Believing Well

SERMON TITLE:   “Believing Well”
SERMON TEXT:     John 20:19-31
PREACHER:            Rev. Kim James
OCCASION:            April 19, 2020 (Earth Day Sunday) at First UMC
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
                I’m going to show you something that’s very tiny.  I hope you can see it.  On this little blue post-it note, I’ve glued a flower seed.  Can you see it?  The seed is brown, and it’s about the size of a piece of raw oatmeal.  This little seed came from one of the wildflower seed kits that our children’s Sunday School class was making in February, when they were studying their unit on God’s creation.  Before this coronavirus shutdown occurred, the plan was that the children would take these packets of seeds home or give them out to church members and friends.  Each kit is made from a biodegradable coffee filter and contains some potting soil and some flower seeds.  You tear off the label, which instructs us to place the whole bag of seeds into the ground, water it, and then wait for God’s miracle to rise up.
                When we look at flower bulbs and seeds that look like brown, dried up, dead things, it’s hard to imagine that they could burst forth into life.  And, yet, year after year our human experience proves that we do well to believe in God’s power to use earth, seeds, water, and sun—not just so we can get pretty flowers—but so bees can pollinate and make honey; so we can produce vegetables, grains, and fruit; and so we can grow feed for livestock.  Believing well is what enables us to eat and live.  And believing well is what I want to talk with you about this morning.

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