Who Is John Chapman???

Fathers Day 2016

When I was a little boy well my daddy, he could do anything.

Around age six well, my dad is smarter than your dad.

By the time I was ten well, dad really doesn’t seem to know everything.

And when I hit twelve, naturally dad doesn't know anything about that.  He is too old to remember his childhood.

At the ripe old age of fourteen,  dad, well he is too old- fashioned.

At twenty-one DAD!!!   my heavens, he's hopelessly out of date.

But you know when I hit my thirties things began to change:  Maybe I should ask dad what he thinks.  After all, he's had a lot of experience.

At forty, ENLIGHTENMENT sets in and things really change.  Now I'm am not doing a single thing until I at least talk it over with my dad.   

These last comments are meant for those of us, including me who’s earthy DAD has passed on. 

As I get older still:  - I think, if dad were here now I would want to talk things over with him again,  and I would tell him how much I love him.  

In a moment of thoughtful silence, consider what is special about your DAD. ---------------------------------------------Amen

You know we all have the same DAD and He was with us from the very beginning, and has never left our side, he’s in Me and in You because He made us in his image the image of love, and he loves us no matter what, He has never left or forsaken us.  He is our God, our Heavenly DAD, and he is there for everyone who will accept him.  Thanks be to our Heavenly DAD.

The Pearly Gates?
Over the massive ornate carved front doors of a cathedral church, these words were inscribed: "The Gates of Heaven". Below that was a small cardboard sign with an arrow pointing to the side which read: "Please enter by the service entrance."   

Folks, I believe the service entrance is the only way to enter into the Kingdom Of Heaven. I believe the kingdom of God will not be entered into through the affluent elaborateness of the rich and famous nor through the powerful of this world.  I believe service is the key Folks and for the Christian it is through Jesus and His way of serving that we enter. 

In Mark 4: 26-27 Jesus said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how."

How many of us here like apples?  You probably understanding the picture at the beginning of my service today.  Of course all of us know the story of a man called Johnny Appleseed. As you might guess, Johnny Appleseed was not his real name. His real name was John Chapman. He was born in 1774 in the state of Massachusetts. When he was in his early twenties, John became a nurseryman working with plants, trees, and shrubs. John Chapman especially loved apple trees and he planted them all around the town where he lived. But that wasn't enough for John, He wanted people everywhere to enjoy apples just as much as he did, so he traveled all around the country planting apple trees and giving away apple seeds.

John’s life wasn't easy thought, but he loved what he was doing. He never married, and collected more friends than he could count. He lived a long and happy life enjoying the great outdoors and the beauty of God's creation until his death in 1845.

You may be asking, "What does the story of Johnny Appleseed have to do with our Bible lesson for today?" Well, the story of Johnny Appleseed is a bit like the parable that Jesus told in our Bible reading for today. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he is asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but the man doesn't know how it happens." Nor can the man see what is really in the seed, but he knows that there really is a tree in there, with more apples and more seeds.  Isn’t that amazing!

Just as John Chapman was passionate about planting apple seeds, God wants you and me to be passionate about planting seeds of the Good News everywhere we go. If we will take the Good News of Jesus to people, it will take root in their life and begin to grow.  We may not understand it, but we know that, that is the way the kingdom of God grows -- by people like you and me planting the seed and watching it grow.   God chose ordinary people like you and me to get his message of unconditional love and forgiveness out into the world.    Let us plant seeds of faith in Jesus Christ wherever we go. 

                                                            A Fathers Love