From a Seed to a Shelter

George Müller: One rented house, 30 children

In 1836, George Müller had a burden for the orphaned children of Bristol, England. He wasn't beginning with a great institution, a large endowment, or an impressive campus.

He rented No. 6 Wilson Street, a house in which he himself had been living. Müller furnished it with room for just 30 children. On April 11, 1836, the first children began arriving, and within weeks 26 girls were living there. We know these details particularly well because Müller recorded them himself.

But the little work began to grow.

Another house opened. Then another. Eventually Müller moved the ministry to Ashley Down, where five large orphan houses were constructed. By 1870, 1,722 children were living in the five homes at one time, with capacity for more than 2,000.

And Müller wasn't merely trying to build an institution. He wanted the ministry to demonstrate that God could be trusted. His work became known throughout the Christian world as an extraordinary testimony to prayer and God's provision.

Imagine standing in front of that rented house in Bristol in 1836. Thirty little beds. A handful of children. One man with a burden and faith that God would provide.

If you had looked at it then, you might have said, "That's nice—but it isn't very much."

But you would have been looking at the seed.

You couldn't yet see the branches.

And that's exactly what Jesus is telling us about the Kingdom of God.

Little is much if God is in it.

Listen this morning to what Jesus tells us about the Kingdom of God.

Let’s stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Mark 4:30-32

Mark 4:30–32 NKJV

30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Never measure what God is doing merely by the size of what you can presently see.

We see the seed. God already sees the branches.

Let’s pray.

Prayer

Message

Last Sunday we looked at the parable of the growing seed. Jesus emphasized that the kingdom grows from the mysterious and unforeseen power of God.

This morning we will discover as we study the parable of the Mustard seed that the kingdom of God will become something astonishingly great from very humble beginnings.

There are some things in life that you would never believe could become what they became if all you saw was the beginning.

Ill. Walt Disney's Florida Dream

After Disneyland opened in California in 1955, Walt Disney was pleased with its success, but he was frustrated by something he could no longer control: he had not purchased enough surrounding land. He had bought 160 acres in Anaheim California. Hotels, restaurants, signs, and businesses sprang up around Disneyland. So when he began dreaming about something larger in the East, he determined that this time he would buy enough land to control the environment and leave room for dreams he had not even dreamed yet.

Disney's team searched the eastern United States and eventually settled on Central Florida. Walt liked the climate, the growing tourism industry, and especially the accessibility created by major highways. Much of the property was undeveloped—scrub pine, cattle land, wetlands, cypress groves and swampy terrain.

And here's where the story gets good.

Beginning in the mid-1960s, Disney representatives secretly began purchasing the property through various companies because Walt knew that if landowners discovered Disney was behind the purchases, land prices would skyrocket. Eventually they assembled roughly 27,500 acres—about 43 square miles, approximately twice the size of Manhattan.

One family involved in selling more than 12,000 acres later recalled that the property contained so much wetland they weren't certain anyone would ever want it. Yet Walt could look at undesirable land and imagine what could be there.

Other people saw swampland. Walt Disney saw a kingdom.

The beginning was remarkably small compared with today

Walt died in December 1966, almost five years before the resort opened. His brother Roy came out of retirement to see Walt's dream completed.

On October 1, 1971, Walt Disney World opened. Despite those enormous 27,500 acres, the opening consisted principally of:

Magic Kingdom

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

plus golf courses, lakes, lagoons and recreational facilities; opened shortly thereafter. Fort Wilderness

Interestingly, Disney had announced additional hotels—including Asian, Venetian and Persian themed resorts—but those original concepts were never built.

Twenty-seven thousand acres—and they began with one theme park and two hotels.

The visitor standing there in 1971 could not see EPCOT. There was no Hollywood Studios. No Animal Kingdom. No enormous collection of resorts and attractions and water parks that would eventually cover the property.

They could only see what had begun.

And perhaps that is precisely the point Jesus is making about His Kingdom. Never judge the ultimate size of God's work by the size of its beginning.

Jesus began with a handful of disciples in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire. No buildings. No political power. No army. No worldwide organization.

Just a Seed.

Yet Jesus knew what was contained within that Seed.

Mark 4:33–34 “33 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.”

Jesus used the parables as His primary means of teaching His truth.

Jesus uses the example of a mustard seed to explain the nature of the Kingdom of God.

Now, can’t you imagine that those disciples may have been surprised when He used a mustard seed to explain His Kingdom. As a group of men that had been looking for a Messiah with earthly power to bring Israel back to its glory days under Solomon and to remove them from Roman rule. I imagine they would have thought of many different illustrations.

