I am blessed to have two big sisters. Both of whom I love and adore for a variety of reasons. I can honestly say they have both been good to me. They always loved and looked out for me, even though they told everyone I wasn’t really their baby brother but some kid they ordered from the Sears catalogue.  
 
I am also blessed to have seven sisters-in-law. I think it’s best not to say anything more. I know better, having once said a mother in law joke in church while my mother in law sat in the pew leering at me. All nine of these women have added to my storied life - teaching me lessons that one often learns the hard way. 
 
Now there isn’t any one specific thing that Miriam taught her brothers that’s recorded in the Bible. But if you have an older sibling, or if you are one yourself, then you know she couldn’t help herself to give her two cents. 

Everyone knows that other than being a built-in babysitter for your parents, one of the many roles of the big sister is being bossy. Just ask my eldest daughter, who has no problem wielding her power over her brother and sister...or over me. She knows I am forever the baby brother, and she constantly uses that to her advantage.
 
Some of the best lessons I’ve learned from my sisters have happened by observing them. I’ve watched how they welcome people with openness and kindness. They're always ready to jump in and help out, and always willing to listen to your problems. Their actions have helped me considerably in shaping my ministry. I have also watched both my sisters struggle with some really difficult things in their life, too. As result I have learned how to persist in spite of the obstacles that try to stop me. 
 
Miriam was like that. A persistent and strong role model for her brothers. And at a time when women were to be seen but not heard, nevertheless, Miriam persisted.
 
Because of her tenacity she was much more than a big sister, she was vital and invaluable to Israel’s story. Perhaps that is why she is mentioned more than 15 times in five separate books of the Old Testament. My favorite comes from the prophet Micah who does something unheard of in his day. He boldly declares Miriam as one of God’s great messengers of deliverance (Micah 6:3-4). 

Although she’s often overshadowed by her famous brothers, Micah made it pretty clear that Miriam is on par with Moses and Aaron as having been appointed by God to deliver the Israelites from their Egyptian captors.
 
This is a far cry from where she started out – as a young unnamed girl babysitting her brother on the banks of the Nile River.

You know the story (Exodus 2:1-10). After living in Egypt for four hundred years, the Hebrew people began to outnumber the Egyptians. With a similar fear to what some of us have in our own country about foreigners, a paranoid Pharaoh declared that “Every male born to the Hebrews must be thrown into the Nile.” Fearing for her son’s life, Moses mom hides the infant in a basket and places him in the reeds on the bank of the river. Moses’ sister, which is how Miriam is introduced, waited and watched to see what would happen.

When Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the basket, Moses’ sister does the unthinkable: she approaches the princess and starts up a conversation. Like that wasn’t dangerous enough for a slave girls to do, Moses’ sister convinced the princess to defy her father’s royal decree, and even tricks her into paying Moses’ mom to nurse her own child.
 
Because of her bold confidence, her fearless tenacity, and her law-breaking/deal making skills, Miriam not only protected and restored her family, but also solidified Israel’s freedom and redemption. And yet, this celebrated savior remained unnamed.

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That’s so like God isn’t it? Lifting up people because of what they can do; not because of who they are. It’s not that our names are unimportant, but I believe it’s our actions that people will remember us by. Miriam was no different. 
 
Thirteen chapters later in the Exodus story, we not only learn Miriam’s name, but also discover she’s a prophet – someone who was chosen to speak for God.
 
My big sister Sally loves to speak for the entire family, often at a very loud decibel level. I can honestly say, none of it is very prophetic, or godly for that matter. Even though we don’t get any specific details - the Bible gives us some clues to the way Miriam prophesies. For example, after God sends the plagues upon Egypt and delivers the Israelites through the Sea of Reeds, Miriam leads all the women in worship with song and dance (Exodus 15:20-21).

​I know for a fact that Miriam’s short song was never a Billboard hit, but it is forever recorded in the holy scriptures as the climax to Israel’s four hundred years of oppression. Ever since then, God’s people have remembered this heroic woman by singing her song during Passover. Talk about an unexpected prophetic witness.
 
Her song makes me wonder about my own witness. What is my song that I lift up for God’s glory? What can I do to get people dancing and moving with such exuberant joy?
 
Again as the prophet Micah writes, “and what does the Lord require but to love justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).  

Love. Kindness. Humility. That is to be our song, our witness in the world.

​Unlike her brothers who focused on stirring speeches, Miriam chose singing and dancing in moments of joy. It’s been said that because of her exuberant praise after crossing through the waters, God rewarded Miriam’s joy in the most unexpected way.

A sister, a prophet, a savior and sustainer. Miriam is a heroic figure who is still able to lead us through the wilderness of our time. Micah wasn’t just being nice to include her in his prophecy; he was being accurate. He recognized her importance and made sure that her name would be forever engraved on the heart of Israel, and Christians as well.
 
Like Miriam, Jesus’ story was framed in water. From his baptismal font in the Jordan River, to the wedding at Cana, to the piercing of his side on the cross, Jesus is described as Living Water. It’s written in John’s gospel, that anyone who drinks of this water will never thirst again.
 
