THE SEED OF HUMBLE BEGINNING
Whether you are building your personal Christian faith, starting a family, planting a local church, beginning worthwhile projects, or planning businesses; the parable of Jesus about the mustard seed is a very relevant message that can motivate and encourage you.
Mat 13:31 Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field.
Mat 13:32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nests in its branches." GNB
The mustard seed that the text mentioned here is exactly different from the mustard herb that we have in our vegetable garden today. Bible scholars describe the biblical mustard seed with more or less 12 feet high when grown and birds actually build their nest on it. But in spite of big potential, its seed is considered proverbially as the smallest in Palestine during the biblical time.
Jesus use the analogy of mustard seed to teach us the lesson that we should not despise the small beginning. That in fact, Jesus Himself chooses the path of humble start when He came to rescue the fallen mankind and birthed His church in this world. The parable of the mustard seed tells us three important lessons to encourage us to go on and give us a hope for our future.
I. THE SEED TELL US ABOUT THE CHURCH AND ITS GROWTH
The parable prefigures growth of the Church of God which is the kingdom of God on Earth from an insignificant and smallest beginning
Realizing the fact of history that the greatest things must always begin with the smallest beginnings, Barclay wrote the following commentary and four observations:
Jesus said that his Kingdom was like the mustard seed and its growth into a tree. The point is crystal clear. The Kingdom of Heaven starts from the smallest beginnings, but no man knows where it will end. In eastern language and in the Old Testament itself one of the commonest pictures of a great empire is the picture of a great tree, with the subject nations depicted as birds finding rest and shelter within its branches (Eze 31:6). This parable tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven begins very small but that in the end many nations will be gathered within it.
(1) An idea which may well change civilization begins with one man. In the British Empire it was William Wilberforce who was responsible for the freeing of the slaves. The idea of that liberation came to him when he read an exposure of the slave trade by Thomas Clarkson…An idea was sown in the mind of one man, and that idea changed life for hundreds of thousands of people. An idea must find a man willing to be possessed by it; but when it finds such a man an unstoppable tide begins to flow.
(2) A witness must begin with one man. Cecil Northcott tells in one of his books that a group of young people from many nations were discussing how the Christian gospel might be spread. They talked of propaganda, of literature, of all the ways of disseminating the gospel in the twentieth century. Then the girl from Africa spoke. "When we want to take Christianity to one of our villages," she said, "we don¡¦t send them books. We take a Christian family and send them to live in the village and they make the village Christian by living there." In a group or society, or school or factory, or shop or office, again and again it is the witness of one individual which brings in Christianity. The one man or woman set on fire for Christ is the person who kindles others.
(3) A reformation begins with one person. One of the great stories of the Christian Church is the story of Telemachus. He was a hermit of the desert, but something told him--the call of God--that he must go to Rome. He went. Rome was nominally Christian, but even in Christian Rome the gladiatorial games went on, in which men fought with each other, and crowds roared with the lust for blood. Telemachus found his way to the games. Eighty thousand people were there to spectate. He was horrified. Were these men slaughtering each other not also children of God? He leaped from his seat, right into the arena, and stood between the gladiators. He was tossed aside. He came back.
The crowd was angry; they began to stone him. Still he struggled back between the gladiators. The prefect¡¦s command rang out; a sword flashed in the sunlight, and Telemachus was dead. Suddenly there was a hush; suddenly the crowd realized what had happened; a holy man lay dead. Something happened that day to Rome, for there were never again any gladiatorial games. By his death one man had let loose something that cleansed an empire. Someone must begin a reformation; he need not begin it in a nation; he may begin it in his home or where he works. If he begins it no man knows where it will end.
(4) But this was one of the most personal parables Jesus ever spoke. Sometimes his disciples must have despaired. Their little band was so small and the world was so wide. How could they ever win and change it. Yet with Jesus an invincible force entered the world. Hugh Martin quotes H. G. Wets as saying, "His is easily the dominant figure in history.... A historian without any theological bias whatever should find that he simply cannot portray the progress of humanity honestly without giving a foremost place to a penniless teacher from Nazareth." In this parable Jesus is saying to his disciples and to his followers today, that there must be no discouragement, that they must serve and witness each in his place, and that each one must be the small beginning from which the Kingdom grows until the kingdoms of the earth finally become the Kingdom of God (end of Barclay commentary)
Reading the above observation from one of the respected theologians, I come to realize how Jesus, the son of the carpenter in Nazareth started the church which has been the foundation of many Christian Churches today.
Jesus picks 12 disciples; most of them were uneducated fisherman, tax collectors and social activist. However, those ordinary people turn the world upside down and made Christianity the largest religion in the world today.
The seed that has been spread by Jesus and pass on to the early church is destined to conquer the world with its message of Love and forgiveness. Jesus said: I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Mat 16:18
The Challenge:
The responsibility to continue the fire of the Gospel of Christ to this generation is now laid on our shoulder. The resurrected Jesus Christ, our commander in Chief has already given the great command.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." . Mat 28:19-20
Though the mission seems impossible but the assurance of his continued presence gave us the power to carry out the task. We can say with the Apostle Paul in his powerful declaration: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Php 4:13
Reflection 1:
• God has the habit of starting the great and big things though the ordinary and insignificant things. So that no one should be discouraged and despise the humble beginning of any pursuit being done for the glory of God.
