Kingdom parables in Matthews Gospel
Matt: 13v31-35 Mustard Seed & Yeast
Throughout these Kingdom parables, Jesus is using parables to explain different facets of the Kingdom of God.
In the same way as a car salesman might talk about the different features of a car, same car, different attributes.
He uses parables to open up deep spiritual truths.
v3 Then he told them many things in parables
v10 The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
Not fables or allegories.(ex)
v34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
All of the parables use everyday situations, which people could relate to and understand.
Notice Jesus speaks in this chapter about the ‘kingdom of God’ not the’ democratic republic of God’. (Christians are under a theocracy not in ademocracy)
The Jews had a their idea of what the ‘Kingdom of God’ was to be. It was to be an earthly kingdom of military might which would drive out the accused Romans and re-establish the Kingdom of David. Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than any other subject, yet even after His resurrection, the disciples still did not understand what he meant.
Ac 1:6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Yet they had heard Him preach;
Mt 4:17 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Mt 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom.
Mt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mr 10:15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
Where then is this Kingdom of God? It is near you and in you.
Lu 17:21 people won’t say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."
Jesus made it plain to Pilate at his trial that; John 18:36 "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."
Then as he seeks to explain what the Kingdom of God really is, he tells them two more parables.
v31 ‘He told them another parable’: about a mustard seed
v33 ‘He told them still another parable’: about yeast
How then are we going to understand the Kingdom teaching if the disciples didn’t?
Let’s use another parable, to help us understand these parables, let’s play ‘Ready Steady Cook!’
(run tape and set up larder of faith)
Let’s meet our first contestant (run tape) (Welcome and interview)
Let’s meet our second contestant (run tape) (Welcome and interview)
(First contestant empties bag containing mustard seed.)
(Ask what they hope to produce from this. A mustard tree: show ohp)
(Second contestant empties bag containing yeast.)
(Ask what they hope to produce from this. A bakers dozen: show ohp)
(Use the Larder of Faith)
What do we learn from Jesus’ Kingdom parables about the mustard seed and the yeast?
That the kingdom of God advances with small, weak, insignificant people. You and me. And grows until it fills the whole world.
1 Cor 1:26-30 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no-one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Why God chooses to bring about His kingdom this way, is that He then gets all the glory.
Hab 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
As we pray ‘Thy Kingdom come’
Mike Reid
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