Matthew 13:31-32 says, “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nest in its branches.”
Pastor: Jesus came. Congregation: “Oh!”
Pastor: Jesus came to sow. Congregation: “Oh my!”
Pastor: Jesus sows the seed of faith. Congregation: “Oh my God!”
Pastor: Some did not grow. Congregation: “Oh my God, have mercy.”
Pastor: Jesus planted some more. Congregation: “My heart is a field!”
The beginnings of God’s kingdom are small, but it has an inherent nature that it will grow to its intended end, completely different in size and nature from the beginning. The seed of faith that Christ planted in the soil (different soils), in our hearts will grow and its growth is irresistible. Every heart wherein Jesus’ word was planted has the opportunity to grow. No matter how small it was when it was planted, it has the capacity and power to grow to a size of a tree. Jesus talks about a parable of the “Kingdom of God.” In the Philistine world, a mustard seed could grow up to 20 feet high. No wonder the birds of the air make nest on its branches.
Christianity started from a small beginning and now it is the largest religious body (tree) in the world. In the same way, Henrietta United Methodist Church started (April 24, 1872) from a humble beginning, from a tiny seed of the Word of God. And I know and I believe that in the past HUMC served as a tree in this community for the people to build their nest (sanctuary, home church, family). Is Christ still sowing the seed of faith? This is the New Millennium! My answer is still yes, regardless of what time in history. He is still with us and has never stopped planting such precious seed of life, seed of the ‘Kingdom of God.’ If you heard the Word of Christ, if you believe on them, and have open your heart/s for planting, ‘God’s Kingdom’ will grow irresistibly.
My question is this; did the seed of faith, the seed of the Word of God, grow in our life? Did the faith we have in Christ reach the size of a tree? Were the birds of the air (family members, friends, neighbors and people around us) able to build their nest on the branches of that tree? In line with Jesus’ parable, we have the seed, we have the faith, and the seed will grow and it cannot be stopped. It has only one way to go, but to grow. The past few years, we tried to do many things in order for this church to grow. Some signify their interest and support and some did not even bother to know what’s going on.
As your pastor, I pray and I hope that you are with me. Let us join our hearts, our spirits, our hope, our strength, our souls, our gifts and talents, our visions and missions to that of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not too late to participate and get involved. Just make yourself available to Christ and experience growth in your faith, in your prayer life. Let us begin to celebrate this wonderful privilege of receiving the seed of faith, hope and love in Christ. Harvest time is coming and the time is now! Amen!
Henrietta United Methodist Church
To Become & Make Disciples, To Serve Wherever Jesus Calls Us.