Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
We live in THIS PART of the Kingdom, here and now, so we are subject to God's reign in our lives here and now. Too many times we believe that the world (empire) owns this world here and now, but it is still the realm of God, and Jesus taught us about living Kingdom of God values here and now, so that we are in alignment with God's Will. To be faithful to God's Will, for me, is living what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us on how to live Agape Love (active commitment/committed action on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy, and especially the most vulnerable in the world.)
Given that truth, when Jesus taught us Kingdom values through parables, it was intended to bring us in alignment with God's Will on how we live in God's Realm, here and now, so that we are not only heaven minded, but committed to being beloved community to transform the world in love.
The mustard seed is counter-empire culture teaching. Empire is concerned with the biggest and best, the most ostentatious, brash and over the top. When it comes to wealth, status and power, empire wants everyone to know who is number one. The little mustard seed is nothing. But, as Jesus teaches us, it grows into something that sustains life. While the things of empire drain and destroy communal life for the sake of "elite" individuals, the Kingdom of God builds up and sustains life in community. The mustard seed grows to be a habitat for community that sustains communal life for some of God's small, but beloved creation. The Kingdom takes seemingly small, insignificant people, words, actions and gestures, and makes them life-building and sustaining tools for community.
The yeast that looks like dry powder (or wet glop), when mixed with flour and water, spreads throughout and makes those substances, brought together, to expand and create the most marvelous of life sustaining treasures - bread. Bread is a staple of life. The yeast makes the bread more palatable. It creates a whole other substance. The sacrifice of eating unleavened bread is to remind us of how much of a gift the leavened stuff is to us. The Kingdom of God is like that. When the stuff of the Kingdom is spread, it enhances life. Unlike empire that drains us of joyous delights, the Kingdom provides us with delight in life itself. Unlike empire that spreads the things that kill our pleasure in the end so that a few can have pleasure at our expense, the Kingdom of God provides us with delight in the things that sustain our lives.
The treasure in the field was unexpectedly found. It was hidden away, and when it has been found, the finder does whatever is necessary to get the whole field. In the Kingdom, people have the means by which to do such a thing. In the Kingdom, people find unexpected treasures and do whatever is necessary to hold onto them because they deeply value them. Under empire, treasures are taken away from those who find them, or people are exploited in order that they may spend their lives getting such treasures for someone else's pleasure. In the Kingdom, they are there for not just the finding, but the obtaining and keeping. The treasures found in the Kingdom are far more valuable than those things treasured under empire, and wise people do whatever they can to keep them once they have been found. In the Kingdom, the love we share, the well-being of sisters and brothers and all humanity, the goodwill and security of life in community and the simple needs of all people being met are truly treasures for which to be grateful.
The fine pearl is a treasure sought, and when it is found the finder does whatever is necessary to hold onto it. Nothing else is as valuable, so the finder will get rid of all other things to hold onto this one thing. What is that one thing that is most valuable that we all seek? Is that not to love and be loved? In the Kingdom, it is possible to find that pearl and hold it throughout our lives. Empire would make us believe that love can be bought or that it is not real or not important, for empire lifts up values that are counter to the Love Jesus taught. The Kingdom makes available to all of us the love that we have sought for our whole lives and gives us the means by which to live within it forever.
Like the weeds and wheat parable, the net and fish parable teaches us that there are many different fish in the sea, and that God decides in the end which ones are kept and which are discarded. We are not the fish brokers in this parable. We are the fishers of people who gather in the catch with love. God sorts out the fish and decides their fate. We are not the Judge. In fact, Jesus commanded us, "Do not judge." We are to live that Love that Jesus commanded and find our treasure in this part of the Kingdom, here and now. Other people, even those who are difficult, may be what we treasure, if we are faithful to Jesus. Judging others puts us at enmity with them and with Jesus. Believing ourselves to be superior in faith or any other way is an expression of Empire values and not Kingdom values. The Kingdom is about gathering and letting God sort it all out in the end. In the meantime, it is all about us living the Agape Love that Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us to live.
We are children of the Kingdom, or we are children of Empire. We live Kingdom values or we live Empire values in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.
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