Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 13:18-30

 

! Introduction

            Those of you who are 30 years old and older will remember the American diplomats who were imprisoned in Iran for over a year.

In January 1981, they were released.

As a symbol of welcome home, many people carried out the words of the song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree” and everywhere these diplomats went for the first few days, they saw yellow ribbons.

Since that time, the idea of using ribbons to symbolize support for people, groups or ideas has grown.

For example, yellow ribbons are used today by a group to symbolize support for suicide prevention.

The city of Edmonton is using a yellow ribbon campaign to support military personnel and their families.

There are hundreds of other ribbon campaigns of every colour.

What began as a song and was used as a symbol for a special event has grown into an accepted movement that pervades our society and is understood by many people.

Not every movement is as successful.

How many of you remember OokPik?

The very first Ookpik was made by Jeannie Snowball, at the Fort Chimo Eskimo Cooperative in Quebec.

In 1963, Ookpik was put on display at a large trade fair in the United States and caught on for a while, but that movement disappeared, and never really went anywhere.

We have been studying Jesus and what happened when he came to earth.

He did amazing things.

Two weeks ago, we saw how Jesus demonstrated power over nature, demons, illness and even life.

People saw the power of Jesus and began to wonder what His movement would bring.

Following the healing of a woman with a physical deformity on a Sabbath, in Luke 13:1-17, this issue was raised by Jesus.

He explained the nature of the movement he was involved in.

He talked about the kingdom of God and how the kingdom of God would come.

The phrase “kingdom of God” appears 4 times in Matthew, 14 times in Mark and 31 times in Luke.

It is evident that this concept is an important one in Luke and so we need to take some time to study the kingdom of God.

As we think about the kingdom of God, another question is raised in this passage which we also  need to think about and that is the question, “Am I a part of the kingdom of God?”

!

I.

The Kingdom Of God! 13:18-21

What is the kingdom of God?

Is it a kingdom present here and now?

Is it a kingdom we are waiting for?

How is the kingdom of God coming into the world?

!! A. What The Text Says 18-21

            Jesus answers these questions using two parables in Luke 13:18-21.

In the first parable, he talks about a mustard seed.

He describes it as one of the smallest of all seeds, but he goes on to describe the large plant that comes out of this small seed.

Most commentators agree that he was likely talking about black mustard, which is a very small seed and grows to a bush about 4 ft.

and even up to 9 feet high.

What he says about the mustard seed is this truly amazing thing about plant growth that such a small seed slowly and steadily grows to a large plant.

The second parable is about yeast.

In those days, they did not have Fleishman’s yeast in small packages that they could buy at the grocery store.

What they had was a small piece of dough that had the fermentation that causes it to rise in it.

They would put this small piece of dough in a new mixture of flour and water and other ingredients and the fermented dough would multiply throughout the dough and the whole mixture would then rise and make a nice bread.

For the purpose of his illustration, Jesus speaks about a large amount of dough.

NIV simply translates it as such, but in fact the original actually has 3 satas of flour.

This is quite a large amount, about 22 liters or ½ a bushel of flour.

Jesus illustrates by drawing the picture of a woman mixing the dough and letting it rise as the yeast permeates the whole mixture.

With these two illustrations, Jesus was describing what the kingdom of God is like.

What are the lessons we are to learn about the kingdom of God?

The first lesson was important for the Jews whose history of expectation was that God’s kingdom would suddenly burst on the scene and take over the kingdoms of this world.

Jesus’ parables indicate that this is not how it would be.

Although he was doing amazing things, his movement would not rapidly mushroom to a violent confrontation which God would win.

Rather, the beginnings of the kingdom of God would be inauspiciousness.

As the kingdom of God has unfolded, we can see how that proved to be the way it was.

What Jesus did when he was on earth hardly made a noticeable impact on the known world.

What he was doing was occurring quietly in a small corner of the world.

Few in Rome knew about what was going on.

When Jesus died on the cross, it appeared to be the end of his movement, but it was simply further evidence that his movement would begin small - like a mustard seed.

We need to know this because sometimes we get discouraged and wonder, where is the great victory of God’s kingdom in this world.

It continues to be small, hardly noticed by the great nations of the world, certainly not having an evident and powerful presence in the affairs of the nations.

But smallness is only the beginning point of what Jesus was saying.

The parable also illustrates the gradual growth of the kingdom of God in this world.

A mustard seed grows imperceptibly day by day, first breaking through the ground to become visible and then daily adding leaves and growing larger each day in such a way that we hardly notice it.

But are always amazed that what was not there a few weeks ago is now several inches high.

So also, imperceptibly and gradually, the yeast permeates the lump of dough.

Something is always happening.

This is something that we can see has already begun to happen in the kingdom of God.

It would have been hard to see after Jesus died and especially after Jesus ascended into heaven and the disciples were gathered quietly and silently in Jerusalem.

But since the day of Pentecost, the kingdom has been growing mightily.

As Philip went into Gentile territory and Paul moved beyond the Middle East into Asia and Europe, God’s kingdom grew and continues to grow.

Every time we hear missionary reports about conversions in remote places in the world, every time someone becomes a follower of Christ in our neighbourhood, we rejoice to see the kingdom of God gradually and steadily growing.

Reports which reveal the worldwide extent of the kingdom of God are an encouraging indication of how God’s kingdom is permeating the entire world.

The third point of the parables is that what begins small and grows imperceptibly and gradually will one day permeate the entire world.

This is the promise of hope.

This is the amazing thing that God is going to do in a complete way when Jesus comes again.

As we read the prophetic passages of Scripture - Matthew 24, Luke 21 and the book of Revelation, we have a glimpse of what we are looking for.

As Jesus humbly taught and healed the people, inviting them into the kingdom, he represented the mustard seed and the small amount of yeast.

But there is a different picture of Jesus in Revelation 19 in which he is riding on a white horse with the identification, “King of Kings and lord of Lords.”

That is a very different picture, representing the final end of this parable, and the final consummation of the kingdom of God.

One writer speaks the words which encourage us out of these parables when he says, “Don’t be troubled by your ordinary life today.

Faithfully follow Jesus.

At history’s finish line, you will be a champion.”

!! B. What Other Passages Teach

            Before we go on to ask the other question raised in this passage, let us take a brief look at some of the other passages in Luke which speak of the kingdom of God.

One of the questions which has often been debated is the question, “where is the kingdom, is it present with us now, or is it entirely yet to come?” Jesus answered this question and helps us understand a little more about the kingdom of God.

In Luke 17:20-21 we read, “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

In other words, as Paul W. Harrison says, “Wherever God rules over the human heart as King, there is the kingdom of God established.”

But when Jesus was having the last supper with his disciples, we also read in Luke 22:18, “For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

This has been confusing for many people, but it should not confuse us.

If we look carefully at all of these teachings, and also the parables we looked at today, we will realize that God’s kingdom is slowly growing now as people turn to Him and allow Him to reign in their hearts.

At the same time, we look forward to the day when God’s kingdom will come with power and He will reign over all.

The kingdom of God is a movement.

One which began slowly in Jesus’ day, which is continuing to grow today and which will be complete when Jesus returns.

!

II.

Who Will Get In?

So as the people of Jesus day observed the miracles of Jesus and heard his teaching, many began to wonder if this was the kingdom of God present among them.

As we have seen, Jesus explained that His kingdom would slowly grow in this world until the day when it finally came in completeness.

As Jesus presented this reality, another question began to form in the minds of the people and may well form in our mind.

The question, and it is an important question, of who will be in that kingdom.

Because the kingdom comes so quietly and gradually at this time, there are many who miss its coming.

There was a Jewish debate about the coming kingdom of God.

People had read the prophets and were aware that because of unbelief, many would not be a part of the kingdom.