Being an Authentic Follower of Jesus:
Some Characteristics of the Kingdom
Luke 13:18-21
Last week we saw that Jesus healed a disabled woman as a sign post pointing to the presence of the Kingdom. Jesus exercised Gods authority and rule with the afflicted woman and so this raises issues about authority and rule. Now he shares two parables, which are analogies from life to describe what the kingdom is like.
1. The First Parable: What Seems Insignificant is Unstoppable
His first parable compares the kingdom to a mustard seed that a man took and threw it in his garden, and it grew over time to become a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches. The mustard seed in Jewish thought signified something small and insignificant but depending on the kind, the bush could grow from 10 to 25 feet tall to become a refuge for birds. The seemingly insignificant, unnoticeable seed is like the gospel of the kingdom that in the eyes of the Jewish leaders seemed insignificant yet will grow to become a refuge for Gentiles.
Daniel 4:10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
The birds represent God including Gentiles in his covenant. The Kingdom becomes a haven for Gentiles because Israel rejected her Messiah.
Luke 17:20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."
The Kingdom came not as the Jews leaders expected, as a mighty political or military kingdom, but instead as a King who served, shepherded, and died for his people. It is a Kingdom that expands by changing hearts as God exerts his rule or kingship in their hearts. You may not see it or even notice it at times, but the signposts (demonstrations of kingdom) are reminders that it is here and it is advancing! Do not be discouraged by what you don't see happening as many times what God does is under the surface and it is only as the bush has grown and provides shade and shelter that we see its impact (ie lose heart: Luke 18:1; 2 Cor 4:1, 16; Eph 3:13).
2. The Second Parable: The Kingdom Permeates Everything it Impacts
In this parable, a woman hides yeast in dough until it permeates the whole batch. If you've never baked bread, you may not understand the radical difference yeast makes. You take flour, water, a bit of oil and salt and knead it together with yeast. It is pretty compact at this point, and if you were to bake it at that point the bread would be heavy and hard. But if you let it sit, the yeast begins to metabolize the sugars in the dough, forming carbon dioxide that creates tiny gas pockets all through the dough, making the dough rise. As the loaf bakes, the gas expands even more as the temperature rises, until the dough bakes, holding the shape of those tiny gas pockets, now filled with air. Whatever the Kingdom touches, even in the smallest ways, grows and multiplies until it permeates and impacts the whole. The kingdom is an unstoppable force. Even as Israel tried to stop the Kingdom by killing the King, the Kingdom only multiplied according to His plan. When Jewish leaders tried to squelch the early church, they unwittingly scattered the seeds of the gospel. The Kingdom will not be stopped or threatened by political foes (32ff) or Satan (10-17) or religious opposition.
Mark 11:20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." 22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
Jesus’ point is that they should trust God to remove whatever hinders them from bearing fruit. Moving a mountain in Jewish literature was a metaphor for doing what was impossible. Those who believe in God can have confidence that he will accomplish even the impossible, according to his will. Let us not belittle God with small-minded thinking. God can do more than we ask or imagine. He is the one that tells us to pray, your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven! Jesus will remove all obstacles (mountains) that threaten your fruitlessness.
How the Kingdom and Pentecost are organically woven together
First, the Kingdom authority comes by Gods power and Gods power comes by Gods Spirit.
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Matthew 12:28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Jesus was first empowered by the Spirit at his baptism and then he started his ministry. Then Jesus tells his disciples to wait until they are empowered then go out (Acts 1:4, 8) to be his witnesses. The Spirit poured out at Pentecost was empowerment for ministry. They were empowered from on high just as Jesus was empowered at his baptism. Then Paul tells us to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). That phrase can be translated to seek to continually be filled with the Spirit. We need to be continually refilled and refueled because we have a natural drain in our system.
Second, if we want to see Gods kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven then we need to seek God for his resources. When Jesus’ disciples could not deliver a demonized person Jesus told them that this kind only comes out by prayer, meaning spending time with God in prayer is a means filling our reservoir with his resources. Our resources must be filled by prayer so that when the fire comes we have water to put out the fire.
Third, to the extent we come with expectation and faith is to the extent we will see God move. God is still sovereign, he will do what he wills, but that gives us encouragement to step out in risk taking faith. God is willing and wanting and able to do. It is as simple as telling people about Jesus and praying for people who are hurting and asking God to touch them.
Last, the Father loves to give us the kingdom. Invest and Invite
