I CORINTHIANS 3:1-9 | HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

I CORINTHIANS 3:1-9

FEBRUARY 12, 2017

IF PEOPLE WERE STILL GIVEN TO SUCH, WE WOULD BE EXCHANGING GIFTS OF POTTERY OR BRONZE, THIS MORNING.  THOSE ARE THE TRADITIONAL GIFTS FOR ONE’S EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY.

THAT’S WHAT THIS MORNING IS, BY THE WAY, OUR EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY, YOU AND ME, AS CHURCH AND PASTOR.

IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO, ON THE SECOND SUNDAY, OF THE SECOND MONTH OF 2009 WHEN WE WERE “WED.”  EIGHT YEARS IN WHICH I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING YOUR MINISTER.

THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTER AND CONGREGATION IS LIKE ANY MARRIAGE, I SUPPOSE.  IT CAN BE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT; OR A LOVE IN WHICH EACH SORT OF GROWS ON THE OTHER; OR IT CAN BE A KIND OF ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN LOVE; EBBING AND FLOWING LIKE THE WAVES THAT SURROUND OUR ISLAND.

IN SOME CASES, WHEN PRESBYTERY MUST STEP INTO A DIFFICULT SITUATION IN A CHURCH, IT CAN EVEN BE SOMETHING OF AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE;

WHERE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH, THE PRESBYTERY AND THE CONGREGATION AGREE TO A DESIGNATED PASTOR FOR A TIME.

SOME MINISTER/CHURCH MARRIAGES LAST FOR MANY HAPPY YEARS; OCCASIONALLY, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE HERE, IT IS UNTIL DEATH PARTED YOU.

SOME CHURCH/MINISTER MARRIAGES END IN DIVORCE; AND THEY ARE OFTEN JUST AS MESSY AS THE REAL THING.

SO, PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU COULD SAY ABOUT MARRIAGE, COULD BE SAID ABOUT THE MINISTER/CHURCH RELATIONSHIP; BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF IT; THE HAPPY AND THE SAD OF IT; THE UPS AND DOWNS; THE HAVING OUR SAY; AND THE GETTING TOLD.

AND THIS MORNING, IT IS THE APOSTLE PAUL WHO IS HAVING HIS SAY, AND IT IS THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, THAT IS GETTING TOLD.

I HOPE YOU WILL HEAR THESE WORDS OF PAUL CHIDING THE CORINTHIANS AS HIS WORDS TO THEM, AND NOT NECESSARILY US.

YOU MAY REMEMBER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS HAVING WITH THE CHURCH AT CORINTH WAS THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE WERE FIGHTING AMONGST THEMSELVES.

THEY HAD EVEN GONE TO CHOOSING UP SIDES, IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES WITH THE PASTOR WHO HAD BROUGHT THEM INTO THE CHURCH.

SOME WERE WITH PAUL; OTHERS WITH APOLLOS; AND STILL OTHERS WITH PETER.

YOU MAY REMEMBER, TOO, HOW PAUL SAID HE WANTED NO PART OF IT, AND IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING, PAUL TELLS THE CORINTHIANS THEY ARE ACTING LIKE A BUNCH OF BABIES.

BABIES NOT EVEN OLD ENOUGH TO EAT SOLID FOOD; BREASTFED BABIES; BOTTLE BABIES; ACTING THEIR AGE, AS IT WERE, BY FUSSING AND FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER;

INSTEAD OF ACTING LIKE MATURE ADULTS, WHO HAVE LEARNED TO GET ALONG WITH ONE ANOTHER.

IT’S NOT MUCH OF A STRETCH, OF COURSE, TO SEE HOW SUCH THINGS CAN HAPPEN, WITH SEEMINGLY, OTHERWISE, REASONABLE ADULTS.

PEOPLE LOVE TO PICK AT EACH OTHER.  THEY LOVE TO CHOOSE UP SIDES.  THEY LOVE TO SET THEMSELVES AND OTHERS UP AS US AND THEM, AND THEN GO AT IT, TOOTH AND NAIL.

