“Faith Grows Like a Mustard Seed” - Matthew 13:31-33; 44-46

Pastor Deb Troester, July 16, 2023, STHPC

This morning we have read from what some call “The Parables of the Kingdom,” stories Jesus told to help people understand what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. Remember, Jesus taught his disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done.” But  what are we praying for when we say, “Thy kingdom come”? Episcopal priest, Margaret Guenther, writes in Christian Century: “Jesus gives us some hints…offering tantalizing bits of imagery for all sorts of people: the farmer who finds a treasure in the field…the plant enthusiast who marvels at the growth produced by one tiny seed…the homemaker preparing to bake bread…The kingdom of heaven is hidden, [as a treasure] buried in a field, and of great value, like a pearl. Moreover, despite an unremarkable outward appearance, it possesses surprising power. The unprepossessing mustard seed contains an astonishing potential for growth, while…ordinary old leaven that doesn’t look like much—has the power to transform all that surrounds it.”

Jesus begins this series of mini-parables, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed,” one of the smallest of seeds, but which, when planted, can grow into a tree large enough for birds to build their nests in it. Faith is like that. Even a little faith can grow and bear fruit over time. Today we are celebrating the confirmation of two of our young people whose faith has grown so that now they can claim it as their own. We rejoice that the tiny seed that was planted in their lives the day of their baptism has now become a flourishing young plant – still in need of nurture, but strong enough to stand on its own.

The mustard plant was basically a weed for farmers – you didn’t really want one in your field, but for the birds which built their nests there, and anyone finding shade under its branches on a hot day, it was a God-send. I imagine farmers didn’t mind a few mustard trees on the edge of a field, where one could rest, have a drink of water, and find respite from the hot noon-day sun. The parable of the mustard seed shows that nothing is too small or insignificant to be used by God. We sow the smallest of seeds - a phone call, a note, a conversation, a kindness, a prayer, - and we scatter these seeds widely, generously, over and over and over again, individually and as a church, and with time these seeds will grow into something much larger than we could have imagined.

Next Jesus tells a parable about something even smaller. He likens the kingdom of heaven to yeast that is mixed in with flour to make bread. While the mustard seed represents growth, the yeast speaks to us of transformation. Who would imagine that a tiny organism could turn a lump of wet dough into light and fluffy bread? I often wonder how people figured out this seemingly miraculous process. Matthew mentions “three measures of flour” – that’s a little over a bushel, a lot of flour! Just a little yeast can leaven enough bread for a banquet. Just as yeast is kneaded into the dough until it is thoroughly spread throughout, Christians are spread out through all walks of life – in the office, in shops and hospitals, at school, in sports, and the arts. In each place we act as a tiny bit of leaven. Enough of us acting together can transform the world for the better, working as God’s hands and feet to help God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The kingdom starts small but expands. The end product is peace, justice, healing, and hope. The growth is not the spread of a religious institution, but the message of God’s love.

The last two parables compare the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field or a pearl of great value – worth everything we have. The farmer who sold all that he had, in order to buy the field containing the treasure, or the merchant who sold all he had so he could buy pearl of great price remind us of Jesus words, “Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Are we willing to give everything, all we are and have, to gain Jesus and his heavenly kingdom? If so, Jesus says, great joy will be ours.

As my friend Bishop Reinhart writes, “The kingdom is hidden. It isn’t obvious or in your face. If you aren’t looking you could miss it. But those who seek it will find it. Knock, and the door will open…Often things will happen that we could not possibly have imagined…A homeless ministry is started by a member who is captivated by the problem, and the call that haunts her dreams. A divorce ministry is started by a broken person who found a healing so great it had to be passed on to others.” We may find hidden treasure if we get our hands dirty by getting involved in ministry.

Jesus preached, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” It is not a far-away kingdom, but one as close as those familiar objects – a tree, a loaf of bread. God is everywhere, if we care enough to look for Him. If we want our faith to grow, we must choose God’s way daily. The kingdom of heaven is not far from us. It is near, if we have eyes to see it. It is both coming and already here. We need to be open to God’s working in our lives. Like mustard seeds, our faith will grow. Like leaven, the Spirit of God can work in us, and in the church.

What jewels of hidden treasure have been revealed to you? What tiny mustard seeds has God planted in the good soil of your heart?

What will you do with them? “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I will close with a short prayer I found that focuses on how small actions can contribute to something much bigger.

we pray that you would inspire us
to commit to and act on
the small difference we can make:
May we bring peace
through small acts of gentleness
and reconciliation;
May we bring wealth
through small contributions
and collaborations;
May we bring safety
through small acts of consideration
and acceptance;
May we bring wholeness
through small acts of care
and service.

And in the small ways, O God,
may our small difference make a big contribution
to your saving work in our world.

Amen.

~ written by John van de Laar. Posted on Sacredise.
http://sacredise.com/

Sermon ©Deborah Troester, 2023