Sermon Title: Living the Simple Life
Place: Oakdale Wesleyan Church
Date: March 13, 2005
Subject: Living the Uncomplicated Life
Last week we began a story about a young spoiled prince whose parents were at their wits end. They conspired with an old friend who had the prince secretly taken by night to an Old Farmer’s house where he was to become a servant or farmhand to the farmer and his wife. At first the prince revolted against any such idea but after going without food for several days decided helping out wasn’t such a bad idea. Before long the prince settled into the daily routines of this simple life and the joy and happiness of the old farmer and his wife began to have a pleasant appeal to him. So on a journey to the coast line the old farmer revealed to the young prince that he too was a prince and his dad was the king of a vast kingdom until he was over thrown and banished to this sea shore. As they sat in the ruins of the home that the old farmer grew up in, the old farmer began to instruct the young prince in the lessons his father had passed on to him.
Lesson One: Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status
Lesson Two: Reject anything that produces an addiction in you
Lesson Three: Develop a habit of giving things away
Lesson Four: Refuse to propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry
Lesson Five: Learn to enjoy things without owning them
We left the prince and farmer last week with the prince drifting off to sleep but wanting to learn more.
The next morning the prince awoke early and beat the farmer down to the barn. He had half the chores done before the Old Farmer even arrived. As the farmer came into the barn he found the once handsomely dressed prince with attitude to go around standing in the middle of the cow manure whistling a happy tune as he worked to milk the cows. The farmer sort of chuckled to himself at the sight but quickly sat down to help the young prince finish the morning chores. The farmer asked if the young man had enjoyed their journey the day before and the young prince quickly responded that it was one of the best days of his life. Never before had he enjoyed the sea and its splendor, never before had he really taken the time to consider the simpler things in life. Never before did he enjoy just a quiet ride on the back of a horse through the woods as he had enjoyed the day before. The farmer told the young man that he would plan to journey to the sea shore at the end of this week and he would once again enjoy the company of the young prince.
That week the work seemed easy. What a few months before was hard and tedious labor now seemed to be a delight to accomplish. The young man joined the farmer to the town and helped him and his wife distribute vegetable and fruit and the farmer was right, as he gave away what he had worked so hard to produce joy filled his heart. When he saw the smiles of the little girls and boys as they sank their teeth into the bright red juicy apply words could not express the joy he was now feeling.
Although the young prince worked harder then he had ever worked in his life, the worked seemed to bring joy and happiness. The life of luxury and selfish pleasure he once lived in the castle seemed to be fading away in the simple pleasures of the day.
The prince eagerly awaited the end of the week in which the farmer promised to once again take him to the sea shore and finish giving him the lessons his father had passed on to him. The day finally came and the young lad quickly finished up all the morning chores on his own and even got the horses saddled up and ready for the journey. He came inside just as the farmer was getting ready to head out and told him that everything was done and he was ready to go. The farmer chuckled and reminded him they hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet. So they both took some time to enjoy a good meal before they left and as they ate the cheerful farmer’s wife prepared another lunch for them to take along.
As they sat eating breakfast the sun was starting to pierce its way through the woods and its rays were softly falling across the table of the modest farmer’s home. The dew was still thick on the grass and windows and so the reflection of the rays seemed to almost twinkle as they pierced the kitchen windows.
As the farmer looked at the rays of sun pouring in the windows he told the young man. Get out your note pad. Let me give you the sixth lesson before we take our journey today so that you can ponder its meaning as we travel along.
Simply write down…
Lesson Six: Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation
The old farmer told the boy that in Psalm 24:1 of the Bible, the Psalmist declared, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” He told the young prince that often times we get the mistaken idea that we own or can own the earth, but the truth of the matter is, the longer I live, the more I understand that everything on this earth belongs to God and he has simply given it to us for our enjoyment. As we ride to the seashore today, ride by yourself and begin to appreciate God’s wonderful creation.
The prince thought it to be a novel idea so he did lag behind the Old Farmer as they plotted through the woods and roads towards the sea shore. As he road along he notice squirrels running through the trees and the branches of the tree tops seemed to make highways upon which the squirrels could traverse. He also noticed chipmunks standing on their hind legs looking out for danger and then darting off as they heard the clip clop of the horse’s hooves. He also noticed for the first time the beautiful melody the birds were singing. He had so filled his life with the music of musicians, artisans, and the players of the king’s court that he failed to even hear the sweet melody the birds sang everyday.
The ride to the sea shore was filled with such wander and mystery as he began to appreciate the incredible gift of God’s creation. But although he enjoyed the ride to the sea, his mind was still filled with questions as to how the old farmer could know so much about him.
Once at the plateau which was half way between the edge of the forest and the sea shore they dismounted their horses and began to unload their lunch in the old ruins of the farmer’s childhood home. After quickly eating lunch the young prince was eager and waiting to hear the final four lessons that the farmer had learned from his kingly father.
