During the Great Depression and World War II, the U. S. government had a program designed to teach farmers and households more efficient and productive ways of farming and gardening. Most of the population back then was rural, and the survival of many families depended on their ability to produce much of what they ate. These model gardens from which people could learn to be more self-sufficient were set up in towns and throughout the countryside. They were called “demonstration plots.” My maternal grandmother was part of this governmental program to teach families how to grow their own food. Even though the program ended after World War II, she continued planting a vegetable garden for our family using the farming techniques she had taught others years before.
The great 20th century saint Clarence Jordan, who had a degree in agriculture, took notice of these model gardens and used them as a metaphor for the church. Jordan called the Kingdom of God “the God Movement” and understood the mission of the church to become demonstration plots of the God Movement in its own time and place. In other words, churches should be made up of people who lived and demonstrated the teachings, compassion, forgiveness, courage, and example of Jesus. Jordan’s assumption was that as Jesus traveled the countryside of Galilee and Judea going from one village to another, he was setting up demonstration plots of his God Movement. In each village and hamlet, those who embraced his message and way of life would form a community of faith within the wider community and over time, like yeast in bread, would leaven the surrounding society.
Jesus never asked his followers to “go it alone.”
I believe Jordan was absolutely correct regarding Jesus’ mission and goals as he spread his message of the Kingdom of God. Jesus intended his followers to live his kind of life within a community which could inspire, teach, encourage, challenge, and love in ways far more faithful and lasting than a single follower ever could. Jesus never asked his followers to “go it alone.” The Lone Ranger approach to the Christian faith so prevalent in our society was never his intention. (Remember, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto!) Our Lord knew we could never follow him very far or very long on our own. We need each other as we travel the Kingdom road.
With these insights in mind, let’s look at our passage for today. As always, we must look at context. Prior to our passage we have the story of the man who was told by Jesus that in order to inherit eternal life he must sell all he owned and give the proceeds to the poor. Only then could he follow Jesus and experience the eternal life he sought. But the man, who was very rich, walked away grieving. Jesus then said that it was hard for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God. We are told that the disciples were perplexed by this statement. They assumed, along with many other Jews, that the rich had been blessed by God with their wealth because they were so holy and righteous. But Jesus repeated his radical statement and intensified it by saying that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples looked at each other with astonishment and said, “Who then can be saved?” Their reasoning was this: If the rich who are righteous and blessed by God won’t make it, then what hope is there for poor schmucks like us? Jesus, overhearing their discussion, essentially said, “You’re right. For humans all salvation and healing are impossible. But you are overlooking the God factor—with Abba all things are possible.” I would imagine the disciples were now more confused than before.
“…But the many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Jesus then gives one of his most important teachings. So much truth and revelation are behind his words. There is a depth to this passage that too often we completely miss. Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecution—and in the age to come, eternal life. But the many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
This is the background to Peter’s statement, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.” And so they had. They had left their families, their communities, their professions, their friends, and their sense of security. Peter is trying to make sense of all this talk about the rich. Perhaps he’s beginning to understand—they have impoverished themselves in following Jesus. Maybe the old assumption about the rich being righteous and being blessed by God is wrong. Perhaps he and the rest of the disciples are part of something astonishing and new. But Peter wants to know what’s in it for him. “What will we have?” (Look at Matthew’s presentation of this episode in Matthew 19:16-30.)
Is Jesus saying that if you follow me you will get a hundred times the wealth and security you had before? Is this the same kind of sleazy promises many preachers offer—“Put $20 in the offering plate, and it will come back to you hundredfold! Cast your bread on the water and see how much reward you will receive! You can’t out-give God!” Is this a promise that if we invest in the racket of the church, our return will be outrageously astonishing? No, Jesus was never a part of any religious racket. So, what did he mean?
The spiritual isolation and withering of the rich who only looked out for themselves would be replaced with the spiritually uplifting joy of a community of love, respect, and compassion.
This is where Jordan’s insight regarding demonstration plots is helpful. Jesus was creating communities of faith, hope, and love right dab in the middle of common villages and hamlets throughout Galilee and Judea. If those who chose to follow him would love as he loved, give as he gave, forgive as he forgave, show compassion as he showed compassion, and share as he shared, then as a group/community/family with Abba as Parent of each and all, they would have many brothers, sisters, mothers, houses, and fields. They would have each other. If one of them lacked bread, another would make sure that one did not go hungry. If one of them needed encouragement, challenging truth spoken in love, compassion, comfort, a shoulder to cry on, one who understood, then such a person was readily available. The spiritual isolation and withering of the rich who only looked out for themselves would be replaced with the spiritually uplifting joy of a community of love, respect, and compassion. It was their participation in the local Demonstration Plot of the Kingdom of God which provided their identity, security, and fulfillment.
Let me give two examples of how the dynamics of Jesus’ demonstration plots work in our world. Mother Teresa told of a time she and a couple of other nuns took some rice to an impoverished family. Immediately after they entered the hovel, the mother of the family took half of the rice and put it in her sari. She then turned to walk out of door. Mother Teresa said, “Where are you going? We were hoping to visit with you.” The woman replied, “I will be right back. They’re hungry next door, too.” I wonder how many of us, if we were starving, would take half of the food we were given and share it with those who are hungry next door?
“…we realized we had many brothers, sisters, and parents who would be the Body of Christ in ways we had never witnessed before.”
The second example is from my own life. While Susan and I were going through our “wilderness years” in Texas in the 1980s, we attended St. Francis Presbyterian Church. This church had been on the cutting edge of every justice issue in the 20th century. While we were there, the church was involved in the sanctuary movement for those fleeing persecution in Latin American countries. (Sound familiar?) The church considered hiring me as a part-time minister whose responsibilities included being very active in the sanctuary movement. I told the church that I was worried about possible imprisonment I may suffer from involvement in such a movement. My concern was for Susan and our eight-year- old daughter. How would they survive? The church members promised me that if I was imprisoned, they would take care of every need Susan and Miriam would have. They would have shelter, food, medical care, and everything else they needed. At that point we realized we had many brothers, sisters, and parents who would be the Body of Christ in ways we had never witnessed before.
If we consider becoming a part of a Demonstration Plot of the God Movement, perhaps we should first ask some questions. What might we lose? What might we gain? Is it possible to live Jesus’ life on our own? Are we humble enough to admit we need each other to be faithful and true to the good news Jesus came to bring? My suspicion is simply this: neither we nor any person or group claiming to be followers of Jesus will ever discover the truth, liberation or joy possible in Christ until we join our hearts within the context of that Beloved Community—the community Jesus started in the villages and hamlets of the Palestinian countryside and whose Spirit continues to inspire even in our day. I suppose if we considered this possibility, we might be as astonished as those first disciples some 2000 years ago.
