Rev. Johnson V.
26th December 2010

Mathew 13:31-35 (KJV) “Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

Our Lord Jesus came to this earth to reveal the mysteries of God. He spoke in parables so that all could understand what He said and that none misunderstood. Our Lord is concerned about our wellbeing, the source of which is good-thinking. Our reaction to any situation is determined by our understanding of it. Our Lord spoke in parables so that we have a correct perspective to the things of God.

In the first part of the paragraph of scripture above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a mustard seed. The mustard seed is the smallest of seeds, but it has one peculiarity. While most seeds are a little hollow on the inside, the mustard seed does not have any hollow bits. It may be the smallest seed, but is compact and full, with no wastage. Our God expects our faith and our lives to be like that.

Seeds don’t grow on showcases. Seeds must be planted (buried) in the ground. It disappears beneath the surface of the soil for many days. What happens underground is invisible. In the same way, God will sow many things in us which may not be immediately visible to others. But it will slowly and surely take root in our hearts. The second thing to note about seeds is that the outer covering must come off in order for the inner core to germinate and grow. Similarly in us too, the outer man must perish in order for the inner man to come forth and grow. The third aspect is that one seed is enough to bring forth many plants. Though we are weak, our God can use the little that we have to reach others for His Glory. The devil will try and destroy the seed in our lives. We must protect the message that is planted in our hearts. And as a result of that, there will be growth. Where there is sincerity and faithfulness, the Kingdom of God will grow and advance. The mustard tree provided shelter for the birds of the air. When the Kingdom is established, we will become a blessing to society.

The second part of the parable begins in verse 33. Our Lord Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to a woman who kneads yeast (leaven) into dough (meal). So far, our Lord had likened the Kingdom of God to men who sowed seeds etc. But here He compared the Kingdom of God to a woman. The Israelites would have considered this blasphemy but in God’s sight, He created both men and women – they are both His creations. The Lord Jesus also compared the Kingdom of God to yeast. The Israelites did not use too much yeast. In fact they associated it with pagan rituals of the Egyptians. But the analogy is clear. When yeast is added to dough, it causes a change. In some instances it causes the dough to rise so much, that the lid that covered the dish is knocked off. The same is true about the Kingdom of God. When the Kingdom of God grows and when there is a revival, it will not be contained in the four walls of the church. It will literally take the roof off! In the same way, we are like little leaven added to the office where we work, or college where we study or family we belong to.

Our role as the Church and as stewards of our Father’s kingdom, is clear. Let us continually strive to ensure that Jesus is King in the places where we have some influence. The rest, He will do.