If we were to sum up what Matthew 13 is
about, we could probably use the statement, “The kingdom of heaven is like ….” Over
and over again Jesus says these words in this reading, each time revealing or
highlighting a different aspect of the kingdom of heaven.
While many people believe that they will
someday die and go to heaven, Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven very
differently here. He explains the kingdom in a way that presupposes that we don’t
know what the kingdom of heaven is. That is important. That which we know about
God’s kingdom comes to us through parables as revelation to open our minds. It
is only by the work of the Holy Spirit that we can receive Jesus’ words and grasp
what the kingdom of heaven is like.
Unlike the popular view that speaks of
going to heaven or choosing God’s kingdom, the kingdom of heaven isn’t somewhere
we go to someday. The kingdom of heaven comes to us like seeds that get
scattered or a net that gets let down. God drives the coming of the kingdom,
and Jesus’ standing in the midst of those people is the essence of its
presence. He still is the essence of the kingdom’s presence as He continues to
come to us and be present among us in the Word and Sacraments. The Church, living
around Word and Sacrament, has become the embodiment of the kingdom on earth as
we bear Jesus to our neighbors – scattering seeds, sharing the good news,
acting like a mustard bush welcoming all kinds of people to the shade.
The kingdom of heaven is also opposed in
this world. It would seem that Christians in U.S. America had forgotten this
for a time. If we haven’t learned this, we need to relearn what Jesus reveals in
these parables. There is an enemy that snatches away the good news of the
kingdom. There are weeds and thorns that would choke our hope. The enemy will
sow bad seed among the good – there are things that look good and godly, but
are not.
But the fact that there are enemies does
not deter the kingdom of heaven. Its yield is enormous when God’s Word gets
a hold of people. It is like yeast that infects a whole batch of bread. It
grows to be huge and welcomes sinners to rest in Jesus’ forgiveness.
Lord, let the kingdom of heaven come to me
and help me share the joy of Your kingdom with others in my life. In Jesus’
name. Amen.
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