Genesis 32:22-31

The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved." The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Today we are beginning a sermon series about Biblical road trips. It’s a clever idea from Pastor Mark, who realized that the themes of journey, exile, and movement resonate with how many of us have experienced these past several months. We, like Jesus, have left the building. In the coming weeks we will explore some stories in scripture about what can happen when we hit the road. Trust me when I say, it’s good news.

I have watched my fair share of movies whose plots are built around the road trip motif. The road trip genre--a uniquely American contribution to cinema--is one of my favorite genres. You can probably think of several examples on your own, but here are a few movie title just to help you understand what we’re talking about: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Thelma and Louise, Easy Rider, Little Miss Sunshine, The Road to Perdition, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Green Book, RV, Are We There Yet?, just to name a few. Most road trip movies follow the same plot structure. The story begins with an individual or collection of people who are clearly lacking something, most often a healthy emotional connection to someone else. This person or groups sets off on a presumably straightforward journey. Something unexpected happens which prompts a series of shenanigans and encounters with people that challenge them. They are forced to reckon with parts of themselves they prefer to keep hidden, resulting in a process of personal growth that is painful but often hilarious and heartwarming. They arrive at the destination, or return home, having uncovered a deeper purpose to the trip than they originally anticipated. The end.

If you haven’t recently seen a movie from the great American road trip genre, I encourage you to check one out before we get too deep into this sermon series. You will likely see some important parallels and it will help make sense both of what we’re doing here as well as what you’re experiencing as this pandemic and quarantine existence continues.

I’m no stranger to the great American road trip experience myself, having lived in so many different states over the past two decades. I have a couple favorite road trip stories that I will space out over the course of this sermon series. Here’s my first:

In the mid-2000’s my wife and I lived in Southern California. It was there where we made our first big purchase as a married couple: a used 2-person ocean kayak. It was 12’ and 60 lbs of open-topped molded royal blue plastic. It was fantastic. We found the only free beach parking in all of So Cal and would coast along the top of the Pacific alongside dolphins, seals, and even once a whale that came close enough to our kayak to slightly unnerve us both.

When it came time to move from California to Minnesota we plotted out a course that would allow us to stop at a different body of water each day and use the kayak. As the movers started to shut the door to the van packed with our stuff they reminded us there was still room to put the kayak in the van. That was not part of the plan, so we politely declined and instead strapped it on the roof of our Nissan Sentra and embarked on a 2,250-mile journey to our new home. Our first stop was to be the San Francisco Bay.

Several hours later, as we were driving north on I-5 through the agricultural heart of California we were met with incredible gusts of wind that were pummeling the driver’s side of the car. We stopped at a rest area and double-checked the knots and straps that were holding the kayak to the roof rack and the roof rack to the car. All secure.

Not ten minutes after continuing our windblown journey north on the interstate, we felt the car shift, heard a horrific metallic scratching noise, and caught a glimpse of a flash of blue out the passenger side windows. Though I had witnessed the whole event, I could hardly believe my wife when she told me the kayak had blown off our car. I immediately pulled onto the shoulder of the interstate, waited for a break in the traffic, and got out to inspect the damage. The only thing left on top of the car was one roof rack bar and two huge indents where the other bar had once been adhered. Down the 30’ slope down to the ditch, and about 50 yards behind, I saw the overturned kayak. In no time at all a CHiPs officer pulled up behind our car and he was completely uninterested in our story or in trying to help us. He demanded we get off the shoulder immediately. There was no way to put the kayak back on the car so we got back in the car and drove away in shock and disbelief. That was the last we ever saw that kayak, though I imagine that CHiPs officer came back for it and still enjoys using it today.

Here’s why I tell that story alongside today’s story of Jacob’s roadside wrestling match with an angel: the stories illustrate the difference in personal agency in demanding to receive God’s promise of good gifts in the midst of difficult situations.

In the biblical story, Jacob demanded something good to come out of his tribulations. He did not have a single moral or ethical leg to stand on, yet he demanded a divine blessing from the God whom he knew freely gave out blessings, and would not let go of the angel until he received it. That takes some chutzpah. The man known as “the deceiver” felt he was as entitled to the blessings of God as anyone else. And he was absolutely correct.

In my story, we did not demand anything from the situation. We didn’t demand the officer help us. We didn’t demand the roof rack company admit their product was faulty. We didn’t demand anything from anyone that would have helped us get that kayak out of the ditch and back into our possession. We walked away, feeling only shock and disappointment. I remember thinking “We’re good people, why did this happen to us?” Of course, I immediately felt ashamed for thinking like that, given how it was such a minor inconvenience and there were obviously other people who had more to complain about than we did. There are very few biblical examples of people being filled with shame and still receiving blessings from God.

We gave away our agency and floated along the current of life (which would have been fun to do on a kayak). In our disappointment we felt and acted powerless. But not Jacob. That dude demanded a blessing despite not having any right to it. The whole reason Jacob was on his road trip was because he knew his brother would kill him for his earlier betrayal of him. If a guy like that could demand and receive a blessing from God, why couldn't we?

I tell you this story because I want you to demand blessings from God. You have every right to demand blessings from God for yourself and for others. It is very clear from scripture and tradition that God enjoys giving blessings to those who ask. It seems that God simply likes to be asked. Failing to demand blessings from God is not an exercise in humility; rather, failing to demand blessings from God is a sign that you’re hedging your bets because deep down you don’t trust God. I never once prayed that God would help me with the kayak situation. The reason is because I didn’t think God would help in that situation. I never asked and I never received. Imagine how much better that story would be if I had pulled off on the shoulder of the road, prayed to God for help, and looked up in time to see our moving van pull up behind us and put the kayak on the van!

