The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…
Summary: How big is God’s kingdom? Does it appear full-sized, or does it start small and grow on us?
Jesus had a problem. How do you explain something that nobody has ever seen to people who are visually challenged when it comes to spiritual things?
Jesus shares several “heaven is like” stories that paint a picture of what heaven is … well … like. I mean, after all, he’s been there! (John 3:13) Each “heaven is like” story describes a different aspect of the kingdom of heaven. In today’s passage, Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
Now mustard seeds are tiny. They are about the same size as the head of a pin. I remember as a kid getting one as a gift. It was in a glass ball about a half inch in diameter. The glass acted like a magnifier and as tiny as the seed was, every detail was visible.
Jesus says it is the “smallest of all seeds,” and then says:
“Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 6:32)
So why is the kingdom of heaven like a small seed that grows into the “largest of garden plants” and then becomes a tree?
Is God’s kingdom small?
I don’t think so. But remember, Jesus is speaking to people in the physical realm about something that exists in the spiritual realm. The context, as I see it, is God entering our hearts just like Jesus entered the world.
Jesus didn’t just materialize on earth as the angels do when they visit for short times. He became part of his creation. When Mary asks the angel who tells her she is about to get pregnant “How will this be?” (Luke 1:34), the answer is “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:35)
When the King of Kings entered into his world he came the way of all living things. As an embryo, he was “like a mustard seed.” In the same way, when the Holy Spirit overshadows us and plants the Word of God in our hearts, we are not changed in an instant into some kind of super-apostle. Instead, the Word of God grows in our hearts and becomes bigger and bigger.
Jeremiah describes it this way:
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17: 7-8)
Application: Check your garden and see how big your mustard plant is.
Food for Thought: Why didn’t Jesus just “appear” fully grown instead of being born and raised as a man?
Becoming one of us also includes experiencing what we experience. Since Jesus was fully God and fully man – men are born. If He had simply appeared as an adult man, we probably would not see Him as fully human. Nor would He have experienced everything we did and yet be without sin (Hebrews 4: 14 – 16). Since Adam (Adam being the one exception) everyone was born. Jesus, being fully human, would be no different. I think it was critical that He be one of us and completely one of us. Besides, it has to happen to fulfill prophecy – one born of a virgin.
Rich,
I like your point about us not seeing Jesus as “fully human” if he had “just appeared.” So true! How could we relate to someone who was so alien?
11-30-2022, Why didn’t Jesus just “appear” fully grown instead of being born and raised as a man?
The birth of Christ fulfilled the two genealogies Matthew 1:1-17, and another in Luke 3:23-38.
Matthew begins telling of Jesus’ life with the bold affirmation: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (1:1)
Luke illustrates the genuine humanity of Jesus, establish’s for his readers the truth of Jesus’ claim to be the “Son of Man.” His genealogy traces the lineage of Jesus not only to David 3:31 and Abraham 3:34, but all the way back to “Adam, the son of God” 3:38.
Both seem to trace the line of Jesus’ adopted father, Joseph, however there is compelling evidence Matthew’s genealogy as that of Joseph, and in Luke we have the genealogy of Jesus’ physical mother, Mary, but that is another study.
God has told all, the Messiah of Israel would be a descendant of the house of David, and in fact in both the genealogy of Joseph, in Matthew and Mary, in Luke, He is.
Jesus came to earth in the womb of a virgin, God, fully human as He confined Himself to a body of flesh and demonstrated how there is a power greater than the power of our flesh. And we can truly control our flesh when we allow the Holy Spirit to empower our spirit.
Ron,
Thanks for explaining the two genealogies. I know that is confusing to some people. I also like your point about how submitting to God’s Spirit is the path to overcoming the flesh.
Thanks for your faithful work and input on this Blog.
Ron
I guess I never thought on this so literally (God being planted). I took the mustard seed analogy as one of two things. The small faith of a person having a huge effect (similar to other passages)
The humble or ‘small’ attitude producing a large and peaceful home (God says that he’ll lift up the lowly elsewhere)
But to your question today, I’d simply say that He is a God of order. He can do what He wants, but He originally made everything in their order and by their kind. So why would He come in the middle of a life when He could come at the beginning?
Also, think of missionary work. Do you see better fruit from a long term mission or a short term mission. Yes, you get fruit from both, but do you get the small ones that didn’t get enough nutrition? Or the tasteless mush? Or the over sweet/over tart ones? Not a great explanation, but point being Jesus knows how to make a lasting effect.
👍
A,
To see the Scripture in new light and new ways, yet still being true to God’s Word, is the goal of this blog. I appreciate you sharing that this post caused some new thoughts.
I also appreciate the reminder that God is a God of order. Sometimes, in the chaos of this life, that is hard to remember. 🙂