"Is it Worth it?" 2012

Judges 2:6-7, 10-13 Mark 4:26-32

Judges 2:6-7, 10-13

6When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites all went to their own inheritances to take possession of the land. 7The people worshiped the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel. 10Moreover, that whole generation was gathered to their ancestors, and another generation grew up after them, who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. 11Then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and worshiped the Baals; 12and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were all around them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. 13They abandoned the Lord, and worshipped Baal and the Astartes.

Mark 4:26-32

26He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

Wow - what a wonderfully à

à busy and exciting week we’ve had around here.

I met a lot of children and their parents this week,

and each morning more and more mid & high school youth

arrived to help all the amazing adult volunteers …

… who put

endless energy and effort into our VBS program.

* I think, VBS is one of the best weeks we do around here.

On the other hand,

it’s also been a very demanding, busy and exhausting week,

that has required an army of committed volunteers …

… who basically

put their lives and schedules on hold for the week,

so they could contribute

their time, energy, gifts, imagination and effort.

And in addition to that high cost in volunteers

VBS is a fairly expensive program for us to provide …

… curriculum, supplies, crafts & snacks are not cheap.

We never charge for VBS, and many of the children who attended,

are not from the families who normally attend our church,

and they may never help support our mission & ministries;

… and many of the children we may never see them again.

We put a lot into this program,

so why, and what are we really trying to accomplish?

* I think it’s a fair question to ask, was it worth it,

was it our true mission and what God wants from us,

and did we really make any difference? Why do it?

Our reading from Judges 2 helps us with an answer.

This passage describes

when the people of Israel moved into the Promised Land.

They were descendants of the slaves liberated from Egypt by God,

and were born along the Exodus, the 40-year wilderness journey.

They had experienced the awesome and mighty power of God,

who provided water in the desert and manna to eat each day;

and it was through those experiences

that they had learned to obey, trust and rely upon God.

Those experiences taught and changed them into a people of God,

who walked with the Lord, and learned to obey God’s commandments.

According to vs. 7

The people worshiped the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the LORD had done for Israel.

Joshua and that first generation had an intimate knowledge of God,

for they had experienced and observed for themselves,

the mighty acts of God, His deliverance on their behalf…

… that first generation in the land knew and trusted the Lord,

and were faithful to God for the rest of their lives.

But then the next generation, a new generation arises à

who did not have the experience of the Exodus journey,

and apparently were not taught the stores & truth about God;

** and so

they didn't know how to live up to God's claims on their lives.

vs. 10-11

… that whole generation was gathered to their ancestors, and another generation grew up after them, who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and worshiped the Baals; and they abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were all around them…

Because of that lack of personal and intimate knowledge of God,

they accepted and adopted the false gods and unholy ways

of those all around them- those of the world and culture.

Ignorant, they abandoned their faith-inheritance,

and they foolishly turned against the God of their ancestors.

The book of Judges, including this passage, was

probably put into its final form during the Babylonian exile,

and was intended to help explain why God allowed

the holy Temple and Jerusalem to be destroyed

and God’s people dragged off to Babylon in exile.

** Why?

Because the people abandoned the Lord God of Israel.

* And why did they turn aside from their God?

Because the prior generations

had not passed down the stores and truths of their faith,

~ and not knowing God, they were not faithful to the Lord.

It is the passing along of the stories & truths of our faith heritage

that leads us to faith, and our of knowledge God’s gracious love …

… which is the point and purpose of Vacation Bible School.

During this past week, I asked a lot of our adult volunteers

what they remembered about VBS from their childhood …

… and it was remarkable how much they each could recall,

and what happy and satisfying memories they were.

And even if they couldn’t recall particular Bible lessons,

many could still remember the name of a favorite volunteer…

… someone who made their experience at Vacation Bible School

an occasion of being welcomed into a place of love, à

of compassion, spiritual nurture and feeling valued…

… a unique opportunity to see and observe Christianity lived out.

One time my Dad decided that it would be a great idea

if my brother and I worked along with him and built a boat.

So for Christmas that year,

he gave us a set of plans to build a 3-man kayak…

… and for the next year or so, we worked on it.