Just as Miriam did for her people, Jesus does for all; lifting us up and sustaining us in times of fear, uncertainty and death. Much like his ancient ancestor, Jesus defied the system and status quo to bring relief to the poor, the sick, and the marginalize. And he still does this today. His cup overflows with the love of God so that all who thirst for righteousness receive it.
 
On those hard days when you thirst for justice, or want to savor God’s grace; when you feel like you’re trapped inside your house or out there struggling in the wilderness; when you fear you’ll never sing your favorite hymns the way you used to or dance with joy because it feels like there is no more joy to go around, remember the story of Miriam, the big sister prophet, the vessel of God’s loving grace, a leader among men.
 
As J. Lee Grady says of Miriam, “She was not an inferior appendage, smiling from her tent, washing clothes and preparing food with the other women while Moses and Aaron managed the problems of the nomadic nation. Miriam was given authority by God to lead. She functioned, along with her brothers, as a governing elder.”
 
And isn’t that what Christ has called us and empowered us to do? To lead - boldly and fearlessly?
 
I hope that you will leave here today knowing that you too are not only a vessel of God’s goodness, but in Christ you are also a leader.  One who steps up when it’s not expected, when it goes against cultural expectations, or when it means stepping up to royalty, and disobeying the written law of the land, Jesus calls us to be like Miriam, who despite the odds set against her, nevertheless, in faithfulness, she persisted.
 
How blessed are we that we have her story, and “the stories of so many persistent women of faith who fought against the limiting rules and unjust laws, who risked family and life, who spoke when they weren’t supposed to speak, who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, to ensure that God’s justice shall reign on earth.” 
 
Following in this tradition, I encourage you to go and do the same. Just as Miriam was a prophet who paved the way for Christ’s reign it’s now our turn to pave the way for Christ’s return. It’s time to be the one who gets the world to sing and dance and laugh and celebrate again.
 
So let us go now, and fill each other’s cup with love and joy and all the goodness of life that God has given to us through Christ Jesus. Let us make that our story and our song that bring all glory to our God, now and forever, Amen.
 
 
Work Cited
Alexander, T. Desmond and David W. Baker, eds. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Downers Grove, Il: Inter-Varsity Press, 2003.
Artson, Bradley. Miriam: Water Under The Bridge. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/miriam-water-under-the-bridge/ (accessed Aug 07, 2020).
James, Thomas. Persistent Women: Miriam. Sermon on Sept. 9, 2018.  https://wsumc.com/multimedia-archive/miriam (accessed Aug 07, 2020).
Mandel, David. Miriam. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/miriam/ (accessed Aug 07, 2020).
Siegal, Madisen. The Forgotten Sister. January 18, 2017. https://jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/forgotten-sister-miriam (accessed Aug 07, 2020).

Henri Nouwen writes, “I know that true joy comes from letting God love me the way God wants, whether it is through illness or health, failure or success, poverty or wealth, rejection or praise. It is hard for me to say, “I shall gratefully accept everything, Lord, that pleases you. Let your will be done.” But I know that when I truly believe my Father is pure love, it will become increasingly possible to say these words from the heart.”

Look, I don’t know how God does this loving thing that God does. I can only share what has been given to me in the way of life. Like a cooling balm on my burnt skin or a warm blanket when the goosebumps appear, God’s love is felt when I least expect it. Not so much when I cry out, or scream at the stars, or stomp my feet. Yes, God’s love is there, only I can’t see it.​ But when I give over to the pain, the poverty, and the promise...and sit there without expectations do I feel the embrace. I think God is telling us to sit still, let go and let your heart be filled. This is a great way to praise God, pray to God, and to be loved by God.

A while back I saw a man with a metal detector walking in front of my house. Apparently, there are people who like to search around the property of old homes like ours hoping to find antique coins, bottle caps, and other weird stuff. Watch only one episode of Antique Roadshow or Storage Wars… and you’ll learn everything has a value to someone.
 
Which takes us to today’s lesson, and our conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon of the Parables from Matthew 13. To recap Jesus has compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a sower sowing seeds, and weed that grow among the wheat, and last week it was the mustard bush and a batch of yeast. Today, Jesus teaches his disciples about the worth of this heavenly kingdom and what makes it so valuable.
  
Read Matthew 13:44-53
 
Having left the public, Jesus and the Twelve go to a private house where he tells them two sets of “Twin Parables.” Some people called than that because they share the same blood, but are both uniquely their own.
 
In the first set, you may have noticed that one focuses on a random discovery, while the other is an active search. Yet both express great joy on behalf of the one who finds them. A joy so great that they are willing to sacrifice everything to possess the treasure for themselves. 
 
It’s worth mentioning that the man who finds the treasure buried in the field will be set up for life, while the pearl the merchant procures will cost him everything he has. This is what the kingdom of heaven is like: a kind of joy that sets you up for life if you’re willing to give up everything to obtain it.

