Mustard Seed Gardening and the Kingdom of God
Mark 4:26-34
26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Three things:
- Understand a bit about mustard seeds and mustard plants
- Mustard seeds and the Kingdom of God
- What does this mean?
Mustard seeds and mustard seed gardening:
- Size - seeds and plants
- Uses
- Resilient and persistent - can be planted almost anywhere
The Kingdom of God:
- Understanding that God and His Kingdom will set a course for our lives - “Your reign come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
- Includes Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- Encompasses both heaven and earth
- Doesn’t belong to us but we are present and active in it
- It’s multifaceted
Application:
- Needs a sower - us or the Holy Spirit
- Bring what you have to offer to God, not what you don’t have
- Sowing a seed for God’s Kingdom doesn’t have to be complicated - a kind word, a kind deed, even a kind thought - truth be told, we plant seeds almost every minute of everyday. Seeds of kindness, seeds of discord, seeds of caring, seeds of hatred, seeds of faith ……
What kind of seeds do you want to plant today? What are you willing to do for the work of the Kingdom of God?
TODAY'S PREACHER
Randy Reese is Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC