Mark 4:26-34
“Vision for Mission”
Visualize and think about persons on a mission trip, passing out clothes at a shelter, visiting in a hospital, helping to build a home or home renovation/updating for someone. Think about a telephone call where a person wants a new bible, a copy of the Sabbath bulletin, and information about the church mailed immediately; and incidentally this person wants to be picked up immediately for Worship and Sabbath School and this person is more than one hour away, one way. Think about planting seeds and how they grow.
I believe these two parables summarize the mission of Jesus and God’s vision for carrying it out. They are a powerful summary of the way God works among us in history.
First of all, it was God who sowed the seed of new life for all creation when Jesus took on human flesh in Mary’s womb, was born, lived and taught, died and rose again, and ascended to reign as Lord of all creation, forever. All this took place and humankind, the farmers and caretakers of creation, did not know that it was happening.
I believe that Jesus was the presence of God’s Kingdom or reign on earth. His mission prospered and grew like the tiny mustard seed as the Holy Spirit called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified Jesus’ followers. Though these early followers were insignificant as individuals, the Holy Spirit formed and preserved them as the early church.
The first parable tells us of a seed that is planted and grows while the farmer sleeps. This part of the story brings to mind what Martin Luther wrote about the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come.” Luther taught that God’s Kingdom, God’s reign over all creation, will surely come even without our praying for it. However, we pray that the Kingdom may also come for each of us! And we must keep praying.
Jesus invited his disciples to enter the reign of God by telling the good news to everyone – beginning in Jerusalem and going out from there to the ends of the earth. As they obeyed, the church was born and grew wherever they went. The Body of Christ has brought the eternal reign of Christ into history, into the midst of human life, right down to our own day. Yes, the Kingdom or the commonwealth of heaven is rooted firmly in our midst in wondrous ways that we may glimpse when we share the good news and while we read savor, and meditate on these two parables together.
The second parable, which describes a mustard bush native to Israel, reminds us of the growth of the church in its mission. Unlike the smaller plant in North America, Israel’s mustard plant can grow to a height of ten feet, a huge shrub where birds can build nests. In the way of the mustard seed, the Holy Spirit has called, gathered, enlightened and sanctified the followers of Jesus in each generation and has continued to create Jesus’ church. They are, we are, the continuing body of Christ on God’s good earth. The church - the body of Christ is a giant plant that grows from a tiny seed.
Today, the Holy Spirit who comes to live with us, or, may we say, adopts us as children of God in our baptism, calls us to be Jesus’ disciples and enter God’s reign. We are the farmers and caretakers of earth who were not present when the seed of the church of Jesus Christ was first planted. Still, we are part of the church triumphant which continues to grow. I think that the church in our time can become for all humankind God’s sheltering, compassionate, provident, forgiving, and nurturing love tree or mustard bush.
The first parable assures us that God’s reign is achieved by God’s power, not our own. Jesus invited his disciples to enter into the reign of God and participate in its coming by being witnesses in Jerusalem, all of Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. God’s reign did not come through the faithfulness of those who followed Jesus, but God made them strong in faith and devotion so they could boldly tell the story of God’s providence and deliverance.
The second illustrates for us that God has continued to sow the seeds of grace, power, mercy, justice, and love throughout history, to our own time and to this place where you and I have gathered this morning. The reign of God is present with power among us. Like the disciples of Jesus’ day, we pray that God’s reign may come into our lives and empower us as his witnesses in our world. How many ministries do you participate in each day of the week and especially on the Sabbath? Think again about persons on a mission trip, passing out clothes at a shelter, visiting in a hospital, helping to build a home or home renovation/updating for someone, answering a phone request or simply praying for persons who need our prayers. Think about planting seeds and how they grow.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to give each of us energy and eagerness to tell the story of God’s providence and grace in our lives. God’s reign comes without our working for it. As individuals and as a congregation, we thank God for the blessings of life by inviting all we meet to share in this same providence and grace.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you who are the sower as we are the seed, hear our prayers this summertime. Make it a time for us to learn about discipleship. Make it a time for us to realize that your power works in and through us. Help us to realize the call of our baptisms to be your witnesses throughout our lives, in all the places where we live and work. Make our lives and our witness fruitful, like the fruitfulness of the mustard seed. Let the Gospel of Jesus our Lord live in us so clearly and your Holy Spirit dwell in us so strongly that whose we meet might know that we are witnesses for Christ by what we say and do. Let peace, which your grace brings into our lives, radiate from us so that it might spread to others. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
