The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Father’s Day

June 16, 2024

Mark 4:26-34

Amazing Truths About Our Amazing God—

From the Tiniest Seed Grows the Largest Kingdom!

26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

30Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”

33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (NIV1984)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but there are some things I simply do not understand— no matter how hard I try! When I was serving in Seattle I naively mentioned to a retired rocket scientist how wonderful it would be if one day we could develop a warp drive or a transporter— like they have on Star Trek. He instantly started to explain to me— in great detail!— the physics of why that will never happen. I had no idea what he was talking about.

When I was serving in Flint I had a member who was a professor at Kettering University— one of the top engineering schools in the nation. When I read that Kettering was developing a hydrogen fuel cell I asked him how it worked. He explained it to me— in great detail! I still don’t understand it.

As I was studying our sermon text for today I couldn’t help but think about all the things that I don’t understand. Why? Because here in our text Jesus uses two very simple yet very powerful parables to help us understand two very simple yet amazing truths concerning the Kingdom of God. Using a common well-known event in the lives of God’s people Jesus places before us this amazing truth: From the Tiniest Seed Grows the Largest Kingdom!

Since even Jesus’ disciple were mistaken when it came to understanding the Kingdom of God, since even Jesus’ disciples were anticipating that Jesus, the Messiah, was going to establish a visible powerful kingdom right here on this earth, Jesus had to help them understand the truth about His Kingdom. While Jesus’ Kingdom is indeed a glorious Kingdom, and while Jesus’ Kingdom is indeed a powerful Kingdom, Jesus’ Kingdom is not a visible earthly Kingdom. Jesus’ Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom. Jesus’ Kingdom is His gracious rule in the hearts of those who believe and trust in Him.

Both of the parables that we have before us today emphasizes a particular aspect of Jesus’ Kingdom. Look at verses twenty-six through twenty-nine. Jesus says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain— first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The sheer simplicity of this parable is amazing— so amazing that even I can understand it! When a farmer or a gardener plants a seed in the ground they do so trusting in the innate power contained in that seed. A farmer or a gardener may not understand how that seed grows, but once they have planted the seed they go about their day-to-day life trusting that the seed will grow. It is inevitable! They trust that the seed “all by itself” will automatically grow from “the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.” They trust that when the growth cycle is complete the field or the garden will be ready for harvesting!

The application of this parable to Jesus’ Kingdom is not difficult, is it! The “seed” represents the Word of God. We are the ones who “scatter the seed.” We are the ones who share God’s Word with others. As we faithfully share the “seed” of God’s holy Word with others— we trust. We trust that our role in God’s Kingdom is to simply share the Word. We trust that God’s Word has a power in and of itself— a power that is unmatched by anything in this world. The apostle Paul reminds us of this amazing truth when he says in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God (that could be translated, “the power from God,” or “the power that belongs to God”) it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Because of the power that is inherent in God’s Word we trust that once God has done what only God can do, namely, cause the seed to sprout and grow and mature, then God Himself will “harvest” that soul. God Himself will take His child Home to Heaven.

That trust and that patience is what we need to keep before our eyes and in our hearts as we are sharing God’s Word with others— whether on a congregational level or on an individual level. Since we have been given the responsibility of “scattering” the “seed” of God’s powerful Word with others we need to look for ways to carry out that responsibility. Is there someone we know— a family member, a friend, an acquaintance or a neighbor— who does not believe and trust in Jesus and what He has done for them? (Pointing to the cross) We need to share God’s powerful Word with them!

What is the best way to share the “seed” of God’s powerful Word with them? We could simply talk to them about Jesus— especially if they are experiencing something in their life that is out of the ordinary, such as the birth of a child or the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or the loss of their health, whether loneliness or depression. By the grace of God we have been given what everyone needs! By the grace of God we have been given the amazing truths contained in the powerful Word of the one and only living God! So when we are given the opportunity to share those amazing truths with others— let’s do so! Let’s share the “seed” of God’s Word trusting that our God has the ability to cause that “seed” to “sprout” in their hearts. Let’s share the “seed” of God’s Word with the patience that enables us to wait. Wait for that “seed” to grow and mature in their life. Wait for God to do what only God can do— at His own time and in His own way.

On a congregational level we can carry out our responsibility of sharing God’s Word with others by looking for ways to make contacts with people in our community. We can carry out our responsibility of sharing God’s Word with others by supporting the world-wide mission efforts of our Synod. We know that God’s Word works! We are living, breathing examples of how the “seed” of God’s holy Word can take root in the hearts of sinners and bear God-pleasing fruits in the lives of saints!

With the trust and the patience that comes from knowing the amazing truth that God’s Word works, Jesus goes on to emphasize a second amazing truth concerning His Kingdom. Look at verses thirty to thirty-two of our text. Our Savior says, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”

From our perspective as New Testament Christians the eyes of faith that our God has given to us enable us to see this parable in action! Think about it. A Baby born in a manger in Bethlehem lived the perfect life we could not live. He innocently suffered and died to pay for our sins. He physically rose from the dead to guarantee that we have been justified! We have been “Declared: Not Guilty! by God Himself. And as a result of what He has done for us, He has now been given “All authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). A small group of simple uneducated men faithfully proclaimed a simple message of salvation purely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and now there is a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). When we look at the amazing truth about how Jesus’ Kingdom has grown from the time that Jesus first gave His Great Commission to His Church to now, we rejoice in knowing that Jesus’ Kingdom will continue to grow as we continue to plant the “seeds” of God’s Word all around the world!

As we marvel at how the tiniest seed grows into the largest Kingdom, let’s not overlook how that same amazing truth applies to us right here right now. There are two points that I think are important to highlight here. First, as we look around on Sunday morning there is the danger of becoming disheartened. We might look at other churches, we might hear about other churches and wish we could fill up our church the way that they fill up their church. That could lead to the temptation of thinking things such as, “Maybe if we just ‘loosen up’ on some of the teachings that people today just don’t like to hear, or, Maybe if we ‘adjust’ what we teach so that it ‘lines up’ better with what our society is willing to accept— then we might be more ‘successful,’ then we might be more ‘acceptable’ to more people.”

Humanly speaking that is probably true. Humanly speaking if we tell people what their “itching ears” want to hear (See 2 Timothy 4:3ff) we’d probably have more people in church. That approach, however, would not be pleasing and acceptable to Him. (Pointing to the cross) Jesus expects us to teach people to obey “everything” He has commanded us. (Matthew 28:20) Jesus has told us that we are not to add anything to His Word, and we are not to subtract anything from His Word. (Revelation 22:18-19; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:22) Jesus has promised us, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). We need to trust that as we share God’s powerful Word with others, as we plant even the “tiniest” seed in peoples’ hearts, God has the power to make that “tiny” seed grow into the largest Kingdom!

Secondly, as we look around on Sunday morning instead of lamenting about people who are not here, let’s rejoice in the people who are here! Even now “birds” of every kind are finding “rest” in the “branches” of the Jesus’ Kingdom. Even now we are enjoying the refreshing “shade” of Jesus’ Kingdom. Even now we are receiving the comfort and the shelter of Jesus’ Kingdom. Even now we are receiving the forgiveness and the peace that comes to us in God’s holy Word and God’s holy Supper. Even now we are being protected from our spiritual enemies. Even now we are included in the Kingdom that is being produced by this tiny “seed”— a Kingdom that from God’s perspective is the largest, the most glorious and the most powerful Kingdom that will ever exist!

Before we close today let’s take a moment to acknowledge that today is Father’s Day. How do these two parables both impact and motivate Christians fathers and Christian grandfathers? It starts with remembering that God has given to us the privilege and the responsibility of “planting” the “seed” of His powerful holy Word in the hearts of our children. (See Ephesians 6:4) With both our words and our actions we need to strive to be the example to our children and our grandchildren that our heavenly Father wants us to be. It starts by having them baptized in the Name of the Triune God. It continues by teaching them how to say their prayers and by having home devotions. We let them see how important it is to go to church and Sunday school. We let them hear how God’s Word guides us through the trials and the tribulations that we encounter on our journey through this world. We impress upon them the importance of serving both God and others. We strive to openly reflect both the love and the forgiveness that our heavenly Father so freely showers upon us.

There are indeed some things that I may never understand— and that’s fine. Whether it is quantum physics or hydrogen fuel cells I’m happy that there are people who do understand such things. I’m even happier to rejoice in things that I don’t need to understand— such as the power that is inherent in God’s holy Word and the unstoppable growth of God’s holy Kingdom. And I’m the most happy of all when I stop to remember that God has given to us the privilege of sharing the “seed” of His holy Word with others knowing that we can lay our head down our pillow at night with the confidence that God gives to us through His servant Isaiah, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it’” (Isaiah 55:8-11).

From the tiniest seed grows the largest Kingdom. That’s the amazing truth our amazing God proclaims to us today!

To God be the glory!

Amen