June 13, 2021 – Mark 4:26-34
Mark 4:26-34
Mustard Bush Home
Lectionary 11B – June 13, 2021
First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB
Melinda reminded us in her devotion on Wednesday that one image for God’s work in the world is of mighty cedar tree, as in Ezekiel’s prophecy.
This cedar tree was a metaphor for a member of Judah’s royal family who would be
a just king and provide safety for the people.
Jesus plays on this image in his parable this morning, but – as usual –
Jesus has some fun with the image and in some ways turns it inside out.
Rather than a majestic, soaring cedar,
we get an image for God’s reign that is a lowly mustard bush.
The mustard bush is much more common, much more “relatable,”
and much more easily takes root and flourishes just about anywhere.
Here’s a nice picture of what Jesus had in mind,
a black mustard bush (brassica nigra – the seeds are black),
which was very common in his part of the world:
When Jesus speaks of the mustard bush providing a home for many birds,
the image recalls our primary purpose as human beings:
to provide safe spaces for all living things.
The “reign of God” Jesus speaks of means just this in this context:
where God is reigning, all people and all things have a safe space within which to
live and flourish.
In short, when God is reigning, all people and all things have a home.
The thing about a mustard bush is it is more weed than anything else.
It gets everywhere.
It doesn’t obey stop signs or any traffic signs.
It just kind of takes over and will grow pretty much anywhere.
It is very unlike the majestic cedars Ezekiel speaks of that also provide a home for birds.
The mustard bush is more suburban bungalow or modest apartment building rather than
majestic mansion.
The mustard bush just grows and spreads and gets everywhere – like our beloved dandelions.
First Lutheran Church is like that mustard bush.
It grew from a small seed planted 143 years ago by some immigrants from Iceland.
They didn’t have a pastor – and they wouldn’t have a regularly called pastor until
their 6th birthday.
They started small.
But in time the community grew into a home for very diverse peoples who come from
across the globe.
In time the community grew into a home for people who access its services like food banks,
kids clubs, and newly arrived immigrants and refugees.
The reign of God provides a safe space for many people through the work you do together.
And then there is this.
Melinda and I had a conversation this week where we talked about how
the reach of God’s loving reign extends into all the places where
our members happen to find themselves on any given day.
Like the mustard bush, God’s loving reign gets everywhere this way.
Into schools and businesses.
Into suburban homes and nursing homes.
Into hospitals and grocery stores.
Every interaction you have is in some way an opportunity for God’s loving reign to
reach ever further into the world –
by the things you do and the things you say.
For what you do makes a difference.
In Ephesians, Paul says this:
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. (4:29)
Our words and actions have the capacity to bring grace to all whom we encounter.
That is a powerful thing that we should always be mindful of.
Wherever you go, you are connected to Jesus the vine,
and his loving life flows through you into the world.
It seems there are so many ways in which people are being torn down these days.
But wherever you find yourself, you can build people up.
It is in this way that the mustard bush of God’s reign gets everywhere.
It is in this way, from small beginnings,
that God will create a mustard bush-like home for us all in the world,
where all can find shelter, where none need fear,
where all can find safety and peace.
Amen
Pastor Michael Kurtz
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