Sermon - Sermon - 2013-07-28 - Kindred Days

Within today’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray.  A simple thing but something that we all could use a lesson, a reminder, and even encouragement on.  Yet Jesus takes it even further, and shares with the disciples how prayer enriches their entire life because truly everything that is around you, everything that is you, has been given to you by God.  Jesus understands the question is not simply how can we pray, but relates also to how can I have a relationship with God. Jesus is helping the disciples understand who they are, why they are there and help them realize where they are within the big picture.  Now each and everyone of you were created as Children of God.  You were made in love and created for a purpose within the world.  So we desire to have a relationship with our creator. But we are not perfect, we do our best but either our work or the work of someone around us hurts us.

I would like to share with you a story about a little boy named Leonard.  He was young about 2 years old.  His parents had been married for a few years and were still trying to figure out this whole parenting thing;  what it meant and what they could do to really love and support their little boy to be the greatest that he could be. Leonard was an active little boy, always on the move, going from one thing to the next and often leaving toys behind in his wake.  His dad called him Hurricane Leonard because of the utter chaos that was left after Leonard left a room.  One of Leonard’s favorite activities to do was to draw.  His parents had gotten him big crayons meant for little kids.  

One day while his mom was in the kitchen, she was washing the dishes and noticed Leonard was not playing with the toys.  It was quiet, too quiet for a young mother.  It was close to nap time and John, her husband was watching TV.  She wondered if Leonard had crawled in by his dad and they were taking a nap.  She went to go and see.  What she found shocked her.  When she found Leonard, he had been drawing but he was not drawing on a sheet of paper but rather on the walls.  His mom, blurted out, “What are you doing?”  

John was in a nearby room watching TV and partly starting to fall asleep, when he heard his wife ask that, he promptly said, “Nothing” and a second later said, “I was about to do something very important” (Not sure which answer would allow him to be in less trouble.)  He soon came out of his sleepy trance, realizing she was not talking to him.  He went to see what Leonard had done now.  As he came out of the room, he bore witness to what Leonard had done and heard Leonard’s explanation to his mother’s question.  

You see, Leonard had taken the contents of his diaper and drew a picture of the family.  Leonard explained the picture.  “There’s mommy, daddy, the dog, Spot, and Jesus.  We are sitting together at church.  I wanted a picture of all the things that I loved.” Within this one picture, Leonard shared with his parents the very things that were important to him.  He cared and treasured them.  He love his mom, he loved his dad, he loved his best friend Spot and he loved Jesus because from all them, Leonard felt love.  After Leonard’s parents heard the picture and found out more about it, they were not angry.  Granted, they still had to clean it up but they both gave Leonard a big hug and sent him to take a nap.  And since he was two, Leonard thought he was being punished by being forced to take a nap.  

In the church, we gather together to hear the story of the love that God has shared within the world.  We share with one another what truly matters within our lives with one another.  We encourage one another through the journey of life.  The people who share love with one another, being united in love through Jesus Christ, God’s only Son.  The story of Jesus Christ is filled with filth, suffering, blood, and death.  But when you hear the story, you begin to realize the joy, pleasure and richness that God has given to us.  

As we have gathered together to celebrate Kindred Days, let us be reminded of the story of Kindred.  Not the town, but the people.  Let’s go over to the cemetery, be reminded of the many people who have lived here, worked hard so that we could have the roads, houses, businesses, churches, and life here.  Let’s go over to the memorial and be reminded of those who have given their lives so that we can enjoy the freedom of living in our homes, building up this community, and sharing this love that God has given to us.  We have celebrated the present through the various dances, events for kids, and today we gather to worship the one who has blessed us with all of these things, God.  Let us share with our children what was important and what is important within our lives. Let us gather together and share the faith that is engrained within the community, our lives, and is all around us.  For that is what they are longing for, your love, your attention, and your very self.

How do I know this?  It was how you were created, it is what you are asking of God and God is asking of you.  Thanks be to God that we are able to share, dwell and be just that with one another, in Jesus Christ, Amen.