Again, this kingdom is not some far away home in the sweet by-in-by. It’s a part of the here and now. Jesus brings this to our attention as we learn how to exist with one another. 

Why is this important for us to know? Because the other second set of parables remind us of the eschatological nature, or the end times, of these stories. As if Jesus is saying, our future is tied to the ways we behave towards one another this side of eternity.
 
One could argue these parables are about our faith and willingness to follow Jesus. And in many ways, they are. He shows us the way to live into God’s righteousness. Others might argue they are about the goodness of God, which is the biggest theme of the entire Bible. You might be like me and see a mix of both. For example, I see God as both the treasure and the treasure seeker. ​

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Now what do we know about treasures, other than pirates like to steal them? Up until the modern banking system, it was common for people to bury valuable possessions as a means to keep them safe from thieves and wild marauders. This was a great idea unless you were killed or died without telling anyone about your secret hiding place. 
 
To this day people are still digging up priceless treasures all over the world. Nearly all of them remain a mystery to who buried it and why. Some of these discoveries include antique vessels filled with gold coins, precious gems, and various kinds of heirlooms. Other’s have been sports memorabilia or antique cars abandoned in storage facilities. Again, everything is worth something to someone.
 
Just last week I found this old spike while digging in my yard. It’s not worth much, but it was kinda cool to find. The joy I felt when I found it doesn’t compare to what Howard Carter experienced when he discovered King Tutt’s tomb. For those of you old enough to recall, my discovery was still more exciting than watching Geraldo Rivera hunt for Jimmy Hoffa. 
 
This is what the kingdom of heaven is like: Joy. Delight. Excitement.
 
In this kingdom some of us are rubies. Some of us are diamonds, gold doubloons, an old photograph or love note. It doesn’t matter who or what you are. God knows your heart and sees your value. Jesus calls you a perfect pearl. One that God is willing to sacrifice everything just to hold you in his hand.
 
Here’s what I learned about pearls. They’re the only gem formed and found within a living creature. Sapphires, diamonds or emeralds can’t make this claim. Moreover, pearls are formed out of great suffering. For example, a parasite or a grain of sand works its way inside an oyster. In order to sooth the pain, a fluid is produced that coats the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating is built up until the lustrous gem is formed.
 
Every pearl is made this way, yet no two are the same. Some pearls are created naturally in saltwater, others are farmed in freshwater. Some are various shades of white, and others various shades of black. Yet all are worth everything to God.
 
This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. It’s joyful and priceless. It’s where something as banal as a grain of sand can be transformed into a unique, intrinsic, highly desired gem. No wonder Jesus said a person will give up everything to have that treasure.  
 
Now, imagine you are the treasure seeker. What exactly are you looking for? More importantly, what are you willing to give up in order to obtain it?  
 
The disciples have given up everything – their families, their jobs, their safety and security – all to follow a man who had nothing material to offer them. What did they expect to gain in return for their sacrifice? A mansion and Ferrari in the afterlife, streets paved with gold as if the best God could come up with was Beverly Hills but with better weather and less smog?  In his book Love Wins, Rob Bell writes, “How we see heaven will directly affect how we understand what to do with our days in this age.”
 
The next two parables, I think, allude to the eschatological nature our actions. The good and the bad, the new and the old. They are parables like the wheat and the weeds that tell us not everything will be welcomed in God’s realm. Things like greed, injustice, anger, violence, racism, rituals, doctrine and dogma all come to mind. 
 
Basically, I’d say whatever does not reveal the love and goodness of God’s righteousness is not worth holding on to; especially if they keep you from thriving in the kingdom. It’s best to let them go, if you want to go with Jesus.
 
Truth be told, it’s not that great of a sacrifice considering what you’re getting in return. Letting go of bad things free us up to joyfully embrace the goodness of the kingdom - bridge building, peacemaking, pursuing justice, and showing mercy and kindness. These are the treasures God is looking for in us. The very things that ignite God’s delight and joy and excitement when found.
 
Now let’s go back to finding that treasure. In 2013 a Northern California couple had an experienced that would make for a wonderful, modern parable. While walking their dog on their large rural property, they noticed a rusty can popping up from the ground. Curiosity got the best of them and they took to digging it up.  And boy, were they glad they did. That old can was filled with gold coins.
 
After quietly celebrating, the couple returned with a metal detector, and unearthed seven more cans for a total of 1,427 uncirculated and mint condition gold coins from the 19th century. No one knows where they came from or how they got there. Only after the last can was uncovered did the couple notice an odd-shaped rock tied to a weathered leather thong, and left hanging from a tree, right there in plain sight, marking where the treasure was.
 
This is the kingdom of heaven. It’s full of joy, unexpected surprises, and plenty of clues revealing the mysteries of God. Jesus is one such clue; showing us that the true treasures we seek are within our grasp. 

It doesn’t matter if God is the treasure or the one looking for it, or we are. When the two come together, the human and the divine, there is great joy and delight.  Every time we love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, seek justice and demand equality, the kingdom of heaven is revealed. As Jesus put it, “Whoever gets in trouble for doing the right thing will be blessed in the kingdom of heaven.” 
 
