Don't forget the Mustard Tree! Or the Bread Roll
It was a beautiful Sunday yesterday and it was great to gather again online with the hope of returning to some in-person activity on the horizon! We were back in Luke's Gospel and Ken reminded us that we heard him preach about this parable of the mustard seed and yeast about a year ago – not only that, but it's included in three out of the four Gospels, showing the significance of the message that Jesus wanted to convey.
To the great big tree and the bread roll, the mustard seed and the yeast are a vital foundation. Yet, we saw how the focus in the parable wasn't on the finished product of the tree or the bread, but on the beginning of the process, the tiny element that is the secret of the growth. Similarly to our big celebrity culture today, the people in Jesus' time wanted him to be a big leader, but instead he kept talking about dying to save people from their sins, which wasn't what they were expecting or what they wanted!
But just as the tree and the bread roll grow magnificently from such small beginnings, we know that the church has grown magnificently from the 'mustard seed' beginning of Jesus' death and resurrection. We must never forget this yeast of the gospel, it is the essential message that we believe, rely on, proclaim and teach. So, we must be careful to stay connected to the source of life that comes from this mustard seed beginning and to keep sowing seeds of faith wherever we go, knowing that in God's timing they will lead to magnificent growth for the Kingdom of God.🌼