THE TUG-OF-WAR BETWEEN GOD’S LOVE AND HUMAN SELFISHNESS
Matthew 13:33; Luke 15:4-6; Luke 15:8-9
Rev. Paul Wrightman 6/12/22
JESUS’ PRIMARY METHODS OF CREATING MEANING
WERE METAPHOR, PARABLE, AND DRAMATIC ACTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, JESUS OFTEN CREATES MEANING
LIKE AN ARTIST, A DRAMATIST, AND A POET.
HIS PARABLES, IN PARTICULAR, ARE CRAFTED TO DRAW US INTO
A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF POSSIBILITY, A WORLD IN WHICH,
ONCE IN, WE ARE PRESSED TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE.
OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE STORY OFTEN HAS THE EFFECT
OF CHANGING OUR PERSPECTIVE AND EXPANDING OUR THINKING,
MUCH LIKE THIS STORY FROM FRED CRADDOCK, WHO WRITES:
“WHEN I WAS A BOY, ONCE I WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE HOUSE
AND TO THE BACKYARD AND WAS ALLOWED TO LIE ON THE LAWN
AND CHEW THE TENDER STEMS OF GRASS.
YOU KNOW HOW YOU DO ON A SUMMER EVENING, JUST LIE THERE,
CHEW THE TENDER GRASS, AND LOOK UP AT THE SKY.
AND MY FATHER SAID TO ME, ‘SON, HOW FAR CAN YOU THINK?’
‘WELL, I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.’
‘JUST THINK AS FAR AS YOU CAN UP TOWARD THE STARS.’
I SCREWED MY IMAGINATION DOWN, AND I SAID,
‘I’M THINKING. . . I’M THINKING. . . I’M THINKING. . .’
HE SAID, ‘THINK AS FAR AS YOU CAN THINK.’
I SAID, ‘I’M THINKING AS FAR AS I CAN THINK.’
HE SAID, ‘WELL, DRIVE DOWN A STAKE THERE NOW.
IN YOUR MIND, DRIVE DOWN A STAKE.
HAVE YOU DRIVEN DOWN THE STAKE?
THAT’S HOW FAR YOU CAN THINK.’
I SAID, ‘YES, SIR.’
HE SAID, ‘NOW WHAT’S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR STAKE?’
I SAID, ‘WELL, THERE’S MORE SKY.’
HE SAID, ‘MOVE YOUR STAKE.’ ‘MOVE YOUR STAKE.’
THE LITTLE PARABLE KNOWN AS “THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN,”
OR “THE PARABLE OF THE YEAST,” AIMS TO DO JUST THAT,
TO PUSH US TO MOVE OUR STAKES,
TO PRESS US TO EXPAND OUR THINKING.
IT AIMS TO INSPIRE US TO BEGIN TO SEE THINGS
IN TERMS OF GOD’S ECONOMY, WHICH IS BASED ON ABUNDANCE,
RATHER THAN IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMY,
WHICH IS OFTEN BASED ON SCARCITY.
SO I INVITE YOU TO TAKE A WALK WITH ME.
LET’S TAKE A WALK TOGETHER TO THE INSIDE OF OUR TEXT.
LET’S DWELL IN IT FOR AWHILE
AS IF WE WERE CHECKING OUT A NEW HOME,
FINDING OUT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LIVE THERE,
SEEING WHAT THE OUTSIDE WORLD LOOKS LIKE
THROUGH ITS WINDOWS.
LET’S BEGIN WITH AN ACCURATE TRANSLATION OF WHAT JESUS SAID.
OUR PARABLE SHOULD READ:
“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A WOMAN
TAKING LEAVEN AND HIDING IT IN SIXTY POUNDS OF FLOUR UNTIL
ALL OF IT WAS LEAVENED.”
LET’S PRETEND THAT WE ARE THERE AS JESUS SHARES THIS PARABLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
LET’S PRETEND THAT WE ARE FIRST CENTURY JEWISH PEOPLE,
AND HEARING THIS STORY THROUGH FIRST CENTURY JEWISH EARS.
AS WE BEGIN OUR WALK THROUGH THIS NEW DWELLING PLACE,
THE FIRST THING THAT JUMPS OUT AT US IS THE AUDACITY, THE CHEEK,
OF JESUS COMPARING GOD, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, TO A WOMAN.
NOT ONLY WAS THIS POLITICALLY INCORRECT IN JESUS’ DAY,
IT’S STILL PRETTY MUCH POLITICALLY INCORRECT IN OUR DAY.
GOD PICTURED AS A LOWLY WOMAN,
A WOMAN IN HER KITCHEN, EVEN?
AS IF TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY,
JESUS NOW TELLS US THAT THIS WOMAN WHO REPRESENTS GOD
IS USING LEAVEN, OR YEAST, IN HER BAKING.
