Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost / July 24, 2011
This week, as I studied these parables that all begin, “The kingdom of heaven is like...” three vocabulary words came to mind: subversive, scandalous, and extravagant. These are not words we use every day, but then these parables describe a kingdom that is unlike anything we have ever imagined.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs.” Mustard was the kudzu of the Middle East. It grew like crazy, and the tiny seeds produced by the bush could be carried by the wind and scattered all over the place. Today, in the Southeast, Jesus might say: “The kingdom of heaven is like kudzu that a farmer took and planted among his grape vines.” Kudzu can grow as much as six feet a day and the leaves can become larger than dinner plates. The kudzu would rapidly overtake the vineyard, smothering the grape vines. This is subversive! Why would a farmer undermine an existing crop? Why would a farmer deliberately plant something that has the potential to overtake the field and destroy the crop? Wouldn’t it make more sense for the parable to read: “The kingdom of heaven is like corn planted in perfectly straight rows, all neat and in order”? What are we supposed to do with a kingdom that disrupts the expected order of things?
Jesus doesn’t answer these questions. He simply tells another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” Three measures of flour will make enough bread for 100 to 150 people. Unlike today, when yeast comes in neat little packets that we pull out when we are ready to use, in Jesus’ time the yeast was some of the left-over dough from the previous batch of bread. It was always risky to use, because it could easily go bad and destroy the next batch of bread. So it is quite scandalous that the woman leavened enough flour to make bread for over 100 people! It is shocking and even disgraceful behavior. What if she ruined all that good flour? And where are the 100-plus people she is planning on feeding? Wouldn’t it make more sense for the parable to read: “The kingdom of heaven is like flour that a woman sifted and placed into sacks so that it would be ready to use at a later time”? What are we supposed to do with a kingdom that disrupts the expected order of things?
These parables point to the subversive and scandalous nature of the kingdom – a kingdom that upsets the balance and order of this world – a kingdom that takes risks that seem foolish and unnecessary. And as we wonder, what are we supposed to do with this? Jesus goes on to tell another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a tenant farmer found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys the field.” The tenant farmer didn’t steal the treasure or take the treasure to the owner of the field. Instead, he hid the treasure again and sold everything to buy the field. Isn’t this dishonest? Isn’t his behavior scandalous? And then consider the extravagance – he sold everything he had just to buy the field. That seems wasteful, even crazy. Shouldn’t this parable read: “The kingdom of heaven is like a tenant farmer who found a treasure hidden in a field and took it to his master who rewarded him greatly”? What are we supposed to do with a kingdom that disrupts the expected order of things?
Well, the kingdom of heaven is also “like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” The merchants of Jesus’ time were like the stereotypical used car salesmen of today. Their goal was to make money, even if they had to misrepresent their product in order to do so. A typical pearl merchant would be out to buy cheap pearls and market them as fine pearls so that he could make a tidy profit. And yet, this merchant puts himself out of business when he finds one amazing pearl, selling everything he had just to buy this pearl. Extravagant. Scandalous. Certainly questionable behavior for anyone, but especially for a merchant. What are we supposed to do with a kingdom that disrupts the expected order of things?
We are supposed to seek this kingdom first and foremost. If we mean it when we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” then we should seek His kingdom in all things. But these parables certainly lead us to question just what this kingdom is that we are seeking. A subversive kingdom that undermines the order of this world? A scandalous kingdom that shocks us and even upsets us? An extravagant kingdom where people sell all that they have to buy one thing? Well, yes, this is the kingdom that we seek – this kingdom that disrupts the expected order of things.
For example, we respect and obey President Obama and Governor Perdue, but we worship our King and Lord, Jesus Christ. We may pray FOR the leaders of this world and this community, but we pray TO the Creator of the universe, the one who has all power and authority. This is subversive! Our worship and our prayers are like planting mustard seeds – the tiniest of seeds – knowing the day will come when the kingdoms of this world will cease to be, and God’s kingdom will flourish like a mustard tree on earth.
And we are assured that this kingdom will come and has already come because of Jesus. We don’t have to sell all that we have to buy the one thing of great value because God has already given us the most valuable gift of all through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. There is no need to play it safe and only leaven a small amount of bread, or perhaps eat unleavened bread; for we know that through the resurrection, Jesus Christ has promised abundant life for all – the small amount of leaven discovered that Easter morning when the women encountered their Risen Lord is more than enough to leaven the Bread of Life in which we all share even to this day.
So what is the kingdom of heaven like today? The kingdom of heaven is like a group of Christians gathered at Loaves & Fishes on a Tuesday night elbowing one another and stepping on toes and talking and laughing as they seek to fill grocery bags with yummy food for the hungry. The kingdom of heaven is like a group of youth who spend their Saturday night selling fruit cups to raise money for orphans in Africa. The kingdom of heaven is like a small congregation that cannot afford a full-time pastor making bold plans to open a food pantry that will feed all who are hungry. The kingdom of heaven is like a grocery cart in a sanctuary. The kingdom of heaven is like a group of people who so firmly believe that Jesus is Lord that they spend every Sunday morning worshipping God. The kingdom of heaven is like the tiniest piece of bread dipped into a cup.
What are we supposed to do with a kingdom that disrupts the expected order of things? Jump for joy! Praise God! Shout Alleluia! Clap your hands and stamp your feet! Get on board and cause more disruption! Perhaps this sounds subversive and scandalous and extravagant. Well, that’s because it is! But we know the expected order is broken – people everywhere are hungry and hurting and in need of healing. The expected order needs to be disrupted, and indeed has already been disrupted by Jesus Christ. So invite Jesus to cause even more disruption in your homes, at work, in your relationships, with your free time, and in this congregation. Invite Jesus to use you to further disrupt the broken order of this world so that the King of heaven can truly rule in every heart. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
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