 “Jewels of the Kin-dom”
July 26, 2026
Rev. Rebecca Migliore
One summer when I was small, we spent time at a cabin near a lake in Vermont. And every evening, before going to bed, we cuddled together on the porch, looking out on the lake, and feeling the cool breeze. And my father read a portion of “The Hobbit” to my brother and me. If you have somehow missed the Tolkien universe—it is all about hobbits and faeries and dwarves and orcs and a dragon called Smog. And Smog had this treasure of gold and precious jewels and trinkets of all kinds that he guards and protects and sleeps on.
Today I want you to imagine that you have snuck into Smog’s lair, and you are given the opportunity to take one jewel from his stash. What would it be? A diamond? A ruby? A sapphire? An emerald? A pearl? There is no right or wrong answer. But I bet that we would choose different jewels. Just so, teachers know that there are different ways of learning—some learn best by seeing, some by hearing, some by doing, some by memorizing, some by writing. It seems that Jesus understood this concept. And even gave us an example (in the parable of the sower) of how God spreads seed everywhere—extravagantly sharing the possibility of growth, not afraid to be lavish in the good news.
That’s how I see this group of five parables. This isn’t Jesus being redundant. He is approaching what he wants to say about the kin-dom of heaven with scenes from all kinds of walks of life—agricultural, maritime, baking, treasure seeking, business. One is sure to catch your attention. They all have a similar theme, though they may come at it from various points of view.
Before we take some time to contemplate these mini sermons, and what Jesus might have been saying to us through them, let’s remind ourselves of a few things about what Jesus in Matthew calls “the kin-dom of heaven.” In Mark and Luke it is called the kin-dom of God. Why the difference?
Well, we know that the gospel of Matthew has a thrust towards Jewish people (remember how Matthew uses that “for thus it was said in the prophets…”)—and the Jews (to this day) have such a reverence for the name of God, that they will not say “The Name”—but substitute a word, like Adonai, or Lord. Matthew uses heaven as a replacement for God, for who is the king of heaven?
This kin-dom of heaven is a central theme in Matthew, talking about God’s breaking into our world. Jesus says at the beginning of his ministry that “the kin-dom of heaven has come near” but we know that it has not yet been fully realized. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us about the values of the kin-dom (blessing those who often do not have value in world—like the poor). And throughout the gospel, Jesus talks about the kin-dom of heaven in parables, from this cluster in chapter 13 all the way to Matthew 25, with its judgement parables.
I’ve put questions on your tables again. And following our liberation theologian brothers and sisters, let’s talk with one another about them. First, I suggest that you take a minute to think about your own answers (writing down some quick thoughts if you wish), and then I invite you to find some people to talk with. Make sure each person gets to speak.
Questions for the five Parables of the Kin-dom: (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)—mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure, pearl, net
First Question: Which parable drew you in the most?
Second Question: What did you hear the parable saying to you today?
Third Question: What do you think Jesus was getting at in these parables?
(hidden nature—we can’t always see it, but it is there
joy it brings to those who find it
desire for it
willingness to give all to get it
wideness of the “net” (like the 5 parables and their life connections)
Fourth Question: What precious thing about the kin-dom are you going to hold onto?
Extravagant God, we are so thankful that you tell us the story of your love again and again and again. We want to hear about your kin-dom, your community, your breaking into our world. It is a surprise that you often stay hidden, waiting for us to find you, putting clues right in front of our noses, sending us God winks, teaching us kin-dom lessons. May we always have eyes to see, ears to hear, bodies to do, and hearts to feel you in our world. May the jewel of your presence, all around us, and within us, be something we cherish and desire above all else. And may it fuel us to work that much harder to be part of the kin-dom, living in its borders, and inviting others to join with us in partnership with the God of heaven and earth. May it be so, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for the five Parables of the Kin-dom: (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)—mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure, pearl, net
First Question: Which parable drew you in the most?
Second Question: What did you hear the parable saying to you today?
Third Question: What do you think Jesus was getting at in these parables?
Fourth Question: What precious thing about the kin-dom are you going to hold onto?
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