Psalm 63: 1-8; Luke 13: 1-9
by Rev. Carson Overstreet
Van Wyck Presbyterian Church
March 23, 2019
Third Sunday in Lent
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me. - Psalm 63: 1-8
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’
Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’ - Luke 13: 1-9
Kelsey took the youth group activity to heart about caring for our homeless neighbors. She packed five hot meals and asked her mom to take her downtown to deliver them. The two noticed a homeless man standing on the corner with a makeshift sign that said, “Need food. God bless.” Kelsey and her mom walked up to the man. With a smile, Kelsey said, “I made this dinner for you,” and she gave the meal to the man. But the man threw the bag on the sidewalk and said gruffly, “I don’t want that.” With tears swelling in her eyes, Kelsey walked back to the car with her mom. Kelsey said, “I don’t want to do this anymore. I just want to go home.” Putting her faith into action became a failed expectation.
Rodney seemed to have it all. He had a great job, a good car, and a beautiful home. He had put in a lot of sweat equity to get where he was. But climbing the ladder of success was not what he thought it would be. He had an emptiness that kept nagging at him. Nothing he had tried could fill it. As Rodney was driving down the road, that conversation with his coworker came to mind. Weeks ago, Andy had asked him to come to the Men’s Bible study one night. Rodney had said he would think about it. But in reality, the more Rodney thought about it, the more intimidated he got. He knew nothing about the Bible or God or church. His presence would just embarrass Andy. The openness to accept the invitation became a failed expectation.
Raynor and Moth had been married for thirty-two years. They had purchased a farmhouse fixer upper and over the years had renovated the home and property, Raynor gave birth to three children, and as a family she and her husband made a quiet life with their livestock and renting out the guesthouse to vacationing visitors. During their time there, a friend had talked them into investing in a company, but when the company failed Raynor and Moth were told their signatures on the investment contract made them liable for the company’s debts. After a lengthy court battle Raynor and Moth lost their savings and their house was repossessed. And then a few days later the other shoe dropped; Moth was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Raynor felt like God had grabbed the roots of her life and ripped them out of the ground, turning her and her husband’s very existence upside down. Within a week the couple’s humble life fell completely apart to the failed expectations of rural homelessness and no future [1].
Jesus knew a lot about failed expectations. He spoke to the crowds and the disciples about the fig tree. The owner had great expectations for that vineyard to bear fruit. After three years of pouring his love and resources into nurturing his pride and joy, he found only one thing – failed expectations. If we take Jesus’ parable literally, the owner of the vineyard was disappointed because fig trees do not grow in vineyards. A fig tree’s roots would interfere with the root systems of grapevines.
But Jesus taught in parables to meet others where they are in life and to authentically intersect the Good News at the crossroads of human experience. Parables always reveal truth. Jesus’ truth is this: in times of failed expectations, Jesus encourages us to make room for God’s grace and see how God might move in that space.
Jesus was describing how the timing of God’s grace marks our seasons of failed expectations. By that word “time” I do not mean time that is measured by seconds, minutes, and hours, but rather time that is marked by divine opportunity.
God’s grace gives us opportunity to rise up, to live differently, and to mature by God’s faithfulness. Grace creates opportunities to put one foot in front of the other and trust where God is leading in the midst of failure, uncertainty and doubts. “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord determines the steps (Proverbs 16:9).
But sometimes we miss God’s divine opportunities; we miss God directing our steps. Sometimes we completely resist God’s grace being quick to complain about our disappointment or cutting off that failed expectation to move on. Sometimes we tell ourselves that we are doing life just fine and we don’t need God’s help. Sometimes we are not spiritually aware of the rhythm of God’s grace in our everyday lives.
When humanity missed the mark of God’s expectations to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and to love neighbor as ourselves, God loved us still. God sent his Son. And Jesus revealed a divine opportunity to reveal God’s grace. After his three-year ministry with the disciples, Jesus suffered on the cross taking on humanity’s failed expectations, forgiving our debts, and giving us the grace of second chances and new life. We are God’s pride and joy. And God’s Spirit continues to nurture us to bear good fruit. In our seasons of failed expectations when we don’t feel so fruitful shouldn’t we be open to see what God’s grace can do there too?
Kelsey and her mom sat in the car in the downtown parking lot. Kelsey wiped her tears. Her mom just sat beside her silently for a few minutes. And then she looked at Kelsey and said, “I know how much this means to you. You have such a kind heart. I personally have never served the homeless before, but you were so excited by the pastor’s talk after youth group that I felt you should have the opportunity to do this. You are so brave. If you really want to go home, we can. It’s your decision.” As Kelsey sat in the front passenger seat, she claimed that time to breathe slow and deeply.
And in that moment, she felt the Spirit nudge her to give it another try. Kelsey and her mom got out of the car and walked down the sidewalk, handing out the rest of the bagged dinners to neighbors who were in need. Later in the week Kelsey talked with her youth pastor about her experience. Together they learned faith in action is more about the willingness to love, even if the love you extend is not received the way you expected.
Rodney reached his destination and parked the car. He could not stop thinking about Andy’s invitation. Rodney was curious. He was searching for more in life – more of a sense of coming into himself and finding meaning and purpose. Rodney began to feel a sense of peace settle in with the thought of saying yes to the Bible study invitation. He texted Andy saying he would meet him there next week. After Rodney left that very first Men’s Bible Study, the Spirit opened Rodney to consider that searching is more about being willing to show up than to have all the answers.
When Raynor and Moth closed the door of their home for the very last time after it was repossessed, they had nowhere to go. So, they each put their bare basics in backpacks with the decision to walk the South West Coast Path. Walking the 630 mile salt path gave the couple hope; a reason to go forward, a reason to put one foot in front of the other, a reason to have a next day. It changed their lives forever. Not only walking so far with so little to survive, but also it gave Raynor and Moth the ability to live in the moment. Instead of this 50-something couple worrying what each moment would hold, they learned the deep gratitude of waking in the morning as the fog lifted from the heavens and watching the sun breaking over the horizon of a new day. The two finished the trek discovering a new sense of freedom and resiliency than their former life may never had provided.
Friends, failed expectations are not the end of our stories. They are divine opportunities to experience God’s grace and mercy in ways that we may not have otherwise.
Do not be afraid of failure. Do not yield to the temptation of cutting off your disappointment.
Be open to where the Spirit just may be leading you to put one foot in front of the other. Go in the direction of God’s grace and mercy because our God does indeed move through failed expectations. With faithfulness comes the promise of hope. And many times hope is enough.
In the name of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.
Sources Referenced:
[1] Raynor Winn, “The Salt Path: A Memoir” (New York: Penguin Books, 2018).
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