Sermon Title: "Grows Best In Full Son"
Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14
Given on Sunday, March 2, 2008
 
This passage from a letter Paul to the church members in the city of Ephesus, has words in it that connect with growing plants: light/dark, fruitfulness/fruitlessness.  This was Paul's way of helping the church members in Ephesus know how to grow a strong faith, in the face of a non-Christian society.
 
He told them that he (Paul) had planted seeds of Christian living in them, and that the thing they needed most now was to let the light of Christ shine into their lives, so that those seeds could wake up and grow  to turn their darkness into light and their fruitlessness into fruitfulness.  This is what the passage of scripture means in this reading when it says, "Awake, O sleeper and rise.  And Christ will shine on you."
 
In your own life, there might be a similar question.  What seeds ought I to plant in my life that would be pleasing to the Lord and that would bring forth the kind of harvest worthy of Christian living?
 
To answer that, consider this way of looking at you life as a garden.
 
First, plant three rows of peas.  Peace of mind, peace of heart, peace of soul.  Then plant four rows of squash.  Squash grumbling.  Squash gossip.  Squash indifference.  Squash selfishness.  Plant four rows of lettuce.  Let us be faithful.  Let us be kind.  Let us be patient.  Let us be true friends.  No garden is complete without some turnips.  Turn up for worship.  Turn up for events.  Turn up to help others.  And in every garden, be sure to plant some thyme.  Time for family.  Time for friends.  Time for serving.  Time for God.
 
Water your garden freely with faith; cultivate with spirit; enrich with love, and prepare to reap the harvest in accordance to how you have sown.
 
This being March 2, it will be the gardening season outside in a few more weeks.  But here, in the Lenten season, this very day, the fruitfulness of faith is already in season.
 
We hear Paul saying to us, as he did to the Ephesians:
"For it is light that makes everything visible.  Wake up, O sleeper, rise and Christ will shine on you."
 
May you plant a life garden that seeks Christ's light.  And may it bring forth the fruit of Spirit in you.
    
   Devin R. Jones, Pastor of St. John's Church.  Cappeln, MO


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