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 seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." (Mark 4:30-31)

This is nearly identical to the parable in Matthew. Mark then writes, "With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. "

With that the gospel speeds on to Jesus calming the storm, healing a demon-possessed man, raising a dead girl, and much more. Mark's Jesus is an action hero.

Many scholars argue that the miracle stories are also expressions of the kingdom drawing near. In the person of Jesus the fullness of the kingdom is made present. With one foot in this kingdom and another in God's kingdom he drew them together.

Jesus is a walking parable - parabole or placing one thing beside another - in his life we can perceive how each of us also stretch across both realities. Less commonly parabole means to act in a way that exposes oneself or possessions to danger: a venture, a risk.

Jesus chose to risk a reconciliation of the two kingdoms. Such is the calling of anyone who seeks to follow Jesus.