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The Kingdom of Heaven
Sermon by Rev. Sarah Buteux
for Sunday, July 28, 2002
Scripture: Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-45
When did the word "like" creep into our vocabulary, not as a means to express similes, as in "her voice was like the singing of an angel" but as a verbal comma? "So, like, what are you doing?" I think it occurred at a time when I was very young and had something to do with a curious species of teenager called a Valley Girl somewhere out in California. Their high reaching crimped hair, penchant for rainbows, shoulder pads, and slouchy socks infected a nation. But it was their careless verbiage that laid the groundwork for a grammatical battle that would be waged quietly and persistently in our house throughout my youth.
My father would ask, "Sarah, where are you going this afternoon?"
And I would respond, "I don't know, like, maybe Melissa's house."
"To a place like Melissa's house, or to Melissa's house?"
"To Melissa's Dad, you know what I mean."
Or
"Like that is so cool"
"Is it cool, or is it just like something cool."
And I would say, "Dad!" in a very exasperated voice.
He was relentless, and for good reason. The word "like" occupies an important place in the English language, and if we were to think of it solely as a verbal comma, it would greatly change the meaning of much that has gone before. If we were to read today's parables from a Valley Girl standpoint, the kingdom of heaven would not just be like a mustard seed, it would be, like, you know, a mustard seed. And what would we do with that?
Jesus loves to compare the kingdom of heaven to things, and there is much that we can learn from his comparisons involving seeds, yeast, pearls and treasure. But I would like to begin today by asking, not what the kingdom of heaven is like, but what is the kingdom of heaven period. The kingdom of heaven is like many things, but what is it exactly?
Well, Swedenborg would say that the kingdom of heaven is first and foremost where the Lord dwells, you know, like up there. But the kingdom of heaven is also present where the Lord dwells here on earth. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you." God dwells in each and every person from the moment they are created. And he is present most palpably in our actions when they are informed by the good of love and the truth of faith. If you get enough people together who are acting lovingly toward one another out of love for the Lord, you have yourself a church. And Swedenborg would say that a true church is the kingdom of heaven here on earth, manifesting itself through the power of God which we allow to work in us and through us.
The kingdom of heaven is where the will of God is obeyed out of love. Think of the Lord's prayer we say each Sunday: "Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth (it can be done here) on earth as it is in heaven." Where his will is done -, and what is his will but that we love one another as he has loved us - where his will is done his kingdom has come. The kingdom of heaven is not just a place we can look forward to but a state of being we can co-construct with God here and now through loving obedience to his truth.
So, in light of this understanding of the kingdom, what truths are held for us in the parables we read today. Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, the tiniest of all seeds, that once planted grows into a mighty and sheltering tree. Or the kingdom of God is like a small amount of yeast that a woman mixed into a large amount of flour, and it leavened it all the way through. I think the lesson for us in these first two parables is that a little bit of heaven goes a long way. It just doesn't take very much. The small mustard seed growing into a large tree, and the tiny portion of yeast working through all of the flour, illustrates how tremendous is the transformative power of the kingdom. It is not just power to grow, but the littlest bit of heaven has the power to change, to recreate, to make something wholly new and different of who we are and who we will be.
And think about this for a moment: you can put a seed deep in the ground, out of sight, but the nature of that seed is such that it will sprout back up again. Or think about the yeast: once it is mixed in flour it can never be separated out again. You won't be able to see or retrieve the yeast anymore, but you will see its effects. I think what Jesus is trying to tell us, is that the kingdom of heaven cannot be buried, it cannot be hidden, it cannot be diluted, and it cannot be overwhelmed. And furthermore, you can't control it. You can't break it down so you only get what you makes you feel comfortable, just as you can't use part of a mustard seed to grow a smaller bush. You can't hide a little yeast in the flour, for even a relatively small amount will work its magic all through a much larger portion of flour and cause it to rise up. The kingdom of heaven is a potent and living force that when present, moves and grows and imbues all of life with the forces of love and wisdom.
But Jesus also said that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that a man found hidden in a field. He went and sold all he owned, and bought the field that housed the treasure. And the kingdom of heaven is like a pearl of great price, that a merchant, when he finally found it, gave up everything he had that he might own it.
The lesson in these parables, I believe, is twofold. First: when we encounter the kingdom in our midst, it is worth everything we own, everything we are, and second: it requires a total commitment from us. It is worth everything and it requires everything. The treasure, the pearl of great price, is Divine truth. It is worth more than everything you have combined and needs to be valued accordingly. But how do you give all that you have, all that you are, to gain this treasure? Am I suggesting that once you find the truth you need to go and sell all you possessions, join a monastery, and meditate on truth for the rest of your natural born days? No. Everything you have, everything you are, is everything you love. You are what you love, so giving all you have is giving yourself over to God that you might love his truth first and foremost with all your body, mind, and soul. And this takes a total commitment.
You can't gain the treasure that is heaven by giving a little of yourself, a portion of what you have or who you are, a little bit of your love . You can know the truth and believe it, but you will not posses it like these men who gave all they had to own their treasure, until you love the truth enough to act on it. The truth is not yours completely through understanding alone. You can know what is right, but until you love it enough to act on it with your whole being, it is still a treasure buried in someone else's field, or a pearl sitting pretty on the countertop at the jewelry store. To posses the kingdom of God you must live out the truths of the kingdom in love, with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. The kingdom of heaven is not a matter of your convenience, but your commitment.
So to recap, it doesn't take much from God's end to make a huge and wonderful impact (think of the mustard seed becoming a huge tree) or to work a huge change in us and others (think of the yeast working its way through all of that flour). But once found, it requires everything from us. A total commitment to not just understand the truth but love it enough to act on it.
This is a message for all Christians, in fact it is a message for people of all faiths, but what even more specifically, does it have to say to us as Swedenborgians? The Swedenborgian Church makes the claim in its original title that it is the Church of the New Jerusalem. This church was founded by men like Robert Hindmarsh, who read the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and found within his theology the inspiration for a new church. A church that would let people know that the kingdom of heaven is as close as we want it to be. A church that would proclaim that Jesus is not coming back in the clouds some day soon to make everything alright for those he loves and a living hell for those he hates. We believe that Jesus is already here with us and his Second Coming is an ongoing process facilitated through us. A process whereby people embrace the kingdom of heaven now and count all they have as nothing if it keeps them from living in the light of its truth and the warmth of its love.
I believe that we as Swedenborgians, are not the only manifestation of The Lord's New Church , for it is found wherever people love one another as God loves them, but we are uniquely blessed with a theology that makes it all so clear. We are uniquely blessed with churches across this country whose beauty and form sing out to all that enter, calling them to live in hope and in love. That is what I feel when I walk through the doors of this chapel. In this little church, as a member of this small congregation, I still feel the enormous potential of the kingdom of heaven. In fact, I feel that potential more in this chapel then anywhere else on earth, which is probably why I feel so strongly about protecting it. When I stand here, I know for a fact that we are no smaller than a mustard seed, and we are as powerful as yeast if we choose to be.
And I can assure you that the world is hungry to hear what we have to say. Our job is not to convert people, but simply to share with them the hope that informs our faith. A few weeks ago Time magazine ran an article on the current American obsession with the Apocalypse. The article talked about how Christians around this country are rejoicing in the disaster of our current Middle East peace process because they believe it will herald in a new age and the Second Coming of Jesus. But two weeks later, when the letters started pouring in, there were so many more people who recoiled when they heard this kind of talk. There are many people out there who feel deep down that we as human beings have a responsibility, not to give up and let God fix it, but to work with God and one another for a better world.
For every Christian who has given up on the world, given up caring about issues like global warming, injustice, or world peace, because they believe God is going to come and wipe it all out anyway, there are people out there who believe the truths we have not yet spoken beyond the confines of our little Swedenborgian community. They are looking for another vision, an alternate view, something to hope for, and we have it right here. We don't need to convert people, just share with people a truth they would like to believe in. They just need to hear the quiet whispers of the Spirit within them confirmed by others. That's how I felt when I first encountered Swedenborg. I remember thinking that here, finally, was everything I had always wanted to believe was true, laid out before me within the context of a Christian church. I thank God that I have access to our church's teachings, and I know so many others would and will, if we as a church can reach them.
As Swednborgians, we need to (gulp) get out there and share our theology with those who want to hear it. We have found the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price, and we need to claim it by living it and sharing it. And we need to give up all those things that are getting in the way, like fear, embarrassment, shame. We are so blessed, we have access to such a tremendous treasure, let us embrace it and share it.
May God give us the grace, the courage, and the power to give up anything and everything that would keep us from the kingdom of heaven.
Amen
Copyright 2002 by Rev. Sarah Buteux
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