Isa 5.1-7 Ps 80.1-2, 8-18; Heb 11.29-12.2; Luke 12.49-56
Most of you are aware that my roots go
back to the prairies. Manitoba: land of wheat fields and cows: the irony of my
being a gluten-free vegetarian is not lost.
One of the realities of prairie living
is watching fields burn... intentionally. Once the crop is off, a farmer will
likely engage in what's called a 'controlled burn'. There are a few reasons for
this. These days, prairie fields are mostly rotational monocrop, without
regular grazing by (for example) herds of bison. So a controlled burn will
remove any weeds or undesirable growth that can creep into a field, before they
pop up and ruin an intended crop. A fire will clear the field of the residual
stubble to make planting the next crop easier. The burn will also provide
immediate nourishing to the soil, as the ash from the grasses is rich in
nutrients. And in springtime, a fire helps warm the soil just a little bit
earlier than what mother nature might otherwise allow, therefore getting those
seeds started as early as possible.
So, from a prairie perspective, fire
isn't always a bad thing; it can be quite useful in the longer term.
So too, when Jesus speaks of bringing
fire to the earth, I don't think he's suggesting utter devastation. In fact,
throughout Luke's gospel, the use of fire is controlled and careful, and for
beneficial purposes of purification and refinement. Professor Matthew Skinner
further posits that fire suggests God's presence "and
therefore it represents the power of God to effect change in the face of
formidable resistance as well as the power to overwhelm God’s enemies."[1]
Suddenly fire is not just the fearful cataclysmic force; it is a meaningful
symbol of change and preparaing for new growth. It is the force which creates
the ashes from which the phoenix can rise.
Many preachers struggle with this passage - obviously -
because we have heard this passage interpreted as a harsh and horrifying statement
of judgement. It can paralyze us with the terrors of hellfire and damnation.
But I don't think that's what Jesus wants us to take away
from it. Because I don't think Jesus wants us to live in terror and fear; Jesus
wants us to live in love. To delight in peace. To relish in grace. To believe
in the Good News of God so much so that it overtakes every aspect of our lives.
But - in order for us to do that, we must clear away
whatever it is that is preventing us from doing that. To remove from our lives
whatever is stopping us from fully knowing the joy of the Lord and trusting in
all of God's promises. To intentionally reject whatever it is that is blocking
our hearts and minds, our souls and bodies, from the truth of God. Closed
minds, cold hearts, our need to be right: these things bog us down and prevent
us from growing in the love of God.
This can be difficult, because we live in relative comfort.
Our society is privileged, we have it pretty good, and we don't want to give
that up. We don't want to consider that there may be a need for us to change,
that change can be good, and at times necessary. "If it ain't broke, don't
fix it" works well, when we perceive ourselves as doing just fine on our
own, thank you very much.
And what Jesus proposes in his entire life and ministry, and
especially to the comfortable crowds he's talking to, is that they examine
their own system - and break it. Break the individual support for greed,
classism, and narcissism. Break the systematic endorsement of racism,
oppression, and violence. Burn the whole system down, and prepare for new
growth.
Eek! No wonder that Jesus openly admits that there will be
divisions, as some people will want to follow his teaching and work for a more
just and holy world; and some people will not want to embrace that dramatic
change, as they realise what it means for them.
This is not a new conundrum when Jesus proposes it - and
(sadly) it continues to this day. Consider our own world: there are people we
get along with, and people we do not. There are people whose ideologies match
our own, and some whose worldview is so completely different that we wonder
what we might ever have in common. All we need to do is consider a dinner party
conversation of religion and politics... Shall we discuss how
"Christianity" is being used in various contexts in the news, even
just this week? Hmm. Divisions over matters of religion, even in households,
are not new. I fear that an increasing societal inability to have civil conversation
instead of raging debate, with personal attacks instead of issue-based
discourse, has become the norm; with more fervent and longer-lasting
implications than we can yet fathom.
So yes: there are divisions in households, and communities,
and churches, and society, as Jesus was telling us that following him meant
things might get uncomfortable as he was calling for things to change. However:
when we have harvested the fruits of the Spirit, we can burn away the
leftovers. We can intentionally and carefully engage in a spiritual prairie
fire: a controlled burn to reset the fields of our hearts for a new season of
spiritual growth.
And so we burn off whatever may be creeping in before it can
take root: anger, malice, indifference. Whatever wild seed is hidden in the
soil of our hearts, we need to address it - recognise it - face it - and remove
it. Because until we do, we will not be able to grow the good fruit in the way
that God has created us to do. The negative realities that we carry in our
hearts will choke out the potential of what God is continually planting in our
lives - we (as individuals and as the church) have the potential of being the
fertile vineyard so beloved in Isaiah, a potential too often destroyed by our
sour grapes.
We burn off the remnants from seasons past; the leftover
stubble once the crops are removed. We benefit from what supports and enriches
us while letting go of anything that traps us. We are called to live in faith
and BY faith, we are given great examples of the power of faith in the letter
to the Hebrews. Our faith will not make us perfect in all we do, but it will
sustain our ministries as we aim to walk ever closer with God. Faith will pull
us from our 'comfortable pew' into the mission field that lies beyond our
doors. Faith will challenge us, stretch us, cause us into ever-deepening
reflection and discernment to where and how God is calling us: and when we
respond faithfully to that call, that same faith will show us grace beyond our
wildest imagination.
We also burn off our complacency, allowing ourselves to be
nourished in ways that may surprise us: like the ashes of fire nourishing the
soil of a field. We are invited to delve into the words of holy scripture and
the wisdom of centuries of God's holy messengers. We are blessed with the
opportunity to gather in freedom in worship and in prayer, in study and in
conversation, in support and in fellowship. We receive the gift of God's
revelation wherever and whenever we are willing to accept it; and we are
changed by it; empowered by it; inspired by it.
So yes: Jesus is coming, with fire. And the fire is for us.
The fire to clear and nourish us as God's field for new growth. It is now up to
us to respond to that holy fire.
Let us pray.
Holy God;
Prepare us to be your fields for new growth.
Set our hearts on fire with a deep love for you.
Kindle in us a desire to serve everyone and everything that
you love.
Help us to celebrate this gift of fire, to share its power
with those we love, and to never extinguish it in our lives. Amen.
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