God knows the treasure that is in us, and the treasure God is. Now it’s up to us to discover its true value.
 
Despite the division, the pain and suffering our country and the world is enduring, God, in Christ, is making something very holy and sacred happen in our lives. The more we become aware of it, and move to participate in it, the more we discover and uncover the real treasure of God’s love right here and right now in our lives.
 
Whether you’re a treasure buried deep in the earth or sunk at the bottom of the ocean, remember this there is no place to far or to deep for God’s grace to find you and redeem you back into his heart. That’s the good news. That God is willing to joyfully enter life, to look and search for us, and then claim us no matter the cost, is the greatest treasure of all.
 
Jesus asked his disciples if they understood what he meant. We know in hindsight, that their ‘yes’ was premature. They will not fully gasp it until they go into Jerusalem with him one last time and witness the power of God’s redemptive love. 
 
Though we have the gospel stories that tell us what happened after Jesus gave his life for us, we don’t really know what God is capable of doing because it’s still being revealed to the world. We have to trust that God knows what God is doing, and stand firm in God’s righteous, even if we get in trouble for doing so. But in return for such faithful action, comes the kingdom of heaven.
 
So, I’ll ask you one more time, are you ready to let go of the things that are keeping you from living and thriving in God’s love, peace and joy? 
 
Are you ready to live into your faith, to be a valuable part of the body of Christ, the visible presence of God’s grace here on earth as it is in heaven? 
 
If so, then here’s one last parable for you to ponder. The kingdom of heaven is like you. And you are worth more to God than any earthly treasure.
 
 
Work Cited:
Bell, Rob. Love Wins: a Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. New York: HarperOne, 2011.
Lockyer, Herbert. All the Parables of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1963.

​The joy of having a mobile church is that you can worship literally from anywhere. And without some great institution telling me what to do or say, I pretty much have free range to share what God puts on my heart. For example, I can stand in my kitchen and read the ingredients on the back of a bottle of mustard if I wanted to.

By the way, did you know mustard is made with: distilled vinegar, water, number one grade mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, spice, natural flavor, and garlic powder? The particular brand of French’s Yellow Mustard claims zero calories, no artificial colors or flavors, and it’s gluten-free.
 
Why am I doing this? Because there’s a good chance you have a bottle of mustard in your kitchen. It’s a common condiment one keeps on hand and yet we barely know anything about it.​I think it’s safe to say that mustard takes up less space in one’s head than it does in one’s refrigerator.

When I think of mustard, I am reminded of a trip I took with two friends for spring break. Like most starving students, we barely had enough money for gas, and hardly enough for beer. Food was an afterthought. But we had to eat, so we hit the grocery store and grabbed whatever we could afford.
 
As I was standing in line with my provisions, my buddy Gordon came up behind me balancing a jar of mustard and a loaf of bread on top of three cases of beer. No cheese. No meats. No other condiments. He had no need other than those three things. For Gordon, there was nothing better than a mustard sandwich and a cold beer. Who would have thought something as common as mustard could bring a person so much joy? 
​
I see this story in a different light now that I’ve come to understand what an ancient mystic meant when he said, “God is nothing.” That is to say God is no thing, but all things. Even a common plastic container of mustard or a loaf of bread? I think Jesus gives us some clues in his parables. 
 
We’ve spent the last two weeks dancing around Matthew 13, skipping over some pretty import stuff. Like these two parables found in verses 31-35. 

You might have noticed a theme evolving. Not just seeds, plants and things that grow. But a bigger theme that’s been hiding in plain site. And that is: The kingdom of heaven. The realm where human and divine mingle together. 
 
Matthew first mentions this kingdom in chapter three with John the Baptist. When Jesus went to the wilderness to be baptized by him, John proclaimed, “Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” We see it again in chapter four, when Jesus begins his ministry saying the same thing, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.”
 
As Talitha Arnold points out, “Jesus demonstrates that nearness every time he heals someone, reaches out to outcasts, respects women, and cares for the poor.” To expand on her point, God’s kingdom is not some esoteric far off place; it’s literally down to earth, here in this present moment. It’s as close as our breath behind a mask, or mustard on a hamburger bun. 
 
Jesus said it’s been hidden from the world up until this point. But it’s been hidden in plain site. As these parables demonstrate, God’s kingdom can be found in every nook and cranny of our daily life. We can see it with our eyes, touch it with our hands, and taste and savor its sweetness as well as its bitterness.  The kingdom of heaven is near. 
 
If Jesus were telling these parables today, I imagine him saying the kingdom of heaven is like a maid who cleans your hotel room no matter how big of a mess you make. Or the kingdom of heaven is like a sandwich artist at Panera who gives you a little extra meat because you look hungry. 
 
While God’s grace, mercy and love are extravagant and elegant visions of heaven, they are also as commonplace as holding the door for someone in a hurry. God’s realm is found and discovered in everyday people doing everyday things. Which tells me, what we do in this kingdom is actually pretty important. 
 
