Greetings To God’s Faithful People,
A question that one of our candidates for the Director of Youth & Family Ministry positions asked of us, the search committee, was that if we could use only one word to describe Christ the King, what would it be? We had great answers around the table, like Friendly, Welcoming, Outreaching, Mission-minded and Faithful.
A while back, I was told that Becca Ode pronounced us as “Blessed”. She did this at one of our outdoor worship services last summer. It was a beautiful day to worship outside and she was enjoying it. As we were visited by a snow egret flying above us and as Becca was making her way to communion, she said, “We are blessed.” Out of the mouths of babes, we are named.
Yes, we are blessed. Thank you, Becca.
What’s your word to describe our community at Christ the King? How do you think the Holy Spirit would describe us? Do we see ourselves as people who are loved fully and completely by God? Do we see ourselves as blessed? What happens to us when we start here, at this place? It is our home base. Created in the image of God and loved, completely and wholly loved, washed and claimed in the waters of Baptism and fed at the Lord’s Table with his body and blood.
When we start here at this place and move forward with this assurance and trust, we see ourselves for who we truly are. From this place we move more deeply in relationship with Jesus and want to do something with what we have been given. We can’t keep it to ourselves; this love propels us to move and to act.
So it is not surprising that when Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven in the parables of Matthew 13, they are all parables of action, not of stagnant or inanimate things or a place.
The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a sower sowing seed on all kinds of soil. The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to someone sowing good seed in his fields and an enemy comes at night and plants weeds and they are allowed to grow together. The Kingdom of Heaven is like someone planting a mustard seed that starts small and grows big. The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with lots of flour. The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone found and hid, then goes and sells all that he has and buys the field where it is hidden. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of pearls and on finding a pearl of great value, he sells everything in order to buy it. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net thrown into the sea that catches all kinds and the good are put in baskets and the bad are thrown out.
Jesus asks his disciples, “Have you understood all this?” and they answered, “Yes.” Then Jesus encourages them to bring out this treasure and tell others. We know these treasurers, so practice bringing them out and sharing with others. You might begin with one word or pray with these parables and discover the richness of God’s kingdom as the Holy Spirit breathes life into these parables.
Believing It Boldly Loving Everyday,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
