Mark 4:26-32: a reflection

26He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, 27and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. 28For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? 31It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, 32yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

In two short parables, Jesus shows that God's kingdom grows by God's own power, often quietly and unseen: a seed sprouts and grows though the farmer knows not how, and a tiny mustard seed becomes a great plant. The kingdom is as if a man should scatter seed, Jesus says, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, though he doesn't know how. The farmer sows the seed, but the growth is not his work; it happens by itself, by a life within the seed, while he sleeps and rises, though he does not know how. And the mustard seed, though tiny when sown, grows up to become greater than all the herbs. God's kingdom grows by God's own power, often quietly and hidden, from small beginnings to great ends. This shows that God's kingdom grows by God's power, often quietly and unseen. God's kingdom grows by his power, often quietly and unseen. The growth is God's work, not ours; we sow and trust. From small beginnings God brings great growth. Trust the growth of God's kingdom to God, who gives it.

Notice what these parables say about how God's kingdom grows. In the first, the farmer scatters seed and then goes about his life, sleeping and rising; and the seed sprouts and grows by itself, by a life within it, though the farmer does not know how. The growth is not his doing; he sows, but God gives the growth, quietly, mysteriously, while the farmer sleeps. In the second, the mustard seed, tiny when sown, grows up to become a great plant; small beginnings become great, by God's power. Together these parables teach that God's kingdom, and God's work in us and in the world, grows by God's own power, often quietly, unseen, and from small beginnings. This is an encouragement to trust and patience. We can grow anxious about the growth of God's work, in the world, in the church, in our own hearts, as if it depended on us, or be discouraged by small beginnings and slow, hidden progress. But these parables remind us that the growth is God's work, not ours; we sow, and God gives the growth, often quietly and unseen, bringing great things from small beginnings by his own power. We can sow faithfully and then trust the growth to God, patient with hidden and slow progress, confident that God gives the growth in his own way and time. We do well to sow faithfully and trust the growth of God's kingdom to God, who gives it by his own power. Sow faithfully, and trust the growth to God, who gives it. God's kingdom grows by his power, often quietly and from small beginnings. Do not be anxious or discouraged; the growth is God's work. Be patient with small beginnings and hidden growth, which God brings to fruit.

That is worth resting in, for God's kingdom grows by God's own power, often quietly, unseen, and from small beginnings, and we can sow faithfully and trust the growth to God, as Jesus taught in these parables. We can grow anxious about God's work as if it depended on us, or be discouraged by small beginnings and slow progress; but the seed grows by itself though the farmer knows not how, and the tiny mustard seed becomes a great plant. The growth is God's. Do not be anxious or discouraged by small beginnings and hidden progress; sow faithfully and trust the growth of God's kingdom to God, who gives it by his power. Sow faithfully and trust the growth of God's kingdom to God, who gives it by his own power, often quietly, unseen, and from small beginnings, as in two short parables Jesus showed that God's kingdom grows by God's own power, a seed sprouting and growing though the farmer knows not how, and a tiny mustard seed becoming a great plant; for the farmer sows the seed but the growth is not his work, happening by itself by a life within the seed while he sleeps and rises though he does not know how, and the mustard seed, tiny when sown, grows up to become greater than all the herbs, so that God's kingdom grows by God's own power, often quietly and hidden, from small beginnings to great ends, which is an encouragement to trust and patience, since we can grow anxious about the growth of God's work in the world, the church, and our own hearts as if it depended on us, or be discouraged by small beginnings and slow, hidden progress, but these parables remind us that the growth is God's work and not ours, that we sow and God gives the growth often quietly and unseen, bringing great things from small beginnings by his own power, so that we can sow faithfully and then trust the growth to God, patient with hidden and slow progress and confident that God gives the growth in his own way and time.

Lord Jesus, in two short parables you show that God's kingdom grows by God's own power, often quietly and unseen: a seed sprouts and grows though the farmer knows not how, and a tiny mustard seed becomes a great plant. The kingdom is as if a man should scatter seed, you say, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, though he doesn't know how. The farmer sows the seed, but the growth is not his work; it happens by itself, by a life within the seed, while he sleeps and rises, though he does not know how. And the mustard seed, though tiny when sown, grows up to become greater than all the herbs. God's kingdom grows by God's own power, often quietly and hidden, from small beginnings to great ends. Show me what these parables say about how your kingdom grows. In the first, the farmer scatters seed and then goes about his life; and the seed sprouts and grows by itself, though he does not know how. The growth is not his doing; he sows, but you give the growth, quietly, mysteriously, while the farmer sleeps. In the second, the mustard seed, tiny when sown, grows up to become a great plant; small beginnings become great, by your power. Together these parables teach that your kingdom, and your work in me and in the world, grows by your own power, often quietly, unseen, and from small beginnings. This is an encouragement to trust and patience. I can grow anxious about the growth of your work, in the world, in the church, in my own heart, as if it depended on me, or be discouraged by small beginnings and slow, hidden progress. But these parables remind me that the growth is your work, not mine; I sow, and you give the growth, often quietly and unseen, bringing great things from small beginnings by your own power. Take that to my heart, for your kingdom grows by your power, often quietly and from small beginnings. Keep me from being anxious or discouraged by small beginnings and hidden progress; help me sow faithfully and trust the growth of your kingdom to you, Lord, who give it by your own power in your own way and time, patient and confident in your work.