsh. In fact, it is harsh. Take the plant by the hand, reaching into the inner crown, finding a fork of a branch, and cutting away the longer, larger of the two branches. Make the cut with sharp, clean pruning shears large and powerful enough to make the cut with grace and efficiency.
Pruning opens the plant to allow light and air to penetrate and circulate properly. Pruning encourages new growth and proper fruit setting. A properly pruned plant will look natural, not scalped, not mowed.
Keep in mind pruning is NOT a size control. If you need to prune to reduce the overall size of the plant or to reduce the impact of the plant upon its neighbors, then you have the wrong plant growing in this particular place. Proper planting leads to proper pruning. Never substitute a poor planting choice with abusive pruning.
The goal in pruning should never be to control size; rather the goal is to maximize fruitfulness. Unfortunately pruning in order to control size is the rule we have all learned to accept as valid, even while it has never been particularly effective. Just like the guy who mows the grass at one inch of height, verses a healthy height of 3-4 inches. He has just caused more problems for himself by this behavior, but the grass is much shorter and he does not have to worry about it for another week or so. However, later in the summer he will stop and wonder why his yard looks sick compared to a neighbor. So it goes with pruning, slowing down and taking your time is your long-term friend.
The key to pruning is to remember the goal. If your goal is to make the plant shorter, smaller, less productive, stunted, looking something like a poodle just home from the groomer, then get out there with the power shears and go at it in 20 minutes. However, it your goal is to encourage the plants natural DNA, the God given structure and capability, to encourage the natural shape and flowering, if you are hoping to reach the maximum potential for fruit bearing, then you will prune carefully with wisdom and thought. You will secure the proper tools and take the time to see clearly the potential risk and benefit of each cut.
Then, the harshness of the cut can make sense and offer hope. The pruning, even while painful, can be life-affirming and life-giving. May it be so.
Scripture: John 15:1-8
Sermon: “The Pruned Life”
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Notes for Sunday April 05, 2009
Read: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Mark 14-15 Passionate Trust
“Can God be trusted?” continues as my primary ministry question. Boil it all down, all the talk and all the speculation and we are left with this one simple question. Can we trust a God who feels distant? Can we trust a God who allows my neighbor’s cancer or her daughter being run over by a drunk driver? Can we trust a God who creates a world where millions suffer in poverty without daily water or food; while a comparative few worry if their lifestyle will have to suffer because of a downturn in their massive wealth? Can we trust a God who allows a world to be more concerned with a pet’s food preferences than its own children’s future? Can we trust you God when we lose our job, lose our sanity, or lose our life?
Lately, I have been responding to a lot of questions with, “The proof is in the pudding.” We can say we trust God; however, our actions will be the proof of our willingness to trust God. How we respond to the trials and events in our life displays our trust. It is not the events or trials in themselves; rather it is always our reaction to those events which reveals the focus of our trust.
Now listen to this, if we trust is not the question. We all trust in something, someone. To trust is to breath, to have being. Trust is the human experience. However, where we place our trust is up for grabs. Should trust be placed in ones ability, or wealth, or appearance, or spouse, or children? In what, or whom, do we trust? And just how is that trust moved from one place to another? Does trust move quickly in a shock and awe move, or does trust take some time to shake and bake? Both seem possible. Both are within our experience.
Our actions display the focus of our trust, even the level or intensity of our trust. Who or what we trust is a choice. We see Jesus on the cross and realize his trust in the Father calls out for our lives to follow. Can God be trusted?
Scripture: Mark 15:1-39
Sermon: “Trust, not Rust”
“Can God be trusted?” continues as my primary ministry question. Boil it all down, all the talk and all the speculation and we are left with this one simple question. Can we trust a God who feels distant? Can we trust a God who allows my neighbor’s cancer or her daughter being run over by a drunk driver? Can we trust a God who creates a world where millions suffer in poverty without daily water or food; while a comparative few worry if their lifestyle will have to suffer because of a downturn in their massive wealth? Can we trust a God who allows a world to be more concerned with a pet’s food preferences than its own children’s future? Can we trust you God when we lose our job, lose our sanity, or lose our life?
Lately, I have been responding to a lot of questions with, “The proof is in the pudding.” We can say we trust God; however, our actions will be the proof of our willingness to trust God. How we respond to the trials and events in our life displays our trust. It is not the events or trials in themselves; rather it is always our reaction to those events which reveals the focus of our trust.
Now listen to this, if we trust is not the question. We all trust in something, someone. To trust is to breath, to have being. Trust is the human experience. However, where we place our trust is up for grabs. Should trust be placed in ones ability, or wealth, or appearance, or spouse, or children? In what, or whom, do we trust? And just how is that trust moved from one place to another? Does trust move quickly in a shock and awe move, or does trust take some time to shake and bake? Both seem possible. Both are within our experience.
Our actions display the focus of our trust, even the level or intensity of our trust. Who or what we trust is a choice. We see Jesus on the cross and realize his trust in the Father calls out for our lives to follow. Can God be trusted?
