Tomorrow, when I go to the 4^th of July parade on the fifth of July, I will cry. Not because the parade is on the wrong day, rather because I cry every year. When I see the marching band, hear the patriotic songs, and see the American flag, my heart is full to overflowing and the tears begin to fall from my eyes. I really don’t understand what is going on here. I wish it didn’t happen; in fact I feel a little foolish. But I don’t seem to have any control over how this sentimentality for country will affect me.

Some two hundred and twenty-eight years ago, many of our forefathers fixed their names to a declaration of independence that gave birth to the country we know and celebrate today. A part of that document declared that all "men" are created equal and perhaps much to the surprise of those forefathers, subsequent generations have broadened that understanding of equality to include all people, whatever ethnicity or race, whether female or male, and whether propertied or un-propertied. The United States has grown to symbolize a country of freedoms and liberties that is rare in the rest of the world.

I sometimes wonder how the original European founders of New England would respond to what has grown into these six states today. Fleeing the religious persecution of the state churches of England, our Pilgrim foremothers and forefathers sought to build a new kingdom under God’s reign. Soon however, they discovered that not all agreed as to the form of that new kingdom. Having spent eight years living in Rhode Island, I am very much aware of the struggles in Massachusetts about different interpretations of scripture. In case you’ve forgotten, those who fled the strict rules of the Massachusetts Bay Colony founded Rhode Island.

Perhaps, we like the Israelites need to always be reminded what it means for the people of God to be light to the nations. Over and over again the Israelites are confused about their role. The Jewish leaders think that because they are light to the nations they can lord it over the others and are somehow better than others. The elevated role that they have been set aside for – being a light to the nations – means showing the way, not having some kind of power over others.

Since our European ancestors understood themselves as an extension of God’s kingdom, it’s appropriate to read today’s gospel lesson and juxtapose it with the independence that we also celebrate this day. When we view the gospel lesson from this perspective, we gain new understanding of the familiar words.

Usually, we read this text as a commandment for those who would be disciples of Jesus Christ to go out and harvest people to bring into the church. OUR Evangelism chair probably thought he was going to hear another evangelism sermon when he heard _____ read the gospel lesson. We come at this text from today’s experience of a fully developed institution in need of persons to continue to support that institution. Although, there is some validity in this approach, when we consider this scripture on a day that we celebrate our country we see from a different perspective.

First, let’s remember the context of this lesson in Luke’s gospel. The seventy are being sent ahead of Jesus to the towns and villages that he would visit to prepare the way. In the earlier chapter, although the preaching of the twelve apostles is met with some level of success, they have failed in their own attempts at spiritual healings and were jealous of others from outside the group who were more successful. Others who were interested in joining the small band of disciples were discouraged by the personal costs and because Jesus continues to predict his own impending Passion. How successful could their preparations be, if they would lead to Jesus’ death?

Having stated that Jesus’ face is set to go to Jerusalem, this new chapter in Luke opens as seventy men and women are selected to go ahead of him preparing the way. The literal Greek in verse one says that these seventy are sent "before his face" a somewhat daunting task if one knows that that way will lead to death. The seventy have few resources and are told to depend upon others for the food that sustains life. They are even told in advance that some people will reject them.

So, who would like to be part of this group? I’d probably have a hard time getting seventy people to volunteer to go out for pizza to say nothing of finding seventy who are willing to move out into the villages where you know in advance that some will reject you. The amazing thing is that it makes no matter if you are rejected or accepted the message is the same: the reign of God is at hand. And it’s not a reign of God that comes and goes; the present is being filled full with God’s reign.

So in one sense, the seventy are sent out to prepare for a grand party instead of a great sadness. Perhaps, the seventy are sent out to help others see where the presence of God is reigning in our lives. It’s all in how one emphasizes the title of today’s message "Harvesting - in God’s Reign" or "Harvesting In – God’s Reign." (Repeat) What is the produce that one is harvesting, people or the in breaking of God’s reign into our lives? Perhaps we are called today to be light to the nations and light up the places where God’s spirit shines in our lives.

All too often we get wrapped up in the negative news of our newspapers and television networks. We fail to lift up the places where God’s reign breaks into our lives. We begin to take for granted the influence of God in our world.

As we reflect on this fourth of July, I realize that some of those tears that I will cry during the parade tomorrow are about wanting my country to be more of a light to the nations. What is it that we would lift up to the rest of the world as the way of God?

I’d like us to take a few moments and think of some of the things that we cherish about our country. Many of us cherish the beauty of this land and would like to find more ways to protect that beauty from the pollution that is a side effect of our use of the land. Others cherish the freedoms that were built into our Constitution and want to maintain those freedoms in spite of the terrorist threat.

Are there other things that you cherish about our country, things that you would like to remember on this Fourth of July?

God’s reign breaks into our lives.

Many of you are aware that two weeks ago, I was away with my family for the occasion of our daughter, Sarah’s wedding. But few of you know that Sarah and her husband, Tom, met at the University of Rhode Island Band Camp in 1999. Band Camp is an annual experience for many marching bands. It’s a mess of horns, drummers, flags, bugs and kids trying to work out a performance routine for fall football games, yet if you look closely you can see the reign of God in action.

For just one week prior to the beginning of school and the first football game, the band members rehearse from 9 am to 9 pm learning the music and routines of this year’s show. The first day is very confusing with upper classmen helping the freshmen and other new members as much as possible. The members of the band are far from perfect, yet they still get out there to give the show their best shot.

The band marches their show out bit-by-bit, and the show keeps getting stronger. When they perform it on Visitor’s Day, it is ‘already, but not yet.’ They have the tune sounding close to what it is supposed to, and the drill is looking okay. However, they still need precision to really make it stellar.

For us, recognizing the Kingdom of God and building our faith is not too different from this band camp experience. Like the band members we too are far from perfect, yet we have to get out there and try. The Kingdom of God can also be explained as ‘already, but not yet.’ "This means that we may be working toward it, and starting to see the reality of it, but we don’t yet see it in the fullest.

"[Just like a marching band,] we still have a long way to go before we can realize the Kingdom of God. And if we keep polishing our act, we’ll get it right in time for Homecoming." (Homiletics, July, 2004, p. 14. )