Bible Text: Luke 13:18-21 | Preacher: G.F. | Series: The Kingdom

Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
(Luke 13:18-21)
Outline:

1. The External Growth of the Kingdom of God (13:18-19)
2. The Internal Growth of the Kingdom of God (13:20-21)

When we look at the growth of Christianity in the world today, even the persecution of the Church, and blatant rejection of Christ, we may be tempted to become discouraged. In fact, when we look at our own spiritual growth we may also be tempted to become despondent. Jesus understood how this would effect his disciples – then and now, and takes time to teach two parables about the kingdom of God that points us all to the big picture.

Vishal Mangalwadi in his conclusion of his book ‘The Legacy of William Carey’ wrote, ‘unlike most of us, Carey never gave up hope for India, because he looked beyond man, beyond society, to God’s saving act in human history. Carey put his confidence for our salvation in the power of the Gospel, that is, in the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to deliver us from our sin.’

It seems William Carey understood the reason for Jesus teaching of these two parables of the kingdom of God, and how it grows. The hope Carey held onto was not people, was not numbers but the very gospel of Jesus Christ. Just like the disciples needed to be reminded, so do we… God is growing his kingdom, ‘it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek’. (Rom 1:16)

Just like the disciples we too are being called to preach Christ and his gospel in a world and into a culture that will overwhelmingly reject it.  And if we measure the kingdom by people’s acceptance or rejection of Christ and his message, then we will always be discouraged. Our faith, hope and encouragement must be in Christ alone and his promise, ‘..after this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  (Rev 7:9-10)