OR SOMETIMES, MUCH MORE SUBTLY THAN THAT, WITH A SORT OF PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE DANCE, THAT WOULD PUT THE FINEST TANGO TO SHAME.

I’VE DECIDED, RECENTLY, AND THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT CHURCH, THAT THE REASON FOR MUCH OF THIS IS, THAT IT IS SIMPLY EASIER TO DISAGREE; TO BICKER; TO FIGHT; TO HATE; THAN IT IS TO LIVE AND LOVE, AND LET LIVE AND LOVE.

AND THE REASON IT’S EASIER TO DO ALL THOSE DISAGREEABLE THINGS IS BECAUSE LIVING AND LOVING AND LETTING OTHERS LIVE AND LOVE, TAKES SO MUCH MORE WORK ON OUR PART; AND THEIRS; THAT IT’S JUST EASIER NOT TO BE BOTHERED WITH IT ALL.

HATE AND ANGER TAKE NO COMMITMENT, NO DEVOTION AT ALL; THEY ARE JUST REACTIONS, WHICH ARE FAR LESS TAXING THAN RELATIONS.

RELATIONSHIPS TAKE TIME AND ENERGY AND DEVOTION AND COMMITMENT AND LOVE, AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF WHICH MAKE FOR A GOOD MARRIAGE.

PAUL TELLS THE CORINTHIANS TO KNOCK IT OFF; TO STOP BEING SUCH BABIES; AND INSTEAD OF FIGHTING WITH EACH, LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER, AND WORK TOGETHER, AND BE THE CHURCH TOGETHER.

BUT IT’S HOW PAUL GETS THERE, THAT I FIND MOST INTERESTING THIS MORNING.

WHILE HE DOES TELL THE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE ACTING LIKE BABIES; THAT THEY NEED TO STOP THE JEALOUSY AND QUARRELING; AND BE “LESS OF THE FLESH” – THAT IS, WORLDLY, AND MORE SPIRITUAL, MORE GODLY;

HE ASKS, HE SUGGESTS, THAT THE MINISTERS WITH WHICH THE PEOPLE ARE SO PASSIONATELY ALIGNING THEMSELVES; BY WHICH THEY ARE IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES; BY WHICH THEY ARE DISTINGUISHING THEMSELVES;

ARE REALLY NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT.

“WHAT THEN IS APOLLOS?  WHAT IS PAUL?”

AND THE IMPLICATION IS, NOT MUCH; MERELY SERVANTS OF GOD; SERVANTS THROUGH WHOM GOD (EMPHASIS ON GOD!) THROUGH WHOM GOD HAS LED PEOPLE TO CHRIST.

IF ANY OF THEM HAVE COME TO CHRIST, IT IS GOD WHO DESERVES THE CREDIT.

“OH,” SAYS PAUL, “I MAY HAVE PLANTED YOU; AND APOLLOS WATERED YOU; BUT GOD GAVE THE GROWTH.

SO, NEITHER THE ONE WHO PLANTS, NOR THE ONE WHO WATERS IS ANYTHING, BUT ONLY GOD WHO GIVES THE GROWTH.”

AND ONCE MORE: “THE ONE WHO PLANTS AND THE ONE WHO WATERS HAVE A COMMON PURPOSE, AND EACH WILL RECEIVE WAGES ACCORDING TO THE LABOR OF EACH.

FOR WE ARE GOD’S SERVANTS, WORKING TOGETHER; YOU ARE GOD’S FIELD, GOD’S BUILDING.”

KEEP THAT LAST IMAGE IN MIND, “GOD’S BUILDING” BECAUSE IT’S WHERE WE ARE GOING TO GO NEXT SUNDAY WHEN WE PICK UP OUR BIBLE READING IN THE NEXT SECTION OF I CORINTHIANS 3.

