Celebrating Harvest

I was thinking today, what shall I start off with?

And I thought I would treat, maybe particularly for the ladies,

a bit of Michael Buble.

And when I'm returning from so far away

She give me some sweet loving, brightening up my day

Yes, it makes me righteous, it makes me feel whole

And it makes me mellow, down to my soul

She gives me love, love, love, love, crazy love

She gives me love, love, love, love, crazy love

She gives me love, love, love, crazy love

I need love, love, love, love for me

Crazy love, crazy love

You're okay.

Michael Blueberry sings about crazy love.

And you came and maybe good friends brought you today

and you thought, well, you're expecting me to talk about farmers.

You're expecting me to talk about fruit and maybe talk about tractors.

Well, I'm certainly going to talk about farmers.

I'm certainly going to talk about fruit.

Probably not so much the tractors.

But this, this morning, is very much about, as we've heard, a story about love.

This, this morning, we've heard in our reading, is a story about love.

You see, if you were living in one of the villages down on the Somerset Levels,

you would be going to a harvest home.

Now, I don't know whether you've ever been to a harvest home.

They're quite boozy affairs.

But people celebrate.

And do they celebrate this idea of bringing the harvest home?

It's bringing it in.

It's the fruit of their labors

and the fruit of what they have seen God doing, bringing it in.

And they celebrate.

And maybe that is what we need to do more and more.

They, we just couldn't think today about tractors

because it's far more than that.

Today, we often skirt around the real reason why we're here.

And the core reason is about this sowing, reaping,

but also harvesting and keeping, which is so important.

And in our Bible story this morning, it is about love

because there's something to celebrate.

It's a crazy love.

A real crazy love.

Because love is crazy.

It often is.

And it's crazy in the way in which God gives it.

Let's put this into the context of the narrative.

But first of all, I have a little surprise for you.

Michelle, would you like to dip your hand in the bag

and bring out a heart?

And would you, your mic's on.

Maybe you'd like to read what's in the car for people.

For God so loved the world

that he gave his only one and only son

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life.

Okay.

That's the word.

Thank you.

Just going to leave that there so everybody can see it,

which is great.

God so loved the world.

And it's crazy, isn't it?

Because if we look at the backstory to what happened here,

Jesus has already come into Jerusalem.

Everybody has lined the streets.

Everybody's been excited to see him.

They've been impassioned by what he's going to come and bring.

Yet Jesus knows that in a few days' time,

the people are going to turn against him.

It is not going to be a happy story of love of them for him.

But he came to bring love and hope for a whole people and for us.

This crazy love that we're going to see.

And so we get this story.

And so the law keepers and the Pharisees and everybody else that had gathered,

they're all plotting against him

because this message that he's bringing

isn't the message that they've been handing out to people.

It's all about the law.

It's all about keeping in order.

It's all about self-sufficiency and their preference.

And that's what it's all been about.

It hasn't been about crazy love.

And so this crazy love that we see in this story,

and Jesus tells this story within their hearing

because he needs to tell them,

because about this crazy love.

There was once a wealthy farmer.

He owned a lot of land.

He had this vineyard.

He was specialising in growing the most perfect and most beautiful grapes.

It was high-end.

He'd invested everything in this thing.

And the farmyard had invested heavily because it was for sharing.

It wasn't just for a few.

It was for so many.

And he was determined, the farmer,

that this wasn't going to be to just keep for themselves.

This was to share.

And after many years of hard work and investing,

he took a huge risk.

And he put in place some hired hands

to invest and to look after the vineyard for him.

When it was harvest time,

he sent a few of his harvesters to come along

and help harvest it

because he knew that it was going to be a huge harvest.

He knew there was going to be so much for everybody.

But things had turned sour.

You see, the farmhands suddenly got illusions of grandeur.

And suddenly, they believed that they should be the farmer,

that they should own the vineyard,

that it was somehow theirs.

And when the servants arrived,

the farmhands grabbed the first servant

and they beat him up.

The second one came along,

they murdered that one.

And the third one,

I think he had a bit of sense.

He went back and he told the father,

the farmer,

exactly what was happening.