Lord, why don’t you use a mighty mountain as an example that reveals all your glory, power and majesty of you overcoming Caesar’s mighty empire? Lord, have you considered using a mighty river that cuts its ways through all the struggles of the present world and overcomes the armies, the palaces, the governments and earthly powers in place? Or Lord, why don’t you use the illustration of a mighty oak or a mighty cypress tree that towers above and provides, shade, shelter and protection to all. I imagine the Lord caught them off guard when He mentioned a mustard seed.

Jesus uses the example of a tiny mustard seed to make His point.

1. How the Kingdom Begins V. 31

Mark 4:31 “31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;”

Even though the mustard seed is not the smallest seed known to man, in Jesus’ day it was the smallest seed planted in the garden.

Picture of Mustard Seed

The mustard seed Jesus' audience likely knew was commonly identified with black mustard (Brassica nigra), which grew abundantly in the region.

A quite unimpressive example.

A typical black mustard seed is only about 1–2 millimeters in diameter. That means:

It is roughly . the size of the head of a pin

A number of them could sit comfortably on the face of an American dime.

Individual seeds are so small that one can easily disappear between your fingers or become lost in a handful of soil.

Yet the mature plant could grow dramatically larger than the seed—often several feet tall and, under favorable conditions, sometimes approaching . 8–10 feet

When Jesus calls it “smaller than all the seeds on earth” (Mark 4:31), He is speaking in the familiar, proverbial/agricultural language of His audience. The mustard seed was not botanically the smallest seed existing anywhere in the world. Rather, it was proverbial in Jewish culture for something exceedingly small.

Jesus compared the kingdom of God to that little seed. The fact is in that day, no one thought anything would come of the ministry of the Lord Jesus. People could see the tiny seed but by no means had the vision to see the large shrubbery plant.

Jesus was born of humble means, born in poverty and born in a tiny town in Bethlehem.

He was raised in Galilee and no one thought that any prophet of substance could rise from that region.

John 7:52 “52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.””

Remember what Nathanael said about Nazareth?

John 1:46 “46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.””

Jesus had no family prominence, no money, and He especially had no support from the religious leaders of the day.

Jesus never commanded an army, occupied a palace, and never held a political office.

Jesus was considered to be a nobody from nowhere that would amount to nothing.

And then let's talk about His followers, they were the bottom of the social sphere of the day, tax collectors, fisherman, revolutionaries, women, and a traitor.

Lets we not forget, His own people rejected Him.

God’s Word in Isaiah reminds us that “He was despised and rejected by men.”

The Romans nailed Him to a cross and buried Hm in a tomb.

Yes, His followers preached His message of the resurrection, but most people ignored the message and considered the Way a group of crazy people that would follow a dead man.

And, the Lord’s message was a tough message to take in. For some today its a hard pill to swallow. Let’s think about it for a moment:

Jesus said to gain you must give away. He told the people to love their enemies. He counseled men to turn the other cheek. He shared to walk the second mile; and success was measured through servanthood to others.

The Kingdom of our Lord was as a tiny mustard seed in its beginnings. No one had the vision to see what that tiny seed that Jesus was sowing would become!

Oh listen, there are still many today that mock Jesus and make fun of His claims to be God in the flesh and the only Savior of men. There are many that do not believe Jesus rose from the dead and many deny that He ever existed.

Here is the reality:

God sent His Son into the world, His only begotten Son. He planted Jesus in the most obscure place under Roman providence in a place called Israel.

He was all God and all man. He grew up there, He lived there and He died there. But rose again in that obscure place. And the Kingdom He founded by His death and resurrection continues to thrive today! So, that is How the Kingdom Begins.

Let’s look for a moment as to How the Kingdom Builds.

2. How the Kingdom Builds V. 32a

Mark 4:32 “32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.””

So, when the tiny mustard seed is planted in good soil, it germinates and produces a very large shrub-like tree that has had times it grows as much as 10 feet in height. A seed so small, with such humble beginnings, can become something that is truly amazing to behold.

This is the picture of the Kingdom of God. When the seed was planted in Israel the prospects for success seemed limited to say the least.

In the beginning was Jesus and a few ragtag followers. When the Day of Pentecost rolled around, there were still 120 devoted followers of the Lord. Acts 1:15.

Acts 1:15 “15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,”

On the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit breathed spiritual life into the people, something truly amazing took place. About 3,000 people came to know Christ!

Acts 2:41 “41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”

Very shortly thereafter, 5,000 more were added to the Kingdom of God! Yes, you heard me right!

Acts 4:4 “4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

From that point on the church grew in astounding rates. It wasn’t many days that the church in Jerusalem numbered some 50,000 people!

