July 30, 2023 – Pentecost +9A; Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52

[Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone 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 and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them 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.” “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is 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. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

In the Old Testament, the realm of G-d is described as “like” a tall Cedar Tree. Jesus does not deny that teaching. He just says that the Kingdom inaugurated by the Son of Man is also like an insignificant single seed — something so small, yet grows into an invasive presence. Jesus uses the parable of the seed to make a comparison: “the Kingdom of Heaven is like…” not a tall magnificent Cedar Tree — he changes direction unexpectedly “…like a mustard seed that is sown in a field.”

Jesus was trying to tell his disciples something that they, and we might learn about G-d’s kingdom — and perhaps it takes some more discernment to gain some insight….and if I were to whittle it down to one lesson, not three but one, that lesson is: “It just takes one”.

In the Gospel of Thomas, there is a saying of Jesus, number 8, that probably is older than the parable of fish that appears in this Matthew text:

And He said, “The man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Kingdom of Heaven is like one large fish. Just like the parable of the Pearl of a Great Price, the fisher keeps the one large, good fish which would be more valuable to him. How is the Kingdom like that? Well, as we all know, there are many things in life that want to promise us good things that we think we cannot live life without — things we should value above other things. But our discernment requires we learn that though many little things in life may bring temporary joy, the one thing of great value, like Jesus’ promise of eternal life, is of much greater value — one we should prize above everything else. It just takes one….large, good fish — one thing we value, like the Kingdom of G-d, more than anything else. The Kingdom of Heaven has the character of a treasure hidden in a field — which someone finds — hides it again — and then in his joy sells all his possessions to buy that one field.

You see, though we may not see it as it really is, G-d continues to work in and around us, in each one of us, through each one of us, when we plant one seed, pray one prayer, do one good deed, put one person before ourselves — through each single Christian act, each single moment, hour by hour, day by day, week by week. Sometimes the Kingdom of Heaven will be obvious to us — so present we can’t help but see it. When we gather as church, when we partake in the sacraments, when we do one act of love for our neighbor, then we know the Kingdom is near. But it is also one seed planted, like a mustard seed, one treasure found, one large fish to feed many, one tree that grows and spreads so all can rest in the shelter and comfort of its shade.

Pastor Dave