Welcome to the Kingdom: Let it Grow

What shall we say then?

BELOVED GRACE AND PEACE BE UNTO YOU FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Brother’s and Sisters last time we were together we entered into a Kingdom journey with the humility, trust and dependence of a child. Our journey continues today with the journey of a mustard seed.

As I encountered the parable of the mustard seed, I couldn’t help but be reminded of where my journey begins, baptism. For me this is where that mustard seed of the kingdom of God was watered and began to grow in me. Brother’s and sister’s like a mustard seed we are buried with Christ in baptism that we may rise to new life in the Kingdom of God. This is where life in the kingdom begins to grow in and through us. This is where our Kingdom journey begins.

Growing the mustard plant.

The Kingdom parables of Mark 4 are a journey from soil to harvest. Our role as God’s kingdom people is to plant the mustard seed of the kingdom and for it to grow into the tree that others find shelter. The mustard seed might be little but it brings about huge growth.

Small Kingdom acts big change

Jesus Kingdom parable of the mustard seed is told in contrast to the huge Roman empire. The Kingdom of God has small beginnings, but grows large and spreads. This parable is an encouragement to us that despite small humble beginnings God’s purposes, God’s will, God’s Kingdom will grow.

Mark: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition E. The Mustard Seed (4:30–32)

The good purposes of God will come to fruition. These are beyond the imagination of those who are planting the seed and watching it grow.

On this Kingdom journey there is a lot that can be learned from a mustard seed. A seed so small that it can be difficult to see. Some times when our world gets overwhelmed with evil and darkness it can be hard to see God’s kingdom work, but rest assured the Kingdom of God is still there working in the darkness. We see this in baby bottle drives for the pregnancy center. How can Haverhill church of the Nazarene continue to shine the light of the Kingdom in the darkness of Haverhill? How can we sow small mustard seeds of the Kingdom that will transform us, this church and the community of Haverhill?

Plant seeds!

1 Corinthians 3:7 NLT

7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

Mark: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition D. The Seed (4:26–29)

It does not matter whether the farmer sleeps or gets up. He can do nothing to make the crop grow. This implies that the advance of the kingdom is entirely under God’s control. He alone ensures that the seed sprouts and grows (see 1 Cor 3:7).

The seed of the kingdom may be small but it has a life changing, community transforming kick. The life of Christ, one person, completely changed history and the world. Without the life of Christ we are not here today. Throughout history small kingdom acts have brought about huge change. Take Martin Luther for example how different would Christianity look if he never nailed his 95 thesis to the church door in Whittenburg? The point of the matter is small kingdom acts has changed and will continue to change lives, and communities.

Finally, we can learn that though the mustard seed is small it grows into a large tree that birds find shelter. Now in Christ time of teaching this parable Gentiles were often depicted as birds, saying that the gentiles have a place in the Kingdom of God. The mustard seed of the Kingdom is for everyone, to find shelter. To find peace. To see the light of the kingdom shine through its branches. The mustard seed of the kingdom is worth pursuing with everything we have.

Our Challenge

The parable of the growing seed and the parable of the Mustard seed serve to remind us that the work of the Kingdom goes on despite what we see. God is at work sometimes under the soil causing his Kingdom to grow. God’s Kingdom springs forth like an invasive fast spreading mustard seed.

We live in a dark world. The people of God need to be like a mustard tree where like birds people can find shelter and peace. Where people can see the light of Christ shining in the darkness. Where small acts like a baby bottle drive can lead to big kingdom change.

The mustard seed of the Kingdom is the seed growing in the field. Watered through the waters of baptism the mustard seed of the Kingdom will grow in you.

As followers of Christ, it is our job to plant, and nurture the mustard seed, so God can do what only he can do. Make it grow. This is what it means to grow in grace as God’s holy people. May God the gardener continue to soften the hard soil of our hearts that we may continue to grow into the likeness of Christ.