From Seed to Communion

Introduction

Growing up in Texas, I absolutely loved crape myrtles.

Do you know them?

Along my neighborhood walks, their bright colors...

...deep pinks, purples, and reds...

...were like fireworks in bloom.

I have always loved nature...

I enjoy hiking and appreciate the beauty.

But I’ll confess… I am no expert.

I am not the type who can point to a tree or flower and rattle off its Latin name.

Honestly, I am that way with directions too.

Don’t tell me “head east” or “turn south.”

Tell me to walk down past the KeyBank, hang a right at the veterans memorial, and swing left, and you’ll find the grocery store when you see the big purple-blooming tree.

That’s how my brain works...

So… when I read today’s Scripture about mustard seeds and mulberry trees...

I found myself asking… Well, what does a mulberry tree even look like? How large is it?

...and Google images revealed it’s enormous!

Thirty to fifty feet tall, deeply rooted, nearly impossible to move.

This makes Jesus’ image so powerful: even the tiniest seed of faith could uproot something enduring.

On this World Communion Sunday, that image takes on new meaning.

Our faith may feel tiny, but when joined with others in the body of Christ, it becomes something vast, global, and unshakable...

...like a mulberry tree of grace spanning the earth.

Increase Our Faith

The disciples cry out...

zēngjiā wǒmende xìnxīn!

Ongeza imani yetu!

Increase our faith!

Haven’t we all prayed that?

We want more faith when life feels overwhelming, when grief lingers, and when discipleship is costly.

But Jesus doesn’t give them a checklist or a formula.

He doesn’t say, “Pray harder, work more.”

Instead, he points them to something very small and ordinary...

...a mustard seed.

The infamous mustard seed... Even that is enough.

Because faith is not an achievement… It’s a gift.

It is not measured by size but by the One in whom it is rooted.

The Mulberry Tree: A Symbol of the Impossible

The mulberry tree is no accident in Jesus’ teaching.

Oh, do I remember when we moved into our home in Medina...

I’ll never forget the realtor showing us the home… “I hope you have a green thumb.”

Anyone who knows me… knows I am a type A.

...orderly, structured, everything in its place.

Let’s just say the “English style garden” is not for me.… Amen?

So I went to work…

...and then I met one particular shurb...

... its roots were everywhere...

...stubborn, deep, and nearly impossible to remove.

Not even a rototiller could take it out.

...and that is when this Scripture came alive for me.

The mulberry tree is like that shrub...

...its roots are vast, it’s lifelong, and uprooting it is humanly impossible.

That’s what makes Jesus’ image so bold...

...even the smallest seed of faith can do what our strength cannot.

Faith and Service: Lived Out, Not Stored Away

The second half of the passage is about the servant who simply does what is required...

...reminds us that faith isn’t about earning applause.

In fact, our scripture and prayer of dedication echoes that...

“We have done only what was ours to do.”

Faith is not a trophy to display...

It’s a life lived out.

It’s small acts of service...

...born of prevenient grace...

...sustained by justifying faith...

...and growing into sanctifying love

...that our lives put down roots in the world.

This is why communion matters so profoundly today.

A small piece of bread.

A sip from the cup.

To the eye, nothing extraordinary.

Yet, in faith, these simple gifts become the presence of Christ...

...grace

...forgiveness

...fellowship

...strength....

Today, on World Communion Sunday, these small acts echo across the globe.

You will hear the liturgy spoken in Swahili, Chinese, and English in our service.

Our words may seem small...

...but together they reveal the vastness of Christ’s body...

...millions of mustard seeds, one mulberry tree of faith.

A Local Mustard Seed: The Clothing Room

We see this same truth in our life together…

What began as a small clothing closet, just a few shelves of donated items...

...has blossomed into a full clothing room.

Racks are arranged like a department store.

Neighbors can come and “shop” with dignity, choosing what they need.

It may seem like a simple act of service...

But that’s the miracle of mustard seed faith.

A small beginning entrusted to God has grown into a mulberry tree of grace rooted in our community.

This ministry speaks a gospel word without needing to say it...

You are worthy.

You are seen.

You are loved.

Faith in Our World Communion

...and today… Our mustard seed in Syracuse joins with others across the globe.

A house church in China whispers hymns in secret.

A congregation in Kenya breaking bread with Joy.

A chapel in South America dances enthusiastically as bread and juice are passed.

Refugees in Europe are lifting a simple load and calling it Christ’s body.

Each act may feel small...

But together, they form a global witness of faith.

Our liturgy will name it in prayer...

By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.

That is the mulberry tree of God’s kin-dom, rooted across every land and language.

Mustard Seeds at the Table

Friends… I return to my wondering...

How large is a mulberry tree?

It is as large as the body of Christ, stretching across nations.

It is as enduring as the Spirit who binds us.

It is as vast as this table spread in every corner of the world today.

Your faith may feel small… like a mustard seed.

But in Christ’s hands, that is enough.

Enough to uproot what seems immovable.

Enough to join the forest of faith that is Christ’s church.

So come to the table...

Bring your mustard seed...

Add your voice… in whatever language, expression, or sign brings you closer to God...

...and offer it to the communion of saints.

Watch as God takes what is small and multiplies it into the great and powerful expression of love that is Christ’s body in the world.

In the name of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen.