Put into Practice

Sermon for August 24, 2025 - Matthew 7:12-28

You see I have brought my trumpet again. I have been inspired by Professor Harold Hill from the Music Man that we just have to think our way into playing. Don’t worry, I am not going to play the trumpet, I am just going to let John play and give him the song that Professor Hill taught the kids with, “La te da de da, te da de da de da, te da.”

I hate to say it, but Jesus and Professor Hill have the same teaching technique. Jesus starts his sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. Bless are the poor, those who mourn, those with a pure heart etc. We know if we are poor, but how do we get a pure heart and how do we become a peacemaker? These are proclamations with no instruction book. Jesus goes on that we have to fast, not how to fast, but when we fast, don’t make it a show. He tells us not to pray in public and this time gives us the Lord’s prayer, but are we just supposed to pray that and nothing else. Tells us to reconcile with those who are suing us, but not how. Jesus tells us to love our enemies, give alms, and not to worry! We are told not to judge, but ask, seek, and knock, but not on which door.

He tells us to build on rock, but not what kind of rock and how big the house should be. He tells us to bear fruit, but not what kind of fruit. He warns us that just calling on him and even performing miracles in his name is not enough. And then, and then Jesus tells us that the road is narrow and only a few will find it.

Much of what Jesus preaches about is metaphor. We are not to tear out our eye to keep ourselves from sinning, but are we to give to everyone, “EVERYONE!!” who asks?? We talked a little about the early Christians being followers of the Way! However, Jesus was not creating a cult and trying to bamboozle them, like a certain American leader, or us with a last minute change of heart like Professor Hill. The way of Christ is not a to-do list. Jesus trusts us that we will figure out prayer, and fasting, and alms-giving and all this other stuff as we go through life. Jesus knows that we will have the Holy Spirit to help us. Jesus trusts that we will study those in the Bible and those who have gone before us to create a foundation and then live in the day and age where we find ourselves. Last week we danced. To dance true, we have to listen to the music. There may be steps to learn, but unless we are in a marching band or a ballet, we have some freedom for interpretation and expression.

Let us focus on the metaphor of the bearing of fruit.

Look at the tree with all its branches. As you are able, write down the things you do in your days and in each week on separate branches. Once you completed it (doesn’t have to be exhaustive), take a look those activities, see them as practices and ask yourself if they are producing good fruit or bad fruit in your life and for the world. I can tell you that I spend too much time on my phone, while there are some good things like staying in contact with family and friends and seeing stuff you won’t see often in the other media, like what has been happening and is happening in Palestine, I do get hooked on things that only increase my anxiety or put me in zombie mood just mindlessly scrolling.

The arbitrator of this all is the Golden Rule, is what we do make us treat others better and ourselves, or do we live in fear, in anger, in greed? Let us grow the fruits of the Spirit in our hearts, our homes, this church, this nation, and this world. Let us ask, seek, and knock so we may share bountiful harvests of goodness, kindness, patience, faithfulness, self-control, love, joy, peace, and gentleness. Good fruits! The currency of God’s kingdom. Amen? Amen.