WE ALL KNOW THAT IN THE JEWISH FAITH TRADITION
LEAVEN IS CONSIDERED TO BE A HIGHLY IMPURE SUBSTANCE,
SO WHAT COULD THIS WOMAN REPRESENTING GOD
POSSIBLY BE UP TO?
WHAT IS THIS CRAZY STORY OF JESUS UP TO?
HE COULDN’T, HE WOULDN’T BE TELLING US—COULD HE, WOULD HE –
THAT WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE IMPURE AND UNCLEAN
AND LOATHSOME – IS NEVERTHELESS SOMETHING THAT GOD CAN USE
AND GOD WILL USE IN FURTHERING GOD’S OWN CREATIVE PURPOSES?
OK, JESUS, YOU’RE REALLY PUSHING ME HERE,
BUT I’LL HANG IN THERE WITH YOU, BECAUSE, AFTER ALL,
I LIKE TO SEE YOU SHAKE THINGS UP A BIT.
SO NOW WE SEE THE WOMAN HIDING THE LEAVEN
IN THAT ENORMOUS AMOUNT (SIXTY POUNDS!) OF FLOUR.
BUT THE WHOLE POINT OF THE STORY ISN’T ABOUT MAKING BREAD,
BUT ABOUT WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE.
SO JESUS MUST BE TELLING US THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HIDDEN,
MIXED-IN WITH THE WORLD, MIXED-IN WITH US.
WOW. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS MYSTERIOUS.
IT ISN’T PLAYED ACCORDING TO OUR RULES,
BUT ACCORDING TO GOD’S.
AND THE HUGE AMOUNT OF FLOUR TELLS US
THAT JESUS SEES GOD’S KINGDOM AS HUGE.
WITH THE YEAST OF GOD’S SPIRIT SLIPPED IN,
GOD’S KINGDOM IS THREATENING TO TAKE OVER EVERYTHING.
NO WONDER JESUS COMES ACROSS AS SO SELF-CONFIDENT.
ACCORDING TO THIS PARABLE, GOD’S KINGDOM IS A SURE BET,
A SURE THING, THE SUREST THING IN THE WORLD.
AND NOW WE GET TO THE PART OF THE PARABLE
THAT I PERSONALLY FIND EXTREMELY CHALLENGING:
JESUS’ INSISTENCE THAT ALL THE DOUGH IS LEAVENED,
WITH ITS SEEMING IMPLICATION THAT EVERYONE
WILL BE INCLUDED IN GOD’S KINGDOM.
AT THIS POINT I HAVE TO PART COMPANY WITH OUR PARABLE TOUR,
TAKE JESUS ASIDE, AND REMONSTRATE WITH HIM.
PLEASE INDULGE THE FOLLOWING IMAGINARY CONVERSATION.
ME: HEY, JESUS, YOU DON’T REALLY MEAN “ALL”
AS IN “ALL” – MEANING EVERYONE – DO YOU?
JESUS: I MEAN WHAT I SAY.
ME: SO YOU REALLY DO MEAN TO INCLUDE EVERYONE?
EVEN THE WORST POSSIBLE SINNERS?
JESUS: I’M AFRAID SO.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU CHRISTIANS –
LIBERALS, MAINSTREAMS, AND FUNDAMENTALISTS ALIKE –
HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THE RADICALLY INCLUSIVE
LOVE OF MY ABBA.
IT’S FASCINATING TO ME TO SEE YOUR HESITATION
COME OUT IN YOUR TRANSLATIONS.
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, BY FAR THE MOST POPULAR
ENGLISH TRANSLATION WORLDWIDE,
REALLY EQUIVOCATES WHEN IT HAS ME SAY:
“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE YEAST
THAT A WOMAN TOOK AND MIXED WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLOUR
UNTIL IT WORKED ALL THROUGH THE DOUGH.”
ME: WHAT’S WRONG WITH SAYING IT LIKE THAT?
JESUS: TWO THINGS.
FIRST THING: THE PHRASE “A LARGE AMOUNT” MANAGES
TO MAKE MY FATHER’S EXTRAVAGANT ABUNDANCE
SOUND LIKE SCARCITY.
YOU WOULD SEE THREE POUNDS OF FLOUR AS “A LARGE AMOUNT,”
ESPECIALLY IF YOU WERE THE ONE KNEADING IT INTO BREAD.
I SAID, “THREE MEASURES,” WHICH IS SIXTY OF YOUR POUNDS.
NOW THAT’S “A LARGE AMOUNT.”
SECOND THING: THE PHRASE “WORKED ALL THROUGH THE DOUGH”
IS SO GENERAL THAT IT MANAGES TO MISS MY POINT COMPLETELY.
