Kingdom focused III
Notes
Transcript
As we continue on with our study in Matthew 13 we will be talking about two parables that represent Gospel Growth. These two very short parables were perhaps used to reach two different groups in the audience, Men and Women. Jesus uses two things that would have been familiar to both groups.
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
Here again we see how a parable uses something simple and known to teach a lesson. This would have been familiar to the people listening, and there were some probably in view of the crowd. We see Him using a seed again, but this one is different from the others he has used so far.
32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
The mustard seed is 1.0 mm in diameter. That’s pretty small, it is about the size of the end of a sharpened pencil. This seed one of the smallest seeds grows larger than any of the other garden plants, it becomes large enough the birds can nest in it. The mustard tree that Jesus is talking about can grow as large as 15’ tall. From this tiny seed grows something large enough to provide a place for birds to live. Well what does that represent. Remember we are talking about Gospel Growth. Again we can see Jesus as the one who plants the seed, this small seed represents the small humble beginnings of the church, of those who had a true saving relationship with Christ. Jesus took 12 ordinary not so significant people and completely changed the world. He took the small amount of faith that they had and watered it with the Holy Spirit and grew a tree with enough branches for all His children. Branches that reached all around the world. He is teaching us about God’s kingdom and it would include all nations.
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Now this next parable is very short only one sentence. Here Jesus uses the example of Leaven, which in Scripture it is mostly used in a negative way, but not here, Jesus uses it in a positive way. She puts leaven in three measures of flour, that is approximately 50 pounds enough to feed around 150 people. For some of you Leaven may be unfamiliar, so lets clarify. It is basically yeast that causes dough to rise. Now this actually works because the yeast or leaven causes pockets of gas to be formed which causes the dough to get larger. It only takes a small amount to have a widespread effect on the dough. Remember a little leaven, leavens the whole lump. We see again the small humble beginnings that has wide spread effects. Whether people accept the fact or not God’s influence is all over our world. Just as the leaven permeates all of the dough. Leaven is virtually invisible when mixed with flour, but its effects become evident as the dough expands.
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
Verses 34 and 34 conclude this section of teachings. The rest of Jesus public teachings were done in parables. Verse 35 gives us another reason Jesus spoke in parables. It was to fulfill prophecy. Remember Jesus came to fulfill not to abolish (Matthew 5:17). Here Psalm 78:2 is being quoted.
Kingdom Focused III
Kingdom Focused III
These two parables illustrate how the kingdom grows from seemingly insignificant beginnings to attain a greater size (mustard seed) or have more widespread influence (leaven than many would have ever expected. Are we contributing to this growth or are we being stagnate.