Jesus tells 8 parables in Matthew 13 about the Kingdom of God. This one is the parable of the Mustard seed. He tells us that the kingdom is like a man who takes this small seed and plants it and it becomes a large tree. The Mustard Scrub would become about 10 feet tall in the land of Israel. All sorts of birds would be able to enjoy its shade. The birds are symbolic of different people groups. This is simliar to what it says in Ezekiel 17:23 where the birds of the air (symbolic of the Gentiles) join and enjoy the kingdom.
Jesus is emphasizing that the kingdom started small. It started with Jesus coming and his calling the 12 apostles to him. Often, the apostles faith was weak Matthew 26:41. Often they were not able to perform miracles and doubted him to the point that even Peter rebukes Jesus for speaking about the cross. Even on the night that he is betrayed by Judas Peter is denying he even knows him. It did not appear to have very promising beginnings with many in Jesus' day rejecting what he said to them even after seeing the miracles.
The gospel did start off in small ways. For example, in Acts 8:26-39, we see Philip going to speak to a Ethiopian. He was read the book of Isaiah in his chariot. Philip goes to him and explains what he is reading to him and he is saved. This man is baptized and just as quick as that Philip disappears. Yet, this man goes down to Africa and takes the gospel to a new continent. A man who was not even capable of having his own children and would not have been allowed to worship in the Old Testament temple.
The gospel starts off small with uneducated men, fishermen and tax collectors and people who many would consider base of the world. Paul himself said he preached the word in weakness and fear and in trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3). He also reminds us that God chooses and uses the base things of this world and the weak things (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). This is so that no man can boast about what he has done for God. But, we would realize that God alone gets the glory for what he has done.
It success is not because of the great orator skills of Peter and Paul or John or any other preacher. It is because of the Spirit of God and the fact that Jesus is the head of the church Colossians 1:18. We cannot take credit for its success. In a way, the church is a lot less successful now with all of the marketing material and resources at its disposal. It is less powerful today in many cases because it now relies upon itself rather than Jesus. It tries to use slick marketing campaigns,dinners and other things instead of God's people relying upon the Lord and prayer.
Sermons on the mustard Seed and the Kingdom
W.A. Criswell
http://www.wacriswell.org/index.cfm/FuseAction/Search.SearchResults/sr/11/type/keyword.cfm
Sermon Central
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/sermons-about-mustard-seed.asp?Keyword=Mustard%20Seed
Sermon Notes
http://executableoutlines.com/mark/mk4_30.htm
Jesus is emphasizing that the kingdom started small. It started with Jesus coming and his calling the 12 apostles to him. Often, the apostles faith was weak Matthew 26:41. Often they were not able to perform miracles and doubted him to the point that even Peter rebukes Jesus for speaking about the cross. Even on the night that he is betrayed by Judas Peter is denying he even knows him. It did not appear to have very promising beginnings with many in Jesus' day rejecting what he said to them even after seeing the miracles.
The gospel did start off in small ways. For example, in Acts 8:26-39, we see Philip going to speak to a Ethiopian. He was read the book of Isaiah in his chariot. Philip goes to him and explains what he is reading to him and he is saved. This man is baptized and just as quick as that Philip disappears. Yet, this man goes down to Africa and takes the gospel to a new continent. A man who was not even capable of having his own children and would not have been allowed to worship in the Old Testament temple.
The gospel starts off small with uneducated men, fishermen and tax collectors and people who many would consider base of the world. Paul himself said he preached the word in weakness and fear and in trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3). He also reminds us that God chooses and uses the base things of this world and the weak things (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). This is so that no man can boast about what he has done for God. But, we would realize that God alone gets the glory for what he has done.
It success is not because of the great orator skills of Peter and Paul or John or any other preacher. It is because of the Spirit of God and the fact that Jesus is the head of the church Colossians 1:18. We cannot take credit for its success. In a way, the church is a lot less successful now with all of the marketing material and resources at its disposal. It is less powerful today in many cases because it now relies upon itself rather than Jesus. It tries to use slick marketing campaigns,dinners and other things instead of God's people relying upon the Lord and prayer.
Sermons on the mustard Seed and the Kingdom
W.A. Criswell
http://www.wacriswell.org/index.cfm/FuseAction/Search.SearchResults/sr/11/type/keyword.cfm
Sermon Central
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/sermons-about-mustard-seed.asp?Keyword=Mustard%20Seed
Sermon Notes
http://executableoutlines.com/mark/mk4_30.htm