The farmer then sends more servants towards,

and they still have the same violence,

they still have the same contempt.

The farmhands showed pure, pure contempt for the farmer.

I guess if you were like me,

the farmer is at the end of his tether.

What shall I do?

What would you and I do in that situation?

But here it is.

He loves the vineyard so much,

the farmer,

but he also still loves the farmhands.

He wants things to change.

So he thinks,

surely,

what I'll do is I'll send my son,

because they'll listen to my son,

surely.

Because in those days,

if you sent your son,

your son had the same authority as you did.

So that's exactly what he did.

He sent the son.

When the farmhands saw the son arriving,

they rubbed their hands together.

They plotted,

they schemed,

and they said,

this is the farmer's one and only son.

If we kill him,

the vineyard will be ours,

and it'll be all of ours,

and we will inherit it.

Do you know what?

That is so bizarre.

How would you think that you could destroy this love?

But that's exactly what they did.

They killed the son.

And they just wouldn't listen.

It was just bizarre.

At the end of this story,

we're confronted with a picture of God.

A God who has crazy love.

Crazy love.

Because this story,

depending on how we answer.

Because Jesus said,

Jesus answers,

what will the farmer do?

That's what he asks the people that are listening.

That's what he listens to.

That's what he speaks to the Pharisees.

What will the father do?

And that for each of us is a big question,

because I don't know what you would do.

Because there would be something bubbling up in me

about anger and retribution.

wanting to get that back,

maybe by force.

But this is crazy love.

This is crazy love of the father.

And this is what the crazy love is all about.

And this straightforward story today is an allegory,

because we know that the farmer is this,

is our God.

And the farm hands,

the human race,

God's people.

And the people sent on the farmer's behalf,

the servants,

are the prophets.

Did they listen to them?

No, they didn't.

And then,

the farmer's son,

you've guessed it,

it's all about Jesus.

Jesus is the son that was sent.

Jesus is telling them this story,

prophetically,

of what actually was going to happen.

And they were plotting and scheming already.

So let's begin with the farm hands.

Let's look at this.

It's crazy.

Think about it.

Why on earth do the farm hands think

that they're going to inherit the vineyard?

You know,

they haven't made a very good job of it.

It's only the father that makes a really good job of it.

Maybe you're thinking as well,

you know,

if we think that the vineyard is ours,

this world,

we think about global warming,

we think about hunger,

we think about starvation,

we think how we haven't shared the fruits of the earth.

We haven't made a really good job of it.

It's no wonder

that the father wants to come back

and actually help and advise and guide.

Then, of course,

there is the people in there,

the farm hands.

You know,

maybe it's legally possible

that they could own the vineyard.

No, not at all.

Not at all.

This is the father's vineyard.

It is beautiful.

He wants to produce more and more and more

to share,

not just for us,

but to share with people.

So why keep it to ourselves?

Why are they so stuck?

And so often we feel,

don't we,

oh, this is for us.

No, it's not for us.

This is for everybody.

So we need to be open.

Then there's the servants that came,

the servants,

the prophets,

and they were quite a few

who tried to tell people

about this crazy love of God.

And it is crazy.

And maybe we feel that

out in the world today,

that people just don't understand

where we come from.

Because we're talking about a love

that people just don't experience

because they want this for themselves.

And then,

finally,

is the son.

That God loved the world so much

that he sent his only son.

Because he knew

that that was the answer.

That is crazy love.

Crazy love.

But we need to get it.

You see,

the farmer

wanted everyone

to taste and see

that he is good.

And without that,

there would have just been a few.

Just a few

who wanted to keep it

to themselves.

And it's no surprise

that we handed out fruit

because that's what we need

to be doing more and more.

Handing it away.

Handing it away.

That's what the father wanted.

Give it away.

Give it away.

Give it away.

Share it.

Because the good thing

that we have to share

is so good.

No wonder he was so crazy,

the farmer

and the father,

for making sure

that this came about,

that the vineyard

produced enough for everybody.

And it does

if we allow it.

But think about it.

He sends the servants,

they're beaten,

stoned and killed.

