“The Mustard Seed and the Mulberry Tree”
Luke 17:6

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost—October 6, 2013

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Our text is two little parables Jesus tells in today’s Gospel Reading, “The Mustard Seed and the Mulberry Tree”: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

There is an Oriental legend about a boy who challenged his teacher to prove the existence of God by performing a miracle.  The teacher took a large pot of soil, put in it an apple seed and then told the boy to watch closely.  Suddenly, a little green shoot appeared, the shoot shot up and became a stem, the stem put out leaves and branches, and soon the whole room was filled.  Blossoms and buds appeared and formed into fruit, and soon the tree was heavy with apples and they were falling off onto the floor.  In just a few minutes the little seed had become an apple tree laden with delicious fruit. 

The boy picked up one of the apples and said, “Now I know that there is a God, for I have seen his power.”  To which the teacher replied, “Do you only now believe?  Does not what you have just seen take place all through nature, over and over again, year after year, only by a slower process?  But, is it any less marvelous just because it is slower?”

Too often we are like that boy, oblivious to God’s everyday miracles.  Every time a seed germinates, it is really a miracle.  For, a seed is an inanimate object, and yet from it comes life—a miracle which we take for granted, but which is repeated millions of times every day.

The seed in the parable represents us, in our natural spiritual state.  As Paul says in Ephesians, “As for you, you were DEAD in your trespasses and sins.”  You could never do anything to save yourself because by nature you are spiritually dead.  Like the seed in the parable you are spiritually inanimate.  

But, Paul goes on to explain that just as God miraculously gives life to an inanimate seed, “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” 

So, the imagery of an inanimate seed in this parable emphasizes that your spiritual rebirth, your new life in Christ, is a miracle, completely the work of God alone.  As Paul concludes in Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed.”  There are more than 100 plants mentioned in the Bible.  Jesus could have used for this parable the pomegranate, which is filled with large seeds, or the grape, or many other plants.  In another, similar parable, he tells us WHY he chose the mustard seed: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.  It is the smallest of all seeds you plant in the ground, yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants.”

So, in both these parables, Jesus chose the mustard seed for his illustration BECAUSE, “It is the smallest of all seeds.”  But, what’s that mean?  What is the significance of the small size of the mustard seed?

People sometimes worry that their faith is not strong enough.  As someone once told me, “Pastor, I’m like that man in the Bible who said, ‘Lord, I believe—but help my unbelief!’”  The late Mother Theresa is considered by many a pillar of faith, but “Time” magazine recently reported letters in which she too expressed doubts.  Movie reviewer Roger Ebert complained about the movie “Luther” several years ago: “I anticipated that Luther . . . would be an inspiring figure, filled with the power of his convictions. . . I doubt if he was much like the uncertain, tremulous figure in [this movie]. . . weak, neurotic, filled with self-doubt.”  Yet, that was indeed an historically accurate portrayal of the great reformer.

At times we all have doubts and questions, and we may worry: Can such a weak, trembling faith save us?  THAT is why for this parable Jesus chose the mustard seed, “the smallest of all seeds,” specifically to assure us that even the smallest, weakest faith in him is still saving faith.  For, Jesus doesn’t say, “If you have faith as big as a mountain,” or even as large as a pomegranate or grape seed, but, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed.”

You see, it isn’t the size of faith that’s important, but rather the object of faith.  Many followers of false religions and false gods have an extremely fanatical faith.  But, to have a great faith in the wrong thing won’t do you any good, and in fact will only lead you to doom.  Paul puts it this way in Galatians, “It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good.”  On the other hand, in the parable of the Mustard Seed, Jesus assures us that even a weak faith in him is still saving faith, because he, the object of faith, has the power to save.

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

The second little parable about the mulberry tree is a clever twist by our Lord on a familiar theme from the Old Testament.  Psalm 1 says that the person who trusts in God, “Is like a tree planted by streams of water.”  Psalm 92 says, “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon.”  Jeremiah says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.”

But, the surprising twist in Jesus’ parable is that the mulberry tree isn’t planted by a stream of fresh water, but “in the sea.”  The meaning in this parable is found not in the seemingly miraculous movement of the tree, but the miracle of WHERE it is planted, “in the sea.”

Unlike the trees flourishing by streams of fresh water spoken of so often in the Old Testament, in this parable the salt water of the sea should, of course, KILL the mulberry tree.  And that’s the point of this little parable.  The improbable picture Jesus paints of a mulberry tree growing in the sea symbolizes the strength that faith gives us even in adversity. 

The troubles and struggles and problems you face in this life are like the corrosive sea in the parable, lapping all around, but yet not killing the mulberry tree.  Jesus warned his disciples at the Last Supper, “In this world you will have trouble.”  But, immediately he assured them, “But, take heart!  I have overcome the world.” 

Paul says in Philippians, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  When you face troubles and struggles and problems all around, imagine yourself like that mulberry tree, with the stinging, corrosive saltwater lapping all around, but still thriving.

As Paul says in Romans, “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love him. . .  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.  Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . .  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus says, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.  If a man remains in me he will bear much fruit.”  When you feel like a corrosive sea of troubles and struggles and problems lapping all around you, gain power and strength from the Vine by tapping into the living waters of his Word and Sacraments and prayer.

In Philippians, Paul describes the strength that faith gives us even in adversity as, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.”  That’s the meaning of the improbable picture Jesus paints of a mulberry tree growing in the sea.  Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians: “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not in despair; persecuted, yet not aban—ed; struck down, yet not destroyed.”

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed.”  With the image of the Mustard Seed, Jesus assures you that even a weak faith in HIM is still saving faith.

“You can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”  With the improbable picture of a mulberry tree growing in the sea, Jesus assures you that even in adversity he will give you strength to flourish like a tree planted by streams of living water.