Daily Scripture: Mark 4:30 Yeshua also said, “With what can we compare the Kingdom of God? What illustration should we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when planted, is the smallest of all the seeds in the field; 32 but after it has been planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants, with such big branches that the birds flying about can build nests in its shade.”
Reflection Questions:
Most Judean people in Jesus' day wanted God’s kingdom to be BIG, big enough to drive out the Roman occupiers. They looked back to the glory days of Kings David and Solomon. They certainly wanted the “Kingdom of God” Jesus talked about to be bigger than a poor rabbi and his few disciples. In this parable, Jesus said that his kingdom was not about square miles of territory, but about God’s reign reaching into human hearts.
- Last week we studied parables in which Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to priceless treasures. This week, we find him comparing the Kingdom to what he called “the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.” In what ways can God’s Kingdom be like both a treasure of vast worth and a tiny, common seed? What light do Jesus' contrasting images cast on the richness, the expansive nature of what it means to be citizens of God’s Kingdom?
- Scholar William Barclay noted that, in the Old Testament, it was common to describe an empire as a large tree with birds nesting in it (cf. Ezekiel 17:22ff; 31:1ff; Daniel 4:10, 21). Jesus, he suggested, was saying that “the church is the family of God; and that church which began in Palestine, small as the mustard seed, has room in it for every nation in the world.” How can you help your church hold onto a vision that extends to God’s entire world?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you weren’t afraid to start small. The mission you launched in the little land of Palestine, with 12 and then 120 followers, has reached so far that it now includes me. Give me your vision to keep extending the reach of your kingdom of love. Amen.Insights from Ashlynn Walker
Lord Jesus, you weren’t afraid to start small. The mission you launched in the little land of Palestine, with 12 and then 120 followers, has reached so far that it now includes me. Give me your vision to keep extending the reach of your kingdom of love. Amen.Insights from Ashlynn Walker
Ashlynn Walker, summer intern for International Missions, attends Biola University majoring in Human Biology on the pre-med track. Her church family back home gave her the nickname ‘Mini Wheats’ (like the cereal) because she’s so short. She considers her two dogs to be her babies, and calls the outdoors her second home even though she is terrified of bugs.
About four years ago, I came up with the brilliant idea of planting drought resistant plants at my house in Southern California. The idea was to have something pretty that could grow, provide color and life in the yard, but not require much water, since California is in such a terrible drought. However, what I thought to be an easy task turned out to be quite daunting. I was a little hesitant to plant something that had such a small stature as this one because I have the worst green thumb known to man, and I thought I would not be able to keep it alive. Much to my surprise, the man at Home Depot reassured me. He said all it needed was a lot of sunlight and a little water (that I could do!). Well, the man was right—the plants grew from 6 inches to about 3 feet in a matter of a few months! Once planted, they grew like wildfire, and there is no telling how much bigger they will get.
I think Jesus had the same idea when he explained the Kingdom of God in the parable of the mustard seed. Mark 4:30-32 writes that God’s Kingdom begins as the size of a mustard seed, but when it grows, it “becomes the largest of all garden plants” (Mark 4:32b). The mustard seed was the smallest of the seeds native to their land. The black mustard seed is about 1/8 inch, but the mustard plant grew to be ten to twelve feet tall, approximately 1,500 times its original size.
In the same way, Jesus was not afraid to start off small. He recognized that this was the most effective way to reach into our hearts and expand His Kingdom. Through baby steps we are introduced to Him, taught about Him, and, ultimately, brought into relationship with Him. Then it is a continuous process as others are brought into relationship with Him because of our witness. It all starts with a seed of Christ that is planted in our hearts, and tended by Him. From there, that seed grows and flourishes into a powerful garden.
As a Christian, sometimes I doubt the power of the little things, and, as with my plants, I hesitate and am afraid that I will not be able to have a positive impact on my neighbor. However, Jesus reminds us with this parable that there is power in starting small.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
About four years ago, I came up with the brilliant idea of planting drought resistant plants at my house in Southern California. The idea was to have something pretty that could grow, provide color and life in the yard, but not require much water, since California is in such a terrible drought. However, what I thought to be an easy task turned out to be quite daunting. I was a little hesitant to plant something that had such a small stature as this one because I have the worst green thumb known to man, and I thought I would not be able to keep it alive. Much to my surprise, the man at Home Depot reassured me. He said all it needed was a lot of sunlight and a little water (that I could do!). Well, the man was right—the plants grew from 6 inches to about 3 feet in a matter of a few months! Once planted, they grew like wildfire, and there is no telling how much bigger they will get.
I think Jesus had the same idea when he explained the Kingdom of God in the parable of the mustard seed. Mark 4:30-32 writes that God’s Kingdom begins as the size of a mustard seed, but when it grows, it “becomes the largest of all garden plants” (Mark 4:32b). The mustard seed was the smallest of the seeds native to their land. The black mustard seed is about 1/8 inch, but the mustard plant grew to be ten to twelve feet tall, approximately 1,500 times its original size.
In the same way, Jesus was not afraid to start off small. He recognized that this was the most effective way to reach into our hearts and expand His Kingdom. Through baby steps we are introduced to Him, taught about Him, and, ultimately, brought into relationship with Him. Then it is a continuous process as others are brought into relationship with Him because of our witness. It all starts with a seed of Christ that is planted in our hearts, and tended by Him. From there, that seed grows and flourishes into a powerful garden.
As a Christian, sometimes I doubt the power of the little things, and, as with my plants, I hesitate and am afraid that I will not be able to have a positive impact on my neighbor. However, Jesus reminds us with this parable that there is power in starting small.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
___________________________
___________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment