#Subversive kingdom series

Yeast silently works its way through the flour to leaven the whole batch. Just like that, Jesus says the kingdom of God sneaks up from outside the expected places of the powers and provinces the way the empire works and then takes over with a different way, like a weed.Īnd next we have the parable of the yeast. They even came up through the landscape fabric designed to keep them out. When I lived in the desert, the mustard plants would take over the whole yard if I didn’t weed carefully each spring. It isn’t anything the gardener wants to have planted in the yard: it just shows up the tiny seed having been invisible among what he planted. In the parable of the mustard seed, we have a tiny seed– a weed, really, that takes over subversively.

#Subversive kingdom series

We have today a series of parables about how God’s kingdom is different from what we expect, from what we are trained to value. The man in this story clearly had a value attached to money that might not be the same as what we find in today’s gospel readings. The man said, “So if I didn’t give anything to any of them, what makes you think I’m going to give anything to you?” And closed the door, leaving the priest outside. The priest, taken completely aback, said, “Oh my gosh, I’m just so sorry.” “And did you know that my wife is very sick and needs treatment?” “Or did you know that my daughter just lost her job and has no money.”Īgain, the priest replied, “Oh my- no I had no idea.” The priest replied, “Why no, I didn’t know.” When the priest went to check on him, he opened the door and asked, “Did you know that my son just wrecked his car and needs a new one?” There is a story about a man who was a member of his parish, but who didn’t give anything to the church one year.