OT Lesson: Genesis 2:4b-9 (GNT)
When the Lord God made the universe, there were no plants on the earth and no seeds had sprouted, because He had not sent any rain, and there was no one to cultivate the land; but water would come up from beneath the surface and water the ground.
Then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; He breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live.
Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the East, and there He put the man He had formed. He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruit. In the middle of the garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad.
NT Lesson: Matthew 13:1-9 (NRSV)
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. 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!’
Sermon
Introduction
Good morning, everyone! I extend a warm welcome to our Presbyterian members, our cherished visitors, and the proud parents of our PPM. I am delighted to announce that refreshments will be served in the fellowship hall after our service. I encourage everyone to join us there for what I like to playfully call “Christian Mingles.” I am not sure if the website is still around. Anyway We have all enjoyed the heart-warming performances by our little ones numerous times, so today, I have prepared a shorter sermon to give more time for fellowship. I trust it will resonate with you.
Today is indeed a beautiful and lovely day. And while the weather itself has been quite fickle—swinging from sunny highs in the 80s to chilly lows in the 40s with rain and thunderstorms—it is the presence of our wonderful children gathered here for worship that truly brightens our day. Life, much like our weather recently, is full of unexpected twists and turns, a veritable roller-coaster of events and emotions.
Joseph Priestly
Let me take you back to 18th century England, to meet a man named Joseph Priestly. He was not just any man; he was a Presbyterian pastor deeply embedded in a family tradition of pastoral ministry. They had been priests generation to generation, so their last name is Priestly. As you know, many last names are rooted in or originated from the ancestor’s jobs. There is a soccer play in England whose last name is Drinkwater—one word. His ancestor’s occupation was a well digger. However, Joseph was also a curious chemist and philosopher. In 1774, during one of his experiments involving the heating of mercuric oxide, he observed the release of a mysterious gas. Through further experimentation, he discovered that this gas could make a candle burn much brighter and mice way more lively and active than regular air. This gas, which he discovered quite by accident, turned out to be oxygen. So every time you breathe oxygen, you’d better be thankful to the Presbyterian pastor. But the thing was that he was not trying to find the oxygen. It was an unexpected discovery. His original aim was to discover an imaginary element called phlogiston, but he instead stumbled upon oxygen. His journey reminds us of the serendipitous nature of life’s unexpected discoveries.
Mail Man at Wedding
However, as we all know, not every surprise brings joy. In my previous church, there was a member whose father was a farmer and he himself is still a farmer. When he was about 21 years old, he married his first wife. He had his wedding in the vast backyard of his rural farmhouse, surrounded by friends and family. The day was beautiful and sunny. Everything was just perfect. During the reception, a mail man arrived with a letter. The groom, in a gesture of goodwill, invited the mail man to join the celebration. The mail man stayed for about ten minutes, drinking and eating together. Only after the mail man departed did he open the letter to discover it was a draft notice for the Vietnam War. What a surprise and what an unexpectedness! How would you feel if you get a draft notice on your wedding day? I thought I had a hard life, but then I realised that I cannot compare with the previous generations. This story remains one of the most poignant examples of life’s unforeseen challenges. It is a sharp reminder that not all surprises are welcome.
Cheeseburger
Earlier today, we enjoyed a delightful story, “Are You a Cheeseburger?” To refresh your memory, it is a story of a racoon and a flower seed. You may have just laughed about it because it is nothing but a cute children’s story. If you did, that is because you don’t know how important a cheeseburger is. The cheeseburger is the iconic American food. Even though the cheeseburger has its root in Europe, it was completed here in America in the early 1920s. This evolution occurred as American diners and fast-food establishments began experimenting with various toppings. The rise of fast-food chains played a crucial role in popularising the cheeseburger. Chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s helped make the cheeseburger a staple of American cuisine, both domestically and internationally. Cheeseburger became the symbol of America itself around the world along with Coke. For example, McDonald’s has restaurants in 120 countries including Russia, China and Iran. So how about be a patriot and have a cheeseburger for lunch today?
Do you remember the very first movie of Iron Man in 2008? Tony Stark held captive in a cave where he made the first Arc reactor and the prototype of Iron Man. After he escaped and came back to America, do you remember what was the very first thing that Tony Stark asked for? His secretary wanted to take him to a hospital but he specifically requested an American cheeseburger. So the cheeseburger is a soul food for all Americans even for billionaires like Tony Stark. So the cheeseburger is what we—Americans—want. Not a taco, not a sushi, but we want specifically cheeseburger because the cheeseburger is what we dream for.
Children Are Our Dream
All the parents including myself expect much from our children. Just like the racoon from the story book, many of us may have very specific expectations from our children. Some want their children to be lawyers, others doctors, scholars, professors, successful pianists, or maybe even the president of the United States of America. Just like the racoon, we all want our children to be charming, desirable, and lovely cheeseburgers. But the thing is, what if the seed we sowed is not a cheeseburger plant? What if God gave us the seed of a wonderful singer, instead of a lawyer? What if God gave us the seed of a therapist or a teacher, instead of a doctor? What the racoon sowed was not a cheeseburger plant but a flower plant. When he found that his expectation did not meet, he embraced it. And his life got much richer and healthier, maybe not financially but mentally, emotionally, and any other possible ways. It was beneficial for both the racoon and the seed. I remember that I mostly did not meet the expectations of my father. I used to be among the top students, but never the very top one. My father did not like it. Even when I got over 95% of the exam, he was very unhappy and he never hid his unhappiness from me. So obviously I was not a cheeseburger. Or since I was in Korea, I should say that I was not a kimchi. And my father was not OK with that. That made my father unhappy and that made me unhappy as well.
Biblical Duty of the Parents
Today’s Old Testament lesson is from the famous creation story—Genesis 2. God made the garden of Eden and later God placed Adam in the garden. Genesis 2:15 says that “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” Different English translations use different words: cultivate, farm, take care of, etc. But the Hebrew word for it is עֶבֶד, which means to serve. Adam’s job in the garden was not to dictate or govern, like “You, be an apple tree. You, be a strawberry bush…” Rather, his job was to serve the plants and to protect them. And that is the very job of the parents given by God. We are not to govern or dictate our children telling them what to be. “You must be a lawyer,” or “You must be another Bill Gates.” Our job is to serve them and protect them so that they can grow safely, and to become whatever God prepared them to be. It may surprise us. Our children may or will surprise us. It can be a good surprise like discovering oxygen. Or it can be a not-so pleasant surprise like getting a draft notice on your wedding day. But that is out of our hands. Our job is not to dictate but to serve our children by nurturing, protecting, and guiding. When we do so, they will grow and mature physically, mentally, and spiritually. They will bloom beautifully, and eventually they will bear fruits thirty times, sixty times, and hundred times.
Conclusion
Friends, and parents. It is OK if they are not going to be doctors or lawyers or whatever we want them to be. It is OK if they are not a cheeseburger. So let us tell them “You don’t have to be a cheeseburger. I love you just as you are.” And let us serve and protect our children as much as we can do in the love and grace of our great God. As a conclusion of my sermon, let us practice to say together, “It is OK not to be a cheeseburger, my beloved child.” Amen.
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