In her award-winning book Liturgy of The Ordinary, Tish Warren looks at everyday tasks as being extraordinary ways of worshiping God. She writes, “In the overlooked moments and routines, we can become aware of God’s presence in surprising ways.” We can use the ordinary to be extraordinary for God’s glory.It’s up to us to embrace the sacred in secular life. 
 
Recently a friend posted pictures of her trip into the redwood forest. In describing her pictures, she used words like majestic, wondrous, and heavenly. The same kind of words the psalmist used to glorify God. However, this person does not believe in God. Yet here she was giving God praise. 
 
Eugene Peterson wrote, “Everything that is made is a clue that leads us back to God.” Every small seed and gigantic sequoia; every cry of a hungry baby; every hollow gaze of a thirsty drunk. All things lead us back to God, if we only open our eyes to see. “Our ability to see anything and understand it is because of God. Even our questions about God are evidence of God. Our enlightened minds, which we may use to deny God, are a gift from God who gives us life.” 
 
Jesus got that.  And revealed it to us in parables. Thanks to Jesus, we have the ability to see the kingdom like he did. Through him, we can embrace and embody the incarnation, the mystery of the oneness between the divine and human that was revealed at his birth.

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What does this mean for us today? Let me just say Jesus isn’t merely opening our eyes. He’s calling us to open our hearts and hands too to do the kingdom work – revealing God’s righteousness in the most mundane and majestic ways.
 
I’m sure you’re laughing right now, believing there’s nothing divine about you. I know I have doubted this about myself more than once this week. And it’s only Sunday.

You might be doubting your ability to make a difference in God’s kingdom. You might think because you don’t have the education, or you don’t know the bible very well, or that you’re shut away in your home that you’re not worth much to God. 
 
Think about this: In Ancient Israel, yeast was commonly used in stories to illustrate corruption and impurity. Jesus used it to describe the religious leaders who were out to get him. And yet in this parable, it’s a good thing. Just as the yeast of the Pharisees revealed God’s glory, so too can you be the same.
 
An ordinary seed that produces a tree of life. Corrupt leaven that can make enough bread to feed the multitudes. If this is how God’s kingdom works with insignificant everyday objects, then just imagine what God can do with ordinary people like you and me. 
 
Because of Jesus we are not only able to see the nearness of God but we can also be the nearness of God by embracing every moment as sacred...and human as divine.

This is what it means to be the church, the body of Christ, that lives life like he lived his – loving others as he loved, forgiving as he forgave; praying, healing and caring for those in need, just like he did.  
 
We cannot make the kingdom of heaven happen, that’s not up to us. But as the church, as disciples and students of Jesus Christ, we are called to partake in it; to play in this heaven realm and share it with everyone. 

​Through the smallest of acts of charity to the grandest gifts, we too can reveal the secrets of God’s kingdom and its nearness in our lives. Every smile we give is a smile God gives to that person receiving it. Every meal we make, every flower we plant, every child we teach, every wrong we let go of … a little bit of heaven is revealed. 
 
In closing I want to leave you with these words from the great American poet, Wendell Berry who wrote, “There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.” (read the entire poem here)

I hope that you will spend some time thinking about that. Through Christ Jesus, God has opened our eyes to see the world as God sees it – as a holy and sacred space. A place where people of every color, class, and condition can live together in peace.  
 
As you move in the world, remember Jesus has employed and empowered you to move into those desecrated places and reclaim its sacredness by being holy and beloved children of God. 
 
You are God’s abundance. You are the visible presence of thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.

​You are the mustard and bread of life, blessed by Holy Spirit to nurture and nourish the world … one sandwich, one smile, one person at a time.
 



Work Cited
Arnold, Talitha J. Feasting on the Word, Year A, Vol 3. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2011. ​
Berry, Wendell. How To Be A Poet. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/41087/how-to-be-a-poet (accessed on July 25, 2020).
Peterson, Eugene. A Year With Jesus: Daily Readings and Meditations. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2006.
Warren, Tish Harrison. Liturgy of the Ordinary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2016.

In an essay published in April, Brian McLaren realized how, “We used to think that we caught diseases as individuals. But now we realize we catch diseases as individuals who are part of families, and families who are part of cities, and cities that are part of states and nations. We realize now that our whole species can become infected, and that our whole globe can be changed because of our interconnectedness.”

Doctors, ministers, teachers, nurses, parents, kids, we’re all affected by this we’re all susceptible to burnt out and to the bad things that cause it to happen. In his parables, Jesus reminds us that, for better or worse, we all share this world. At the end of the day, it’s how we live together that is going to make the real difference.
 
Read Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
 
Jesus’ “great sermon on the parables,” as Stanley Hauerwas likes to call this section of Matthew’s gospel, is filled a bunch of lessons about the kingdom of heaven. This particular parable of the Wheat and Weeds is a continuation of last week’s parable of the Seeds and Soil. Only instead of good seed planted by a good sower, here we encounter two kinds of seeds sown by polar-opposite sowers. One good. One bad.

