What Is The Kingdom Of GOD Like?

 "And JESUS continued, 'What is the kingdom of GOD like?  What shall I compare it to?  Imagine a person who has taken a mustard seed, and planted it in his garden.  The seed has grown, and become like a small tree, so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches.'

And JESUS said again, 'What is the kingdom of GOD like?  Imagine a woman who has taken yeast, and hidden it in three measures of flour, until it is all leavened.'" - Luke 13:18-21

 

(With the parable of the mustard seed JESUS shows us that the kingdom of GOD must be a sign; it has to be something very noticeable in the world.

Any spiritual aspiration, cultural innovation or revolutionary movement must be expressed concretely, through one or several institutions, to make it a clearer and more visible entity.  Likewise JESUS projects HIS Church as the bearer [not the owner] of the kingdom of GOD.  Church means: "Assembly of those called together."  Two of the characteristics of this Church are indicated here:

- first it must be very visible and fruitful for the world, like a tree giving shade to birds;

- secondly, it must  be immersed in human reality.

Believers are not to separate themselves from those who do not believe, for they are the yeast of the world.

JESUS does not want an "invisible Church," that is an emotional fellowship and spiritual communion among all those in the whole world who believe in HIM.  HE wants a gigantic tree [in another place JESUS says: a city built on a hill], so that everyone can recognize that the seed was good and full of life.  We need organized Christian communities, and ties between these communities, a hierarchy...  Nevertheless the  believers are not to enclose themselves or to spend all their energies working for "their" Church.  They must be useful and fruitful in the world together with all people of goodwill.

Let them be yeast for the dough, not small separate and finer dough.  The yeast transforms human history, not by bringing all people into the Church, but by infusing into human activity the spirit that gives life to humankind.)

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