Lesson Seven: Look with healthy skepticism at all “buy now, pay later” schemes
The propagandists of our day will attempt to entice you into obtaining all their wears and they will even tell you that if you don’t have the money now, enjoy their product anyway and pay them at a later date. The farmer told the young man that when he was young he purchased anything and everything he wanted with little attention to how much it really would cost. He spent well beyond his means driven by an unquenchable desire to be wealthy and powerful and all the things that his father the king had given up.
Unfortunately when hard times came what he had was not his own and so his goods where taken away. The very things in which he found peace and significance were literally taken out from under him because they really didn’t belong to him. He learned in a hard way the danger of creditors and buy now pay later schemes. He told the young prince, you can not run a kingdom on the barrowed wealth of other nations. His father discovered in a terrible way that eventually the other nations will call for payment and when you cannot pay, they will take your very kingdom away.
The prince began to understand a little more of what had happened. He asked the Old Farmer, is that what happened to your father’s kingdom. Did he have debt to foreign nations that he could not pay. The farmer with sadness in his heart told the young prince that his father lived high on the hog sort of speak but had little in the bank to back it up. One day, several foreign kingdom’s demanded payment and my father could not pay. They then came in, routed our family from the kingdom, and took away all that we possessed. All my father was left was a small fishing boat, the clothes on his back, and a few tools. “Be careful son,” the farmer told the young prince, “that you don’t fall into the trap of the buy now pay latter propagandists.
Lesson Eight: Obey Jesus instructions about plain, honest speech
Jesus taught the people that in Matthew 5:37 “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil”
Son, if you commit to doing a task, do it. Don’t use flattery or half-truths to impress people, but simply commit or don’t. Simply speak a “yes” or a “no” as Jesus commanded. You see, to often we get caught up in trying to please people. We make our decisions based upon what we think people will want to hear, so our speech and commitments become wishy washy. No who you are, no what you can do, and then commit to do it or don’t. Don’t shift your answer once a better choice comes along. This will lead you to integrity and it will also simplify your life in that you won’t have to remember who you promised what to and when. Simply do what you said you will do, without flattery, without fan fair; be simple and be true to your word.
Lesson Nine: Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
You have said that you are a prince, right?” The prince resoundly responded, “yes, I am a prince.” Okay, if you are a prince, when you were in your royal rooms and castles, did you ever consider that what you were enjoying might cause the oppression of others?
The prince didn’t know what to think of this comment. “What do you mean?”
Well, did it ever occur to you that you might be oppressing your servants and those who are assigned to take care of your needs by treating them with less dignity or treating them as if they were second class people? The prince now began to feel the sting of the wise farmer’s words.
Did it ever occur to you that your desire to enjoy the pleasures of the castle might very well be taking away the very things that are most needed for the poor right outside your gates? “What do you mean?”
In a world of limited resources, does your lust for wealth mean the poverty of others? For you to enjoy what you think you deserve, does it mean that others will have to go without. Let me put it this way…
Let’s say that you decide to host a huge banquet for all your friends and guests. You invite nobles from close and affair to join you in this grand affair. You spare no expense and have the best of the kingdom brought to the castle and prepared for your banquet. In fact, you prepare so much food that many of the farmers in your community will not have enough now to survive the winter. You never see those farmers’ faces, you never hear the cries of their children when they are hungry, but you sure enjoyed their food at your banquet and you are still living in plenty and without need.
You see, there was only so much food to go around and you took it all to frivolously host a feast. That same food could have been stored and provided plenty of food for many to eat even during the harsh winter months.
The young man was now dejected and sad because he had done this very thing and had never given a second thought to whom it might harm or hurt.
The old farmer told the young man that Lesson nine was probably the hardest lesson of all because he called for one to check every motive of his heart and even consider the farther reaching scope their personal actions may have. It was a deep probably question, in a world of limited resources in order for you to have what you think you want, does it mean that someone else has to go without?
The last lesson of wisdom that my father departed me was…
Lesson Ten: Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.
As my father sat sadly beside the fire one night he called me to his side, the old farmer lamented. I remember that night as if it were last night. I can still see my father’s wrinkled age worn skin, I could hear his now raspy voice against the background of the crackling fire. As I came over and sat down next to him he began to tell me a story of a young prince who thought he owned the world. He believed the world and all that was in it was put here to serve his own needs and kingdom. He believed that there was nothing greater then the kingdom that would one day be his. But that young man was sadly mistaken. As my father sat with almost trembling hands he looked me in the eyes and told me, “Son, I have learned the hard way that the only kingdom that really counts is not my own, but God’s and it is his kingdom not my own I must serve.” Being forced for royalty and into the simple life, I have found that God’s kingdom is of higher importance and priority than mine could ever me. Shun anything son that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.”
