HARVEST SERMON 2026: Going to the Vineyard.

Sunday September 27, 2026

  Call to worship

Pastor: Let us pray and give thanks!

All: Thank You for the gift

Pastor: Of sunshine and rain in due season, of seed, soil and harvest, provision for our needs and others,

 if in love we share.

All: Thank You for the gift

Pastor: Of living water that does not run dry and the nourishment of Your Word which feeds our souls and others,

 if in love we share.

Thank You for the love which endures and the blessings which satisfy.

All: For the opportunity to share all that You have given, we bring to You our thanks! Amen

The Parable of the Two Sons

A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.”

29 He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went.

30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’  

Sermon:

 “Going to the Vineyard.”

Today we celebrate Harvest and the abundance of gifts given to us through the miraculous cycle of nature and life.

Today we give thanks for this garden created by God. A place of beauty, beyond our understanding. A prophetic poem written, not in words but in colors, shapes, tastes, sounds and gentle breeze.

Today we celebrate this creation of beauty and mystery.

WE know that the promise of a good harvest is already contained within the beginning, within the smallest seeds sown.

We know that the mighty oak tree began within an acorn.

We know that the bread we share at communion and at lunch began within a grain.

That the autumn crisp apple began within a pip-Appleseed.

The mystery of nature, the gift of harvest, we pause and think about today.

A place of beauty, beyond our understanding.

We are placed in the middle of that mysterious circle of life and nature and seasons and times.

We are fed, equipped and provided for every day even if we might not know or have never been near a cow in the field, or a tractor bringing grains back from the harvest.

We are fed, equipped and provided for daily, even if we have never picked one apple in an orchard or seen grapes in a vineyard.

I am blessed in so many ways.

And I also consider myself blessed as I have been near cows in the fields and thousands of chickens at the chicken farm.

 I have been on the tractor bringing back grain or hay from harvest.

 I have been so blessed to pick my share of apples in the orchard, cherries, strawberries, peas, blackberries and walking along the living fences of hazelnuts. I have even picked grapes in a vineyard in Santa Ines Valley near Solvang and in the beautiful vineyard of Chateau Pontac Mont Plaisir near Bordeaux.

Today I give thanks for this physical remembrance of Harvest that sits in my body and senses like a vivid living memory and experience that makes the Season of Harvest and the Celebration of Harvest my favorite season of mine.

Again, this year, I have been blessed with an abundance of Californian Pomegranate Harvest. So many Pomegranates on our small tree (that I planted 5 years ago) – too many for us, so many to share.

Picking and harvesting Pomegranate Apples is a particular joy even if it takes hours to pluck, seed and rinse. It takes patience. And out of this patience grows a deep gratitude for the small seeds of taste, health, vitamins and antioxidants.

When I cut the pomegranate open and start to seed and pick all the small deep red fruit seeds, I am often struck by how well organized the pomegranate is. Each apple contains so many small seeds – just like a family. The numerous seeds within a single fruit resemble a family, a community, a unity and the vital interconnectedness of individuals. Each single seed while together they form a harmonious whole.

So today as we give thanks for the Harvest, we also give thanks for all the interconnectedness, all the communities, families and friendships circle we are intertwined in and we grow within and find nourishment from.

In the rhythm of creation and nature, we see a mirror of our spiritual lives too.

Just as farmers assess their crops, giving thanks for what has flourished and making plans for the next season, we too are called to reflect on the harvest in our lives.

So, for a moment:

Consider what has grown in your life this past year.

What seeds of faith have taken root in your heart: perhaps you have grown while worshipping, praying and singing hymns in a wonderful congregation; maybe you have experienced growth in relationships or in personal areas like…. Patience, generosity, forgiveness or reconciliation. Maybe it has been a silent and gradually growth – maybe it has been a surprisingly rapid spur growth of faith, hope and love.

Now consider that not all growth is healthy. Maybe there is a need for pruning as areas in our lives have become overgrown, tangled or unproductive? Maybe certain habits or attitudes need to change? Maybe some relationships are unhealthy for your spiritual and metal health? Maybe the fear of the future, the others and the uncertainty overtaken the sprout of green hope?

Lastly consider what you are grateful for.

Gratitude is at the heart of our harvest season. As we reflect on the year, we are called to give thanks for the abundance, the growth and even for the hard lessons learned. So, what are you especially grateful for this year?

Maybe you are grateful that you did what you promised to do, that you were a faithful servant and a good steward?

Maybe you are a little bit embarrassed that you did not do exactly as you had promised or what you intended to do.

That leads us directly into the parable told by Jesus today about the two sons.

