Luke 13:18-29 - Kingdom of God; not what you Expect

 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?                                                            

It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.

And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them,Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.

Bird's nest in Trees that start out small.

The Kingdom of God is full of surprises and not what you might expect. It starts out small and grows.  A mustard seed flourishes into a tree so large that birds nest in its branches. And like leaven grows, making the bread rise so, too,  the Kingdom of God.  I might think that the Kingdom of God is always grand and, well, ostentatious...and I'd be wrong. It's not about "super mega church pep rallies"or announcing to everyone what wonderful thing you are going to do for God.  Rather the Kingdom of God is in the small things, like showing kindness to those around me, especially to those who share the same house.  It's giving a massage to my wife when she feels a migraine coming on or looking for ways to serve my children. And, of course, when I am out and about, it certainly means being a courteous driver. That can be tough in New Jersey. :)

The Kingdom of God is full of surprises and I don't want to find myself on the outside of it.  You can hear the surprise in their voices in the story that Jesus told. "What do you mean, you don't know us? We are and drank in Your Presence and You taught in our streets."   I do not want to find myself saying to the Lord, I went to church every Sunday morning and on Saturday nights for Vespers. I read my Bible and prayed most mornings.  And Jesus response? I really don't know you! That would be horrifying.

Don't want to find myself on the wrong side of the door

May the Lord grant me to always be humble, to seek God in the small things, treating each moment as if I must find the Kingdom of God in it.  Amen.