January 28, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 13:31-35
OBSERVATIONS
Jesus compares His message with a tiny seed, or with yeast, so small yet with so much potential.
The kingdom of God – God’s system of government in creation under God-like humans – seems weak, small, even pathetic compared to the power systems of this world.
As we join with Jesus in living God-like lives (with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc., the kind of fruit the Spirit of God produces in us), this world is quietly but certainly transformed.
We should not think that our ‘kingdom acts of kindness’ are wasted or useless, they penetrate and permeate the world around us, causing world-changing transformation in invisible yet significant ways.
You and I are capable of instigating a radical transformation in our communities, not by might nor by power but by His Spirit, and the fruit (life, character) of His Spirit.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
Jesus is not asking me to add a few good deeds to an otherwise self-centered life.
Jesus is challenging me to reorient my life around loving and serving others, to live my life like yeast, penetrating and permeating where I live, where I work, where I hang out.
I am a secret agent for the mustard seed conspiracy, my task each day is to engage in tiny, insignificant kingdom acts of kindness, confident that the Spirit is working through these tiny seeds to establish God’s kingdom.
Concretely, in every situation today I need to be on the lookout for ways of blessing the people around me – a smile, an encouraging word, a phone call, a helping hand, an unexpected gift, a surprise visit, an offer of assistance, a word of appreciation, a positive affirmation, an encouraging card…
These are not weak, pathetic, insignificant, unimportant, they are mustard seeds magnified by the Spirit of Jesus into world-changing, world-blessing events.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, change my thinking. Help me to see kingdom words and deeds with the huge significance that You did. And help me to go beyond thinking about it. Today, I want to do it!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
What made me think in your post was… the mustard seed and or yeast so small yet with so much potential. This is true.
I have a Cross with a Mustard seed. It reminds me of how amazing our God is. Matthew 17:20 He replied, Because you have faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible with God.
This is a great to know Our God can do anything. God can move mountains and make a way when there seems no way.
I was intrigued about the mustard seed as well, in that if I have the faith the size of a mustard seed I could move a mountain.
How so?
Well apparently a mustards sees, smalll as it is, can get caught in a cleft of rock and with very little purchase, set down roots into the crevasse. As the tree grows the roots keep on diving and spreading, until eventually the stability of the ediface is unsteady.
Can only imagine it, but with a lot of mustard trees who only knows.
The gardener in me always gets hung up on the idea of a mustard seed growing into a tree in this story – so I did some searching to see if there is added information about the context or time of the story that would help. I did not get much more clarity there, but did find it an interesting thought that one of the references, also talks about the parable of the sower. It says “As with the Parable of the Sower, which in Matthew and Mark occurs earlier in the same chapter, the man sowing the seed represents Jesus,and the plant is the Kingdom of God.”
I have always thought of the growth of the seeds as representing the way that God’s word, or kingdom message grows in individuals, but this seems to suggest more than that. That it is about how the kingdom itself grows in the community in which it is planted. Our western thought patterns tend to be individualized, but eastern thought is more communally focused. I wonder if that makes a difference in how I have traditionally interpreted these passages.
Observations:
The mustard seed and the yeast are one and the same parables. The Word of the Lord starts small and is unnoticeable and yet the results are beyond imagination. God’s Spirit at work throughout giving the increase = giving life, becoming life to all around – becoming a great influence – ‘feeding’ His creation, His people.
Application:
One man. Twelve disciples. ‘And the whole world knows – Jesus is Lord!’ Well almost. We still need to proclaim the Good News so that All may know and then He will return. God’s grace at work. God’s Spirit at work. GodPower. God’s creation. God’s world. God’s claim and recreation – all is His and will be His once again.
Prayer:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace so that the whole world may know, Christ Jesus is the Ruler – the King of kings.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.