YOUR NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION IS BETTER
WHEN IT TRANSLATES: “UNTIL ALL OF IT WAS LEAVENED.”
THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE “ALL.”
AND WHILE I’M AT IT, A THIRD THING:
I DIDN’T DESCRIBE THE WOMAN AS “MIXING” THE LEAVEN
INTO THE DOUGH, BUT AS HIDING THE LEAVEN IN THE DOUGH.
YOUR TRANSLATIONS DON’T TAKE THE NUANCES,
THE FINE POINTS, OF MY CHOICE OF WORDS
NEARLY SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.
I’M A POET, YOU KNOW, AND POETS DON’T LIKE HAVING
THEIR POETRY MESSED WITH.
ME: SORRY. I’LL TRY TO STICK WITH YOUR ORIGINAL WORDS.
BUT I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WORD “ALL,”
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU’VE MADE IT CLEAR
THAT YOU REALLY DO MEAN IT TO INCLUDE EVERYONE.
HOW CAN ALL PEOPLE WIND UP IN GOD’S KINGDOM
WHEN PLENTY OF THEM DON’T EVEN BELIEVE IN GOD,
PLENTY OF THEM DON’T EVEN WANT TO BE THERE,
AND SOME OF THEM ARE SO EVIL THAT BY DEFINITION
THEY HAVE TO BE BEYOND REDEMPTION?
JESUS: HOW CAN ALL PEOPLE NOT WIND UP IN GOD’S KINGDOM?
AND, BY THE WAY, THE DOUGH IN THE PARABLE
ISN’T JUST REFERRING TO PEOPLE.
THE DOUGH STANDS FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING.
ALL MY FATHER’S BELOVED CREATURES – THE SPARROWS
AND THE WHALES – NOT TO MENTION THE GRASS AND THE TREES –
WILL ALL BE THERE.
EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING WILL HAVE A PLACE
IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE BECAUSE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE
IS ULTIMATELY CONNECTED TO MY FATHER AND ME.
ME: BUT I THOUGHT YOU MADE SUCH A BIG DEAL
ABOUT PEOPLE’S FREE WILL , THEIR FREEDOM
TO ACCEPT YOU OR TO REJECT YOU.
JESUS: MY FATHER AND I TOTALLY RESPECT
THE FREE WILL OF THE BEINGS WE CREATED.
WE RESPECT IT SO MUCH THAT WE ALLOW OUR OWN ACTIONS
TO BE LIMITED BY THE FREE CHOICES OF OTHERS.
ME: SO HOW DOES THAT SQUARE WITH EVERYONE
BEING INCLUDED IN THE KINGDOM?
WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE WHO DON’T WANT TO BE INCLUDED?
JESUS: EROSION.
ME: COME AGAIN?
JESUS: EROSION.
ME: EROSION?
JESUS: YES, EROSION. THE EROSION OF GOD’S LOVE.
ME: I STILL DON’T GET IT!
JESUS: HAVEN’T YOU EVER CHANGED YOUR MIND?
MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAVEN’T YOU EVER CHANGED YOUR HEART?
YOU KNOW, SOMEONE LOVES YOU DEEP ENOUGH AND LONG ENOUGH
THAT THEY EVENTUALLY WIN YOU OVER?
YOU WIND UP FREELY CHOOSING TO LET GO OF
YOUR HARDNESS OF HEART.
YOU FINALLY CHOOSE TO ALLOW YOURSELF
TO BE LOVED INTO WHOLENESS AND TO LOVE IN RETURN.
ME: YOU MEAN GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON ANYONE?
YOU MEAN GOD IS THAT PATIENT?
JESUS: THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN! REMEMBER MY PARABLE
OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE ONE LOST SHEEP.
MY FATHER ISN’T SATISFIED WITH ONLY 99 SHEEP OUT OF 100.
ABBA WOULD SPEND THE REST OF ETERNITY
SEARCHING FOR THAT ONE LOST SHEEP –
OR THAT ONE LOST DAUGHTER OR SON.
REMEMBER MY PARABLE OF THE WOMAN
SEARCHING FOR HER ONE LOST COIN UNTIL SHE FINDS IT.
GOD’S JOY IS INCOMPLETE UNTIL EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING
HAS MADE IT SAFELY HOME.
LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE LESSON IN LINGUISTICS HERE.
CONSIDER THE LITTLE WORD “UNTIL.”
MOST OF THE TIME THE WORD IS USED IN AN EVERYDAY,
CASUAL SENSE, LIKE IN THE SENTENCE
“I’LL WAIT UP FOR YOU UNTIL YOU GET HOME.”
BUT THERE ARE THREE INSTANCES WHERE I USE
THE WORD “UNTIL” IN AN ABSOLUTE, UNIVERSAL SENSE
IN REFERRING TO GOD’S KINGDOM.
