当某件事情对人利害攸关时，他们总会把它吹嘘一番。例如说，这是最新的、最快的、最醒目的、最强的。但耶稣却不是这样，衪说神的国就像一粒芥菜种。
芥菜种是很细小的，单从它的外貌，你不会期望它会很快长大。像任何一粒种子，它有赖室外的环境 － 土壤、水份、太阳 － 才能发芽和生长。
今天的农夫会在一块田中播下数以百万计的大豆种子，他们一定要多种，因为他们知道有百份之20至30的种子是会流失的。在家种植的人在每一个山坡上都播几粒南瓜种子，因为其中有些种子发不出芽来，其中有些又不能长大。
然而耶稣却说，神的国就像一粒细小的种子。一切希望都放在这粒细小的种子身上。它若不发芽，它若不成长，一切都前功尽废了。然而，这粒种子若发芽生长，它便成为一棵超越它卑微的籽粒的植物：为雀鸟合唱团提供一个安全和遮荫的栖息之所。
同样，神的国可能不十分起眼。然而，它在任何一个地方都迎接、荫庇、和支持生命，而往往是人察觉不到的。藉着参与一所附近的教会，你也可以成为神的国的一员。这是我的愿望。
主耶稣，求你赐我们信心，在我们的周围看见你的国，又赐我们勇气，即使是藉最微不足道的途径，也让人看见你的国。阿们。
马可福音 4:30-32
30又说：“神的国，我们可用什么比较呢？可用什么比喻表明呢？
31好像一粒芥菜种，种在地里的时候，虽比地上的百种都小，
32但种上以后，就长起来，比各样的菜都大，又长出大枝来，甚至天上的飞鸟可以宿在它的荫下。”
"You gave me something to eat . . . [and] to drink, . . . you invited me in, . . . you clothed me, . . . you looked after me, . . . you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:35-36
When people have a stake in something, they tend to puff it up. It's the newest, the fastest, the brightest, the strongest. Not Jesus. He says the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.
A mustard seed is tiny. Looking at it, you wouldn't expect it to amount to much. And like any seed, it's dependent on outside conditions—soil, moisture, sunshine—to germinate and grow.
Farmers today plant millions of soybean seeds in a single field. They make sure to plant plenty because they know they'll have a 20 to 30 percent loss. Home gardeners plant several squash seeds in every hill because some of those seeds may fail to germinate and some of the young plants may not mature.
But Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a single, small seed. Everything is staked on that one, tiny seed. If it fails to germinate, if it fails to grow, then all is lost. But when that one seed does sprout and grow, it becomes something far beyond its humble beginning: a safe and shady perch for a choir of songbirds.
In the same way, the kingdom of God may not look like much. But here and there, almost invisibly, it welcomes, shelters, and supports life. Maybe you're a part of that through a local congregation. I hope so.
Lord Jesus, give us faith to see your kingdom all around us. And give us courage to make your kingdom visible, even in the smallest ways. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
