Everything Has Become New

13 June 2021

Lectionary 11, Third Sunday after Pentecost, Year B

Ezequiel 17: 22-24

In Querétaro, Mexico, is the Cerro de las Campanas where the put a memorial for Maximiliano, the King of Mexico. Maximilian was a man from Austria who in 1864 began as an emperor with the help of France. There was an understanding that with Maximiliano in power, Mexico was going to pay money to France for its debts. But there was also a president in Mexico, Benito Juárez, who had the support of the United States. Coincidentally the kingdom of Maximilian existed while the United States was in a civil war, so the support of the United States was not much until the civil war ended. Maximiliano died in 1867 by execution and liberal democracy was restored in Mexico with its president Benito Juárez. This incident in history is an example of a leader being taken out of one place and being placed or planted in another place. Sometimes it works and other times it is useless. 

In the bible the cedar tree is symbolic of the kingdom of a government. And according to the prophet Ezekiel, God has a plan to take a leader out of one place, and put him in another place. The aforementioned sapling is a symbol of a king or leader moved and planted in a new place. The most important thing to remember is that apart from the changes of earthly leaders and governments it is a spiritual kingdom that is even greater than the kingdom of God. 

Jesus Christ was like a tender sapling on top of the largest and most powerful Cedar in the universe. Jesus was the son of God taken out of heaven out of time and space and planted in the shape of a cross in Jerusalem, Mount Zion 2000 years ago. His species of Cedar according to Ezekiel was designed to give home to all kinds of animals and birds. These are symbols of us human beings, with all our diversity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a king who loves and accepts all kinds of human beings, animals, and birds. And in the Kingdom of God there is peace and justice for everyone. 

All the trees in the field will be aware that their existence is totally conditional on God. It means that all governments, states, nations, empires, companies, in the eyes of God are nothing more than trees of the field. The largest and most beautiful cedar is Jesus Christ who we find peace and justice. 

But wait for a moment please. Didn’t Jesus die on a cross as a criminal? Where is your kingdom? If we find peace and justice in the kingdom of God established by Jesus Christ, why do we still find violence and injustice in many places? Why are there so many leaders of nations who act like gods or goddesses and not humble servants of God?

We are foolish if we think that we can be sitting back and passive while a benevolent dictator is going to make the whole world cool and cool with no effort on our part. No. No. No. The apostle in 2 Corinthians 5 says that even though we cannot see the kingdom of God we have to walk and live in faith. It is easy to walk with the eyes, but it is limited to what we can see. But if we could walk by faith, we could move forward and progress and improve our lives and the world. 

Last week was the last week of school for my children. It is something special to receive and hear the grades, evaluations, and comments of the teachers according to my children. Sometimes teachers’ comments are so interesting that I’ve thought, “Are you sure you’re talking about my child?” Children behave differently at home than at school. This is what he means in 2 Corinthians: if we are out of our mind we are with God, and if we are right, it is because we are with you. The point is that we are not perfect. We need God’s affection and God’s forgiveness for our mistakes, which are many and varied. With the edification and patience of God our father we are well prepared to live in the world showing our faith that the kingdom of God does come. It says: all old has passed, and all creation but all creation is being made new. 

Speaking of school: pastors need to go to school. It is part of our calling to continue studying God’s word and practical issues. I have been twice to the Executive Skills for Pastors program at California Lutheran University. There I learned the options for a business that wants to grow. 1. Cut expenses. 2. Increase income. 3. Transformation. When a business wants to transform, and the church that is God’s business, it can transform its business model. This is precisely what Jesus spoke of in his parable of the mustard seed according to Mark chapter 4.

The problem was that we obsessed over cedar and the illusion of creating a large and strong organization. Jesus offered another option and a transformation of God’s business model. The mustard seed and its mustard grass plant are humble but widespread. It is a small and strong model. The word of God and the Kingdom of God spreads easily and everywhere quickly.