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Sermons

Making It Grow

June 17, 2018 Speaker: The Rev. Andrew R. O'Dell

The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

June 17 – Andrew O’Dell, preacher

 

 

Collect, Traditional (Proper 6, BCP p. 178)

Keep, O Lord, we beseech thee, thy household the Church in thy steadfast faith and love, that by the help of thy grace we may proclaim thy truth with boldness, and minister thy justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

First Lesson (The Lesson at the 10:30): Ezekiel 17:22-24

22 Thus says the Lord God: “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

 

Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17

6  We are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

 26 Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

 

Psalm 92:1-4, 11-14

1 It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, *
   and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;

2 To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning *
   and of your faithfulness in the night season;

3 On the psaltery, and on the lyre, *
   and to the melody of the harp.

4 For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord; *
   and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.

11 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, *
    and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.

12 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord *
    shall flourish in the courts of our God;

13 They shall still bear fruit in old age; *
    they shall be green and succulent;

14 That they may show how upright the Lord is, *
    my Rock, in whom there is no fault.