small is beautiful
Back when I was a college student, a famous writer wrote a book called Small is Beautiful. I forgot the author’s name now but I remember that he begun a new way of thinking. His point, its all a matter of perspective.
Our text this morning talks about tiny seeds. Small things that grow into new life, that become big trees, a tiny seed like a mustard seed, that becomes a big tree. Small insignificant things that become beautiful, useful and great. And Jesus was referring to “the kingdom of God …is like …a seed. A mustard seed.”
Jesus words seem to indicate that there is so much wonderment in big things – big numbers, big and powerful people, big machines, big cars, big cities, but we are missing the fact that all the great things are just in a tiny seed.
This reminds me of the story about a traveling man who was taking a long train trip. He was looking out the window of the train and every so often he would burst out with the words, “wonderful!” The passing scenery, the faces of passengers, the animals in the meadows, the trees, the sky, small details which elicited from him glad expressions of enjoyment.
Finally one traveler overcome with irritation asked him, “How come, we are bored with all the ordinary things we see, and you are having the time of your life saying Wonderful! Wonderful!
He answered, “until a few days ago, I was a blind man. A great doctor has just given me my sight and what is ordinary to you is “heavenly to me.” A matter of perspective. Heaven is here, we are just not looking.
How come, the less you see, the more you appreciate what you can see? And the more you see, the less you are thrilled of seeing the many things you do see? The less opportunities you have, the more appreciative you are of your achievements.
How is that like the kingdom of God?
1. First we need to understand that the small seed is so complex in itself.
Within that tiny seed, is a possibility, just a possibility of a great crop or a big tree. We do not know how the seed grows, but one day, it will bear fruit, and we will say, wow what a big fruit tree!
Think about this, a mustard seed, is like a fertilized egg. A mustard seed can become a big tree or it can become nothing. A fertilized egg can become a beggar. The possibilities are many, but one possibility is that the egg could be the greatest boxer that ever lived! A great statesman, a great singer. But who can tell, which one will it be?
You see, our lack of wonderment is because we think we know how nature works? In truth, we do not know. Two seeds in the same place can grow similarly or differently. Or one dies and the other grows. Something insignificant becomes significant. This is like the kingdom, it is imperceptible, unexpected and then you realize it is there.
When Jesus proclaimed, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand! He was really telling us, yow! What you are is what you are, but you can be part of something you never imagined. Just a possibility opens up. It all depends on your faith perspective.
2. A mustard is the smallest seed. And then it becomes a large tree that brings much blessing.
As far as Jesus was concerned, the kingdom of God started small and weak, through his ministry. But a day will come when it will become great and powerful. Has this not become a reality today? Aren’t there billions of people who believe today? But Jesus was just one person, a tiny seed. Now that seed is you and me, and Silliman church, and the UCCP, and the Christian world. We should not judge the significance of the kingdom by its small beginning.
3. Why parables?
Parables (from the Gk word parabole) are stories taken from ordinary life used to drive home a spiritual or moral truth. Similes, comparisons, analogies, metaphor, allegory, proverbial sayings.
Obviously, the kingdom of God, is beyond our experience. I don’t think it is just something of the planet earth. I don’t even think it is about the Solar System. Or the Milky Way. It is something that spans the eternal heavens. There are no words to explain it.
That is why Jesus used parables. Revealing the truth is more than putting truth to words. Our words are limited by our experience. What we need in order to understand God’s realm – God’s space and time — is to have alert, awake and inquiring minds. We need faith to understand. The truth is really self evident if we can see with eyes of faith. A seed is ordinary or special. We all know the vastness of the universe. We all know, we do not know. It is all matter of faith. With faith, the kingdom is in our midst.
The kingdom of God breaks open in our midst just by believing in Jesus Christ the Son of God. Amen.
(Sermon delivered Silliman Heights, June 14, 2009)
