SUNDAY SERMON: The lessons of summer

By Rev. Stephen Baldwin

GOSPEL: John 6.1-21

NT: Ephesians 3.14-21

The Avett Brothers are one of my favorite bands. They have a new song called “Country Kid.” It paints a vivid picture of being a kid growing up over the summer in the country. They talk about the feeling of bare feet in the front yard, the excitement of throwing a party in the woods, and the pain of rocks in your palms when you fall off your bike in the driveway. 

What are your best memories of summer? Sandlot baseball games? Catchin’ lightning bugs in glass jars? Eating a popsicle with grandpa in the shade of the garage? 

One of my good summer memories is Vacation Bible School. I don’t remember what Bible stories we learned or what songs we sang, but I vividly remember the church caring enough about kids like me to spend a week teaching us about God and loving on us. 

What a week it has been for us hosting Bible School! I can’t thank all the kids and adults enough for their time. We had a dozen young people from Clifton, Ronceverte, and the community. I learned all sorts of things this week. 

I learned that I still can’t sing or dance…and shouldn’t try. We were doing music and dancing time, something that makes me especially uncomfortable. A little boy wasn’t participating, so I stopped and went over to invite him to join us. The little boy very seriously looked at me and said, “We don’t dance.” And all I could do was smile and agree. “No we don’t, buddy. Let’s just sit here and watch the others.”

I learned how important it is to listen. During our Bible story one day about a man who was injured, a little boy who had been very quiet up until that point told us about how his daddy was hurt too. He had been in an auto accident. He told us what happened, who came to help, and what he did to help out around the house now that his daddy is back home from the hospital. All of the other kids listened to every word. They clapped for him when he said he was trying to be a better listener to help his mom and his dad. 

I learned that plans aren’t as important as we think they are. We had a good plan and schedule for the kids each day–Bible story, prayer, science, art, music, snack, games, trivia, and wrap up. One day it was time for snacks to be over and move to games. So I tried to get the kids moving, but I couldn’t get them to stop eating snacks. They were hungry. They are always hungry. I was reminded that our plans are far less important than their needs. So we doubled snack time that day. 

Perhaps most importantly, I learned what our scripture, Ephesians 3–Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, is really about. Let’s read it together.

Can’t you picture Paul offering this prayer to God for his brothers and sisters in Ephesus? On his knees, offering praise to God, father of every family on earth, for the wellbeing of his people. 

It’s how you pray for your family member who’s in distress. It’s how you pray for yourself when you’re under duress. It’s how you pray for kids, regardless of what they’re going through. Paul prays for the inner being of his brothers and sisters, giving thanks for the breadth and depth and height and length of God’s amazing love. 

As we pray like this, it’s important to remember that God is in charge. As much as we may think we are and that everything depends on us, God is in charge. When Jesus fed the 5000, he knew he’d have enough for everyone. He knew the disciples would run off and forget the leftovers. He knew they’d get on a boat in the storm and be afraid. None of those problems mattered, because God was in control. 

Sometimes our view of God can get awfully complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple: God is in control. Was, is, and will be.

Sometimes it takes the simple things to remind us. Sandlot baseball games. Catchin’ lightning bugs in glass jars. Eating a popsicle with grandpa in the shade of the garage. Vacation Bible School at the local church. 

As Paul says so beautifully, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”