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Homily for June 11, 2006
Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Copyright by The Rev. Portia Mather-Hempler,
Associate to the Rector, Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saratoga, CA

Dear friends, this is my last Sunday with you. Thank you for being here today. It takes courage to say, “Goodbye”. It helps me to remember that goodbye means “God be with you.” So, I say, “God be with you” as I leave Saint Andrew’s.

Fifteen years ago I came to Saint Andrew’s as your interim assistant priest to serve with the Interim Rector, Jean Clark, during the search process which called Ernest to be our Rector. When Ernest came my position became the Associate to the Rector. Ernest, thank you for all of the opportunities for ministry which we have shared together.

I came to Saint Andrew’s seeking 3 things: 1) a church home. 2) a desire to serve God and to grow in my relationship with God in Christ and 3) a desire for a long-term position with one congregation. I did not know when I came to Saint Andrew’s that my desires would be fulfilled here. And they have been abundantly filled. I am grateful for all that we have experienced together.

I am still a seeker – I, like Nicodemus, seek daily for a deeper relationship with God. Nicodemus came secretly to Jesus at night to have a conversation with Jesus. That conversation changed his life. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and prominent religious leader among the Pharisees. He was a member of their religious council. He was respected and known in his community. He thought he had it all together. But there was more to Nicodemus than his religious and social standing in the community. He was seeking to deepen his relationship with God. Something drew him to Jesus. Jesus was talking about a living relationship with God. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their insensitivity to the needs of others and their failure to love others. Jesus pointed out that what keeps someone from entering the kingdom of God and experiencing God’s love is not so much what we might name as evil forces which are outside of us, as those inner personal forces, such as desire for wealth, excessive worries, a self-centered attitude, passing judgment on others, or lusting for power. Jesus character and words were in harmony. Nicodemus wanted to know more about Jesus. Nicodemus desired to deepen his relationship with God. So, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, secretly. That conversation with Jesus changed his life. Something new was born in Nicodemus that night. He became a secret follower of Jesus. Later in John’s gospel we hear that Nicodemus spoke up to defend Jesus. Nicodemus was the one who raised the question of justice when the Jewish council met to discuss ways to eliminate Jesus. Nicodemus said that according to the law one could not condemn a man until a charge had been brought against him. By speaking up in front of his peers, Nicodemus was no longer a secret follower. The last glimpse we have of Nicodemus in John’s gospel is when he brings the burial spices and joins Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus’ body. Nicodemus sought a deeper relationship with God and he found it with Jesus. Through Jesus Nicodemus experienced the transforming power of God’s love.

 I am wondering, “What do you seek? What are the deepest desires of your heart that draw you closer to God?”

Today I invite you to do a simple exercise with me. I have here a large jar. To some it may appear to be empty. To me it appears to be full of possibilities. We are going to fill this jar with golf balls. I have learned that Golf balls can be composed of 2, 3 or 4 layers of material. An old-fashioned wound Golf Ball is made up of 3 parts: an inner core which is liquid or solid, a second layer which is rubber thread wound around the core and then the third layer of material, a synthetic covering that has dimples on it to help it go farther.

Three layer golf balls remind me of the Trinity – it takes all 3 parts to make up the golf ball. It takes all 3 persons of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifying Spirit. It takes all 3 persons of the Trinity to help us experience or at least get of glimpse of who God is. The golf ball also represents for me the deepest desires of my heart which can be satisfied by God alone. These are the things that are the most important to me in my life. I am going to ask you to help me fill this jar with golf balls which represent what is most important to you in your life. The acolytes will hand one golf ball to the person sitting at the outside of each row. I ask you to pass it along the row to the center aisle and the person next to the aisle to place the golf ball in the jar. John will carry the large vase down the center aisle. As you pass the golf ball, I invite you to think about what are the most important elements in your life? What are the deepest desires of your heart? While we do this, we will sing “Seek Ye first”. On Trinity Sunday I am asking you to do 3 things at once: think, pass the golf ball and sing! The words are printed in the order of service.

Now, we have gathered together what is most important to us and the deepest desires of our hearts. Would you say that the jar/vase is full? I don’t think that we can add any more golf balls. But we can add some pebbles. Now, would say the jar/vase is full?

Last we can add some sand. Would you say that the jar/vase is full?
Now, let me add 2 cups of tea.

If we think of this jar/vase as representing our life, the golf balls represent our deepest desires and the things that are the most important to us – our relationship with God, our family, our health, our friends, what we are passionate about in this life. The golf balls are the important things. If everything else was lost and only the golf balls remained, your life would be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car, your computer and cell phone so that you can communicate with others.
Sometimes, however, these things can cover up what really matters, and our hearts become rubbled over with worry about our material possessions. These things are important, but not as important as the golf balls.

The sand is everything else. The small stuff. The little irritations we worry about. The issues we argue about which don’t really matter. Yesterday over lunch I was asked what would we in the church have to disagree about if we were no longer arguing over issues of sexuality? We would probably find something to disagree about since we are human.

God makes God’s self known to us in so many ways and we often cover over the revelation with sand. If you put the sand in the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same is true of life. If you spend all of your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are really important to you.

So, pay attention to what is really important to you. Take time to be with Family and friends, to work at what you are passionate about: to pray, think, read, play, laugh, listen, dream, worship God, and most of all love and be loved, for it is the greatest gift of God. Take time to nourish your spirit and share your faith with others. There will always be time for the small stuff, to do the dishes, clean the house, wash the car. Set your priorities. Seek the kingdom of God first, and all the rest will fall into place. The sand may still be there, but it will not bother you as much.

Now, what about the 2 cups of tea? They represent that no matter how full your life may seem, there is always room for a couple of cups of tea or coffee with a friend; or a conversation with Jesus.

Jesus satisfies the deepest desires of our hearts. Jesus is our best pastor. Jesus never leaves us. Jesus is always there for us. Jesus reminds us that God loves us, sand, pebbles, golf balls and all. God loves us no matter what. I will place this vase at the foot of the altar as a reminder that God accepts us totally as we are.

As I leave Saint Andrew’s I leave holding each and every one of you in my heart, knowing that all that we have shared together that is really important will live on in you and me. My prayer for you is this:

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