Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
Have you ever thought about the power of a seed? So much potential inside that little package, all the energy and life waiting for the right moment to burst open. And when it does, there’s nothing stopping it. Just think how much earth, rocks, even concrete a seed can lift as it grows and searches for the light. Any wonder then that Jesus uses seeds to describe what the kingdom of God is like. The kingdom of God is at the heart of Jesus’ message, it is what he comes to announce and establish. The kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God. God’s kingdom isn’t limited by geography or defined by a constitution. God’s kingdom reign isn’t imposed by rules or enforced by armies. God’s kingdom is hidden in the hearts of all who have heard and responded to the good news of Jesus. God’s kingdom grows through the power of the Holy spirit, not by strategic planning or corporate goal setting. The kingdom of God isn’t just for some, not just for the religious or the good. It’s branches are wide open to embrace anyone and everyone.
What seeds you choose to plant will produce a different kind of plant-wheat, apple, gum tree…
So what seeds grow the Kingdom of God? What seeds planted will grow the reign of God? The seed that grows the kingdom is the good news message of Jesus; that you are loved beyond limit, significant beyond measure and forgiven freely and fully. When we plant that seed, when we share that message, the seeds of God’s kingdom take hold and let loose their power in our lives, transforming and flourishing, leading us to lives of thriving and loving. This is God’s invitation to each of us, to rest in the wide open branches of his love and be seed-sowers of his kingdom in the lives of others as we tell each other; you are loved, you are significant, you are forgiven in Jesus.
Pastor David Spike
