Gluten-Free Christianity?

Intro:

What are parables?

Parable about growth: sower, weeds, mustard seed, leaven

What is the Kingdom like?

Just like us, the people of the Bible had certain assumptions about the way God should work in the world. Most of the time, Jesus obliterated their expectations. The same is true today. We must pay attention to how God works and how God says that he will work in the world.

The Parable of The Leaven:

(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.”

[From Luke] 20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God…? ( (ESV)

What is Leaven?

Leaven is a small ingredient (yeast, baking soda, etc.) that causes the dough in bread to rise, making the bread fluffy, lights, and delicious.

It causes the sugars to ferment and release carbon dioxide, which makes air pockets that raise the bread.

Ultimately, the leaven’s striking illustration is its massive influence. The smallest bit of leaven ends up leavening the whole lump of dough.

Influence, that’s the way the illustration is typically used in scripture.

Influence:

[This isn’t what I believe this tex to be referring to, but leaven often represents a wicked influence]

(ESV)

15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

Legalism and sensuality

(ESV)

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy ( (ESV).

12 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy

(ESV)

11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

It’s usually the things that seem small that have such an oversized influence.

Pornography, lying, anger, bitterness (ladies at coffee shop yesterday), apathy.

(ESV)

7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Influence:

Speaking of Passover, this is where this metaphor extends through the whole Bible.

As the Israelites were running away from Egypt, they were commanded not to leaven their bread.

They were not to take with them the influence of Egypt - their gods, customs, sins, etc.

You would leaven your bread from a starter batch of dough that you would keep in your house. The old starter batch was from Egypt - they didn’t need that influence anymore.

God’s way of growth/blessing:

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

Why 3 measures of flour?

Hearing that line would be like a “call-back” in a movie. [The Jaws shark theme - the sounds make you think of the shark]

The 3 measures would have made the listeners think of .

Sarah makes a feast for the Lord — The Lord blesses here and promises her a son. She laughs — He becomes a great nation and also through Abraham comes Christ. This is the way leaven works.

3 Measures = 1 Ephah = 1 Bushel — 80 pounds of flour

Positive Influence and Growth:

What is God’s kingdom like? Well, it’s like leaven.

Small things in God’s world make a massive difference.

Massive wars have come and gone — nations rise and fall — but the Christian gospel has marched on. Stead faithfulness. Small churches. The preaching of God’s word. Parents discipling children.

Jesus came into the world as a baby in a manger.

He discipled 12 men who flipped the world upside down ().

Mom giving her daughter the family starter batch of dough.

What are you giving to your family?

What intentional things - even if they are small - are you doing to leaven your families?

As a Church:

The Leaven of God’s word

Leaven of Pharisees and Herod -

I remember Gabe investing in me. I remember reading Desiring God in college

Leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy -

Men’s Group

Investing in neighbors

The leaven needs to be mixed into the dough. Often heat is applied.

You build a cathedral one brick at a time — steady faithfulness.

Conclusion / Communion:

The leavened bread of pentecost — The fermented and changed loaf. The good and glorious influence of God.

The peace offerings of thanksgiving, the offering required leavened bread ( cf. )

A new creation in the Lord

(ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.