Small Kingdom Acts

Seek Ye First

The last time we visited this parable together we looked at Matthew 13’s version and focused primarily on the Mustard seed. We talked about how little things like a mustard seed can grow into large bushes where birds can find shelter and and the leaves provide food. Small kingdom acts can have a huge impact.

Today we are looking at the kingdom more from the yeast perspective. A little bit goes a long way. As we think on this parable it is important, that we think of it in terms of God’s kingdom acts he calls us too, as the yeast and the communities outside the four walls as the flour or dough. It is also important to recognize any growth that arises is a work of God.

Matthew 6:33 NLT

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Today as we seek the small Kingdom act God is calling us to, lets remember little is much when God is in it. Growth is God the gardeners responsibility. We need to be faithful to plant the seed, and add the yeast. What small kingdom act is God calling us to today? May we be a people today who faithfully plant the seed and add the yeast, so the work of the Kingdom can rise among us.

Mustard Seed

Jesus liked using gardening parables to illustrate what the Kingdom of God is like. Last week we talked about the parable of the fig tree and were reminded that the Holy Spirit is the gardener in us making us the fruit bearing fig tree he desires. Today is no different God is the gardener. Mark 4 tells a parable of the growing seed and it aptly describes our role in the process.

Mark 4:26–29 NRSV

26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

God is responsible for growing the Kingdom. We are responsible to faithfully plant.

* Small seed big Kingdom impact

Invasive (Leviticus 19:19, Deut 22:9)

Kingdoms in the OT are often described as trees (Ezek 31:3-6, Dan 4)

The Kingdom of God is like a small mustard seed that man planted , that becomes an invasive bush that can overtake a garden, and provide shelter, refuge and food.

The Parable of the Yeast

Chapter 12 of Luke Jesus talks about the yeast of the Pharisees and tells his disciples to avoid the yeast of the pharisees. Yeast here is the sin of the Pharisees.

One chapter later he is using yeast to describe the Kingdom of God.

The point to the parable of the yeast is that just as a little leaven causes the whole loaf of bread to rise, the same is true for the Kingdom of God. The kingdom will infiltrate and influence the entire community. We’ve heard the word super spreader event, that’s how invasive God’s kingdom work should be.

Yeast Packet

Matthew 5:13–16 NRSV

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Think of the 4 walls and doors of this building as a yeast packet, and think of us sitting here today as the yeast. What good is this yeast packet if the doors remain closed, to birds seeking refuge in the branches of the kingdom? What good is the yeast if we don’t add it to the flour of the communities we live?

What does all this mean for us?

First the church board, those who lead ministry here and all of us should breathe a sigh of relief. God the gardener is responsible for the growth of the kingdom. That does not mean we are absolved from doing our part.

It is our responsibility to make sure our yeast packet is open. It is our responsibility that the church God’s kingdom, his mustard tree is a place that all sinners are just as welcome as you were. When we take active steps to keep one group of sinners out, we effectively close the yeast packet. We become scarecrows in God’s garden scaring others away from the very grace they need in their lives. As a result like the fig tree we cease barring fruit.

Before we can discern what small kingdom act God is calling us to we must ask ourselves what group of sinners have we deemed not worthy enough to enter God’s mustard tree?

When I was a kid and churches were certainly more full now than they are today. Churches opened their doors and hosted things like AA meetings providing a way for that group of sinner to find shelter and more importantly God’s grace. Through that small kingdom act God grew the kingdom.

The two questions we have to wrestle with today as individuals and the collective church, are these: What group of sinner have and do we still block from finding shelter in the Kingdom of God? What small kingdom act is God calling us his yeast packet, sower of the mustard seed, to? Brothers and sisters we are called to be faithfully add the seed and the yeast and let God do the rest.