Praise and worship in St. Anne's Church, Jerusalem Old City, built by the Crusaders in 1140 A.D.
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It's the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it's taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches." Matthew 13:31-32
Remembering the worship service we experienced our first day in Jerusalem, where we united with the 600 worshipers from all over the world in St. Anne's Church, with its natural acoustics, and sang praises and glory to El Elyon (The Most High One) makes me think of the above verse: "the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed..." To think that the gospel began to spread through the earth from this Holy City with only 12 disciples is incredible!
And that is why, as we learned in GOSPEL ON THE GROUND, that Yeshua Jesus described the kingdom of God as a mustard seed. I understood He was alluding to the tiny size of the mustard seed and how it grows into a tree large enough that birds can nest in its branches. But that is not all! McClelland reminds us that we as Westerners tend to look at the form or size of the seed. Middle Easterners look at the function of the seed - what it does. Mustard seeds grow like weeds. Weeds spread. Weeds invade gardens and they are difficult to kill.
Wow! That gives a whole new meaning to the verse. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God may have started small, in a tiny land controlled by another government, but it has spread like a weed all over the world, invading empires as light invades the darkness and it cannot be stopped! Praise God. As Jesus told Peter, "...on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:18-19)
"Blessing and honor and glory and power be
to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"
Revelation 5:13
It's exciting and humbling that He lets us be part of the Kingdom - growing, spreading, flourishing like a mustard seed!
My sister's Southern Mustard recipe
1 C white vinegar
1 lg. jar mustard
Mix and chill in fridge overnight
Beat 2 eggs
1 1/2 C light brown sugar or more
Add to mustard mix on top of double boiler. Cook until it coats a wooden spoon.
Pour into jars and keep in refrigerator. Makes wonderful gifts.
(No two batches ever turn out the same, but always good.)
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