Kin-dom of God: Within Us, Among Us

He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’  Mark 4:30-32 

Seeds grow. It’s what they are supposed to do. Seeds have the capacity for great things and with basic interaction with the elements of soil, water, nutrients and sunlight the seeds live into their destiny.

According to the Disciples of Christ General Assembly preaching resource materials, “perhaps Dr. Amy Jill-Levine is correct in her book ‘Short Stories of Jesus’ when she writes ‘sometimes a seed is just a seed, a bird is just a bird, and a tree is just a tree.’ A mustard seed, after all, is supposed to grow into a larger plant. A mustard plant, after all, is intended to be beneficial to the gardener who plants it. It is no stretch to imagine that a tall tree or a tall bush (however big a mustard plant should be), would have birds amongst its branches. What does it mean, then, for Jesus to compare the Kin-dom of God to a mustard seed? Simply put, the Kin-dom of God is meant to grow, and it is meant to be a blessing where it grows.”

Sunday in worship we explored in greater detail what it means for us, the kin-dom of God, to grow. We are supposed to grow. It is what we are intended to do if we truly are doing our part as Christ’s church. We broke down the necessary elements it takes for us as the body of Christ to fulfill our responsibility to grow into a bush with ample branches, limbs, and leaves to nest whoever is flying by and needs respite from our presence.