A tale about trustworthy words and promises.

In the parable this morning, we meet two sons, two brothers and a pair of siblings, - that we might know all too well.

The older son is a classic charming manipulator, one whose actions do not correspond with his words. Will you go out in the field and help with the harvest? The father asked.

Sure, Dad, Right away, the son answered. His eagerness should almost raise the concerns and suspicions. But his father wants to believe him. And despite his promise, he does not go.

When the younger son is asked to work in the field, he refuses. Jeez, Dad. Do I really have to? I have more important things to do! Is the father really surprised by the son’s answer? Maybe this son is always obstinate, the child that always says no. The one you must fight. For reasons not shared with us, the younger son eventually puts on his work clothes and gloves and wades into the vineyard and onto picking the grapes.

It is an odd little story – however as a parent or as a friend you know these characters, do not you.

The one always with the right answers, big shiny words, all the right opinions – but no actions, always a lot of apologies.

And then the one who is always too busy to commit helping and then surprises you with showing up.

Not only do we know these characters from our lives and circle of friends – we also know these characteristics to be ingrained in ourselves. In us.

Is it better to say yes and do no… or to say no and do, yes? Who is most trustworthy?

We know from the story about Jesus that later Judas will sit beside Jesus at the last supper… claiming “would I ever lie to you? I would die for you!

We also know from the story about Jesus that Peter, the Rock, would deny and lie when the danger got real.

So, we know we are in the family of people who do not always keep our promises and sometimes show up anyways because we know what is right deep down.

Are we faithful? Are we trustworthy?

The truth is that we are sometimes.

Sometimes we do know that what we sow we will reap, that the words we say matter, that the promises we make we might be able to keep or at least try…… most of the times we do know what we should do.

Important it is that we keep going into the vineyard… that we keep showing up… trying our best to keep our promises and surprise the ones that already had given up on us.

And believe that in the eyes of God we are always worthy of his love. Always worthy for a second chance. Always loved despite broken promises and difficulties to commit.

That we are all like small deep red pomegranate seeds interconnected and embraced by the love of God.

And so, we sing today on this Harvest Sunday with the words of the beautiful old Harvest Hymn from 1782>

WE thank you then, O father.

For all things bright and good,

The seed time and the harvest

Our life, our health, our food.

No gifts have we to offer.

For all Your love imparts,

But whet You most would treasure.

Our humble, thankful hearts.

All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above then thank the Lord, o thank the Lord.

For all his endless love.,

Forgiveness & Compassion

Prayer and Call to Worship.

Pastor:  Merciful God, we give You Thanks for in the beginning Your Spirit moved over the waters, calling forth life in which you took delight. 

All: We praise You for the gift of life.

Pastor: Shower us with Your Spirit, and renew our lives with Your forgiveness, grace and love.

All: We praise You for the gift of life.

Help us to serve one another, show grace to others as we have been blessed by Your Grace. Amen.

Gospel: Matthew 18.15-20

15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Forgiveness and Compassion.

One of the most iconic and fierce fights I have ever witnessed was in a church. It was not a physical fist fight, but it was close.

It was a disagreement between two well respected and acclaimed pastors at the church in Aarhus, where I had the pleasure of being an intern while concluding the last part of my studies. However, the internship taught me something about how difficult it can be to be in community with the ones you do not agree with or simply dislike for some reason.

I fell right into the ongoing fight between two pastors at the beautiful church of Our Lady in Aarhus – and this fight with constant accusations of wrongdoings, and mistrust – gave a horrible working environment for everyone at the church: the church warden, the secretary, the council members and the poor intern were all thrown into this drama of awkward silence, demonstrative turned backs and ridiculous, childish behavior.

There was no communication or any willingness to try to communicate. There was no effort to resolve and move on. There was only this powerful grip on the disagreement of the moment that totally obscured what the argument really was about. And there were two sides, two parties, two fractions that completely lost the ability to communicate and even worship together.

This was sad – and it always is sad when relationship not only ruins the relationship of the implicated parties, - but ripples on through a community. Through a church built on the teachings for forgiveness, love and community.

As an intern this time taught some valuable lessons about how to cooperate and how to try to engage in conversations instead of escalating a conflict. It taught me how important it is that we listen – and that we can continue to be in community of faith even if we disagree.

It also gave me a deep fright of having to share the pastor position with anyone – to the fact that I have always been called to solo pastor positions where at least I can avoid those toxic feuds between colleagues.

At the same time, it has also given me a deep respect and gratitude for good sound relationships with my colleagues in my conference and neighborhood, my church council and yes, my interns.

