The Parable Of The Mustard Seed Series

Dr. Bradford Reaves

CrossWay Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD

www.mycrossway.org

There is an ongoing trend in the Church today that I am constantly aware of and continually speak out against, and this is the apostate church. This is not about personal preference or stylistic differences that are sometimes seen in various groups or churches. This is about an intentional but gradual shift away from biblical Christianity. We see it in churches that focus on entertainment instead of enlightenment. We see it in narcissistic pastures who are self-serving instead of shepherds. We see it in church growth movements that focus the church on being run like a business instead of being focused on the Lord’s business.

If you wanted to describe the state of the church today, the best word to use would be apostate; an apostate church is when it has turned away from biblical fundamentals that are essential to guiding it in doctrine, morality, theology, and how the church operates. Another comparison we may use today from the Book of Revelation is the Laodicean Church. Just as the Bible predicts, people in these last days turn away their ears from the truth and are turned to fables. Did you know that whatever you want to believe, there’s a group in town who will accommodate you?

And recent news we have seen churches that have used the Bible to kick a field goal, churches being led by narcissistic entertainers, unbiblical music lyrics, pastors using profanity from the pulpit, churches hosting drag queens to entertain children, and a massive departure from sound doctrine to appease cultural norms. Anytime we see this kind of apostasy, it always begins with a shift away from the word. Until they veer so far away from Scripture that they now are rewriting it to help accommodate their beliefs.

“A recent translation published [a Bible that] eliminates references to God the Father, calls the Son of Man ‘the human one,’ and removes accusations that the Jews killed Christ. It says children should heed their parents, not obey them. Wives are no longer subject to their husbands but committed to them. Darkness is no longer equated with evil because of racist overtones, and the Lord’s Prayer now begins: ‘Our Father-Mother in heaven…’

So, the question is how we as a church avoid such erosion of the faith. Yet even closer to home is how can you personally guard yourself from this kind of shift. Jesus answers that in today’s parable. (Thank you, Jerry Shirley, Sermon Central, for your inspiration for this introduction)

He said, therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” 20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? (Luke 13:18–20)

You will remember that much of Jesus’ teaching was to introduce the truths of the Kingdom of Heaven to his hearers. He also countered the false teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees of his day. A parable was to illustrate the truths of the kingdom vividly. Someone once said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of Jesus, a word is worth a thousand pictures. In this parable, we find three essential elements: the seed, the tree, and the birds.

1. The Seed: Small Beginnings

So Jesus likens the Kingdom to that of a mustard seed. It stands to reason that what Jesus is talking about is the infancy of the Kingdom of God at work. When you look at the ministry of Jesus, he certainly exemplifies this image. He came into the world to a tiny country, throwing away small people, Israel. He was born in an unknown region, grew up as a commoner, and only spent 3 1/2 years of actual ministry that is recorded. Jesus then died at the hands of his own people at the age of 33. Looking at Jesus’s ministry from the outside, it would seem that his ministry was insignificant. Yet, 2000 years later, it is the most influential religion in the world. Jesus appears to all cultures and has the power to change hearts utterly.

Now, many people will be quick to point out that Jesus is factually wrong here in this parable. They say, “Wait a minute, the mustard seed is not the smallest of all seeds” and while they are right, Jesus was not miss speaking here. There are several reasons that we need to clarify:

First of all, in Jesus's day, the mustard seed would have been considered among the smallest of seeds planted agriculturally. While it is true, the orchid seed is supposed to be the smallest, that would have not had any bearing to people who were listening to him. You see in jesus's day when they wanted to compare something to something very small they would use the mustard seed. For instance, they may say, “he bled so little it was the drop of a mustard seed.” Or how about this one: “his brain is about the size of a mustard seed.” You get the idea.”