Scripture: Mark 15:1-39
Sermon: “Trust, not Rust”
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A Fable: The Little Girl who Lived in a Tree
Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in a tree in the midst of the forest. Every morning she counted every single leaf on the whole tree. And every afternoon she fed the birds who also made the tree their home. She was a very thoughtful little girl.
One day in the early spring of the year, a great storm came by and the wind blew upon the tree. The wind caused many leaves to fall and the little girl was very busy trying to keep track of all the leaves. She felt overwhelmed with her inability to keep the leaves on the beloved tree.
Then the wind blew even more and one of the twelve birds nests fell out of the tree, and then another. After that great wind, only one of the bird’s nests was left in the tree. The little girl mourned the loss of the nests, as she loved the tree with birds singing.
The storm was still raging however, and one strong wind gust after another began to break some of the branches from the tree. In horror she witnessed her own branch, her home, crack and break and fall to the ground without pomp or ceremony. At first she was confused; then she became angry. She cried out to the storm, “Why are you so mean? Don’t you care what happens to the tree?”
When the storm ended, the birds, even the ones who had lost their nests, began to sit in the braches of the tree and sing.
The little girl calmly collected her things and walked off into the forest to find a new tree.
Questions:
• Do you mostly indentify with the little girl, the birds, or the tree? Why.
• Who do you indentify as the wind in this story?
• What is important about this being an, “early spring” story?
• Why was the little girl feeling overwhelmed?
• What purpose did counting the leaves have in the story?
• With what did the little girl feed the birds?
• Why did the little girl walk to find a new tree?
One day in the early spring of the year, a great storm came by and the wind blew upon the tree. The wind caused many leaves to fall and the little girl was very busy trying to keep track of all the leaves. She felt overwhelmed with her inability to keep the leaves on the beloved tree.
Then the wind blew even more and one of the twelve birds nests fell out of the tree, and then another. After that great wind, only one of the bird’s nests was left in the tree. The little girl mourned the loss of the nests, as she loved the tree with birds singing.
The storm was still raging however, and one strong wind gust after another began to break some of the branches from the tree. In horror she witnessed her own branch, her home, crack and break and fall to the ground without pomp or ceremony. At first she was confused; then she became angry. She cried out to the storm, “Why are you so mean? Don’t you care what happens to the tree?”
When the storm ended, the birds, even the ones who had lost their nests, began to sit in the braches of the tree and sing.
The little girl calmly collected her things and walked off into the forest to find a new tree.
Questions:
• Do you mostly indentify with the little girl, the birds, or the tree? Why.
• Who do you indentify as the wind in this story?
• What is important about this being an, “early spring” story?
• Why was the little girl feeling overwhelmed?
• What purpose did counting the leaves have in the story?
• With what did the little girl feed the birds?
• Why did the little girl walk to find a new tree?
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
A Fable: The Old Man and the Bridge
Once upon a time there was an old man who lived on the hill just above the railroad tracks on the edge of a village. Within sight of his house was the railroad bridge over a small creek which ran alongside the town.
Now the railroad was busy with passenger and fast freight trains coming through the gap in the mountains to the West and running East toward the large cities along the ocean. The old man lived alone with nothing much to do except watch the trains.
On this particular day, as would sometimes happen, a group of children from the village came up the hill walking in the creek and began playing on the railroad bridge. The old man watched as they climbed on the timber supports and walked the rails and ties of the bridge. Finally, he could not bear to watch the children on the bridge any longer. So he came down the slope to the bridge and with a big voice told the children to stop playing on the bridge and go home.
The children were frightened by the look and tone of the old man. However, as they left the bridge, they threw rocks from the creek at the old man and yelled things they had heard their parents say when they were angry. Not long after the children left the bridge and were heading back to town a fast freight train rumbled through the gap in the mountains crossed the bridge and headed down to the cities along the ocean.
Later that day, as families gathered to share their evening meal, the children told the story of the gruff old man who lived on the hill above the railroad tracks. They mimicked his big deep voice telling the children to, “get off the bridge and go home to play.” The parents of the children all shook their heads and commented how something needed to be done to protect their children from such a man. Silently they vowed to spurn the old man for being so hard and uncaring.
Questions for Pondering
1. Why did the old man chase the children from the bridge?
2. How should the parents of the children react to the old man?
3. Did anyone on the trains know or even care about the situation?
4. Where do you see yourself in the fable? Which of the characters are you today?
5. Tell about a similar experience to “The Old man and the Bridge” in your lifetime?
Now you finish the fable using these starters:
1. One spring day a new family moved into a home just below the tracks and brought a plate of warm cookies to the old man who…
2. The old man died later that year and three weeks after his death the children were once again playing on the railroad bridge when …
3. And so it went for many years with the old man at odds with the village when one day a visitor came to town and …
4. Over the next couple of years the train tracks were abandoned by the railroad and a bicycle path was established. The old man found …
5. That year In the middle of winter, the old man died. When the people from the village came to clean out the house above the tracks, to their amazement they found …
Now the railroad was busy with passenger and fast freight trains coming through the gap in the mountains to the West and running East toward the large cities along the ocean. The old man lived alone with nothing much to do except watch the trains.