​Jesus teaches us that the seeds in this parable are not so much about faith like last’s week lesson, but about two different kinds of discipleship.The kind that is the life-giving seed of Christ. The other being a weed producer that has no use in the kingdom of heaven. 
 
This opens the door to all sorts of questions about good and evil, or why God allows evil to persist, and so on. Truth be told, I don’t know why a God who makes all things good allows bad things to happen. Unless of course evil is part of a greater plan that has yet to be revealed. But again, I don’t have a sufficient answer for that.

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Today, I want to point your attention to the bearded darnel. In writing on this passage, Talitha Arnold addresses this particular weed, which in biblical terms is often referred to as ‘tares’ or ‘thistles’. Arnold says, “The bearded darnel defies Emerson’s poetic notion that a weed is “a plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered.” She goes on to call it “the devil of all weeds” because its insidious roots surround and strangle the roots of good plants.

As Jesus pointed out, it’s impossible to uproot darnel without causing more damage to the good crop. To make matters worse, this sinister  plant looks identical to wheat; yet unlike wheat, the seeds of the bearded darnel can be fatal if ingested.

Because it lacks any good qualities, Arnold points to darnel as “the perfect illustration of the pernicious nature of evil, underscoring both the necessity of eradicating it and the difficulty of doing so.” 
 
In the eves of our home is a birds nest that’s been there for at least 8 years. Multiple times a year, the mourning doves come and hatch new babies there. This year, a swarm of wasps have decided to build their nest right next door. It’s too close to the baby birds to spray it or knock it down. I wouldn’t be able to get rid of one without getting harming or damaging the other. So, I let them live together until the time comes when it will be safe to do so.
 
This is similar to the parable Jesus tells. And it’s a great reminder that while we like to see ourselves as good people, doing our best to live as faithfully and kindly we can, given the circumstances we face, there’s always a little bearded darnel lurking around us intertwining itself - in our souls, our hearts, and our minds.  
 
Think about all that’s been going on recently, all that has come to light as we’ve seen “the social and spiritual viruses spreading among us from individual to individual; causing all kinds of sickness [and death].” Evil viruses like racism, white supremacy, human supremacy, Christian supremacy, the kind of evil that is spread through prejudice and fear mongering.  (McLaren)
 
This evil is real. It’s not a hoax or fake news.  And we all are affected by it. Not even the church is immune. As you’ve heard me say before, the church is not a building, it’s people people who are susceptible and vulnerable to the world around us.

Thus, this parable is perfect teaching tool for today - reminding us to remain present and fully engaged in God’s righteousness even as evil encroaches on us. We are all in this together. And we need lean into God’s righteousness if we are going to grow through this.
 
When the servants want to rip up the weeds, what does the landowner tell them to do? “Let them grow together until the harvest.”

Now, you don’t have to be a farmer to understand what darnel can do to a crop, or what evil can do to your faith and the greater community. So why would Jesus want us to let them grow together? What would be the purpose for the two to intermingle? 
 
It’s not like Jesus didn’t understand the power of evil. He had his own darnel to deal with in those pesky Pharisees who would eventually grow to killed him. Jesus saw evil reveal itself in the most unassuming places and in the most brutal of ways. Yet, it did not cause him to give up doing what God called him to do.
 
Jesus knew a thing or two about the goodness of God, who often used evil to reveal the greatest of God’s glory to the world. When I read this parable, I couldn’t help but see it as a call for us to be patient so God can do what God does best. Jesus knows we have to live side-by-side with others who don’t think like we do, or share the same faith.

It’s like he’s telling us that it’s in our being, in our struggle to stand in the world as people of God’s righteousness, that we can shine the light of God’s glory upon the bad things that lurk around us. That’s our job, to be the salt and light of the world.

I think Jesus is also warning us to be patient because he knows our impatience can lead  us to separate from one another - using fear, anger, and violence to do so. As we draw lines between us and them, remember Jesus told us not to be so quick to judge others. Instead be patient, don’t worry about what going on worry about what you’re doing to others. Trust me, God knows which plant is good and which one is not.

I think this parable is also a model of God’s infinite patience that frees us to live with one another with peaceful intentions in this age, right now, which of course prepares us for the age to come. 
 
Like James Finley once stated, “In light of eternity, we’re here for a very short time. We’re here for one thing, ultimately: to learn how to love, because God is love. Love is our origin, love is our ground, and love is our destiny.” 
 
So why does landlord tell his workers to be patient and wait until the harvest? Because that’s when the true fruit of the plant is revealed. Love will always rise to the surface and make itself known. 
 
Eventually a politician’s lies will be exposed, a criminal’s past will catch up, corporate greed will run its course but the good fruit of God’s righteousness will always reveal the glory of God’s love in you and me. Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus names  the very things we will be judge by. Our only litmus test, Jesus tells us, will be based on how we produce good fruit in the ways we care for one another.  In the ways we love others as God loves us.
 