• When God touch and blessed ordinary people, then those people can do extra ordinary things for God if they will just continue to obey God.
• We are not capable of seeing the outcome and future of our labor. But we are called to obey what ever God told us to do and trust that He knows and prepare the future for us. No labor is in vain if we did it according to His will
The bible said:
Zec 4:10 "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..."
II. THE SEED TELLS ABOUT OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE AND ITS TRANSFORMATION WHICH BEGIN BY SIMPLE FAITH
This parable is a representation of the growth of grace in the soul. That grace which leads the soul to the fullness of glory may begin on a simple faith in a simple presentation of the Gospel.
You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God. For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like [the] flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off, but the Word of the Lord (divine instruction, the Gospel) endures forever. And this Word is the good news which was preached to you. AMP 1Pe 1:23-25
God choose the simple preaching of the gospel to a person and a simple faith in Christ whereby a man can received forgiveness of sin, justification and salvation of his soul. In this simple act of faith, he can be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. He will also receive the right to be called the son of God, the beneficiary of heaven and inheritor of the kingdom of God.
But the simplicity of the process became stumbling block to many people. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul mentioned the following message:
¡§For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD." 1Co 1:18-31
The world¡¦s portrayal of the superheroes is exactly in contrast with the real hero and savior of the world who is Jesus Christ. The world cannot simply accept rescuer who will be defeated and hanged on the cross and eventually died and be buried on the tomb.
But as the ways of the Lord is exactly different from ours, God choose to redeem the world by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ and not by military might, by legions of angels or the mighty forces of heaven.
If Jesus came to Earth with great demonstration of military power and conquered the world by slaughtering His enemies to save His people from the slavery of Satan, then people will believe and follow Him out of fear and personal safety. But God in His infinite wisdom choose the other way, He chooses the way of the cross. He indeed conquers the world but He conquers it by His love. Hence the people will believe and follow Him because they love Him and not because they are force to do so.
Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The Challenge:
Still, many people did not understand the meaning and purpose of God¡¦s love. They think that becoming Christian is a weakness and believing in the Gospel is foolishness. However, those who understand His wonderful love declare that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. Are you willing to be called foolish for Christ?
Reflection 2:
• Those who are searching for supernatural means to know God will surely miss the divine truth hidden on ordinary things.
• Those who are searching God up above will surely miss the One who has born below the lowly manger and live in the house of a poor carpenter’s house
• People expect more requirements and things to be accomplished in order to reach the throne of God, when in contrast, God has already accomplish everything but few are willing to believe on what He has already accomplish for us on the cross
• There are no worst sinners that God cannot change into saint through the redeeming and transforming power of the blood of Jesus Christ.
• There is no hopeless life or situation with God. But change must always begin with the right relationship with God.
III. THE SEED TELLS ABOUT CHRIST AND HIS HUMBLE FIRST COMING INTO THE WORLD
This parable describes the humble arrival of the Jesus, the seed of life to the world, His sacrificial death, His miraculous resurrection and the remarkable effect of His life to the world
Like a seed from the hand of the farmer, the Son of God has been sent to the Earth like a common man. The heavenly seed of life had been planted in the womb of a virgin girl in Bethlehem. He was born in a manger without the help of midwife and doctors. He was raised by a poor family of a carpenter. He was crucified and laughed upon, He was buried and his tomb has been sealed.
But in the third day, like the seed that has been buried in the ground. The seed of life rose from the grave. The Son of God has risen and sprouts like a plant.
He is the seed of life promised by God even in the time of Adam. He was the seed promised even in the time of Abraham. And He was the seed mentioned in the Psalms of David.
Jesus explains the reason of his death:
Joh 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Truly, His death and resurrection produce more fruits even in our generation. Kings and rulers respect Him. Nations all over the world recognize the man from Nazareth who changed the history of the world.
But the seed that has been planted in the womb of Mary, the seed that has been buried in the ground and rose again from the dead should be planted also in our hearts. Many preachers today are planting the seed into the hearts of men by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But unfortunately, many people reject the greatest offer of letting Jesus come into their lives. However, the bible said: ¡§Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God¡¨John 1:12
The Challenge:
If you want to invite Jesus into your life and decided to have a meaningful relationship with Him today, please pray this prayer and make it yours.
Dear Father God,
I decided now to surrender my life with you. Forgive me for all my sins and cleanse me. I accept you as Lord, Savior and King of my life from this time on. May your will be done in my life from this time on. In Jesus name, Amen.
Reflection 3:
• The Son of God came to Earth, so that the son of men may come to God
• When the Son of God wants to show His love for us, he died on the cross and gave his own life as a ransom for us just to say: This is how much I love you with an everlasting love
If you have been blessed, encouraged or inspired by this sermon then it’s your turn to be an encouragement too. You can do it by sending email to this contributor at spy2rb@yahoo.com or post comment on the discussion box below.
