“He said therefore, ‘What is the Kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’”
- Luke 13:18-19
Jesus has technically always been a divisive person, but in this chapter, we are starting to see the pot stirring a bit more than previously. In part, things across the Holy Land are starting to heat up. Politicians are murdering people in the temple, the king is sending threats to Jesus, people troubled and oppressed by Satan seem to be everywhere, and crowds are figuring out who to be siding with. These are turbulent times, but Jesus does not allow any of that to shake His purpose and mission, so instead, He doubles down on His teachings about the Kingdom of God.
The Mustard Plant:
This is the weed. No person in their right mind planted a mustard plant in their gardens. Those plants tended to overtake and outgrow everything else in the garden. They were weeds and were supposed to be uprooted before any damage could be done to the rest of the garden. This is the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is also using a classic prophetic image in this parable. Trees tended to represent a nation, or at least became identified with the strength of those nations. The great Cedars of Lebanon would be an example. One would probably expect Jesus to choose an Olive Tree for the Kingdom of God since it's common there and its oils are used to symbolize holiness. Yet, Jesus chooses the weed of the garden, the mustard plant. This is the Kingdom of God.
The mustard plant is invasive; it's new to the garden of the world, it's different, and it's going to take it all over. The other trees in the garden, the nations of this world, can do nothing to compete with the overwhelming growth and power of the mustard plant. Jesus did not choose the great olive tree in the garden because His Kingdom needed to be separate from this. His Kingdom was not of the garden, it is not from this world, but one of its own. It’s the new plant in the garden that birds from all over will make their shelter in. It's the Kingdom of God active in this World that invited people to mind their security in it rather than the nations of the world.
Reclining at Table:
It’s also a Kingdom of Hospitality, open to all but only a few wind up coming. Jesus winds up getting asked if the Kingdom is only for a few. Perhaps by that, the questioner meant only for the Jews or select other groups. In that sense, the Kingdom of God is not for the few, but for the many! Remember, birds from various nations and from across the garden will flock to make shelter in the mustard plant. Yet, in another sense, the Kingdom is for a few, for it’s for the faithful! It’s not just about seeking to enter into God’s Kingdom but striving to enter the narrow door.
Those who come from all over the world, striving to enter into God’s Kingdom through the narrow door will find themselves reclining at the table of the Lord. God’s Kingdom is an eternal communion for the strivers. Those who choose to make the homes of their hearts in the presence of the God who created them and calls them.
When you are called to dinner whether by people or your stomach, do you not get up and go? When you are asked to hang out and play games, do you not go knowing you are well-valued and desired? Do you not find yourself reclining at the table with Jesus? Spending time with Him, listening to Him, and Him listening to you? Do you not find yourself feeling secure in His invitation? We may stand at the door and knock but will have no fear that He will answer and provide us with a seat at the table. Strive for Him!
A Mother Hen:
There’s one final teaching in this chapter and it confronts boldly the political threats against Jesus. King Herod is seeking Jesus so as to kill Him. Jesus’s response calls Herod a fox and Himself as God a Mother Hen. One’s a threat, and the other is nurturing. Jesus laments that what is true of Herod at the moment has been true of much of Jerusalem’s history. Kings and people who slaughter the prophets. God called the people to gather and worship, but the king's leadership resulted in scattering and idolatry. God wanted to nurture the people; the kings wanted to do it their way.
This furthers Jesus’ point about the mustard plant, as a patriotic alternative to their corrupt and destructive nation. A Kingdom that invites people to the table and nurtures them as a hen to her chicks.
Final Blessing:
So how can we describe the Kingdom of God from Jesus’ teachings here? I like to say it's an invasive alternative shelter. Do we run to it? Is it our secure foundation? Do we allow ourselves time to recline with Jesus, cup in hand, and ears attentive to His voice? Do we build our nests in His branches?
I’ll be honest, I’ve had a hard time with this lately. Allowing myself time to strive and recline with Jesus. Living in the reality of His Kingdom in this very moment will mean resting in Him. It’s not only keeping an actual Sabbath but also cultivating intimacy with Jesus through “micro-sabbaths.” Times you recline in the Word, not for study, nor service, but to eat and drink with Jesus.
So set up your nest in the Kingdom. Pick up your cup and sit back in your seat, stretching out your legs toward Jesus. Finding comfort in His call to come to Him.
Now may the Lord of Life and Redemption be with you in every step, every breath, and every heartbeat of your journey.
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