Gordon McPhee
Introduction:
Today, we’re going to see that Jesus often spoke to his audience in parables and metaphors. Some of the most striking and well-known are “The Kingdom of God is like…” metaphors, five of which are in our Gospel reading from Matthew this morning. And although these five are not exhaustive, the phrase ‘Kingdom of God’ or ‘Kingdom of heaven’ being mentioned 100 times in the New Testament, they speak to us of things pertaining directly to our day-to-day lives and if we’re to, as it says in Matthew 6:33, “seek first the Kingdom of God” then getting this right is important and useful.
Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52 (MSG)
31-32 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like an acorn that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge oak tree, and eagles build nests in it.”
33 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises.”
44 “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
45-46 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for exquisite pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
47-50 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That’s how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won’t do any good.”
51 Jesus asked, “Are you starting to get a handle on all this?” They answered, “Yes.”
52 He said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.”
“THE GENERAL STORE”
This short lectionary passage from Matthew that we read this morning only affords us a peak into Jesus’ teaching recorded in Matthew’s Gospel. Chapter 13 begins with the well-known parable of seed being scattered on rocky, thorny and good ground and Jesus telling his disciples, “you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear!” And then he continues with a parable I would have included in this reading, the farmer who sowed in his field good seed but whose enemy planted thistles in the field. Rather than pull up the weeds and possibly the wheat as well, he chose to let them grow together and separate them at harvest time.
That parable is the twin of the fifth of our short vignettes, which are all in pairs. The first two, one about the acorn and the other about yeast, speak to us of patience. About having faith that the acorn will grow and become a great tree. And trusting that the yeast once kneaded into the large lump of dough, will do its work and raise the loaves of bread. But more than just patience and steadfastness, the parables relate two essential truths.
The first is how the kingdom of God appears now is not how it will be when it is fully revealed. The acorn is tiny and looks nothing like a tree, and for it to grow, it must first be hidden in the ground. But when it is fully grown, you will see a great tree that will fulfill its purpose, giving shade and protection and providing a home for even eagles. And the yeast looks nothing like a loaf of bread and must be well hidden in the lump of dough, but it will raise the lumps of dough into beautiful loaves of bread ready for baking and eating.
Second is that their nature does not change. Although the appearance is different, an acorn and a tree, a little yeast and a loaf of bread, the substance is still there. An acorn cannot be an apple tree or a rose, and yeast does not make sugar or vinegar. Everything you see in the oak tree and the bread you’ll find in the acorn and the yeast.
These first two metaphors show us that the kingdom of God, although not now in appearance what it will be, is consistent as we wait patiently for God to work out His plan for creation. All the glory and healing and justice that is spoken of in the prophets and revelation and Paul’s letters, although not fully apparent now, is no less real and true today, even if it is just an acorn or a bit of yeast.
The second pair of vignettes are about treasure. Reminding us of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, “The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be and end up being.” In both cases, the thing found is recognized as something of immeasurable value but is discovered unexpectedly. The pearl merchant, although looking for pearls, was surprised by one that was flawless. And whatever he was looking for, the trespasser was overwhelmed with his find. Each one invests everything they own to acquire what they have discovered. We see that what is found is unexpected, immeasurably more, and one must risk everything to attain it.
We learn that the kingdom of God is something that must be sought, and yet, even then, the incalculable value of it, when recognized, will be a surprise. Diligence and patience are necessary, and even then, we must be ready and willing to be astonished by what we find when we are looking for God’s kingdom, prepared to give up anything and everything to attain it.
These two pairs of parables, taken together, express that what is seen is not what will be; one must recognize the coming value of the hidden treasure. Things in the world around us may seem much more substantial and valuable. In the words of Dale Allison, Jr. concerning the passage I mentioned from Matthew 6, what we need to acknowledge is that “the heavenly trumps the earthly, that the future will trump the present, and that we are surrounded by empty and dangerous distractions. Jesus urges us to cast aside all but the single-minded pursuit of what should be our ultimate concern. … things are not what they seem to be and … they will not be as they are forever.” I just really liked his turn of phrase about where our treasure is.
