The Parable of the Soil

Maybe it's the creative writer in me that causes me to look at some of the Bible stories from a different perspective. The obvious one is Luke 15. Instead of the Parable of the Lost Son, I want to focus on the forgiving Father. That's the kind of Heavenly Father I picture, and the kind of earthly father I desire to be. In John 3, I want to focus on Nicodemus. If I had an evening with Jesus, what kinds of things we would talk about. I have so many questions and doubts that I want to discuss. When I read John 4 I identify with woman. If Jesus encountered me at a Starbucks (our version of the well), how would he approach my sins. It's both scary and comforting to acknowledge, "he knows everything I've ever done."

I have been spending a lot of time recently reflecting on the issue of Mosaics, those born between 1984-2001. It's no secret that they are turning their backs on traditional Christianity. Even young people who have grown up in the church are becoming exiles and nomads when they become young adults. When I reflected on Luke 8:4-8 in that light, it became the parable of the soil. As an older adult Christian I like to think I am still maturing, but I also need to be providing fertile ground for young Christians to become rooted in their faith and to bear fruit as well.

I would explain the parable in this way.

The hard ground of the path would be faith communities that are driven by tradition. They reject change and will not tolerate those who have questions or doubts. There is no room for those whose values and lifestyles are different than theirs.

The rocky ground would be faith communities that are shallow. On the surface they appear happy and successful, but their is no depth. There is little spiritual growth.

The thorny ground represents faith communities that are program driven. There are lots of things going on, but few of those activites focus on growing in a relationship with Jesus. All the social activities choke-off the growth.

The good soil is a fertile faith community. People are not only growing in their personal relationship with Jesus, but they have a desire to pass on the heritage of faith to all people across generational lines. They confront issues and address them.

The questions becomes: What kind of soil are you personally? What are you doing to insure that your faith is maturing? In what ways are you cultivating faith among those who are still seeds, searching for a place to put down spiritual roots?

It's not an easy task. Those under the age of thirty have many questions and doubts. They might have a lifestyle that is foreign to us over the age of fifty. They might even approach things with different values. That aside: They are still God's Children. They are very precious to him. We just need to love them as Jesus would.

Be an Eli

I recently read David Kinnaman's new book You Lost Me. The subtitle is How Young People are Leaving the Church and Rethinking Faith. It's a great book and I would highly recommend it. One particular quote has stayed with me. The author credits Jack Hayford with the observation.

"The younger generation needs the older generation to help them identify the voice of God, just as Samuel needed Eli to help him know that God was calling him."

Today's teens and young adults have grown up in a culture that sends many messages that run contrary to biblical principals. For those young people within the church that creates mixed signals. We cannot ignore those signals. As Christians we should be compelled to identify them and respond to them. In the process we should help young people discern the voice of God.

Don't be afraid of contemporary culture. Embrace it! If you are a mature Christian you too should be able to identify God's desire for His people. That is the voice we need to help young people hear and obey.

Make This a No Bunny Easter

I spent eight years from 1972 - 1980 serving as director of Christian education on the staff at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, Illinois. My teammate during those years was Pastor Bill Huener. Bill was a great mentor and also one of the most colorful people I have worked with. He had a real servant's heart, and a passion for the liturgy. As a congregation we celebrated every festival, major or minor. I seldom saw Bill lose his cool, but I witnessed it one Easter. Someone decided to use an inflatable bunny to greet people at the church's Easter breakfast. Bill was indignant and the offending rabbit quickly disappeared. Bottom line: Bunnies have no connection with the Christian celebration of our Lord's Resurrection.

While bunnies are a symbol for fertility, and thus have no connection with Easter, chickens and eggs do. The Easter egg serves as a reminder that Jesus broke free from the tomb, in the same way the baby chick does from the egg. Christians decorate eggs in festival colors to celebrate the Easter feast.

In the same way, butterflies are an appropriate symbol. Caterpillars form a cocoon and in time emerge as beautiful butterflies, a reminder that Jesus emerged from the cocoon of death to be our Beautiful Savior. Easter lilies are another reminder. If you've ever seen a lily bulb, you get the picture. From something ugly and unattractive comes a beautiful flower.

One way of passing on the heritage of faith is through symbols. Easter provides a great time to do that. Spend time this season talking with you children about the significance of the season. While you are at it, take time to talk about how your faith in the Risen Savior has sustained you through times of pain and grief.

Easter is the most significant festival in the Christian Church year. Without the Resurrected Savior we would have no faith, and no hope.