The old farmer then looked over at the young prince. Son, you may think that your kingdom is great, you may think that the world was built just for your pleasure, but I must insist that this life is not all there is and this kingdom is not the power of the universe. There is a kingdom that is greater and more powerful then any earthly kingdom will ever be. That kingdom belongs to God and I learned I must do anything I can to seek that kingdom. I must bring every area of my life into order, every wandering thought into submission, every passion, every lust, every desire I must make subject to God’s kingdom and only then will I ever know complete freedom. Son, shun anything which distracts you from this holy pursuit of seeking God’s kingdom.
With those final words the old farmer told the son that was the end of the lessons he had to share from his father. The two quickly went about the work of picking up their belongings and loading them onto the horses. The both mounted and began the ride back home. The sun was now falling lower over the sea as the look West and began to ride back east through the woods to the old farm house. As they approached the woods, the young prince asked if he could once again leg behind just to quietly take in the nature that was around him. The farmer obliged the young prince and road ahead.
As the farmer and prince arrived back home they noticed that a man was waiting in the farm house for them. The farmer asked the young prince to take his horse and complete the nightly chores as he met with this visitor. Upon entering the house the visitor asked how the young prince was doing. The farmer was quite pleased to give the report that all had gone well. The farmer told the man that while the prince was obstinate and angry, selfish and rude he was now humble and meek, ready to be a king. The farmer paused and glanced towards his wife and with a soft chuckle in his voice, said, “I think he even enjoys the farm life.” The man was please to hear the report and promised to take the news back to the king and he departed.
The next day a fan fair of royal officials arrived at the farmer’s home. They asked to speak with the young man. The farmer quickly went to the barn and asked the prince to come out. The prince met with the men and they informed him that they have come to take him back to the castle and his home. The young prince was now torn, he had come to love the old farmer and for the first time in his life, saw how this old farmer’s dad could leave the kingdom to become a quiet fisherman and farmer by the seashore. But there were still questions unanswered.
As the young prince prepared to leave the farmer asked to take one more walk away the farm with the young prince. As they walked the farmer began to reveal the rest of the story.
“You may have found it ironic that I knew so much of how you lived and seemed so familiar with the customs of the castle.” The young prince nodded in agreement. I can not let you leave with our revealing who I am, my father is your father’s older brother and we are cousins.
You see son, our grandfather was the King of this entire kingdom and it stretched from sea to sea. As our grandfather passed away the kingdom was primarily given to my father but a part was divided and given to your father to rule; the bigger portion to the oldest and smaller to the youngest. But my father squandered his position and abused his power as king and slowly your father’s portion of the kingdom began to grow and as your father’s kingdom grew more and more of my father’s subjects turned to your father’s rule
Eventually my father became such a tyrant and so self-centered that the people of the kingdom asked your father to be their ruler. It was at this point that your father banished our family to exile because of my father’s continual lust for more. He refused to put my father to death because he was his own brother, but he could not allow him to stay in power any longer. So with the clothes on his back, with me a small child, we made our way to the small fishing village that we visited by the sea shore. Broken, my father came to his knees and vowed before God to start a new life, apart from riches, wealth and power.
After I was a grown man, you were born to my uncle, your father. In fact as a boy, you used to play on my knees in your father’s home. You don’t remember me because I too went the way of my father and attempted to get rich and hoard wealth. At one point, I even attempted to take over the throne from your father. That is when your father took my business and wealth away and foreclosed on my home.
I too fled like my father and found myself once again at the old home of my youth on the sea shore. As I sat in the house my heart burned with anger towards your father and vowed I would seek my revenge. But as the bitterness gave way to sorrow I stumbled across this old book of wisdom that my dad and written and passed on to me before he died. In it’s pages are contained the ten lessons of wisdom that I have now given to you.
When you first arrived at our house several months ago, I saw my chance to seek my revenge, I saw my opportunity to get even with my uncle. But I couldn’t do it. In your eyes I saw my own heart flash before me. I saw the same insane pursuit of happiness that I too was once on and so I vowed that if at all possible, I would keep you from making the same mistakes.
Young prince and cousin, I hope that the lessons you’ve learned here you will be able to keep with you all the days of your life. I hope that you will find joy in the simple things and pleasure in the love you give to others as you step up to rule the kingdom. Remember the lessons…
Lesson One: Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status
Lesson Two: Reject anything that produces an addiction in you
Lesson Three: Develop a habit of giving things away
Lesson Four: Refuse to propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry
Lesson Five: Learn to enjoy things without owning them
Lesson Six: Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation
Lesson Seven: Look with healthy skepticism at all “buy now, pay later” schemes
Lesson Eight: Obey Jesus instructions about plain, honest speech
Lesson Nine: Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
Lesson Ten: Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God
As the prince stepped up into the royal chariot to head home the old farmer stepped up to the carriage door and made this final remark…
“Son one last piece of advice and blessing from me, go and serve your kingdom well by serving your God well all the days of your life.”