On this particular day, as would sometimes happen, a group of children from the village came up the hill walking in the creek and began playing on the railroad bridge. The old man watched as they climbed on the timber supports and walked the rails and ties of the bridge. Finally, he could not bear to watch the children on the bridge any longer. So he came down the slope to the bridge and with a big voice told the children to stop playing on the bridge and go home.
The children were frightened by the look and tone of the old man. However, as they left the bridge, they threw rocks from the creek at the old man and yelled things they had heard their parents say when they were angry. Not long after the children left the bridge and were heading back to town a fast freight train rumbled through the gap in the mountains crossed the bridge and headed down to the cities along the ocean.
Later that day, as families gathered to share their evening meal, the children told the story of the gruff old man who lived on the hill above the railroad tracks. They mimicked his big deep voice telling the children to, “get off the bridge and go home to play.” The parents of the children all shook their heads and commented how something needed to be done to protect their children from such a man. Silently they vowed to spurn the old man for being so hard and uncaring.
Questions for Pondering
1. Why did the old man chase the children from the bridge?
2. How should the parents of the children react to the old man?
3. Did anyone on the trains know or even care about the situation?
4. Where do you see yourself in the fable? Which of the characters are you today?
5. Tell about a similar experience to “The Old man and the Bridge” in your lifetime?
Now you finish the fable using these starters:
1. One spring day a new family moved into a home just below the tracks and brought a plate of warm cookies to the old man who…
2. The old man died later that year and three weeks after his death the children were once again playing on the railroad bridge when …
3. And so it went for many years with the old man at odds with the village when one day a visitor came to town and …
4. Over the next couple of years the train tracks were abandoned by the railroad and a bicycle path was established. The old man found …
5. That year In the middle of winter, the old man died. When the people from the village came to clean out the house above the tracks, to their amazement they found …
Notes for Sunday March 15, 2009
Read: Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, John 2:13-22 Community Marks
Every town in Iowa seems to have a town sign. Many of them have a town slogan which goes along with the sign. Minburn, Iowa calls itself, “The Little Town with the Big Heart.” My home town of Dexter, Iowa has the slogan, “A One Horse Town.” (Dexter was named after a famous race horse from 150 years ago.) One of my favorites is the town of Stuart, Iowa which has on their sign the slogan, “1000 Good Eggs and a Few Stinkers.” Slogans mark the towns and people take pride in the marks of their particular place or family.
Our Christian heritage is no different. We have marks and slogans with which define us. These marks offer others a glimpse of our focus and mission. Beginning with Father Abraham, the Jewish people were marked by circumcision. Moses offered the marks of the Ten Commandments as a way of life which was strange and different from the prevailing culture. Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple as a witness to a new lifestyle mark of his life and those who would be his disciples. The Apostle Paul shared with the early Christian church in Corinth the marks of God’s wisdom which appeared as foolishness to many. He argued for the courage of the people to let go of the marks of the world and cling to the salvation of the cross.
Today we carry many marks on our bodies and our lives. We are defined by those marks. Or even more important, we define the world around us from within the context of these same marks. Married or single, childless or large family, working or retired, young or old, healthy or battling illness, we all have marks and live within the space these defining marks provide. Most important are our marks as disciples. These are radical love, justice, hospitality, grace, and peace. If you were a small town what would be your slogan, your mark for the world to see?
Scripture: John 2:13-22
Sermon: “Community Marks”
Every town in Iowa seems to have a town sign. Many of them have a town slogan which goes along with the sign. Minburn, Iowa calls itself, “The Little Town with the Big Heart.” My home town of Dexter, Iowa has the slogan, “A One Horse Town.” (Dexter was named after a famous race horse from 150 years ago.) One of my favorites is the town of Stuart, Iowa which has on their sign the slogan, “1000 Good Eggs and a Few Stinkers.” Slogans mark the towns and people take pride in the marks of their particular place or family.
Our Christian heritage is no different. We have marks and slogans with which define us. These marks offer others a glimpse of our focus and mission. Beginning with Father Abraham, the Jewish people were marked by circumcision. Moses offered the marks of the Ten Commandments as a way of life which was strange and different from the prevailing culture. Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple as a witness to a new lifestyle mark of his life and those who would be his disciples. The Apostle Paul shared with the early Christian church in Corinth the marks of God’s wisdom which appeared as foolishness to many. He argued for the courage of the people to let go of the marks of the world and cling to the salvation of the cross.
Today we carry many marks on our bodies and our lives. We are defined by those marks. Or even more important, we define the world around us from within the context of these same marks. Married or single, childless or large family, working or retired, young or old, healthy or battling illness, we all have marks and live within the space these defining marks provide. Most important are our marks as disciples. These are radical love, justice, hospitality, grace, and peace. If you were a small town what would be your slogan, your mark for the world to see?
Scripture: John 2:13-22
Sermon: “Community Marks”
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