Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase the “Kingdom of Heaven?” Do you think about heaven; about living in a mansion, walking on streets of gold, and worshipping God for all eternity. Or do you think about the time yet to come when God will be in charge. Maybe you picture a world in perfect peace and harmony. Some people believe we are already living in the Kingdom of Heaven while others believe it is yet to be realized. I believe that all of these ideas have some truth in them – they each point to the Kingdom of Heaven is some important way, but this simple phrase certainly sends our imagination flying off in all directions.
What is clear is that the Kingdom of Heaven (or the equivalent term Kingdom of God) is key to fully understanding Jesus’ life and ministry. As Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee, he preached this simple message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” But, Jesus never really gave a complete and clear definition of what he meant by the Kingdom of Heaven. Instead, Jesus told parables. Instead of burdening us with dense descriptions or abstract concepts, he told simple stories that reveal the essence of what the Kingdom is like. In today’s reading from Matthew, Jesus offers several short parables that reveal the depth, the beauty, and the richness of the Kingdom of Heaven.
So, today, I want to explore these parables, and through them discover more about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 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.” As I listen to this parable, one thing seems pretty obvious. The Kingdom of Heaven may start out very small, but it has a big finish. And, while that is true, I believe Jesus wants us to go deeper. Sometimes small and seemingly insignificant moments can have the greatest impact in our lives. An encounter with a homeless man might inspire a person to spend their life seeking to end homelessness for everyone. A summer spent with inner-city children may spark a love for them that become the passion that drives a lifetime of service. These mustard-seed-sized moments can grow into great trees that proclaim the greatness of God’s love to all the world. God “plants” these small moments and opportunities like the sower who sent the Word into the world. In some hearts the seed finds fertile soil and the Kingdom of Heaven spreads and grows in the world.
Jesus told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” This sounds like the first parable – something small can have a great impact in the world. But to get the full impact of this parable you need to consider the level of scientific understanding in Jesus’ day. Back then, people understood seeds; they knew that seeds taken from a plant would grow into plants of the same type and that they would, in turn, produce more seeds. They did not have a full understanding of botany, but they had a good basic understanding of seeds. Yeast on the other hand was a mystery. They did not know that yeast is a microscopic organism that digests sugar to produce carbon dioxide which results in bubbles in the wheat gluten. They knew something they called yeast made the bread rise, but they did not know how it worked – they just knew it did. So, when Jesus talked about yeast he was talking about a mystery. Somehow the Kingdom of Heaven spreads throughout the whole world in a way we do not understand. We are part of that mystery in ways we will never know. Every time we reach out and help someone in need, we are yeast that spreads God’s love. Every time we give to someone in need, we are yeast that proclaims the Good News that God cares for the world. Every time we serve someone in the name of Jesus Christ, we are yeast that brings the saving power of Christ to a broken world. How do our simple gestures spread the Kingdom of Heaven? It is a mystery, just as the yeast is a mystery, but somehow God uses what we offer and soon the whole world is leavened.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” With this parable Jesus moved beyond the everyday experiences of farmers planting seeds and women baking bread. Here Jesus talked about an event so rare it might happen only once-in-a-lifetime – the discovery of a great treasure in a field. Think about it. What would you do if you had the opportunity to purchase a piece of land that you knew contained a treasure that would erase all of your financial worries? Knowing you as I do, I suspect you would feel obligated to inform the owner of the treasure buried in his field; but, I think you can understand the temptation to buy the field even if it takes everything you own. But, let’s lay aside the ethical question for a moment and ask a new question. What do you value so much that you would give everything you have to posses it? What was in that field that someone was willing to “sell all that he has and buy the field?” Well, how about the Kingdom of Heaven? What is the Kingdom of Heaven worth to you? What is it worth to have the absolute assurance that God loves you beyond measure and will do whatever is necessary to bring you into his presence? That is the treasure that is so great that we give everything we have – our whole selves - completely to God.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” This parable seems similar to the one right before it. The message of this parable seems to be that the pearl (like the treasure in the field) is so valuable that the merchant is willing to sell everything to have the pearl. But, look closely, the previous parable says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure. Here the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant. The merchant was seeking something he values above all else. What could the Kingdom of Heaven be seeking that is more precious that a pearl of great value? Well, here is a hint. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In you God has found the pearl of great value and for you the Father is willing to give his most precious Son so you will not perish but have everlasting life. You are the pearl! And God is the merchant who gave his most precious Son so you can live in God’s presence for all eternity.
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.” This parable is different yet again. Here Jesus used an image familiar to anyone who lived on the shores of the Sea of Galilee – fishermen hauling in a net and then sorting the catch. But the Kingdom of Heaven is not what I expected; I expected the kingdom to be the fishermen who went out fishing for people. Instead the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net. I do not know much about nets except they seem to be pretty indiscriminate about what they catch. I think what Jesus is saying is similar to the parable of the wheat and weeds that was read last week; many people are caught up in “acting” like disciples of Christ but only a few are true followers of Jesus. Like the weeds that mimic the wheat, many pretend to be religious people so they can enjoy accolades from others. Alas, human praise is their only reward. Both the good and the bad are allowed to swim about until they are caught up in the net at the “end of the age” and then they are judged by their fruits. The righteous – those who love God with all their heart, all their mind and all their soul are kept by God while those who have sought the approval of the masses are marked for destruction. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net that draws many to God, but only those who invite Christ’s love and forgiveness to live in their hearts are saved for eternal life.
Then Jesus said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Many scholars do not count this as one of the parables in this passage, but I believe it too fits the pattern and it tells us something about the Kingdom of Heaven. Here the focus is on the scribe, the student, the teacher of the law. I believe that here Jesus is talking about us; Jesus is talking about the people who study God’s word with intensity and delight; Jesus is talking about the people whose highest joy is to spread the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. So, the teacher of the kingdom is like a person who knows there is treasure to be found in the old and there is treasure to be found in the new as well. In a culture that values the new we need to hear the words that there is treasure in the old; there is treasure in the wisdom and traditions that have been passed down to us. In a culture that wants to live in the past and turn back the clock to a simpler time we need to hear the words that there is treasure in the new; there is treasure in experiences and insights of every new day. I think Jesus’ message is that we cannot jettison the old traditions because they ground us in our faith. At the same time, God’s love is ever new and must be expressed in new ways with new songs to a new generation. And it is the wise student of the Kingdom of Heaven who is able to discern the treasure in the old and the treasure in the new.
So, to return to my original question: What is the Kingdom of Heaven? Well, it is the small touch of a hand that says God loves you. It is the small deed of kindness that spreads God’s love. It is the great treasure of God’s love that inspires us to sell all we have so we can receive God’s spiritual treasure. It is God giving all he has to bring us into relationship with him. It draws us to God’s glory and warns us against seeking our own glory. It teaches us to seek the timeless truth of God in an ever changing world. The Kingdom of Heaven is among us in wonderful and mysterious ways.
Jesus was right; the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand every time we feel the love of God; the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand every time we reach out to love our neighbor.
Amen