But road movies don't end when the disruptions start happening. Those events take place in the middle of the story in order to introduce humor and tension and set the stage for later character development. The resolution or climax of the story comes later, when those disruptions start to change the characters for the better, so that they can return home not simply with souvenirs such as beat-up cars, new friends, or a newfound criminal history, but rather with a new perspective on life and personal agency.

I have told my kayak story many many many times, but only recently have I started to see the lesson of it. Only recently have I started to demand more from God. I have started asking God for things. I have tried to familiarize myself with God’s word so that I would trust the things I ask for are in line with what God is eager to give me. I pray for healing for people who are suffering. I pray for equality and justice for those who are oppressed. I pray that the planet would be stewarded so that future generations can not just enjoy God’s creation but simply survive in it. I pray for safety and security and daily bread. I pray for these things because I have come to see God as a loving giver of gifts. I pray that you would come to see God in this same way. Amen.

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!"

"Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

I can’t think of a better place to preach on Jesus’ parable of the sower than in the Grace Garden at Cross of Grace.

This summer my work in the church garden has taken on new significance as it is one of the few places besides my home where I have spent time during quarantine. This has been my vacation spot, my quiet place, my study, my gym, and, on occasion, my social hour. It is a place I can come to and feel like I’m doing good and necessary work growing food to be shared with people who are hungry.

One of the reasons I spend so much time in the garden, other than the obvious fact that gardening requires a lot of time, is that gardening is my favorite metaphor for spiritual life. I guess that’s one thing I have in common with Jesus, who often taught spiritual principles using garden imagery. In addition to using garden-related imagery as teaching illustrations, Jesus also prayed in gardens and was even mistaken for a gardener when he appeared to Mary after his resurrection, which I’ve always thought was an absolutely beautiful way to think about God’s promise of the resurrected life.

In today’s parable, Jesus hones in on soil as one particular aspect of gardening that is a metaphor for discipleship. Jesus tells us that God’s word is like seed sown indiscriminately on the soil of our hearts. Some heart-soil is impenetrable; the seeds sit on the surface and external threats steal the seeds away. Some heart-soil lacks the nutrients necessary for lasting and sustainable growth. Some heart-soil would rather do anything but care for the seed of God’s word. But other heart-soil is rich with nutrients; it pours its energy into allowing the seed of God’s word to take root, grow, and produce fruit for the world to enjoy.

In the Grace Garden, the soil doesn’t get to choose what kind of soil it will be. Although, it should be said, if this area were to be completely untouched for twenty years and allowed to grow without interference, the top inch or two of soil would be some of the richest and most incredible soil you could hope for. That’s because nature (i.e., God’s “good” creation) prevails.

When we started this garden three years ago, I took a soil sample and had it analyzed. It was exactly what you’d expect from soil that was near a construction site within the last decade. It was devoid of most necessary nutrients, couldn’t hold moisture, and was ill-suited to grow anything but weeds. New topsoil, minerals, and compost was added to the existing soil and crops were planted that would affix necessary nutrients back into the soil. Through the past three years the soil quality has steadily improved and now we can count on productive crop growth each summer. The soil was lacking; but some care and attention eventually enhanced its quality.

As we explore the spiritual metaphor, please understand I’m not saying we should obsess over analyzing the quality of our heart-soil or “doing” things in order to make our heart-soil more acceptable to God. Lutheran theology is absolutely clear on the fact that we cannot do anything to earn God’s grace and love. But where we sometimes sell ourselves short is in the realization we absolutely have things to do in response to God’s freely-given grace. There are ways to amend our heart-soil so that the fruits of the spirit can grow and be shared with the world. This is the task of discipleship. The fruit of the spirit is always a freely-given gift of grace, but God doesn’t grow fruit in soil that lacks the necessary spiritual nutrients.

In these past few months of social unrest I’ve taken the spiritual metaphor of the garden to heart. I have felt a divine invitation to assess the quality of my heart-soil and take stock of what’s growing in my spiritual garden.

Are the seeds of God’s word able to penetrate the surface of my heart-soil? Or am I not receptive to the always-surprising and expansive scope of God’s grace?

Are the seeds of God’s word able to draw from a diversity of necessary nutrients in my heart-soil? Have I amended my heart-soil with the ideas and perspectives of others that are necessary heart-soil amendments if I hope to bear spiritual fruit? Or does my heart-soil consist only of my own ideas and preconceived notions?

Are the seeds of God’s word being tended to and nurtured in my heart-soil? Or am I too busy, preoccupied, or lazy to tend to them?

Contemplating the answers to these questions can be painful and embarrassing (trust me on that one); but is an absolutely essential step if you hope to bear the fruit of peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There will be no justice and no peace until we allow God’s word to penetrate our heart-soil and cooperate with the Spirit’s power to “let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24).

My hope and prayer for you is that you will find a way into the garden of your heart. Maybe you will find that here in the Grace Garden, as I so often have. Maybe you need nothing more than the pages of scripture or the folded hands of prayer. But wherever you find access to your heart-soil, please be honest, brave, vulnerable with yourself as you take stock of what you have and what you lack. And above all, expect God to produce something beautiful and abundant in your life as you tend to your heart-soil.

Amen.

On the Road & Wrestling with Angels

Tending to Your Heart-Soil