Matthew 13:31-33 Parables Of The Mustard Seed And Yeast

Parables -

Parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast

Matthew 13:31-33

———————————————

Mustard Seed Faith — There are people all around you with low self-esteem, because everybody has insecurities.

In fact, studies have shown that the younger you are when you first experience rejection, the more serious implications it has in your life. It’s almost like a curse when people say, “You’re not going to amount to anything. You don’t matter.”

How do you reverse a curse? You start believing what Jesus says about you instead of believing what other people say about you. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”

Jesus wants you to believe in others the way he believes in you. Jesus affirmed people around him. When he looked at people, he saw their potential and what God intended them to be. He brought out the best in people not by labeling them but by saying, “I believe you can do it. I know you can do it.”

Look at this series of verses:

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

“Everything is possible for one who believes.” Mark 9:23b

“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more.” Matthew 21:21

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” John 14:12

How is that possible? When Jesus Christ was physically on Earth, he could only be in one place at one time. Now, Jesus puts the Holy Spirit in me and you and anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior. Jesus believes you can do great works because you have the Holy Spirit in you. He believes in you!

Jesus wants you to believe in others, too, and express to them the potential you see in them to do great things for God.

“Help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you.” Romans 1:12

Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:

· If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.

· Can you think of a person in your past who might have planted “mustard seed” in you?

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast — Matthew 13:31-35

31He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

33He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^b of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,

I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”

Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will

1. What is the main point of this parable?

2. In these parables, what aspects of Jesus’ ministry seem small? What is the promise if the small seed is sown?

3. What does this passage say it takes to grow spiritually?

4. If these are the elementary things of the Word — what do you think would be the “mature” things?

5. At what spiritual age should a Christian begin to feed on the “mature” things?

6. When you see a mature Christian, what makes you identify him or her as mature?

7. What are some reasons why so many Christians remain at the elementary level?

8. How does the kingdom of heaven become evident to others?

9. In what ways can a church involve “infant” Christians and make them feel like members of the family?

Reflective Questions — Live it today.

1. Where (in your life or in Christ’s church) have you seen faith like “yeast” or a “mustard seed” have a great impact?

2. What are some telltale signs that we have our spiritual life separated from all the other areas of our life?

3. What would you become if you truly allowed God’s kingdom within you to penetrate all these vital areas: your intellectual life, your professional life, your social life, your recreational life, and your emotional life?

4. Have your feelings changed as you have matured in your spiritual life?

 God can turn small beginnings into great endings. Seeds of faith can become towering trees of spiritual strength and leadership.

Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23 Parables Of The Soils

Parables -

Parables of the Soils

Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23

———————————————

                  Listening —Do you realize how few people really hear the inaudible?  How few really see the invisible?

An Indian was walking in downtown New York City alongside a friend who was a resident of the city.  Right in the center of Manhattan, the Indian seized his friend's arm and whispered, "Wait.  I hear a cricket."

His friend said, "Come on!  Cricket?  Man, this is downtown New York."

He persisted, "No, seriously, I really do."

"It's impossible!" was the response.  "You can't hear a cricket!  Taxis going by.  Horns honkin'.  People screamin' at each other.  Brakes screeching.  Both sides of the street filled with people.  Cash registers clanging away. Subways roaring beneath us.  You can't possibly hear a cricket!"

The Indian insisted, "Wait a minute!"  He led his friend along, slowly.  They stopped, and the Indian walked down to the end of the block, went across the street, looked around, cocked his head to one side, but couldn't find it.  He went across another street, and there in a large cement planter where a tree was growing, he dug into the mulch and found the cricket.  "See!" he yelled, as he held the insect high above his head.

His friend walked across the street, marveling, "How in the world could it be that you heard a cricket in the middle of downtown busy Manhattan?"

The Indian said, "Well, my ears are different from yours.  It simply depends on what you're listening to.  Here, let me show you."  And he reached in his pocket and pulled out a handful of change--a couple of quarters, three or four nickels, and some dimes and pennies.  Then he said, "Now watch."  He held the coins waist high and dropped them to the sidewalk.  Every head within a block turned around and looked in the direction of the Indian.

It all depends on what you're listening for.

Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:

· Is it uncomfortable sharing our faith? For those who do, why don’t we feel comfortable sharing our faith today?

The Parable of the Sower – Matthew 13:3-9, 18-30

3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

18“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

The Parable of the Weeds

24Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.42They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

The Parable of the Growing Seed – Mark 4:26-29

26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will

1. Why is the image of a sower particularly appropriate for describing how the Word is spread?

2. What can Christians do to encourage each other to spread the kingdom?

3. Whose job is the Great Commission today?

4. What 4 types of soil does Jesus mention? What characterizes each? What happens to the seed in each kind of soil?

5. What does Jesus’ explanation of the parable (vv. 18-23) reveal about the seed? About the various soils? The fruit? The farmer?

6. Why is God’s divine plan for each Christian to use his individual, God-appointed gift to “plant the seed” superior to our usual practice of evangelizing in the church today?

7. What feelings do you experience when you know you have effectively planted a small seed of God?

8. What do you think would happen in the church if we truly believed and practiced this truth about evangelizing “It’s a team effort, not some macho-Christian heroic run around the end, and God is the quarterback?”

9. What do parables accomplish that simple and direct speech lacks?

10. Are we more likely to describe the negative about the Good News? What is God’s good news to you about salvation and evangelism?

11. After reading 13:24-30; 36-43, What can happen when Christians attempt to “pull the weeds” themselves?

12. Who, then, is responsible for harvesting? (Luke 16:22)

13. What can happen when Christians try to play the role of harvester?

14. Can you think of any reason why the Evil One would want to plant weeds (false wheat) in the church?

Reflective Questions — Live it today.

1. “Evangelism is any word or act that moves another person even slightly closer to God.” With this definition in mind, what can we do to evangelize?

2. How would you explain this parable to a bunch of city kids who don’t know anything about sowing a field? What modern analogy would you use?

3. Why do so many people misunderstand the Gospel?

4. What deep “roots” help to prevent a believer from falling away? What gives you roots?

5. What worries can choke your growth in Christ? How can you free your life from these “thorns”?

6. What crop does Jesus want believers to yield?

 God has a very special blessing available to planters (faith sharers), ;who know they were created to plant and use their natural spiritual gifts and talents in that task. They are the only ones who ever gain a “full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”