GOD DOES NOT STOP SEACHING UNTIL THE ONE LOST SHEEP IS FOUND,
UNTIL THAT ONE LOST COIN IS FOUND,
UNTIL THE YEAST HAS LEAVENED ALL THE FLOUR.
ME: DOES THIS ABSOLUTE SENSE OF “UNTIL” TRANSCEND EVEN DEATH?
JESUS: YOU BET. “UNTIL” FOR GOD MEANS “UNTIL.”
MY ABBA IS NOT LIMITED IN THE SLIGHTEST BY DEATH.
ME: I’M STILL STUCK ON YOUR USE OF THE WORD “EROSION.”
I’M THINKING ABOUT ROCKS – SPECIFICALLY, ROCKY HEARTS.
AND I’M THINKING ABOUT HOW LONG THIS EROSIVE PROCESS
OF GOD’S RELENTLESS LOVE HAS GOT TO TAKE.
JESUS: YOU’RE FORGETTING ONE THING.
ME: YEAH. . .
JESUS: GOD’S ETERNAL PRESENT.
ME: AND HOW DOES THAT COME INTO PLAY HERE?
JESUS: EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING DIES.
GOD DESIGNED PEOPLE THIS WAY SO THAT EVERYONE
COULD AND WOULD BE REBORN.
DEATH FOR EVERYONE IS A PROCESS, A PROCESS THAT TAKES PLACE
IN GOD’S ETERNAL PRESENT AND THAT OFTEN CONTAINS
A VAST AMOUNT OF WHAT YOU CALL CHRONOLOGICAL TIME.
DURING THE PROCESS OF DEATH,
EVERYONE GOES THROUGH A LIFE REVIEW,
AND IT IS HERE THAT GOD’S RELENTLESS LOVE
FINALLY WEARS PEOPLE DOWN
AND THEY COME TO FREELY ACCEPT
BEING LOVED INTO WHOLENESS,
BEING LOVED INTO GOD’S KINGDOM.
ME: A LIFE REVIEW?
JESUS: YES, LIFE’S FINAL EXAM, IF YOU WILL.
BUT AN EXAM WHICH NOBODY FAILS.
ME: BUT HOW DOES THIS WORK?
JESUS: YOU CAN’T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT
UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT. BUT I’LL GIVE YOU SOME HINTS.
REMEMBER A SPECIFIC TIME WHEN YOU WANTED TO ACCEPT
A PERSON’S LOVE – EVEN MY LOVE –
BUT WOUND UP REJECTING THAT LOVE
THROUGH STUBBORNESS OR TIREDNESS,
SOMETIMES DOWNRIGHT MEANNESS,
OR BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT YOU REALLY DIDN’T NEED IT,
OR WEREN’T WORTHY OF IT – WHATEVER.
REMEMBER A TIME LIKE THAT.
RELIVE A TIME LIKE THAT.
I CAN FEEL YOUR DESOLATION.
NOW RELIVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE IN THE LIGHT AND WARMTH
AND INFINITE THAWING POWER OF MY ABBA’S GENTLE
YET UNYIELDING, UNBELIEVABLY TENACIOUS LOVE.
WHAT HAPPENS?
ME: AT FIRST I’M EMBARRASSED.
IT HURTS TO EXPERIENCE HOW I’VE HURT OTHERS.
I TRY TO HANG ON TO THE HURT, TO DEFINE MYSELF,
TO LIMIT MYSELF TO MY OWN BROKENNESS, MY OWN COLDNESS.
BUT THE WARM BREATH OF GOD’S SPIRIT WON’T LET UP.
I FEEL MYSELF THAWING.
I FEEL MYSLEF LOOSENING UP, COMING ALIVE.
I FINALLY CHOOSE TO LET GO OF MY BROKEN SELF
AND INVITE GOD TO BREATHE INTO ME HEALING AND WHOLENESS.
I CAN ACTUALLY SENSE MYSELF FINALLY GROWING INTO
THE JOYFUL AND JOYFULLY FULFILLED PERSON
YOU CREATED ME TO BE.
JESUS: AS IT IS AND WILL BE FOR YOU, IT IS AND WILL BE FOR ALL.
REMEMBER, “THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A WOMAN
WHO HID SOME LEAVEN IN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF FLOUR
AND WAITED UNTIL EACH MOLECULE, EACH ATOM,
EACH PART OF EACH ATOM OF THAT FLOUR
WAS TOUCHED AND TRANSFORMED BY THAT LEAVEN.”
AND GOD CONSIDERED THE WAIT TO BE WELL WORTH IT
BECAUSE EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING
HAD FINALLY MADE IT HOME.
AMEN.