18 Thus Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what should I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the wild birds nested in its branches.”

20 Again he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

I love Jesus’ parables. But as I read today’s passage, I realised that Jesus’ parables are like the opposite of a sermon illustration. When we use sermon illustrations, we try to take a deep truth and make it as clear as possible. But when Jesus spoke in parables, he usually wasn’t trying to hand the meaning to us on a platter. His parables are designed to make us think, and puzzle, and work hard for the treasures they hold.

The general idea of today’s pair of brain-teasers is clear. They’re both about the kingdom of God. In both, the kingdom is represented by something that at first is very small but becomes huge or has a huge impact. The tiny mustard seed becomes a tree. The small bit of yeast permeates the whole batch of dough. And, Jesus is telling us: Don’t worry if the kingdom of God looks small and insignificant to you now. It will grow to be huge and fill everything.

Some parts of these stories are a bit harder to pin down. For what it’s worth, I’d guess the man planting the seed and the woman working in the yeast represent people who tell others the message about Jesus, and the birds in the branches are those who believe the message. God’s kingdom will bring them protection, provision, and a place to belong together.

Here are two final thoughts, as I tried to push a bit deeper. First, it’s not just that the kingdom will grow. Why does the seed grow into a tree, or the dough rise and expand? It’s not really because of the planter or the kneader. The tree and the dough grow through an invisible power that is not in their hands. And when we live and breathe the gospel, God is working invisibly, in places we can’t see, to grow his kingdom of life and light.

Secondly – this is a bit more left-field: Why do these parables appearhere in Luke’s Gospel? Yesterday we heard about an unnamed woman who had been crippled for 18 years. Even though the big and important people disapproved, Jesus freed her and restored her to life and wholeness. Is that woman’s story an example of the mustard-seed kingdom? It seems small and unimportant –she seems small and unimportant. But God’s kingdom will grow through countless stories of people just like this woman – the nobodies, the powerless, the helpless – hearing about Jesus, trusting in him, and receiving forgiveness, joy, and everlasting life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.