PAUL, AS I THINK MOST OF US ARE AWARE, IS FOREVER TRYING TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT METAPHOR FOR CHRIST AND THE CHURCH:

BRIDEGROOM/BRIDE; THE BODY OF CHRIST – WITH CHRIST AS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, AND US, HIS HANDS AND FEET, EYES AND EARS, ETC.; A BUILDING, WITH CHRIST AS THE CORNERSTONE; AND THIS MORNING, A GARDEN.

IT IS THESE GARDEN, AGRARIAN, GROWING-THINGS METAPHORS WITH WHICH I AM LEAST COMFORTABLE, BEING A TERRIBLE GROWER OF THINGS, MYSELF.

BUT FOR SOME OF YOU, IT IS THE PERFECT IMAGE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT GARDENS, AND GROWING THINGS, AND THE SERENITY OF SUCH PLACES, BUT ALSO, ALL THE HARD WORK IT TAKES TO DRESS, TILL, AND KEEP THEM.

SO, I’LL LEAVE THE IMAGE TO YOU WHO UNDERSTAND IT BEST, WHO APPRECIATE IT BEST, AND SIMPLY ASK: HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

WE ALL KNOW THE CHILDHOOD RHYME, DO WE NOT?

MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY,

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

WITH SILVER BELLES, AND COCKLE SHELLS,

AND PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW.

MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF, AND MADE UP, ABOUT WHAT THIS CHILDHOOD TALE MEANT IN THE ADULT TIMES IN WHICH IT WAS WRITTEN;

NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WAS TO ASCRIBE IT TO TWO DIFFERENT QUEEN MARY’S AND THEIR LIVES AND/OR REIGNS.

BUT WE’RE GOING TO TAKE IT AT FACE VALUE THIS MORNING, AND WONDER, IF IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN BEFITTING OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH:

CORINTHIANS, CORINTHIANS, QUITE CONTRARY,

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

WELL, PAUL MAKES IT PLAIN THAT THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH, AND ALL OTHER CHURCHES FOR THAT MATTER, GROW BECAUSE OF GOD.

NOT THE PLANTER!  NOT THE WATERER!  AND, AT TIMES, EVEN DESPITE THE CONTRARIAN CONGREGANTS; IT IS GOD WHO GIVES THE GROWTH.

YOU ARE GOD’S FIELD; WE MINISTERS ARE MERELY THE HIRED HELP;

WE HAVE OUR ROLE TO PLAY, OUR JOB TO DO, OUR COMMON PURPOSE IN SERVING YOU, LABORING WITH YOU, BUT GOD GIVES THE GROWTH.

THIS IS GOD’S WORK, NOT MINE.  WHAT UNITES US IS CHRIST JESUS.  HE IS AT THE CENTER OF OUR “MARRIAGE.”

GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING, TO WHAT WE READ THIS MORNING, I THINK AS MUCH AS PAUL IS GETTING ON TO THE CORINTHIANS FOR ACTING LIKE A BUNCH OF BABIES, BY NOT GETTING ALONG;

HE IS ALSO MAKING IT CLEAR, THAT THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE FLESH AND SPIRIT; HUMAN AND DIVINE; HOLY, AND AT TIMES, AN UN-HOLY MESS.

WE ARE FORTUNATE, HERE AT PEACE COVENANT, THAT, FOR THE MOST PART, THE HOLY OUTWEIGHS THE UN-HOLY, AND OUR MESSES, ARE MINOR, AND USUALLY, QUICKLY, CLEANED UP.

BUT IN COMPARING THE CHURCH TO NOAH’S ARK, SOMEONE ONCE SAID:

“IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE STORM OUTSIDE, YOU COULDN’T STAND THE STINK INSIDE.”

(NOW, IS THAT ANY WAY TO TALK ON OUR ANNIVERSARY?!)

BUT HOW COULD IT BE OTHERWISE WITH THE CHURCH, WHAT WITH US HUMAN BEINGS BEING A PART OF IT?!

AS MUCH AS PAUL IS WILLING TO CONFESS THIS, HE’S ALSO QUITE SURE AS FROM WHENCE COMES THE CHURCH’S PERFECTING; ITS REFINING; ITS “HOLY-ING”: NONE OTHER THAN GOD; THE GOD WHO GIVES THE GROWTH.

OUR JOB, ACCORDING TO PAUL, IS TO NOT ALLOW ANYTHING, A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G, TO DISTRACT US FROM PASSIONATELY PURSUING GOD’S MISSION, UP TO AND INCLUDING, FUSSING AND FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER!

OR CLAIMING TO BE BETTER OR MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANOTHER.  OR SUPERIOR IN CHARACTER OR POSITION, BASED UPON WHAT WE BELIEVE, OR WHO GOT US HERE, OR HOW WE BECAME A BELIEVER IN CHRIST.

IS GOD’S KINGDOM BEING HELD IN CHECK BY OUR CRITICISM AND DISRESPECT OF ANOTHER?  DO DIVIDED LOYALTIES DISTRACT US FROM DOING GOD’S WORK?

LIKE ANY GOOD MARRIAGE, IT’S UP TO US, EVERY SO OFTEN, TO EXAMINE OUR OWN SPEECH AND BEHAVIOR AS A MEMBER OF THIS FAITH COMMUNITY CALLED THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST.

THIS IS WHY, PAUL URGES US TO PUT AWAY SUCH DIVISIONS AND REMEMBER AGAIN WHAT IT IS THAT CALLED US TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE – TO KNOW, LOVE AND FOLLOW CHRIST JESUS.

THE REVEREND DR. GWEN MAGBY, THE FORMER PASTOR OF TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, OUR SISTER CHURCH HERE IN KEY WEST, WOULD FREQUENTLY, ALMOST CONSTANTLY, IN FACT, REFER TO THE GATHERED ASSEMBLY OF THOSE ON SUNDAY MORNING, AND AT OTHER TIMES, AS “CHURCH.”

NOT “THE CHURCH” – JUST “CHURCH.”

“CHURCH,” SHE WOULD SAY, “DO YOU WANT TO GROW?”  “CHURCH, SHALL WE PRAY?”  “CHURCH, IT’S UP TO YOU TO STEP UP, IF WE’RE TO MEET OUR BUDGET.”

“CHURCH, HOW ARE YOU LOVING THE LORD, TODAY?”

“LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING – CHURCH – WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THOSE IN NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY?”

“CHURCH, CAN GET AN AMEN?!”

I’M PROBABLY NOT DOING IT JUSTICE, BUT IT WAS THE WAY SHE SAID “CHURCH” – THE WAY SHE PERSONIFIED IT; THE WAY SHE PERSONALIZED IT; THE AFFECTION WITH WHICH SHE SAID IT;

THE WAY SHE REMINDED THE PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER THAT THEY WERE “CHURCH” THAT STRUCK ME WHENEVER I WOULD HEAR HER SAY IT.

IT’S WHY PAUL SAYS CHRIST IS THE BRIDEGROOM, AND YOU, CHURCH, ARE HIS BRIDE.

IT’S WHY PAUL SAYS YOU, CHURCH, ARE GOD’S FIELD, AND GOD GIVES THE GROWTH.

IT’S WHY PAUL SAYS YOU, CHURCH, ARE A BUILDING WITH CHRIST AS ITS CORNERSTONE.

IT’S WHY PAUL SAYS YOU, CHURCH, ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND CHRIST IS YOUR HEAD.

CHURCH – IT HAS BEEN MY GREAT PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE TO BE YOUR PASTOR FOR THESE PAST EIGHT YEARS;

WHO KNOWS WHERE GOD WILL TAKE US IN YEAR NINE?

LET’S SEE HOW GOD WILL GROW US IN THE YEAR TO COME.