You see, this parable is about us, the church and it’s about us, the state. It’s about individuals and families and communities and a global interconnectedness. It’s about us being in the world, while not being of the world.

In his first epistle, Peter reminds us that we are only temporary residents here. He warns us to live properly among our neighbors who see the good things we do in Christ name, and when their day of judgment comes they will be able to glorify God (1 Peter 2:11-12). 
 
Jesus knows the evil that runs amuck in our world. He knows that failure to deal with it will allow it to spread like a virus, or seeds of noxious darnel. Just as we all should wear a mask during a pandemic to slow or stop the virus from multiplying, by imitating Jesus in the way we live we can slow down or maybe even stop the spread of evil from contaminating God’s creation even further.
 
Love is the way Jesus invite us to usher in the kingdom of heaven. Love is the way we carry on his ministry throughout the ages. In the sermon on the parables, we can see that kingdom isn’t just “up there” somewhere, but everywhere we intermingle and grow together.  

It’s here, in this time and space, that we join Jesus in sowing good seeds – in the way we love, forgive, care for and tend to the needs of others, in the way we serve even our enemies instead of demanding to be served ourselves.
 
Jesus invites us into this holy space, even if it looks like the weeds have taken over. For it’s here we lean into the power and glory of God, whose angels will come and reap the fields – separating the good from the bad. Just as God’s love is more powerful than any virus or politic, it’s most certainly stronger than any weed-sowing enemy. 
 
In a world where the seeds of hatred, injustice, and division are sown daily,God is still in charge; working through us and in to bring us all back together. I don’t know about you, but I find comfort to know God doesn’t just mixed and mingle with good and evil. Through Christ, God also acts to judge and redeem as well.
 
While I burnout on all the bad news out there, I hold tight to the good news of the grace and love God gives us through Jesus Christ. If you are suffering from exhaustion or worried about what’s going on in the world, I hope that you will remember that “God doesn’t get burned out.”

As Henri Nouwen told us, “God is gentle and loving. He desires to give you a deep sense of safety in His love. Once you’ve allowed yourself to experience that love fully, you will be better able to discern (who you are and) who you are being sent to in God’s name.”
 
Jesus is calling you to follow him on this journey. He is inviting you to open your heart to embrace the fullness of God’s glory; to shine like the sun in the kingdom of heaven; to accept your calling as a beloved child of God, today until the end of the age when we will be gathered together ... as one people... in one glory... in God’s one and only eternal love. 
 
 
 
Work Cited:
Arnold, Talitha J. Feasting on the Word, Year A, Vol 3. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2011. 
Finley, James. “Practice That Grounds Us in the Sustaining Love of God,” Wisdom in Times of Crisis (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2020), faculty presentation (April 26, 2020). (accessed on 07-16-2020)
McLaren, Brian. “We Are All Connected,” Wisdom in Times of Crisis (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2020), faculty presentation (April 20, 2020) (accessed on 07-16-2020).

​My kids thought these cottony puffs were magical. They called them wish-makers. Apparently someone who hated lawns told them that if they made a wish while blowing on one ... the wish will come true. Whether or not that is true, I can say that every time my kids blew one of these puffs my blood would boil as I watch hundreds of tiny seeds scatter in every direction. Believe it or not, Jesus had something to say about this as well. Not the blood boiling part, but the scattering of seeds.
 
Today’s reading is a parable found in the gospel of Matthew 13: 1-23.
 
Jesus begins his parable with, “A sower went out to sow.” Having lived in rural Michigan for a brief moment, I learned if you are going to sow seeds, i.e. plant them, you have to first prepare the soil.  It needs to be till and turn to break up the dry surface so the seeds have an easier time to take root. You also have to remove any rocks or other impediments that will get in the way as you plow the rows for the seeds to be carefully dropped in. I’m sure there are a few more steps you have to take if you want to be successful.
 
But that’s not how it goes in Jesus’ parable. He says, this sower just went out and started throwing seeds everywhere. There was no method to his madness whatsoever. I imagine this guy is walking along, maybe whistling a happy tune as he grabs handfuls of seeds from a sack that’s slung over his shoulder and randomly tosses them up in the air without a care in the world. It doesn’t matter to him where they land, he’s just walking and tossing.
 
To most people this would seem like a waste of seeds. But not to this guy. Apparently, he’s got more seeds than he knows what to do with, and he’s going to cover literally everything in hopes that something takes root.
 
Of course, Jesus’ parable is focused on all the different places that seed lands on. Some hit the road and get gobbled up. Others take root in rock piles but don’t last very long. Some land among some not so good plants and get twisted up into nothing good. But a few lucky ones make it into the rich garden soil – yielding an amazing and bountiful harvest. 
 
I’m sure if you put your mind to it, you can picture someone from each of these different soil “types.” Of course, we like to believe that we are the good soil. But let’s be honest, we probably aren’t – at least not all the time. Most of us shift between one soil and another - sometimes on the same day or even within an hour. Which is why I don’t want us to focus on the soil as much as i want to focus on the seed that is being thrown around so frivolously. 
 
