Season of Creation: Wilderness Sunday
Romans 8: 18-27 & Mark 1: 9-13
Today, we’re beginning a new series for the second part of the summer. We began this summer with a Season of Courage– listening to God’s prophets speak their bold words and inspire us to courageously listen to God and do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our neighbors.
Now, we turn our attention to the whole creation. And in this first week, we begin with wilderness. Why? Well, at least partially because in Jesus’ own story in the very first gospel, the first version of why Jesus’ life and death mattered in the world, the very first thing that happens to Jesus is being baptized by John – whose prophetic work was shaped in the wilderness – and then after baptism, Jesus is sent to the wilderness too.
Wilderness seems really important as a place that shapes us, that molds our spirit, a place where fears rise up and are overcome, a place where we might experience awe, a place where we encounter wild animals and angels take care of us.
When we hear the word “wilderness,” some of us are already traveling in our minds—to the Badlands, to the Boundary Waters, or even farther… some of us are thinking of the little pockets of wilderness right here in the Twin Cities. Maybe we think of a neighborhood we’re hesitant to walk through at certain times of day or night… or maybe we’re thinking of a woodsy area where deer emerge each evening. Wilderness can be an image of desolation or a place teeming with life, just depending on our perspectives.
As many of you know well, this past week was our annual KICKS program – our summer day camp program for neighborhood kids that we host in collaboration with Rock of Ages and this year, St. Paul-Reformation. In addition, Lutherans throughout the East Side and as far as Taylor Falls made contributions that supported KICKS. It’s surely true that it takes a village to make KICKS possible… and again this summer, we rejoice that the village came together to feed and inspire a group of children, youth and young adults to build relationships with one another that change us for the better. All these things are true… and at the very same time, there are moments in the KICKS week that feel like wilderness every year. Two of the days were so very hot. Kids were complaining in the wilderness, even just laying down on the sidewalk and refusing to move… and counselors’ hearts grew as they practiced the fruits of the Spirit in these moments—patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control… moments of wilderness, where we are just so clearly not in control, can teach us to become the best versions of ourselves.
So how do we see wilderness – places and situations that are wild, that are not molded and controlled by us – as gift?
We hear this morning in Romans, that creation groans… like a pregnant woman bringing her child to birth. It is a blessing to be pregnant but we all know that before giving birth to new life, a mother goes through pain, lost appetite, sleeplessness, high blood pressure, struggles with mobility... Yet I'm the end is celebration.[1] Raising children, having KICKS, doing ministry together is good, good work that leaves us so very tired. There are pain, challenges, even groans along the way, but in wilderness we grow.
Life in Christ is like wilderness – we do not control it - but we share in it as we are led by the Holy Spirit whose work and will we can only find our way through together.
Life in Christ is like wilderness – we do not control it - but we share in it as we are led by the Holy Spirit whose work and will we can only find our way through together.
Our KICKS theme song this week was My Calling – the song is originally by the group AJR and adapted by Anne Zielske for our use. We’ll sing it as our song of the day today, and in it we sing these words:
And I wonder, is something in the water make me wanting more?
The earth aches with God’s work to do … so here I go…
Right away after Jesus’ own baptism, he goes to the wilderness.
It’s almost as if Jesus has to see the creation groaning for himself, has to be in deeper touch with the wilds in order to know his calling.
This week, one of our stations at KICKS was with Heidi Ferris who does eco-education throughout the Twin Cities... She helps kids and youth connect the dots between faith, science and youth leadership. One of the many insights she shared is about how our state has transformed from woods and prairie to mostly farmland and while that's amazing for feeding the people of our state and far beyond, it also has an impact on the whole creation... What does the loss of prairie mean for our neighbors the butterflies and other pollinators that our agriculture also depends on? But then she pointed out the value of even pockets of gardens, for example, the pollinator gardens that surround our church building can make a positive difference. And then her group identified 5 monarch caterpillars, 3 species of butterflies, 6 pollinator types, and 4 monarch egg… just in one morning!
Yes, the whole creation groans for God’s new life and renewal, and when we can’t quite see it yet, we wait with endurance. In my circle of friends, two families have been in the hospital with their teenaged children this week, in one case, an appendix burst on vacation... In another, a teen experienced a forty-foot fall from a cliff... Both of these families and several of your families have been going through the wilderness of being out of control as their beloved children are tended by medical staff and have to make their own journeys into and through rehabilitation... These journeys through injury and healing require so much endurance.
