SERMON ON THE BEACH The Mustard Seed

We now come to the first parable in which Jesus does not interpret for us. So we must follow his lead and refer back to scripture in order to get the hidden meanings behind the mysterious illustrations.

Matt 13:31 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
Scripture does not use symbols in conflicting ways. When symbols appear, they mean the same thing. Here again, symbols are used…The sower or man, must be the Lord…And the field is the world…But, why in this parable, a mustard seed? A mustard seed makes mustard…A biting, distasteful food. But to them, mustard was more than a food…A mustard plaster was the remedy for chest problems…It is a fiery irritant used to stimulate the blood…Much like the gospel will stir up people in the world.

Matt 13:32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and (but) becomes a tree, so (also) that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
The fact that it is the smallest seed illustrates the apparent insignificance of the gospel…
So we see the gospel is distasteful an insignificant…But let someone believe it, and watch the changes.That’s the power of mustard and the gospel…Whenever they are made use of…Change occurs…That’s why Jesus used a mustard seed, growing into a tree…It shouldn’t happen…Mustard is an annual…For it to grow into a tree demonstrates a very unusual change and abnormal growth process…The normal gospel growth first humbles you by taking away pride, ambition and selfishness…Your ego. So that God may bring out the full potential within you…As he sees best, rather than what you decide.
Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
When a tree is used symbolically, it stands for man’s authority, power and dominion…(Dan 4:10)…
A lowly mustard seed would show unnatural, abnormal growth if it grew into its own exalted authority.

Today’s church is an example of abnormal mustard seed growth…It started small, lowly and humble and grew into a position of influence (Constantine), power (Catholicism) and arrogance (Protestantism).
God never intended the church to become like a tree…The early Christians never exalted the church…
The church doesn’t save anyone, the Lord does…The church doesn’t help anyone, the Lord does…
Eph 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Eph 4:15b we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
Eph 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
And, we can find the same tendency right here, in ourselves…We are often not satisfied, being humble and obscure…We want to be seen and known so that greater impact and opportunities are available…
But this parable is telling us that the kingdom of heaven is nothing like that…

And what about the branches? Might they be denominations or individual, personal kingdoms?
And the birds perched in the branches…In the first parable, Jesus tells us, they represent the evil one…
Rev 18:2 With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.
This happens when the teaching of the Bible is overridden by man’s pride, as the good news of the gospel becomes a way for us to obtain money, influence and power… As Jesus prophesied to Israel…
Matt 21:19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
God does not want fruit created by our own hands…He wants fruit produced by a relationship with him.

The normal growth of the mustard seed (Kingdom) will not produce a tree established by its own ego…The wood from the mustard seed can only be likened to the cross…Crucifying our egos…
The mustard seed will produce a distasteful remedy for our egos, as we come into contact with it…
Yet if we want to be great in the kingdom of God, or even enter into it…The mustard seed is how.