The Kingdom of God is Like...

Mark 4:26-34

Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

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.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

The kingdom of God is as if someone would order a porta-potty to be delivered the Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend (it’s Jean…Jean orders the potty).  After that she sleeps and rises night and day and the porta-potty gets used, she does not know how… and really she’s okay not knowing how to be honest.  The cyclists stop by and use it themselves, first the NYC Cycling Club, then weekenders, then the 80+ year old cycling folks led by Nancy and Catherine.  But when the porta-potty is ripe, at once the man who services the potty goes in with his pump truck, because the harvest has come. 

With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?  It is like the Appalachian Trail Ministry, which when it was started upon the trail had the smallest of all the tents; yet now that it has grown, it has become the greatest of all tents along the trail.  It puts forth an enormous spread of tarpaulin, so that every hiker upon the trail can sit under it in its shade.

Both the original parables and the modified ones all remind us of five truths about the Kingdom of God.  Yes, that makes this a five point sermon but I’ll go quick.  First, God’s Kingdom is universal.  It’s everywhere.  In those original parables God scatters the seed “in the earth” the Greek says, with double entendre fully intended.  There is nowhere in all of creation where God has not planted seed.  Hikers from every corner of the globe will use the tent.  Bikers from near and far are welcomed at the hospitality station.  God has planted God’s Kingdom in ALL people and in all of creation.  

Second, God’s Kingdom is a mystery.  It starts small.  Sometimes so small, as in the case of seeds sown in the earth, its pretty much invisible!  Yet it grows into this enormous thing.  How?  Don't really know!  Its a mystery!  But it becomes like a shrub in the desert providing shade for the birds, a tent on the trail, a burger in the hand, a water fountain and a potty along the way.  Out of the empty corner of a field or a parking lot, God’s Kingdom grows into something enormous, welcoming all and large enough to embrace all of creation.  

Third, God’s Kingdom is real.  It isn’t just an idea in the noggin.  It isn’t just some spiritual dream of the sweet by and by.  It’s not a doctrine or a statement of belief or a religious word salad that lives only in someone’s head.  Its REAL physical shelter from sun, sickness, disease, thirst, hunger, and hate.  It is a place, here and now, of universal belonging.  It is our REAL world, transformed into the REAL world Jesus pointed us toward with his REAL, flesh and blood life.  

Forth, the Kingdom of God always gets some pushback from folks who are scared that sharing the Kingdom will leave them without enough.  Some call that pushback "the work of the devil".  While I’m not a “big red guy with a pitchfork” sort of guy, I will admit that makes for an easy “catch-all sort of way” to talk about all the unintentionally placed and intentional planted pit falls that get in the way of the world changing fully into what God intends for it to be.

Lastly, the Kingdom of God is something that never stops.  It always goes.  It always grows, and it does that mostly while we’re sleeping, or if not actually sleeping, while we’re miles and miles away.  That’s because growing the Kingdom is God’s work, not ours!  These parables show us that in how it grows.  It grows at the rate of 30, 60, or 100 times with grain.  3, 6, or 50 a day with hikers.  One, a half dozen or a score with bikers.  Why is it different?  Don't know!  That's just how God chooses to do it!  

The Kingdom of God is quite a thing then, isn’t it?  (Looking around furtively)  Wanna see it?  God's Kingdom growing... wanna see it?  I know a guy.  There's this spot over on West Road where you can see it in person!  Now if you go there here's what I want you to look for... Notice first how big that tent is and how it covers hikers from all over the world!  Have someone tell you the story of how small it was in the beginning and how it has grown!  Notice how its an actual place.  Not just an idea or a dream, but a real place in our real life world.  Ask someone to tell you about challenges... from storms to fire to government officials!  But most of all what I want you to do most as you sit in the shade on the trail is to do what Eugene Peterson says we all need to do much more of in this world which is to stop sometimes and just watch what God is doing when we're not doing anything.  It turns out that while we’re not doing anything God is doing nothing less than turning our world into the Kingdom of God!  Amen.