February 21, 2024
Hope Lutheran Church
Series: If Trees Could Talk"
Genesis 13:14-18; Isaiah 61:1-3
The Oak Tree
Good evening, friendly humans. I was very honored when your pastor contacted me and asked if I would be a guest presenter during your Lenten midweek services. Thank you for allowing me to address you this evening. For those who don’t know me, I am Oak Tree.
I thought I’d start off by sharing some little known factoids about we oaks.
• First of all, the Oak is the national tree of the United States!
• Oaks are found across all the hemispheres and is very common.
• Did you know we oaks will produce about 10 million acorns over the course of our long life? We provide a lot of food and nutrition for many wild animals.
• Our wood is also highly desired by you humans. We create your furniture, your flooring. In previous eras, sailing ships were constructed from our wood. We provide the materials for barrels, prized by the wine making industry.
• Oak is also one of the best fire woods. We have a high heat output with minimal smoke.
I hope you found that interesting! Oaks are also mentioned in your Bible, which is what precipitated my coming here this evening.
There’s something about we oaks. I don’t mean to brag, but we’ve been described as stately, even as noble. It has to something to do with the strength of our wood, that’s partially it. But it also has to do with our appearance. When an oak reaches maturity, we have been endowed with a pleasing shape. It beckons, “Here I am! Come, sit under my sturdy bows and contemplate deep and noble things.”
Something about we oaks, you humans are drawn to us. You council around us. You have many council oaks here in America. New Jersey, Indiana, Florida. I understand that there was a grand council oak right here in Eau Claire! Near where the Little Niagara Creek enters into the Chippewa River. It was the meeting ground between the Ojibwe and the Dakota people. That old cousin of mine is now on the logo for your university here in Eau Claire.
We oaks are associated with truth and loyalty. It’s no wonder councils forged agreements under our sheltering boughs.
Well, something quite similar like that happened in the Bible. But the major players were God and Abraham. Do you remember Abraham? God made some pretty amazing promises to old Abraham! These promises would be the start of everything. The whole Bible rests upon what when down under the boughs of those oak trees!
God made a promise to Abraham. God would endow Abraham and Sarah with vast numbers of descendants. And God would also give them a land, a good land. And through Abraham and Sarah, God would extend blessing to all peoples.
Well, when Abraham moved to this promised land, he set up residence under various oak trees. First there was my cousin in Moreh. And while there, God once again reiterated that promise. “This is the land, right here, Abraham!”
Then later, Abraham moved to some other clan members of mine in Mamre. He set up an altar there. That really sealed the deal between him and God. A little later, God sent three messengers to Abraham under those council oaks in Mamre. They reiterated to Abraham and Sarah that they were soon to have a son. And then along came little Isaac.
God was true to God’s word. There was the land. And now there was a child. And the blessing to the world was realized through Abraham’s descendant, Jesus of Nazareth.
The promise of God to Abraham was cemented under those mighty ancestors of mine. A promise as strong and as dependable and as noble as an oak. A promise you can rely on. The Bible tells us: Abraham believed, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
There’s a saying: Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. The seed of God’s word and God’s promises – that acorn has been planted within you. Relying on God’s promises, you can grow into oaks of righteousness.
I’m here today to encourage you that the acorn of faith planted within you will grow and mature over the course of your lifetime. And similarly, you as a community, you as a congregation of believers, together you are developing into an oak of righteousness.
I noticed that you don’t have an oak growing on your property. But I pray that all of you together, as a congregation, that you may be called oaks of righteousness. Abraham had his oaks at Mamre. And you are the Oak of Eddy.