But the crazy thing is

then he sends more.

He sends more,

then he sends

the son.

And the beautiful thing

is for the hope

for today

is that actually

God puts all things

together for good.

And I was thinking

really about

we're sowing

and reaping

and keeping.

Let's just pour this

back in the bag.

Just a little bit

that will go in there.

And shake it all up.

Because God's goodness

in this story

is just so crazy

that actually

what he does

is he actually says,

no,

I am in charge.

I love you so much.

It is so crazy

that I really want you

to get the message.

You can kill my son,

but of course

we have the resurrection.

And Jesus rose

and died again.

so we can have

this crazy love.

Because

for God so loved

the world

that he gave

his one and only son

that whoever

believes in him

shall not perish

but have eternal life.

Now,

it's crazy love.

You see,

this crazy farmer

maybe isn't so crazy.

Because

if you

love people,

you will know

what ends

you go to.

To share

and to save.

Sacrificially.

And that's what

we're called to do

in this story.

The farmer

acts more like

a desperate parent.

More and more

to reach out

to the lost children

that he wants

to gather.

It's crazy,

the kind of crazy love

that comes,

as Michael Buble says,

of being in love.

Because it's a love story.

This isn't just

about harvest

and service.

This is a pure

love story

like most of the Bible.

And if you're opening

the Bible

for the first time,

if you're looking,

if you're dipping

your toe in,

this is about love.

What will the farmer

do when he comes back?

All the listening Pharisees

are asked that question.

Jesus turns it around

and says to them,

what will the farmer

do when he comes back?

And all the listening Pharisees,

all they can do

is they can imagine

violence,

retribution,

guilt,

punishment,

and sin.

No.

This is crazy love.

So Jesus asked them

this question.

And the farmhands,

the Pharisees say,

they say to him,

he will put those wretches

to a miserable death.

You see,

the Pharisees

condemn themselves.

That's part of

Matthew's narrative.

They condemn themselves

when in Christ's

loving character,

if we love,

there is no condemnation.

If in Christ

we know

the farmer,

there is

no condemnation.

so easily,

like you,

I could become

a farmhand.

It's so easy

to accumulate

and to think

this is ours.

But I pray this morning

that we look outside

of that

because love

is a matter,

is never a matter

of meeting halfway.

it's going

the extra mile.

And the crazy

love of this farmer,

the crazy love

of God

that we see

this morning

goes the extra mile.

And when love

is truly the motivator,

the extra mile

is well worth it.

And he goes,

he doesn't give up.

So,

God like the farmer,

it says,

your love

is the anchor.

We've sung that.

So,

most of us

would agree

that we need

more of that

crazy love

in our world.

And how are we

going to do that?

This story

introduces us

to be like God

because God

is love.

God's love

is crazy

in reaching those

who we know

who needs this love.

We've heard about

the food bank today.

We've heard about

Andrew House.

We've heard about

the people.

We know the people.

Maybe some of you

are gathered here

who need

God's crazy love.

And it's there

in all abundance.

God will never

give up

on seeking

to reach you.

Seeking to reach

those he longs

to reach.

And that is

the mission

of his church.

The mission

of his church.

Jesus came,

rose again,

the mission changed.

We are called

to reach a people

with God's

crazy love.

And that's why

we say

that the kingdom

is near

because love

so amazing,

so divine,

demands my all,

my life,

my soul,

and everything.

How do you feel

about the crazy love?

Because it's there

for each and every

one of us.

And that's why

we welcome Jesus.

One question,

if God's love

is crazy

enough,

then how can we

say no

to somebody

who's so crazy

who keeps saying

yes?

How can we say

no to somebody

who is so crazy

in love with us

that keeps

saying yes?

Harvest is about

welcoming.

And the question

is today,

do we welcome

Jesus?

Do we welcome

him?

Do we see them

when he comes

from far off

coming to help

us share

what we have?

Do we welcome

or do we say

it's just for us?

I pray that we

would be really

open with the

harvest that we've

been given.

The harvest that

we've been given,

all that we've

been given,

all the great

things that we've

been given to

share.