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Circles of Connection

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Pentecost +3

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An interactive reflection based on Sunday’s Bible stories

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Check in!

How are you doing?

How does your body feel?

How are your feelings?

How’s your connection to God?

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Here’s a WARM question:

What’s your favorite plant?

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Reflect

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Bible Reading�

Mark 4:26-34

[Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

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Reflection Questions

  1. This parable always makes me think of the quote “O ye of little faith.” A little mustard seed can make a big plant. Do you feel like you are the seed or the plant? Are you just starting out, or are you helping others to grow?
  2. There’s an allusion to the grey area of how God works - the seed grows even though we don’t know how. Do you find that a help or a hindrance in your faith journey?
  3. I find it frustrating the the narrator tells us that jesus would only explain things to his inner circle. What do you make of the last line of the reading?

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Pray Together

Benediction

(inspired by Luke 17: 5-6)

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Imagine what a mustard seed of faith

might do this week in your life.

Not a quart,

nor a gallon,

nor a truckload.

Just a mustard seed.

Imagine.

Now go and live out that grace.

Yes! Let it be so! Amen!

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~ from the Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren website. http://rockhay.tripod.com/worship/orders/2010/10-10-03.htm

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