In Mark 4, Jesus tells a parable where He compares the Kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed. Even though it starts off small, it will grow into a tree large enough to be a home for the birds of the air.
“And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,
yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32 ESV).
We see this is exactly what happened. With a few scared disciples and a murdered Leader, the Kingdom grew from that tiny mustard seed to a body of millions of citizens 2000 years later and millions of citizens during the 20 centuries in between.
I suppose if we lived in the first century, conventional wisdom would be that the church wouldn’t survive long. Not only did it become the target of the Jewish establishment, but even Rome got into the game of the persecution of Christians. But Rome kicked it up several degrees and made it a frightening time to be loyal to the King of kings.
Yet, in spite of insurmountable odds, Jesus’ words were true, and the gates of death never prevailed against the church. When people witnessed loved ones cast into the coliseum to suffer a gruesome death by wild animals, burned with fire, or crucified in agony, did they ever wonder if their faith was in vain and if the Kingdom of God would be eradicated by its enemies?
From this side of history, perhaps we don’t appreciate the intensity of faith they must have had. Yet that mustard seed was planted by Jesus and cultivated by the Spirit until it blossomed into the worldwide tree it is today.
Just like Jesus said.
Times are changing, aren’t they? The church has always had a history of persecution as it became the target of eradication, but in the last few hundred years, it has enjoyed a period of relative peace.
Not anymore. In some parts of the world, naming Jesus as Lord carries a death sentence. Even in our country, we see the early stages of persecution laying its foundations. By God’s grace, we may fight off these attempts at persecution, but if history teaches us anything, likely, we will not be successful. We have enjoyed a long run of peace, but we need to prepare for a possible purge that may come.
If that happens, the Kingdom may once again appear as a mustard seed when the trial by fire refines the bride of Christ. If it does, then we need to remember that the mustard seed will still turn into the great tree Jesus said it would become.
We know this because the Kingdom will not die:
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 ESV).
And because the Word of God thrives when things get tough:
“And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” (Acts 8:1 ESV).
When things get tough for us and the government targets Christianity for eradication, and our neighbors hate us because we love Jesus, we may be tempted to think the church is dying. But it will still have the power of the mustard seed.
If a great persecution also arises in our time as it did in Acts 8, it will reinforce a message we should always treasure in our hearts. As we see the Kingdom of God thrive in the midst of evil and as the target of its enemies, we will have no other conclusion to draw than it is only by the power of God it is surviving.
The church does not survive because of our strength.
It never did.
Just as the people who lived in the first century, we will witness the Lord’s protection of His bride from death and eradication. Just as in the first century, we will see Him take that mustard seed and grow it into a large tree.
How will He do that? The same way He did it then. We will take the message of the Gospel to the lost, even on pain of death.
We will witness souls who hunger and thirst for His manna and His living water give up everything to partake of it.
We will learn that no matter how strong the enemy becomes, our King is stronger.
We will see firsthand that if evil men, demonic powers, and principalities throw everything at the Kingdom in our lifetime, this mustard seed will still continue to grow. And it will not grow because of us, but by the power of God. We will be His agents, for sure, but it will be His power working in us as we spread the Gospel in a lost and dying world.
The devil will have us believe that following Jesus is a lost cause. But even when the Kingdom looks like a mustard seed, we know the divine power that exists in that small, tiny, easy-to-overlook seed.
The devil knows this, too, and it terrifies him. No matter what the world throws at us in the future, let our faith rest in Him and the truth of that mustard seed.
What happened when the people of Israel asked, “When is Moses coming back? Why is he taking so long?”
“When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1 ESV).
The same thing happens today when people ask, “When is Jesus coming back? Why is He taking so long?”
“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4 ESV).
We don't seem to do well when God delays, even though the delay extends His grace toward us,
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV).
The problem is never with the seed,
It's always with the soil.
However, our job is not to be soil experts,
But to be sowers.
The world is not commanded to go to the church;
The church is commanded to go into the world.
When we soak in the Word on Sunday,
Do we sow it on Monday?
I am reading the book of Deuteronomy in my daily Bible reading. Deuteronomy means “Second Law” or “Repeated Law.” It was a retelling of the law found in the first four books of the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers).
It is delivered as a farewell speech from Moses to the children of Israel as he is about to die and pass the baton to Joshua. This new generation would prove more faithful than their parents, who wandered and died in the wilderness.
Joshua, the servant of Moses, would prove to be a strong and faithful leader to the people. The book of Deuteronomy is Moses' gift to Joshua in setting his successor up for success.
In this farewell speech, Moses reminds the people of the blessings and the curses of God. The farewell speech found in Deuteronomy had such an impact on the people, we read later,
“And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the LORD had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:7 ESV).
May we never underestimate the power of retelling, repeating, and reminding. It will be the gift we can give the next generation to help them remain faithful as we pass the baton to them when we go on to our promised reward in Jesus.
When the seed fell upon the path, the rocks, or the thorns the Lord didn't blame the sower.
He simply expects sowers to sow.
God will take care of the rest.
In Deuteronomy, Moses gives his last warnings and encouragements to the people. Concerning war, he says,
“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 20:1 ESV).
This is why Joshua later reacted the way he did when the small city of AI defeated Israel:
“Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.” (Joshua 7:6 ESV).
Thirty-six men of Israel died, an acceptable loss in modern military doctrine, but not when God was your protector.
Of course, we know that God was not with Israel because of the sin of Achan. When the sin was taken care of, Israel defeated AI.
Sometimes, we want God's blessings without giving Him our complete allegiance. Sometimes we want our sins while still expecting the benefits of allegiance.
But the story of AI and the promise Moses gave in Deuteronomy 20 remind us that we must first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to us.
Not until then.
Isn't this what our King told us when He walked among us?
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV).
As our faith matures, we first come to God to ask what He can do for us,
Then we come to God to ask what we can do for Him,
Then, we come in prayer to say, “You are the Potter; I am Your clay. Mold me and empower me to serve as You desire me to serve.”
When the Lord returns, people will be doing what they do.
Adulterers will be committing adultery.
Thieves will be stealing.
Liars will be lying.
And His people will be walking with Him.
When He comes, it will be sudden, without warning, like a thief coming in the night.
There will be no time for an eleventh-hour conversion.
Our fate will be sealed based on the choices we made.
He is the only way to the Father.
When He returns, will you be walking with Him?
“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 ESV).
When Jesus finds me, the lost sheep,
He brings me, the individual, to safety.
When He does this, the good Shepherd doesn't keep me alone with Him,
He brings me back to the safety of the fold.
While we should cherish the He and me,
Let us also cherish the He and we.
I'm finishing the book of Deuteronomy in my daily Bible reading. I love these blessings that the Lord gives to Israel if they keep the covenant with God:
“The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” (Deuteronomy 28:7 ESV).
And
“And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them,” (Deuteronomy 28:13 ESV).
Don't we serve a mighty God who can deliver promises like these?
Doesn't this Psalm perfectly describe the people of our day?
Men and women who do what they want with no thought of God.
Men and women who almost dare God to bring them to account for their deeds?
Men and women who have no fear in openly renouncing God.
“Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?” (Psalm 10:13 ESV).
The arrogance of the created against his Creator is shameful, especially when His salvation is so close and open to all who humbly submit to Him.