The final of the five parables, which I said earlier should be paired with the parable of the wheat and thistles, says that the kingdom of God is made up of a great mixture of bad and good. So much so the temptation is only to see the bad, to want to let go of the whole catch and hope for something better. And so we often fail to see the kingdom of God, the treasure in the field, the flawless pearl, the oak in the acorn, and the loaves in the yeast because we are focused on all we see as not the kingdom of God. But like the landowner in Matthew 13:24-30 who waited till the harvest to separate the wheat and the thistles, the fisherman keeps his catch and, bringing it faithfully and hopefully to shore, separates the good from the bad—redeeming the catch and bringing to light the good fish, the kingdom of God. Don’t be distracted by the present world, be patient, and hold fast to the coming kingdom that today is hidden, although very real, and one day will be revealed.
Too often, I think we focus on what happens to the thistles and the rotten fish, missing the point and making this a metaphor about judgement when, as Jesus repeatedly stated, this is, in fact, about the kingdom of God.
In these metaphorical vignettes, Jesus is not talking about what the Kingdom of God will be like in some future time that we as Christians envision as Christ’s second coming, the end times of revelation, and the appearance of the New Jerusalem. Often when we read any of the 100 references to “The Kingdom of God or Heaven” in the New Testament, especially those parables and metaphors Jesus used, we can’t relate the justice, peace, and glory conveyed by them with the world we live in today. Either God’s Kingdom is a myth, or we have to just hope that maybe, beyond what we can see or imagine happening, it will eventually come about. In our church organizations, we are encouraged to work through avenues of social justice, reconciliation, tolerance, and charity to try by some means to usher in, in our time and our world, this Kingdom of God.
But Jesus is calling you to look around now for His kingdom. It’s already here.
Most important is Jesus’ last words to his disciples, which speak to us directly. It’s about our lives and our choices. He asks in verse 51, “Are you starting to get a handle on all this?” And they affirm that they understand. Because they understand the kingdom of God is presently hidden but of the same consistent substance as it will one day be, they can be like the owner of the general store, who knows where everything is. Let me read verse 52 to you again, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.”
By seeking the word of God in scripture and prayer, as flawed as that exercise presently is, we are prepared for all eventualities, everything that becomes needed, day by day, as the kingdom of God grows and is revealed in the world is available to us, to draw upon—hope and faith and strength and love. We are not surprised or taken unawares. Like the good servant waiting for his master’s return or the maidens waiting for the bridegroom with their lanterns trimmed, we are ready, confident, and at peace because we know the kingdom of God is of priceless worth and is undoubtedly here even if we do not see it now.
So I would ask you, as Jesus asked His disciples at the time, “Are you starting to get a handle on all this?” When you look at your life and situation, the state of the community and even the world, do you recognize the presence of Jesus’ Kingship at work all around you? If not, you may be imagining and looking for the oak tree; that final manifestation of God’s kingdom come when you should be looking for the acorn. Open your eyes and heart to seeing all the wonderful manifestations of Jesus’ love and peace and justice being worked out in the world around you. It probably won’t come in a form you anticipate, in a manner you recognize, or from someone you expect. In fact, like the treasure in the field, it may surprise you immeasurably. A kindness done by someone you would never have thought it of; don’t miss it because you’re not looking for it; it’s God’s kingdom.
We often limit our search for the pearl of great price to our familiar avenues, church, family, and friends. But God’s kingdom is not limited or apart. It is growing up in the field of thistles and mixed in with the net full of inedible fish. Look for the yeast in its effect on the loaves. Find the grace of God in the everyday activities and words of ordinary people all around you, and encourage it, grab hold of it, and acknowledge it. I believe you may find that the kingdom of God is not something we are waiting for, but it is something we are looking for because it is already here, in us and all around us, for the discovering.
Amen
