Since many preachers are very busy the next month or so, here's a sermon you can use in January to give yourself a break.  Posted early!

Sermon – Mark 4:30-32
Small But Mighty

Examples of small things

1. $5  How excited would you get if you were told you were going to be given $5? Very nice, but not much these days is it? Can’t eat out and get much of a meal for $5. Can’t buy a shirt. Can’t fill the car with gas. $5, very nice, but not much.

2. A snowball.  As a kid, or not, did you ever make a snowball? A snowball is nice, but you’re kind of limited with only one, aren’t you? Not a good idea to start a snowball fight, with only 1 snowball. Your offensive will be pretty short. And your aim had better be pretty accurate.

3. A good deed.  There is an organisation within Scouting called Cubs. Cubs belong to the Cub Pack. One of the first things new Cubs are taught in order to be part of the Pack is the Cub promise.

The Cub Scout Promise: I promise to do my best, to love and serve God, to do my duty to the Queen; to keep the law of the Wolf Cub Pack, and to do a good turn for somebody every day.

Each week when Cubs meet they have to report what the good deed was they each had done that day. For a group of 20 8,9 & 10 year olds, they aren’t out saving the world, but they dutifully report how they had helped at home, or done their homework (which doesn’t really count) or held a door for someone.

Very nice, but not really much on a global scale.

Big scale perspective

On a global scale, when we look at the events of the last year, when we consider the challenges facing our species, our nations, our country, our planet; it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. What do you do when [insert global disaster issue]? What do you do when [story of refugees or displacement or war]? What do you do, when another world leader [fill in the blank]?

What do you do?

And there’s more. That list of challenges and disasters doesn’t include: [insert other global scale issues] and so much more.

What do you do?

Options

Do you choose to live in denial? Wilful ignorance? If I just pretend it isn’t there, or it isn’t going to happen, then it won’t be real. I’ll insulate myself from it so I don’t have to acknowledge it. No TV news. No radio news. No newspaper. No Facebook or internet. There’s nothing I can do, so there’s no point in even thinking about it. I’ll just live as if everything’s fine.

But what kind of choice is that? What kind of life is that? For followers of Jesus, it’s not a choice at all. When we committed our lives to following Jesus, we committed ourselves to serving others sacrificially, not ignoring them. We committed ourselves to doing justice and righteousness. We committed ourselves to loving God first and foremost and at the same time to loving others as we love ourselves.

As followers of Jesus, we are true to our commitment, true to our Saviour, when we face situations, embrace challenges, and respond to tragedy and disaster and evil any way we can. And that will be different for each of us, depending on our own situations and the resources God has given us to work with.

Small things count

Remember that $5 you were to get that didn’t really do very much? [use numbers from a recent United Church appeal] Recently the United Church has raised over $40,000 to help the displaced Rohingyan people. Doesn’t sound like much, all those thousands of people on the other side of the world, but to them, it’s life.

Check out the Gifts with Vision catalogue. $5 won’t get you anything, on it’s own. But find a friend and $10 will help provide food for people in the north of Canada, or help Aboriginal people struggling from the “Sixties scoop”.

We often hear through the Minute for Mission about what we United Church folks are doing in Canada and around the world, to change lives, to save lives, and to really make a difference. Imagine what more could be done if each of us gave an extra $5 today to Mission & Service.

Remember that one snowball? Put it on the ground and push it, or roll it down a hill. Now it’s a different story. That’s why ideas and solutions “snowball” as they grow and pick up momentum.

Remember the “Good turn to somebody every day”? If we could get everyone in our wider community to be intentional about doing a good deed for somebody else, every day, our attitudes would be different and our society would be changed.

Gospel Reading

In today’s gospel reading we heard Jesus teaching the people about the Kingdom of God by using the example of a mustard seed.  Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds, it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter.” (Mark 4:30-32 - NLT)  

Imagine that, the Kingdom of God starts out tiny. Insignificant. Hard to notice.

Like a looney, or a toonie, or a $5 bill.

Like a snowball.

Like a single good deed or a random act of kindness.

Until it grows. Until its effect ripples out. Until others join in. Until suddenly, it’s not so small anymore.

Until, “it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter.”

Reassurance & Challenge

In a world which can be so overwhelming at times, Jesus reminds us that small things count. There’s no such thing as too small to matter. $5! A piece of litter picked up along the street. A hug. Two words, “I’m sorry.” A glass of water.

No small thing is not worth doing, as we strive to follow Jesus’ example any way we can. And I truly believe that mustard seed by mustard seed, our faith will grow and our world will be changed.

Things to try:

1. Do a good deed for somebody else every day this week.

2. When did something small done for you, or to you, teach you about following Jesus?

3. Say this simple prayer, “God bless ” for someone each day this week.

AMEN.