A Little Goes A Long Way

Series: What He Said: The Parables of Jesus

Matthew 13:33 ESV

33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Introduction

It’s Mother’s Day today, and we celebrate the women who have nurtured us, shaped us, and prayed us into who we are. Mothers—biological, spiritual, adoptive, aunties, and grandmothers—often do kingdom work in the kitchen, in the pew, in the nursery, or on their knees in prayer. And just like the kingdom of God, their influence isn’t always loud or flashy—but oh, it’s powerful.

Jesus tells a one-sentence parable:

“. . .The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Matthew 13 is known as the “Parable Chapter,” where Jesus teaches a series of stories to reveal the hidden nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. By the time we reach verse 33, Jesus has already described how the kingdom is received (like seed on different soils) and how it grows amid opposition (like wheat among weeds). Now, He shifts the focus to how the kingdom spreads—quietly, powerfully, and thoroughly.

Using the image of leaven hidden in flour, Jesus paints a picture that would have surprised His audience. Unlike the dramatic, military-style kingdom they expected, Jesus says the kingdom works like yeast in dough—slow, invisible, yet unstoppable.

In this one verse, He reveals a powerful truth: the influence of God’s reign may begin small, but it will permeate everything.

One verse. But one verse that changes everything. Jesus is showing us how the kingdom works—not with noise, but with leaven. Not with force, but with faithfulness.

And I believe this word today will encourage every mother, every believer, and every servant wondering if your quiet work matters.

Jesus says: It matters. Your influence matters. Your prayers matter. Your love matters. . .A Little Goes a Long Way.

Transition: What can a little leaven really do? What can a quiet life of faith really accomplish? Jesus answers that by showing us how the kingdom moves. Let’s look first at how the kingdom works.

The Kingdom Works Quietly but Powerfully

Jesus says the woman took leaven and hid it in the flour. Leaven doesn’t make a sound. You don’t hear it rising. You don’t see it working. But give it time—and everything changes.

That’s how God’s kingdom works. Not always in grand gestures or public platforms, but in quiet moments of obedience. It works in conversations over dinner. In whispered prayers in the midnight hour. In tears cried while no one else is watching.

Illustration: Think about a mother praying over her child’s bed. You may not see the result today, but the leaven is working. The Word she taught, the love she gave, the values she lived—that’s leaven.

Isaiah 55:11 ESV

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Application: Just because it’s quiet doesn’t mean it’s not powerful. Keep sowing. Keep serving. Keep showing up. The kingdom is rising.

Transition: But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He wants us to see not just the power of the leaven—but its reach. So here’s the second truth we see:

The Kingdom Begins Small but Grows Deep

Jesus says the leaven was placed in “three measures of flour.” Now don’t miss this—three measures wasn’t a pinch of dough. It was about sixty pounds of flour—enough to feed over a hundred people! That means this woman wasn’t just baking for herself—she was preparing something big. That’s kingdom work.

And that little bit of leaven? It affected all of it.

That’s how the kingdom grows. It starts small—a word, a prayer, a faithful act—and spreads wide. You may feel like what you’re doing doesn’t amount to much, but when God breathes on it, that “little” can feed generations.

But there’s more. When Jesus says “three measures of flour,” He’s not just making a culinary observation—He’s calling us back to the Scriptures. In Genesis 18:6, Abraham tells Sarah to take three measures of flour to prepare bread for divine visitors—none other than the LORD and His angels. That was the moment they announced the birth of Isaac—a miracle child and a sign of God’s covenant promise.

So what’s Jesus saying?

He’s saying the same God who worked quietly in Sarah’s tent is now working through the leaven of His kingdom. The same God who prepared a miracle behind the scenes is now transforming the world through ordinary acts of faith. And guess what? It started in a woman’s hands then, and it’s in a woman’s hands again here.

This woman in the parable isn’t just baking—she’s participating in something divine. And so are you.

Word Study: The Greek for “leaven” is zymē (ζύμη), meaning a fermenting agent—but also used metaphorically to describe influence. It can be positive or negative. Here, Jesus uses it positively to show how God’s reign grows from the inside out.

Zechariah 4:10 ESV

10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. “These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.”

Application: Mothers, your words matter. Fathers, your integrity matters. Saints, your presence in the community matters. Don’t measure your impact by size—measure it by faithfulness. Because when God adds His favor to your small step, it becomes a kingdom movement.

Transition: Now don’t miss this—Jesus is doing more than describing how something starts. He’s showing how it spreads. How it doesn’t just sit on the surface—it penetrates. This brings us to the third and final truth:

The Kingdom Transforms from the Inside Out

Leaven doesn’t stay on the surface. It goes deep. It works through. It gets into every part of the dough and changes its nature.

Jesus is saying the kingdom doesn’t just clean you up on the outside—it transforms you on the inside. It renews your mind, softens your heart, rearranges your priorities, and redirects your life.

Illustration: That’s what real influence looks like. That’s what a godly mother does—not just dressing a child in church clothes, but teaching them the faith. Not just demanding behavior—but showing how to love God and people from the inside.

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Application: Let the kingdom work in you so it can work through you. Don’t settle for surface religion. Ask God to go deeper. Let Him knead His love, His truth, and His Spirit into every part of your life—your home, your job, your relationships.

Transition: So what’s the point of it all? Why does Jesus tell this one-sentence story? Because He wants us to understand how God’s kingdom is at work—not just in history, but in you.

Conclusion

And that’s the story of some of our mothers, isn’t it? Never on the evening news… Never got awards… But they were leaven. They were kingdom carriers. They were holy influencers. They raised us, taught us, loved us, disciplined us, fed us, and prayed for us… until Christ was formed in us.

Don’t be discouraged today. Whether you're a mother, mentor, or simply a faithful Christian trying to live right—Jesus says: Your influence matters.

Because a little goes a long way.

Hooping Close

Can I tell you about another kind of leaven? He didn’t come in royal robes but was wrapped in swaddling cloth. He didn’t conquer by sword, but by sacrifice. He moved quietly for thirty years—then stepped onto the scene and the kingdom started rising.

They tried to stop Him, but the kingdom kept rising. They tried to silence Him, but the kingdom kept rising. They nailed Him to a cross, thinking the kingdom had ended… But early Sunday morning—when the stone rolled away— The leaven of heaven rose with all power in His hands!

And now the kingdom is still rising in homes, in hearts, in churches, in Peoria and beyond. Because when Jesus is in the mix—a little goes a long way!