It taught me something about church and conflict. That wherever two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, not only God will be among them – but also conflict. Where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, there he is among them. It’s a good thing, too. We need him to referee.

Conflict is part of any living and honest community and relationship, also the church. As one of my sons once said: “Well, it is amazing how much drama there can be in our small church!”

Disagreements about who said what and when: how to place the knives and forks at the dinner table: how to maintain the property; how to engage with the community; what to serve for lunch; how to invest our monies.

These are smaller conflicts that can be solved with grace and understanding – while deeper conflicts call for more profound leadership and willingness to reconcile and listen.  Honesty and transparency will always be important parts of any conflict reconciliation- small or big.

Some of you might know that the Gospel today Matthew 18 – for many churches is shorthand of “Church discipline”. In our church body, ELCA, and in our Constitution Matthew 18.15-17 is deeply embedded in our constitutional conflict resolution and process.

In today’s Gospel Jesus says that when someone harms you, point it out to them.

 If they do not listen, try again, but with back up.

 If they still dont listen, bring in the whole church as witness.

If no repentance or agreement has been found, then Jesus encourages to hold those who do harm accountable with love.

ELCA emphasizes that this passage may assist resolving conflict within a congregation: direct confrontation, mediation with witnesses, church level process - and urging to be a place of reconciliation and healing.

Jesus tells his followers to treat any unrepentant sinner in the community” as gentile and a tax collector.” Remember how Jesus treated them? With care and compassion. He called them, ate with them, and where more often with gentiles and tax collectors then with the respectable members of society.

Jesus made room.

Jesus didn’t advocate punishing people out of the church.

 His stance was also patient, interpersonal and breathtakingly kind. It was a constant breath of forgiveness.

Matthew 18 is not just a manual for Conflict resolution but it is a chapter about forming a particular kind of community: a community where vulnerable people are protected, people who make mistakes, gossip, disagree and bear grudges, - a community where difficult truths can be spoken, and no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

Church people will not always agree – nor should we. We should engage in discussions and conversations, we should share our different point of views, with respect and care, we should listen, learn… and often forgive.

In St. Paul’s time, in the early church, they also have quarrels, fights and disagreements. And Paul wrote encouraging letters to the congregations – like Romans.

In these first congregations they often debated what to eat and not to eat, what to wear and not to wear, how to worship and not to worship… we have plenty other things to divide us.

And there is even more reason to respectfully agree to disagree, hold our difference and recognize and celebrate our diversity as one of our strengths.

Church people will not always agree. And we should celebrate to disagree; it is dangerous to have a church of only like-minded people. Then it becomes a cult, like one of our neighbors calls us. Then we close our doors to the others – only to be with us, the rightminded, the chosen and good.

Maya Angelou says it like this: “While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God’s creation.”

Maya Angelou, poet, activist, and author, viewed forgiveness as one of the most powerful acts of self-care and transformation. She believed it was not about excusing wrongdoing, but about freeing yourself from the chains of anger and resentment.

Angelou taught that forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself. It’s a personal choice that helps you let go of the past, open your heart to the present, and create a better future

“You can't forgive without loving. And I don't mean sentimentality. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, 'I forgive. I'm finished with it.'"

Living in community is hard. Being at church is hard and messy. It asks us to value good deep relationships over being right. It requires mutual forbearance, empathy and humility. And in the end, it requires the ability to forgive and reconcile.

Angelou’s wisdom reminds us that forgiveness is not weakness, but strength. It’s a daily practice of choosing love over hate, humility over guilt, and freedom over bitterness. By embracing this mindset, we can transform pain into peace and open ourselves to a more hopeful future.

Forgiveness is a profoundly beautiful act. Forgiveness is at the center of our faith. Forgiveness is at the heart of the teachings of Jesus and the life and death and resurrection of Christ.

Forgiveness is profoundly beautiful and a powerful source of reconciliation, new beginnings, second chances, renewal of broken relationships.

And yet, it is difficult to forgive.

Think about your relationships.

Think about the ones who wronged and hurt you. Think about broken promises and hurtful memories.

Think about the ones you wronged and hurt. Think about the promises you broke and the hurt you caused.

Think about that God is there with you – in the brokenness, the messy human life, the misunderstandings, the bitterness that holds you.

Now choose love over hate, humility over guilt, and freedom over bitterness. By embracing this mindset, we can transform pain into peace and open ourselves to a more hopeful future.  Believe that God is with you in this time of prayer, forgiveness and grace.

As Maya Angelou:

“Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate — thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising.”

Amen.