30 Jan 26 | The Kingdom Grows While We Sleep
Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God advances by God’s hidden power, not human effort, and its growth is both inevitable and patient.
The Gospel: Mark 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
Today’s Focus
This Gospel uses two parables to reveal how the Kingdom of God truly works. Jesus teaches that while we are called to sow and tend the seed, growth itself belongs to God and unfolds according to His will, not our control. The image of the farmer who sleeps and the mustard seed that grows strong from hidden roots shows that the Kingdom advances quietly, patiently, and often unseen. Our role is not to force results, but to trust God’s work, cooperate with grace, and use the gifts we have been given to help the Kingdom take root, grow, and offer shelter to others.
In the Margins
This Gospel offers us two parables. Both are focused on describing the Kingdom of God. Through them we gain a better understanding of how God works and what our role is in the process. The first parable is focused on our specific role, or more specifically, the limits we have.
When Jesus describes the person that sows a seed, He makes the point that there is a “hands off” role of the person. This reflects a core biblical principle: God alone gives increase. Human effort cooperates with grace but we do not generate it ourselves. Growth belongs to God.
When the farmer is sleeping, there is a sense of trust that the seed will grow. The Kingdom of God will grow in us and around us. We should still tend to it properly as a farmer, but it is not something we should fear. Remember the last parable about where the word can grow? This is building from that. This implicitly rebukes a results-driven understanding of faith and ministry and strengthens the notion of things happening according to God’s will.
When we look at the next parable, God’s Kingdom is compared to the sprouting of a mustard seed. Later Jesus will use a mustard seed again, so understanding the mustard seed is important. When a mustard seed sprouts, it sends a “taproot” down. This is a dominant central root that anchors the plant firmly. It allows access to deeper moisture in dry conditions. From this, secondary roots spread outwards. This allows the mustard plant to draw nutrients efficiently, stabilize loose soil around it, and crowd out surrounding plants so it alone can thrive.
When we think of the Kingdom of God in this sense, it is pretty incredible! We are part of an intricate system that can paint an illustrative picture of the Kingdom of God. If we think of the Holy Trinity as the taproot, with the Holy Spirit being a source of connection, we are each part of the larger root and plant structure. We are responsible for providing resources for others, spreading the Gospel, helping our churches grow, and together drawing common peace and love so we can all thrive.
The real question we have to examine is whether or not we are being an active part of that system. Are we helping to build branches that offer shade to others? Are we helping spread out into areas where the Gospel has yet to grow. There are many functions of the structure of the mustard plant. This is like the many talents we all hold. These talents were given to us by God, are we using them to help grow the Kingdom?
Reflection Question
Where am I trying to manage, measure, or rush God’s work instead of trusting how the Kingdom truly grows?
A Small Invitation
If this reflection helped you, consider sharing it with someone who may be carrying more than they were meant to.