What I Know

Jesus told a parable about weeds once that pertains to the Tremont City 
community and the church community, 

Matthew 13: 24-28a

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who 
sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, 
his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and 
went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, 
then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the 
householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow 
good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ He said 
to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ 

Now you’re probably wondering what does this parable have to do with
praying for the community of Tremont City, Ohio? What does this parable
have to do with the year 2005?

Her name is Pat Rudolph, she is seventy-seven years old and received 
Mother’s Day cards from her six children this year and one was different.
It read: “Despite my many flaws, I still hope that you can forgive me …..
And even though I cannot apologize for being who I am and expressing 
myself in the way that I did, it troubles me dearly that you had to 
experience any hardships because of my deeds.” Your wayward son,
Eric A Rudolph

Some days she feels older than seventy-seven as she hears from her son
who would never do what the government has said he did: kill two people
and wound more than a hundred by bombing two abortion clinics, a gay 
nightclub and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Her son who is 
currently serving four life terms in prison did this.

The world knows him as Eric Rudolph and he was raised in the church, to 
be a pacifist would never do such an act. But something happened and he 
admitted to doing such horrific deeds. 

Now Pat Rudolph, by the actions of her son becomes the mother of a 
terrorist and states: “I often think of Timothy McVeigh’s mother and wonder 
what did that woman feel? Here’s a child that you fed from your breast for 
two years, almost….” Her voice waivers, “I’d always tried to do the right 
things by him, for him, and it was like a slap in the face. God have mercy 
on him,” she whispers, “That’s all I can say.”

In the sin of the flesh people act out, people act other than how they were 
brought up and while we as a society may not approve of their actions, 
their treatment of others. While we as individuals and society may not be 
able to forgive or accept an apology for such a pathetic action we are still
called to go out and serve God.

Matthew 13: 28b-30

The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and 
gather them?’ But he said, No; lest in gathering the weeds 
you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow 
together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the 
reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles 
to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”

We have been called at the Tremont City UMC to go to the community 
of Tremont City and the community of the world and to bring in the harvest.

As God told Noah to build a boat for there was going to be a great flood… 
God is calling us to go out and with compassion in our heart and wonder. 
Wonder what did that woman feel and how that slap in the face must have 
hurt. And to say unto our self, “God have mercy on him, 
that’s all I can say.”

How many of us feel the need to be in charge and to forget, forget like the 
mountain climber who wanted to climb the highest mountain and began 
climbing after years of preparation. Taking all the glory for his/her self, as 
they began the climb alone. Night came on in the heights of the mountain 
and the climber could not see for it was pitch black with zero visibility. As 
the climber climbed they were only a few feet from the top of the mountain 
when they slipped and began falling at a fast speed. In those moments of 
feeling that gravity was sucking them to a grave down below the climber 
saw all the good and bad times in their life. All of a sudden the rope tied to 
the climbers waist went stiff and the climber was left dangling in the night 
somewhere on a mountain. The climber screamed with all their might,
“HELP ME GOD! HELP ME GOD! I’M STUCK!” All of a sudden a deep
voice from heaven asked, “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?” To which
the climber replied, “SAVE ME GOD!!” God told the climber, “CUT THE 
ROPE, YOU’RE NOT ALONE.” The climber decided to hold onto the rope 
with all their strength. The next morning the rescue team found the climber 
dead with his hands holding onto the rope as he dangled ten feet off the 
ground. 

Just like this climber, there are a lot of climbers out there who want to be 
in charge instead of trusting in God. Often it is easy to be a sower, throw 
out the seed and move along, but it is difficult to see the reward.

It is difficult to see what difference a mustard seed, a little mustard
seed could make in this gigantic world. 

Matthew 13: 31

Another parable Jesus put before them, saying, “The 
kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed 
which a man took and sowed in his field;

The problem lies in growing up for in growing up we forget the power one 
mustard seed can make in our lives. We forget that only God can heal a 
broken heart and make beauty out of weeds. We forget the story…
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all 
the kings’ horses and all the kings’ men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back 
together again. Now it wasn’t that he fell so hard and shattered in so many 
pieces that he couldn’t be put back together again. It was that they were 
calling on the wrong king. I know a king who can put you back together no 
matter how great the fall. You’ve heard the story once before about the 
famous one upon the wall. Yet fairy tales they reflect some truth, yes they 
do, that sometimes happens to all. So if you ever see Humpty Dumpty or 
anyone else’s who’s had a fall please tell them that he’s mended broken 
pieces and he’ll be there to fix it all. Yes, he will be there to fix it all.

Now all the kings’ horses and all the kings’ men, yes they tried but they 
couldn’t bring back the pieces of his life, yes which shattered off his 
dreams. If ever you see Humpty Dumpty or anybody else who, whose had 
a fall please tell them that he’s mended broken pieces and he’ll be there to 
fix it all. If ever you feel like Humpty Dumpty, if any of you has been broken 
from a fall. Remember that he is love, he is love and all so faithful and he’ll 
be there to fix it all. So tell Humpty Dumpty, tell everybody, tell them that 
Mary had a little lamb and tell them that Jesus is that lamb. Tell Jack & Jill, 
tell them to come up the hill cause I’ve found living water. Tell little boy 
blue give him your trumpet, he’ll take your blues away. Tell Mother 
Hubbard that if you trust in Jesus he’ll put food in your cupboard. Tell 
everyone that Jesus is the lamb and he’ll be there to fix it all. 

You see the mustard seed, 

Matthew 13: 32

it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the 
greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of 
the air come an make nests in its branches. 

One never know when that mustard seed you have planted can make a
difference and when one may remember you. The front of Eric Rudolph’s
mother’s day card reads, I’m thankful, for countless reasons that God 
brought you into my life. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY WITH ALL MY LOVE

What I know, what I pray you know, is that Jesus does not patch things up
when we are broken. Jesus renews. If you ask Jesus to go back to that 
time in your life when you were broken Jesus will bring healing and light 
from the darkness.

This is why God has called us to go out into the community and to plant 
mustard seeds so the seed may blossom and there may be abundant 
life to those who believe.

So that others may come to know, Psalm 107:9 in their lives,

For he satisfies him who is thirsty, and the hungry he fills 
with good things. 

As we enter into prayer let us enter with our palms upward to the Lord. 

Father, thank you for coming into my life, I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for coming into my life, I’m so glad that you came. Father, 
As we go out into the community and plant mustard seeds may we 
go out in faith, in knowledge that you are with us. May we go out 
not seeking to bring attention to ourselves but you Father. May 
those who feel wayward come to know you in their life Father 
and come to know the inner peace and love that can only 
come from asking your Son Jesus to forgive them of 
their sins and inviting Jesus into their heart and 
soul. Satin BE GONE!
Amen





07/17/2005JWM



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