I watched and learned

as Dad puzzled over plans that didn’t always make sense.

I learned about craftsmanship, using tools, correcting mistakes…

… ultimately, there were real & practical lessons about values,

à about work and having goals,

character, integrity & about being an honorable man.

Even as a boy,

I knew that the real gift was not the plans or even the boat,

but that Dad was giving himself, his time and effort,

and passing along the truth he lived, his influence --

- much like the wonderful volunteers at VBS this week…

… who just like my Dad, planted seeds in unexpected ways.

… which is the point of the parable Jesus tells in vs. 26-27

He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.

The Kingdom of God is not just that place we go when we die,

but rather, Jesus tells this parable to describe a truth, about when God rules in our lives, that’s the true kingdom.

The point is, we don’t always know how we are influencing others,

and certainly we teach lessons in more than just classrooms.

A few years ago,

I got a call from a guy who found me on the Internet,

and explained that he had been in the church youth group

that I had worked with many years ago,

right after I finished college, in the 1970’s.

He told me that I had been an important influence on his life,

and that while passing through Las Cruces,

he wanted to see me and introduce me to his wife.

So we arranged to meet at Caliche’s.

I didn’t recognize

the middle-aged guy with gray hair who called out to me…

… since the last time I had seen Scott,

he was a wild, troubled and difficult skinny kid at 17…

… who, when I knew him back then, was hurting, really struggling,

and being ground up by his parents' very ugly divorce… …

… and I remembered feeling very frustrated and shut-out,

wishing that I could figure out some way to help him.

When he introduced his wife,

he described events and discussions I’d long since forgotten,

minor and insignificant things that had made a difference.

I was surprised by what he remembered as having mattered,

and how my roommate and I had had such an influence on his life…

… and it was encouraging to hear about other youth in that group

who had also gone on to serve the Lord in meaningful ways.

It was a wonderful and complete surprise

to hear him recount past experiences and lessons,

as having been influential, and having made a difference…

… much as Jesus describes, in the parable of vs. 30-32

Jesus also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

Small and seemingly insignificant things,

yet these tiny seeds, that God grows into mighty works,

a little thing that grows far beyond expectations—

-- a small, yet a real difference, nevertheless.

* Our call is to sow seeds of faith, which by God's grace will grow

and become faithful branches where others can find support.

I think the parable really is that simple.

When the seeds of faith are dispersed and planted,

then, the Lord brings about a great and abundant harvest.

To answer that earlier questioning about Vacation Bible School;

was it worth it, and did we make any difference? à

à It’s still certainly way too early

to know the full impact of all that we have done this week.

But, I can assure you, that more of the children in our community,

and for some perhaps for the first time,

have experienced the gospel and that God loves them,

because they have felt the commitment and kindness

that our amazing volunteers demonstrated this week.

Our VBS children know that here at this church, here in this place,

they are safe, and that here people do love, care and cherish them…

… and may God bless the seeds of faith that were lovingly planted,

into a rich & bountiful harvest in coming days of their lives…

… even when we’re not sure it’s making any difference.

A guy was off in the distance tossing something into the surf.

It was a long stretch of beach, and hundreds of starfish

where drying-out in the sun, dying on the beach;

and he was throwing them back into the water,

as he walked along the shoreline.

Another beachcomber pointed out that there were way too many,

that he couldn't possibly save them all,

and that it really wouldn't make any difference in the end.

He didn’t disagree, but said, "No, I cannot save them all."

Then reaching down and picking up another,

he tossed it back into the water and said,

"But it made a difference to that one."

Our efforts & commitment to VBS, or to being a good & faithful dad,

a parent, a teacher, a coach, scoutmaster or other influence…

is well worth it, and makes all the difference in the world…

… far beyond our expectations or understanding, there is a harvest,

and from small beginning, God produces an abundant harvest ---

--- for the kingdom by God’s grace grows like a weed,

and doesn’t depend on us always getting everything right.

Jesus explains it this way: 26~32

The kingdom of God, or when God reigns and rules in our lives …

it is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, … and the seed sprouts and grows, and we do not know how.

it is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds; yet when it is sown it grows up, becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.