As with any sermon, what is written here is not always exactly what is shared during the sermon time. Things are added or taken away. I wish I could remember some of the Spirit-led, God-breathed things that come out during the sermon, but I usually can't, don't. At least not very well or in detail. I know I said some things about "this" or "that", but not well enough to add them here for you.
Since I don't know what you need to hear/read, I share what was prepared prior to the speaking of the sermon, in case there is something that strikes you as you read it. Maybe, just maybe, there is something for you here.
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“Clay Pots”
2 Corinthians 4:5-12 (CEB)
June 3, 2018 (2nd Sunday after Pentecost)
Flintstone UMC, Simpson UMC
5 We don’t preach about ourselves. Instead, we
preach about Jesus Christ as Lord, and we describe ourselves as your slaves for
Jesus’ sake.6 God said that light should shine out of
the darkness. He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light
of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in clay pots so that
the awesome power belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. 8 We
are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused,
but we aren’t depressed. 9 We are harassed, but we
aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out.
10 We always carry Jesus’ death around in our
bodies so that Jesus’ life can also be seen in our bodies. 11 We
who are alive are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake so that
Jesus’ life can also be seen in our bodies that are dying. 12 So
death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
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THIS
IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
THANKS BE TO GOD.
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In
today’s passage we are reminded that light will shine out of darkness, that the
treasure we have is in clay pots, and that Jesus’ life can be seen in our
bodies that are dying. We also are
reminded that as we experience all kinds of trouble, we aren’t crushed, we aren’t
abandoned, we aren’t knocked down. The CEB version says we aren’t “depressed”,
yet we know depression exists. Another
way to say that is that we aren’t driven to despair. Each of these situations show getting to the
brink, the edge, but not going all the way over.
What
is it that makes the difference? It is
the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ (verse 6)
that helps us through any situation.
But,
we do have troubled times, right? Things
happen and we can’t make sense of it all or we are overwhelmed.
I
want to share a parable that has been around for many years about clay
pots. This version is slightly
different, however, so pay attention to what might be different.
Once upon a time, there lived a
servant who fetched water every morning for her mistress. She carried it in two
large clay pots that she hung on either end of a pole, which she bore across
the back of her neck and shoulders.
The
pots were smooth and rounded, and perfectly suited to the task of holding the
clear, clean water from the river. They were identical except for the fact that
one was older than the other. After the long dusty walk up from the river, the
water bearer emptied the clay pots into storage vessels at her mistress’s
house.
One
day, the water bearer saw that the older of the two pots had developed a crack
through which a little water dripped. Over time, other small cracks appeared,
and more and more water leaked out as the servant made her way up the hill from
the river to the house. It wasn’t long before the cracked pot was only ever
half full by the time the water bearer arrived at the kitchen door.
“Throw
out that old cracked pot, and get a new one,” the cook scolded the water
bearer. “Soon it won’t be able to hold any water at all! It’s broken and can’t
be fixed, and it’s only half as good as the other.”
The
pot that remained crack free seemed to swell with pride as the cook shouted.
The water bearer said nothing. She emptied the old pot’s contents into a
barrel, and then placed it gently back in its rope sling, ready for the next
day’s journey to the river.
The
poor old pot was ashamed of her deficits — miserable that she could accomplish
only half of what she used to. That night, she lay next to her clay companion
who hadn’t talked to her since the cook’s harsh words that morning, and she
wept because she was so much less than she had been.
“I’m
no good to anyone anymore, just like the cook said,” the old pot thought as she
cried, and the pain caused her cracks to crack open a little wider.
The
next day when they got down to the river, the old pot plucked up every ounce of
courage she had and spoke as the water bearer dipped her into the fast-flowing
current.
“I
am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you,” she said.
“Why?”
replied the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
“I
used to be perfect and appreciated, but now I’m old and cracked and worthless,
just like the cook said,” the words rushed out as swiftly as the river ran.
“Because of my flaws I’m a burden rather than a help. You do all of the work,
and I’m no use at all.”
But
the water bearer was full of compassion, and she loved the cracked pot, “Look
at the beautiful flowers on the way back to the house. I think they will cheer
you up,” she said.
Indeed,
as the water bearer carried her up the hill, the old pot paid special attention
to the flowers. She had been so preoccupied with her cracks and flaws that she
had failed to notice their beauty before. She soaked in the warmth of the sun
on her curves, and swayed gently as the water bearer trudged along the path.
She even felt as if her cracks might be closing slightly.
But
at the end of the trail, once again half of her water had leaked out, and she
returned to despair.
“I’m
so sorry,” she cried.
“Did
you notice the flowers only grow on one side of the path?” the water bearer
questioned. “I planted seeds on your side when I first noticed you had a crack.
When you cracked a little more, I planted more seeds, and as I carry you up to
the house you water them and the flowers they produce every morning.”
“In
the afternoon, I pick the flowers for my mistress’s table. Without you being
just the way you are, she wouldn’t have this beauty to grace her house, and I
wouldn’t be able to enjoy it as I walk down to the river and back.”
With that, the old cracked pot never felt “less than” or
worthless again. Instead, she felt loved and useful. She fulfilled her destiny,
and relished the journey back and forth to the river every day. She took
pleasure in watering the flowers, and watching them grow. Eventually, the cracks
weakened her to the point that she broke into pieces, which the water bearer
buried on the side of the path so the flowers might wrap their roots around the
clay for stability and strength.
This version of the “cracked
pot” was written by Susan Macaulay on her alzheimer’s blog so that she could
reframe the stigma associated with aging and dementia.
June is Alzheimer’s and
Brain Awareness Month. We are all aging
and need to be more aware of symptoms and resources.
May we remember that
God can use us, if we are willing to let the light shine out of the darkness,
to our dying day.
May the treasure in
you, the light and love of Jesus Christ, shine forth for others to see so that
they can come to know the love of Christ and the glory of God.
As we gather at the
Lord’s Table today, may we remember that we come together to remember the One
who shone in our hearts, who gave us the light of knowledge of God’s glory in
the face of Jesus Christ.
May it be so.
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Prior to posting the sermon above, I mentioned a resource I just found that might be helpful. I read an article that interviewed Bishop Carder and it mentioned resources.
Here is a link to that article: Alzheimer's/Dementia: Ministry With The Forgotten
Here is a link from UMC.org about this too: The United Methodist Church Releases Alzheimer's/Dementia Resource.
Here is a link to those resources from the TN conference: TN UMC Dementia Resources.
Here is an article from UMC.org on a book that discusses faith and aging and the spiritual pilgrimage that it involves: Faith and Aging: A Spiritual Pilgrimage
Here is a link for the Aging and Faith Facebook page: Aging and Faith.
Whether the sermon and resources are for you, your loved ones, or others in your circles of life, may they be the start of understanding, compassion, and helping all to see the beauty in shining the love and light from who and where we are at a given time in life.
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
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