Looking Forward to July 27, 11th Sunday After Pentecost

The Scripture Readings this week are:

• 1 Kings 3:5-12
• Psalm 119:105-112 (VU p.841)
• Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

The Hymns this week are:

• #220 Praise to the Lord
• #289 It Only Takes a Spark
• #684 Make Me A Channel of Your Peace
• #651 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

The Sermon Title is Seeds, Yeast, Pearls...

Early Thoughts: When will the big change come? How can little things make a difference? Does a single drop change an ocean?

Think of making bread. All those cups of flour, the water, the oil/shortening and yet they would just be flat and hard if not for the little envelope of yeast. That little packet of spores changes the flour and water into bread (or in different uses and with different species changes malted grain into ale or grape juice into wine). That, according to Jesus, is what it is like to have the Kingdom of Heaven in our life.

Or think of a tiny little weed. Starting from a little seed (nothing more than a bit of fluff in the case of a dandelion) it can take over the yard.

Or placing an item of high value in an otherwise valueless location. Suddenly the container becomes incredibly important and valuable. This is what it is like to embrace the Realm of God.

Small things make a big difference. Small signs of God's presence change our lives. It is almost like a contagion, or an infection. It starts small but eventually takes over the host.

To be people of faith may mean that we stop looking for the big splash. Instead we go for the little infection. After all, the big splash often peters out because it is based on it's bigness. But the small infection knows that it starts small and grows from there. The small infection can transform more completely because it is growing from inside rather than forcing itself from the outside.

The experience of God's presence in our lives transforms us. But it isn't always lightning flashes and rolling thunder (some would say it rarely is). True transformation of a life, of a community, of a world grows from inside. True transformation may well start so small we can hardly sense it, or may think it is hardly worth noticing -- a field of dandelions starts with one small yellow flower after all.
--Gord