God’s kingdom. What comes to mind if you were asked to describe the kingdom of God?
Some say God’s kingdom
exists here and now -- in the physical sense. Some think it’s revealed to us after
we die. Others believe it lives within each person.
In this text, two parables
focus on the kingdom of God with “seeds” as part of the telling.
Did You Know…?
“The growing seed” is only
recorded in the Gospel of Mark.
In a recap, the seed is
scattered in good soil; the seed grows and produces grain; once the grain is
ripened, harvest comes.
Who makes the seed grow?
The farmer? The farmer can only do so much (i.e. – water the seeds, fertilize
the ground). Ultimately, it’s out of the farmer’s hands as to whether growth
happens and grain is produced.
When reflecting on this
parable, it reminds me of lawns and children.
·
If you have a
grass lawn, after the grounds are mowed, the grass sprouts up needing to be cut
soon thereafter. But who actually sees the miniscule growth occurring that over
a week’s time makes you say, “I need to mow the lawn again”? By not paying rapt
attention to the lawn, you really notice the difference after a few days have
gone by.
·
How many times
have we mentioned something along the lines of “I can’t believe how much you’ve
sprouted up” to a child or teen-ager? Or hear a parent remark to their adult
children saying, “You’ll always be my little boy / girl” or “I remember you
when you were this big”? The years fly by and we acknowledge growth has
occurred.
There is only so much however
we can do to make growth happen. As stated in the parable in verse 27, “he does
not know how.” Those five words can actually be applied to many of the parables.
They involve “miraculous appearance and inexplicable growth as a metaphor for
the kingdom.” [i]
Verse 29 with the harvest
has finality to it. Some might relate it to judgment – as in the final days
“because the harvest has come.” I prefer to think of it more in terms of God’s
love working in the heart or in the mind of an individual. Over time, which can
be short (as in days) or long (as in years or even a lifetime), the seed which
was planted grows and reaches that point when it’s ready to change one’s life
and even the lives of others in positive, meaningful ways.
As for the second “seed”
parable, the kingdom of God is described as a mustard seed. 2,000 years ago,
those in Palestine would clearly understand what this seed was, and that it was
for all intent and purposes “the smallest of all seeds on earth.” Within the
parable, Jesus was sharing something relatable.
Yet why would Jesus
compare a scrubby shrub that typically grew only a few feet high to the kingdom
of God? Wouldn’t you think he would’ve made it sound more magnificent? More
appealing? More inspiring?
If you read Ezekiel 17:22-23 and Daniel 4:20-22,
great trees were used to describe powerful empires. For those living in
biblical times, cedars would be recognized as the great trees (as mentioned in
Ezekiel). For those living today in Northeast Texas, pine trees would be a good
example. For me, I think about the awesome redwood trees in Northern California
that I saw with my parents when we walked through the vast forest.
So why a scrubby shrub?
Everything has a
beginning. Even though it’s small, Jesus wants us to not underestimate its
greatness. But how often have we dismissed something just because of its size?
Or its look? Or its…?
Gene Murray from the study
group reminded us of an apt Bible verse – from Psalm 118:22 – “The stone the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (NIV) Just like Jesus.
From something tiny, miraculous
growth can occur – like the mustard seed which “has been known to grow as large
as 15 feet high and have the properties of a tree, such as having branches
large enough for birds to nest in.” [ii]
As for me… in the variety
of beliefs about the kingdom of God, I believe it being in the here and now.
It’s like an invasive bush that grows within you whether you see it or even notice
it at first. Then later you suddenly realize, “Wow, how did that happen?”
That’s when great, marvelous, amazing things come into play.
He does not know how.
And I’m okay with that.
NEXT...
Sit down, you're rocking the boat; fear versus faith
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