From Humble Beginnings!

Build Connection

Would you rather have three million dollars or 1 penny that is doubled every day for 30 days?

a penny doubled everyday will give you $5,368,709.12 by the end of November.

Create Tension

I want to look at why small beginnings are so important!

Provide Solution

Jesus' teaching moment about Kingdom principles to questioning crowds

Luke 13:18–21

“18 Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? 19 It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.” 20 He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? 21 It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.””

The Mustard Seed Miracle —

The mustard tree does not grow into a tree as we think, it is a garden plant and the illustration is about comparison. The smallest garden seed grows into the largest garden plant.

Matthew 13:32 “32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.””

Most of you may not know who Edward Kimball was, most don’t. He was a Sunday School teacher of young boys. He desired for those boys to have a relationship with Jesus, he even went to one young boy’s workplace to talk to him about Jesus, that boy, was Dwight L. Moody. Moody gave his life to Jesus and became an evalgelist.

Moody became an evangelist and reached two continents and thousands for Jesus. Through his ministry, another man Wilbur Chapman became an evangelist and reached thousands for Jesus. In one of Chapman’s events, a man name Billy Sunday, a professional baseball player attended and gave his life to Jesus, eventually Billy started his own evangelistic ministry.

Through Sunday’s evangelistic crusades, another man, Mordecai Ham was saved.

When Ham came to Charlotte, North Carolina, a sandy-haired, lanky young man, then in high school, vowed that he wouldn’t go hear him preach, but Billy Frank, as he was called by his family, did eventually go. Ham announced that he knew for a fact that a house of ill repute was located across the street from the local high school and that male students were skipping lunch to visit the house across the street. When students decided to go to interrupt the meetings of Mordecai Ham, Billy Frank decided to go see what would happen.

Billy was intrigued by what he heard so he came back the next night with a friend. But there wasn’t any avaliable seats so they decided to leave, but there was an usher who made room for them. That night Billy Frank, who we know as Billy Gharam, gave his life to Jesus.

You never know how the little things you do will impact the world.

Edward Kimball didn’t know how many people would be impacted because of his faithfulness in teaching these young boys.

That unknown usher at a Mordecai Ham crusade didn’t know the impact his simple service would have on the world at large!

Small beginnings doesn’t mean small endings!

The Mustard seed illustration is about

Unseen growth!

The Yeast's Hidden Power —

If the parable of the mustard seed is about unseen growth the yeast is about Unknown Influence

Most scholars agree three measures is about 50-60 lbs of flour.

Sometimes it isn’t noticed right away, it isn’t until the bread gets heated that the growth is seen.

These Parables are about small steps that turn into something bigger!

Biblical Examples of Small Steps—

David defeats Goliath with five small stones and a sling,

widow's two copper coins has influenced every generation since

Boy's lunch fed thousands

Have you ever wondered what he was thinking as he was preparing that lunch?

- how God multiplies small obedience into mighty works

When we work through manipulation we distort God’s manifestation!

Modern Applications for Perseverance —

Practical examples:

consistent prayer,

faithful service,

regular giving,

daily Bible reading,

small acts of kindness

What ministry is God calling you to? Or to start?

1 Corinthians 3:6 “6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.”

Encourage Change

You can count the apples on a tree, but only God knows the number of apples in a seed!

Personal reflection question: "What small step is God asking you to do?”