And in the midst of our KICKS week, we also faced death. We received news our member Dan Washick died. Death is the final wilderness. Even as soon as baptism, we acknowledge death's power to take away and yet, because of Christ's resurrection, we also acknowledge in baptism that we have received new life that begins now... Through any wilderness - beautiful or fearful or both - that may come our way.
As I met with Lydia and Nick last Sunday, I said, "Baptism isn't magic" & they nodded in a way that I knew that they knew that already. Baptism doesn't promise to protect us from suffering or harm that comes in life. But baptism does give us promises... The promises we take with us into the beauty of the wilderness where wild animals meet us and into the terrors of wilderness, where angels care for us.
All week at KICKS, we talked about God's presence in our daily callings. Over and over our counselors in their daily skits, that looked at lot like today's skit with Ocho... That God is right with us in our daily work, in our daily lives, even when we can't quite see God. And those who shared about their vocation said this... Sometimes, we actually can see God's work moving through us and in spite of our doubts and fears, right there God shows up... In the courtroom, in our work providing play opportunities for disabled adults, in our teaching, in our greeting others at a front desk, in our working with immigrants, in government, giving medical care, sharing music, as a sanitation worker, as a retired person actively volunteering, as a child reaching out to a friend with care... There are so many callings, so many jobs, tasks, activities where God's Holy Spirit moves and lives in and through us.
Today, Elijah is baptized and we rejoice with you at this milestone. We will promise to walk with you and support you as he grows in faith and life. Whether you are experiencing the wilderness parts of life as bountiful or overwhelming, here we are for you.
Today, seven of our youth will head to Wapo...directly into the beautiful wilderness setting of lake and outdoor fun, but also, we recognize that many of our campers this year are going for the first time. We want to applaud you for your courage to go to a place you haven’t been and we will be praying for you each day for you to experience all the good the wilderness has to offer.
Today, we give thanks for all that has been so good about KICKS again this year—and how it put God’s whole creation and God’s whole variety of callings in our minds as we move into the final laps of summer and dream with God about what is still to come.
And in the midst of our KICKS week, we also faced death. We received news our member Dan Washick died. Death is the final wilderness. Even as soon as baptism, we acknowledge death's power to take away and yet, because of Christ's resurrection, we also acknowledge in baptism that we have received new life that begins now... Through any wilderness - beautiful or fearful or both - that may come our way.
As I met with Lydia and Nick last Sunday, I said, "Baptism isn't magic" & they nodded in a way that I knew that they knew that already. Baptism doesn't promise to protect us from suffering or harm that comes in life. But baptism does give us promises... The promises we take with us into the beauty of the wilderness where wild animals meet us and into the terrors of wilderness, where angels care for us.
All week at KICKS, we talked about God's presence in our daily callings. Over and over our counselors in their daily skits, that looked at lot like today's skit with Ocho... That God is right with us in our daily work, in our daily lives, even when we can't quite see God. And those who shared about their vocation said this... Sometimes, we actually can see God's work moving through us and in spite of our doubts and fears, right there God shows up... In the courtroom, in our work providing play opportunities for disabled adults, in our teaching, in our greeting others at a front desk, in our working with immigrants, in government, giving medical care, sharing music, as a sanitation worker, as a retired person actively volunteering, as a child reaching out to a friend with care... There are so many callings, so many jobs, tasks, activities where God's Holy Spirit moves and lives in and through us.
Today, Elijah is baptized and we rejoice with you at this milestone. We will promise to walk with you and support you as he grows in faith and life. Whether you are experiencing the wilderness parts of life as bountiful or overwhelming, here we are for you.
Today, seven of our youth will head to Wapo...directly into the beautiful wilderness setting of lake and outdoor fun, but also, we recognize that many of our campers this year are going for the first time. We want to applaud you for your courage to go to a place you haven’t been and we will be praying for you each day for you to experience all the good the wilderness has to offer.
Today, we give thanks for all that has been so good about KICKS again this year—and how it put God’s whole creation and God’s whole variety of callings in our minds as we move into the final laps of summer and dream with God about what is still to come.
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