“What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?”
Luke 13:18 & 20 (NIV)
Luke provides us with the Reader’s Digest versions of two parables as Jesus asks this week’s questions. Jesus responds to his own, pondering questions about what the kingdom of God is like, first with an abbreviated parable of the mustard seed and then the yeast. In the case of the mustard seed, Jesus says: that the kingdom of God is “like a mustard seed that is planted in a garden. It grows and grows until it is a tree that birds can perch in” (Luke 13:19). Jesus asked a third pondering question, as if He is searching for a description that the crowd can understand. Answering Himself he says: “it’s like yeast that a woman adds flour until it is worked all through the dough” (Luke 13:21).
A mustard seed is very small, but in its life span it grows big and strong enough for birds to rest in its branches. The most common type of mustard can grow to be five feet tall, while some other varieties can, in the right conditions, grow to be twelve feet tall. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus tells his followers that if they have faith the size of a mustard seed, they will be able to move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Small things grow. The kingdom of God makes its entrance when Jesus comes into our world as a baby. It arrived in a small package, by the time Jesus was irritating the religious leaders of His time, He was also telling them that the kingdom was at hand. In other words, over his lifetime, it had grown and was nearer than when he arrived.
Yeast, though different, provides a similar result. Add a bit of yeast to some flour and a few other ingredients – think sugar and warm milk or water, to make a dough. Leave it to sit in a warm place and when you come back it looks like there is more dough than there was before. If the yeast is particularly good and well fed, you might come back to find that the dough has escaped the bowl. Jesus warned his disciples against the yeast of the Pharisees – well because they weren’t helping the kingdom grow at all. But the yeast of His words and actions was growing the kingdom and drawing it ever nearer.
The Apostles and the people who became believers while Jesus was here, planted the mustard seeds and mixed into the lives of others the yeast Jesus had left them with. From then until now the kingdom has been growing. It has more growing to do – before we see it in all its glorious fullness when the Lord returns and everything is new, and earthly kingdoms are done.
Today’s followers of Jesus are His church, like those who have gone before us, we have also received a portion of mustard seeds and yeast. We are called to love God and love others. Love others to the foot of the cross and the transforming mercy and grace offered to all who will believe. Are you planting the seeds you have been given? Is the kingdom growing where you have influence? Are you allowing the yeast of the bread of life to permeate your life so that your faith and trust in God is overflowing into the lives of those around you?
I always enjoy it when someone I know takes the time to bake fresh bread and then shares it. Sometimes I enjoy that bread with just butter. Sometimes, the bread is expanded into a sandwich, which I am happy to share if the other person likes mustard. Plant the seeds you’ve been called to plant. Use that yeast, while it still has life in it, to expand the His kingdom right where you are. You will grow and the Kingdom will get that much closer.
Let me know your thoughts. Know someone who might be encouraged by this – please share. I will be praying for you. Until next week – plant some kingdom seeds or bake some bread and share the kingdom that way.
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