Tag: Kingdom of God

Kingdom Seed

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Mark 4:30-34 (NIV)

Have you seen one of those cartoons in which a character takes a small snowball and sends it down a snow-covered hill? As the snowball moves down the hill, it gathers snow and momentum, enlarging in size. Usually the enlarged snowball picks up other characters and items along the way. The scene often ends with the huge snowball smashing into something at the bottom of the hill which sends the accumulated characters and debris flying through the air. The increase in size, momentum, and accumulation is the image which I place before you today.

Our passage from the Gospel according to Mark presents a scene in which Jesus is teaching one of the crowds. Here Jesus is providing imagery in an attempt to help the people understand what the Kingdom of God is like. A mustard seed is the object Jesus brings to their minds. He points out that it is one of the smallest seeds in creation. Once the seed is planted and grows, it becomes a plant large enough for birds to rest in for shade from the heat.

When we consider this imagery in relation to God’s Kingdom, we can imagine the planting of a small seed in the lives of individuals. After planting, the seed grows and becomes stronger. Momentum builds in the growing process. The size increases as it gathers from around it. Eventually it becomes a haven and a place of rest for others. 

This imagery places each of us in three distinct roles within God’s Kingdom. First, we are the ones who receive the starting Kingdom seed. The seed is planted in our lives where we nurture it and encourage it to grow. Second, we become the planters of the seed. We bring it into the lives of others and introduce them to our Lord’s Kingdom. Third, as the Kingdom expands and enlarges, we become like the birds and find shelter from the heat of life within the Kingdom. The momentum of God’s Kingdom increases in our world.

The Wait

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2     Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
    from all their sins.

Psalm 130 (NIV)

Many individuals who I know struggle with waiting, myself included at times. Whether it is waiting for a package to arrive, or getting on a ride at an amusement park, or getting a tax refund, waiting can be difficult. The anticipation is overwhelming. Living in a society where instant gratification is more of norm than an exception causes the struggle of having to wait even more intense for many of us. The Israelites had to wait hundreds or thousands of years to see God’s promises fulfilled and we struggle with waiting fifteen minutes in the Starbucks drive through for our peppermint mocha.

The psalmist writes about a time of waiting. A cry comes out for the mercy of the Lord. Having the knowledge that the Lord offers forgiveness leads the people to promise to respond in service to the One. Yet the people wait in eager anticipation for the unfailing love and full redemption from the Lord. The Israelites wait.

We live on the other side of the waiting. In Jesus, the Christ, God has fulfilled the hopes of the psalmist. The unfailing love of God has been personified in Jesus. Full redemption has not only come to Israel but to all of us, Forgiveness has been guaranteed and exemplified by Christ.

For us, there is still waiting. Our waiting is no longer on the promised forgiveness and redemption but instead on the fullness and completion of the Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus’s birth brought the kingdom to earth. Since Jesus’s arrival, the Lord has been about the work of fully establishing the kingdom through those who believe, servants of the Lord.  By sharing with others our own experiences of God’s unfailing love and forgiveness, we assist in establishing the kingdom. We share not only in words but by how we exemplify that love and forgiveness in our living.

As we wait, may we serve by assisting the Lord in establishing the kingdom on earth. May we share our hope with all.