Oh my goodness, then Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Cephas, and Apollos, Aquilla and Priscilla and too many names to mention began sharing the gospel and the building of churches and the Word spread over the Gentile nations.

Oh dearly beloved, today there are somewhere between 2.3 and 2.6 billion people around the world identify themselves with the Christian faith.

Christian hospitals, churches, institutions of higher learning, missions, children’s homes, and the list goes on.

Everywhere the gospel seed has been presented, souls have been saved and lives changed. And the Kingdom of God expands with each passing day.

Oh listen church, there is coming a day as spelled out in Rev. 7:9.

Revelation 7:9 “9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”

Philippians 2:9–11 “9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

God has a way of bringing great things out of humble beginnings.

King David-One of eight boys when Samuel came to visit the home of Jesse to ordain him the future king. He was not even initially thought of from his father to be the one Samuel would be looking for. He was tending sheep out in the pasture and God chose David. And...he made him King and a Giant slayer!

Now, let’s bring this home to you today. How does all of this fit in your life? If you are a child of God today you have mustard seed beginnings as well!

According to God’s Word, you were a sinner.

Romans 3:10–18 “10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” 13 “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways; 17 And the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.””

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Oh listen, you were dead in your trespasses and sin.

Ephesians 2:1 “1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,”

And according to God’s Word, you were on a one way track to hell if something did not change.

Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 3:18 “18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:36 “36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.””

Dottie Rambo He Looked Beyond my Faults

Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise For it was grace that bought my Liberty I do not know just why he came to love me so He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs And I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary To view the cross where Jesus died for me How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs

Oh the Good News! God, in His grace, looked beyond what you were to see what you could become through His grace. He saved you, planted you in Jesus and now your life is bearing fruit and offers a radiance for the Lord! Amen?

Oh listen dear brother or sister, God can take someone who seems insignificant and make something great out of them. Winston Church Hill was a little read headed boy no one wanted on their team.

Moses was a backwards, stuttering man that God used to bring the law to humanity. And, he took an awkward shy shoe salesman and use him to shake the world for the gospel of Jesus. He did that with D. L. Moody.

The question for you this morning is what can he do with your life?

3. How the Kingdom Blesses V. 32b

Oh this tiny mustard seed grew into a very large plant. The canopy of the tree spread and it created a haven or rest for the birds. Within the density of the plant the birds found shelter from the storms; rest from weariness and shade from the heat of the sun.

Just as the birds have found great benefit as they flocked to its shelter, so have those that are lost that have turned to Jesus and flocked to the Kingdom of God.

Everywhere the Gospel has been planted and germinated, compassion, decency, and morality have sprung up. Truth and salvation have been proclaimed and lives have been changed.

Oh my goodness church, everywhere the Kingdom of God has germinated, planted, and matured, the destruction of demonism, cannibalism, polygamy, child sacrifice and thousands of other evils have diminished. The spread of the Gospel has built orphanages for the fatherless and homes for the homeless.

The Gospel has reached out to comfort the bereaved, cared for the infirmed, and cure the sick. The Gospel has changed individuals, communities, and yes, nations.

When the Kingdom of God moves in, Satan and his appearance moves out. The Kingdom of God may have humble beginnings, but God has used it to accomplish great things, and I pray its personal. I pray He has accomplished great things in you.

Oh dearly beloved, just as those birds received shelter, those who come to Jesus find more blessings than they can imagine.

Invitation

Where are you today? Do you feel insignificant and lost out in right field over some poor choices? We call that sin. Maybe you feel as if your life is going no where and you are not finding joy in life.

I remind you that Jesus brings:

The Sermon Notebook: New Testament The Message of the Mighty Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30–34)

A shelter from the storms of life,

I thank god for the blessings we find in Jesus! I am thankful for how His grace came down and received me in my sin and offered me newness of life and He can do the same for you.

Dearly beloved, I am glad that Jesus drew me into His place of rest and He wants to do the same for you. You have a place in Jesus.

Conc: What is the message of the Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God may have humble beginnings, but it will continue to expand and grow and offer a universal impact in this lost and dying world.

The message for us today:

God can take something so small and insignificant and transform it into something very special. Have you ever allowed Him to enter your heart and transform your life into something special?

He does that by our asking. We ask Him to cleanse us of our sins, that we want to rest in the loving arms of Jesus and He makes us something special because of what He did on Calvary’s cross to paying the price of our sins and we then are made righteous in Him. He wants to do that for you today.

For those of us this morning that are a child of God, take your life and present it before the Lord today. He can take your life and use it in ways you would never believe. Give Him your life and watch Him work!

Lost person today, give Him your life and watch Him work!

Let’s pray.