THE SMALLEST SEED
Matthew 13:31-33 Princeton Christian Church 30 October 2022
The Parable of the Mustard Seed is all about church growth. It speaks of the extent of church growth. We talked about leaven in another Parable message. Leaven speaks about the method of Church growth.
Jesus began small – as a baby – seemingly unimportant. He was, after all, born in a barn.
But Jesus grew into the leader of the greatest spiritual revival the world has even known.
This shouldn’t come as any surprise to us. God has a way of turning the commonplace into something sacred – very important – very vital.
We have experienced some very amazing events in our history. Think about this: The Wright Brothers had a dream that man could actually fly through the air. So, they went to work and designed what must have seemed to others to be impossible to fly. But these two brothers believed they could make it fly. And it did fly! For a very short distance.
But, it did fly.
Bring that forward to today. We are not only flying short distances. We are flying from one city to another and from one country to another – anywhere around this globe, we live. And, even further, we are flying to the moon and back.
All that happened because two men had a small seed in their minds that something huge could happen.
Jesus answers a question in this Parable, “How does God’s Kingdom grow?”
1. God’s Kingdom grows toward God’s goal – not man’s goal.
God wants a harvest. And the harvest He wants is the saving of Souls.
Souls who are without a Shepherd.
Matthew 9:36-38 tells us this: “Seeing the people He felt compassion on
them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a
shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but
the workers are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest to send
out workers into His harvest.”
God has created the world. He sustains the world. He sets the world in Order. His Kingdom grows according to His design.
2. God’s Kingdom Grows in Partnership With Mankind.
Someone has to sow the seed. Someone has to hide the leaven.
Mankind is left to do that.
It is His creation – Man – who must be working in partnership with God in order for growth to be accomplished.
But, even so, man does not do it all alone and with his own power.
But, God still depends upon His people to help to bring about the growth of His church.
3. God’s Kingdom grows by using that which is commonplace.
Again, leaven and seeds, He uses the elements of everyday life. He uses elements that are known and used and understood by those who listen to Him.
God does not rely on spectacular things to do His work.
Bigness is not important to Him.
Brass bands, flashing lights, and visual and audio mechanisms don’t impress God. He doesn’t, and we don’t need those things to bring people to a knowledge of Jesus Christ and what is required to become one of His followers.
Remember, He changed the world with the birth of a baby.
God uses ordinary people with their extraordinary influence to make
His Kingdom grow.
So, God’s Kingdom does experience success. But how? It does so
with power. But not an explosive, grand display of man-made power.
It is by a contagious power – like the leaven – like the mustard seed –
Transforming lives – changing lives.
That transforming power is like the blade of grass which can grow through the heavy, dense concrete in your sidewalk or driveway. It resists all that impossible weight to spring forth to produce growth.
We, in the world, in God’s Kingdom – can cause His Kingdom to grow
like that – penetrating into a hardened world – transforming life into a
powerful Kingdom.
Explosions leave destruction – but the work of the Kingdom is
Construction. Construction takes time, but it builds.
The purpose of the Church on earth is to know these:
1. God’s purpose is to rescue the lost.
2. His strategy is to work in partnership with those who believe in Him.
3. His materials are commonplace events and people.
4. His assistance is an unconquerable power.
This morning, have you joined the workforce? Have you made that first step of accepting Jesus Christ as Lord?
He wants each of us to be working in the building up of His church in Jesus Christ.
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