A Magnificent Tree
There are some magnificent trees around the town of Berry. When you drive into Berry you go past Apex Park’s large trees providing amazing shade over the whole park. The trees are tall and strong, the trunks are wide and the branches spread deep and wide providing great shade for everyone to enjoy. When we look at the trees we marvel at their size and stature. The amazing thing is that know matter the size or variety of all the trees in Apex Park, they all begin their journey as a tiny seed. A small and humble beginning that over many decades has grown to be something of great significance and importance to the town of Berry.
Jesus has something to say about the power and significance of small things growing in time to be something of great significance, not just here on earth, but eternal significance. In Mark 4:30-32 Jesus tells this farming parable about the kingdom of God, “Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
The mustard seed is a tiny seed, yet the tree that it grows to become is truly magnificent in size. The same is true in the story of God’s people
and his church. The seed in Jesus parable is the word of God, when we read and receive Gods word into our heart and mind the tiny seed begins to grow, and in time it becomes a something big and beautiful that is a blessing to many. The amazing thing about this parable told by Jesus is that these seeds represent the church, the church both here in Berry and all over the world first started as a small seed, but now it continues to grow, its branches spread near and far so that others around it may perch in its shade, find rest, help and nourishment.
South Coast Life Church is part of that beautiful tree, as is all the churches of this town that call Berry their home. By ourselves we may be small, be when we see it from God’s perspective he see’s us all as one tiny mustard seed that has now grown into a beautiful tree for the town of Berry to come and find the love, mercy and grace of Jesus. A tree that people can come and perch on the branches to find rest and community and a place to belong. A tree where we can have life and have it to the full.
Josh Duncan
Jesus has something to say about the power and significance of small things growing in time to be something of great significance, not just here on earth, but eternal significance. In Mark 4:30-32 Jesus tells this farming parable about the kingdom of God, “Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
The mustard seed is a tiny seed, yet the tree that it grows to become is truly magnificent in size. The same is true in the story of God’s people
and his church. The seed in Jesus parable is the word of God, when we read and receive Gods word into our heart and mind the tiny seed begins to grow, and in time it becomes a something big and beautiful that is a blessing to many. The amazing thing about this parable told by Jesus is that these seeds represent the church, the church both here in Berry and all over the world first started as a small seed, but now it continues to grow, its branches spread near and far so that others around it may perch in its shade, find rest, help and nourishment.
South Coast Life Church is part of that beautiful tree, as is all the churches of this town that call Berry their home. By ourselves we may be small, be when we see it from God’s perspective he see’s us all as one tiny mustard seed that has now grown into a beautiful tree for the town of Berry to come and find the love, mercy and grace of Jesus. A tree that people can come and perch on the branches to find rest and community and a place to belong. A tree where we can have life and have it to the full.
Josh Duncan