The Mighty Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31–32

In the parable of the mustard seed there are three basic elements that stand out. First: the seed. Remember He says the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. And then He said it’s planted in the ground, it grows to be an herb, and then becomes a tree. So, the second thing: the tree. And then, third, He says, “And the birds, the fowls of the air, come and roost in the branches—the birds.”

I. The Power of the Seed:

a. Why did the Lord say that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed? Well, mustard is strong, it has bite, it has heat to it, it’s potent. Folks, the gospel has power. This is not a bland message that we preach. It’s full of fire, and zeal, and it’s the power of God unto salvation. This is an exciting gospel! And Jesus says in Verse 31 it’s the least of the seeds.

b. So, the first point of the parable is that in time even the smallest seed can grow into the largest of herb. Even though a thing may start from the smallest beginnings it may end up being something great! We may think that anything we can do for God is so small and insignificant, but those small things can be used mightily by God to bring about His purposes.

II. The Abnormal Tree:

a. Is it an herb or is it a tree? Herbs don’t become trees! A tree and an herb are different. God made them different (Genesis 1:11-12). So, something abnormal has happened – an herb has become a tree. Something’s wrong. This is a deviation. This is a monstrosity and what He is talking about is the development of abnormal Christianity.

b. In Daniel 4:20, Daniel had a vision of a great lofty tree, and in that tree the fowls were roosting in its branches. Daniel said that vision is a vision of a Babylonian kingdom; and Babylon, in the Bible is a symbol of false religion. Folks, the devil is not against religion, he loves religion. But it is false religion, something that is abnormal. This abnormal tree that Jesus told about is the final form of the false church that will be dominate in the last days. But none of this took Jesus by surprise.

III. The Birds Come Home to Roost:

a. These dirty birds are the devil’s demons, who take pleasure in false religion (Matthew 13:3-4, 19; Revelation 18:2) They represent the work of the devil to steal away the Word of God. People who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5); religious but lost; and worse than being religious but lost, who are energized by the power of the devil.

b. Jesus is saying there will come a Babylonish religion in opposition to the true religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And many will be religious but lost and caught up in this last day’s movement (1 Timothy 4:1). Dirty birds! That’s what the Bible says. None of this has taken God by surprise. Jesus is coming and all these things are just signs of the last days. False religion and all these weird cults, and these people who deny the Word of God and the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, they don’t disprove the Bible; they confirm it! It’s exactly as Jesus said it would be.