Here’s what I know about seeds. They are life giving and fruit bearing. Often, they are tough and pretty resilient if not downright defiant (like the damn-de-lion). But they are also vulnerable, and susceptible to all sorts of harmful things. Strong or weak, each one carries the DNA for great potential – even the tiniest of seeds can grow into a massive tree in just a short period of time. Moreover, a seed, which begins the life cycle, can actually move through death as a means to reproduce new life. This sounds like God work to me.
 
It begs the question: What is it that God has in great abundance that can be so easily tossed into the wind like a dandelion puff? 
 
If you were to guess, what would it be? I believe the answer is love. God’s love to be exact. For divine love is the first and final word of the kingdom of God. Thus Jesus gives the impression that the sower isn’t all that concerned about which soil He allows His seed to take root in. The footpath, the rocks, the weedy soil – they all get a shot.
 
As my friend Roxy taught me, “God isn't content just to sow in the good soil. Though the farmer would want to preserve his seed for the field, God prefers to be extravagant in casting His seed as far and wide as He can – even to those who don't care, or won't respond the way God would like.” St. Paul called this grace upon grace. And we all might be happy to receive this grace from God since most of us aren't great soil to begin with. As Roxy explained, after living in this world like we so often do, “It takes a while to cultivate our hearts to be good soil.”
 
I would like to point out again that God does not discriminate where this seed is scattered and sown. God doesn’t think twice about grabbing a big handful of love, and liberally throwing it at us if for no other reason but to see what kind of love it will yield. 
 
Grace, mercy, forgiveness these are just some of the fruits born out of God’s love for us. Love is the good news, the Word of God incarnate in Jesus Christ, the very seed of everlasting life.  

​I think the sower throws seed amid the rocky, barren, broken places because God’s vision for the world is often found in our brokenness. Like pesky dandelion seeds, God’s love floats all over creation, and finds its way into all sorts of nooks and crannies. 
 
The question you must ask yourself is will I allow God’s love to take root in me? Are you willing to accept God’s love and a grow to produce the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
 
You see, just as every botanist knows, seed bearing plants always yield more seeds. Just as seeds produce more seeds...love produces more love. Kindness produces kind results. Same is true with generosity and gentleness. 
 
If we choose to follow Christ, then in essence we are not merely the soil, We are also the seed and the sower as well. Jesus invites us to accept God’s love and grows God’s love and scatter God’s love all over the place without ever worrying about running out. 
​

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Jesus knows that some of us will reject God’s love with hardened hearts, but even the hardest objects can radiate God's truth and beauty. A diamond is a perfect example. Sadly, too many of us don’t see ourselves as valuable.
 
Jesus also knows the abundant ways of God. He says some of us will receive God's love and even thrive in it. But when the struggles get real, those people flee. What they tend to forget is that seed has already been planted. Where there is a seed there is an opportunity for a new life to sprout even if it’s been dormant for a while. Think about Amaryllis bulbs...for most of the time they just sit buried in the ground or frozen in your freezer. But once a year they let their true beauty shine.
 
As Jesus pointed out some of us will work hard to grow stronger in our faith and understanding. But we have to be careful. We are vulnerable too. The ways of the world can still overpower us and draw us away from fully relying on God’s abundance.  
 
And of course, some of us will thrive; producing a great yield - some even a hundredfold. They are the ones who give us hope and remind us of the power of God’s love to transform dark, barren soil into thriving, life giving plants.
 
Here’s what I hope you will remember: God is patient and purposeful; sowing the seed of love anywhere and everywhere because God’s redemptive love can reach everywhere and anywhere. 
 
God is not concerned about which soil the seed falls on because God is confident of the power of the seed. Instead God’s attention is focused on the harvest, the spiritual food that will feed the world. God knows love has power to take root in the harshest ground, but will it bear the fruit of justice, mercy and grace in spite of the terrain?  I guess it all depends on how we respond to God.
 
This week I hope you will take some time to think about this parable. As you do, ask yourself if there is any place in your life where you feel God is not present. Maybe there’s a difficult challenge you’re facing alone. Maybe you have fears or doubts that are causing you to look elsewhere. Maybe you’re stuck in a place you DON’T want God to be present.  Maybe you’re in a dark place right now. If that’s the case, then remember this; all seeds thrive in darkness. 
 
It’s there the shell cracks and falls apart. It’s in that dark place, the plant first takes root – descending deeper into the dark ground to find its foundation before it sprouts upwards towards the light. The darkness cracks us open so God can do something great. Eventually our faith becomes rooted enough to begin to grow big enough. And before we know it, we are bearing the good fruit of God’s kingdom – yielding a hundred, sixty, or even thirty times the amount of love we are given. 
 
Seeds producing more seeds. Love producing more love. This is the Kingdom of God that Jesus invites you into. 
 
 
*This is a refreshed version of a sermon originally given on July 16, 2017 which can be found at https://www.jesusnotjesus.org/be-kind/sowing-seeds-of-love