175 - Parable of the Kingdom 6: The Mustard Seed#
175 - The Parable of the Kingdom 6: The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(JP Text Group - Ren Wei Organized)
Today we continue to share the sixth lecture of the parables of the Kingdom - the parable of the mustard seed.
Matthew 13:31-32:
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though 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.”
Let us first say a prayer together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You. Thank You for preparing this time for us to worship You together. Help every brother and sister who has come to seek You today to gain something here. May everyone find answers in their search for You. You are the answer to all our problems in life. Please help us to know You more deeply today. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen!
Today we are sharing the sixth lecture of the parables of the Kingdom: the parable of the mustard seed. Jesus used many parables to explain matters concerning the Kingdom, and today He uses the mustard seed as a metaphor.
In the region of Israel, the mustard seed is a very small seed, and the mustard seed in China is also very small. The scripture does not say, “The kingdom of heaven is like a pile of mustard seeds,” but rather, “The kingdom of heaven is like a single mustard seed.” A single mustard seed is hardly noticeable in this world; if it falls to the ground, it may be hard to find.
Among many seeds, why did the Lord Jesus choose the mustard seed as a metaphor? Why not choose a larger seed? Because the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. The mustard seed in Palestine has a characteristic: it is the smallest in size among all crops in Palestine.
When people at that time heard of the mustard seed, they understood what the Lord Jesus wanted to express. Imagine if Jesus had used another smaller seed as a metaphor; the Israelites might not have understood. However, the mustard seed is a very common seed, and anyone who plants crops knows it. Jesus used a seed that everyone knows and recognizes to explain the story of the Kingdom and to tell us what the Kingdom is. The Lord Jesus deliberately chose the smallest seed as the theme of the metaphor, hoping that the local people could understand His meaning.
Mustard is a very common vegetable; it is a shrub-like vegetable but not a tree. In the parable, the Lord Jesus describes it as a “tree,” which can provide a place for various birds to nest. This proves that mustard is not as small as cabbage; when the mustard seed grows, it becomes very large, reaching what height? In the place where Jesus made this metaphor in Israel, the mustard grows the largest, reaching a height equivalent to a person riding a horse, with the tallest growing up to three meters. How can such a small seed grow to three meters high? This is the meaning Jesus wants to express: at first, we find that the seed is very small and inconspicuous, but when it grows, it becomes very noticeable.
Near Capernaum, mustard grows very tall and can produce branches, even allowing birds to build nests on it. The mustard seed is indeed a very unique vegetable seed. The Lord Jesus lets us see the unusual phenomenon of the mustard seed's growth; the focus is not to tell us how small this seed is, but to emphasize that its growth process is an unusual one. Mustard is a vegetable, not a tree. The mustard plant, which starts with small yellow flowers, eventually grows into a large tree with abundant branches and leaves, which is abnormal and goes against what we call natural laws.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed,” and the “mustard seed” symbolizes the church. The Lord Jesus came to the world to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, and the church began with Jesus. Jesus is that very inconspicuous mustard seed, but later on, people found He was different. Let’s first look at Jesus.
Philippians 2:6-8:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We see that at the beginning, Jesus had the form of God; He Himself is God, but He did not use His divine power to compete with us. If Jesus wanted us to submit to Him, there were many ways to do so, brothers and sisters. When the devil tempted Jesus, he said, “Throw yourself down from the temple!” If Jesus had jumped, He would have become famous in an instant; it would have been too easy for Jesus to become well-known.
If Jesus wanted people to submit to Him, He could perform a miracle at will; He could say a word to make someone die and then bring them back to life, and everyone would obediently believe in Him. This is the thinking of people today; some just want others to submit to them. But Jesus did not do that. He had the form of God but did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage. Instead, He made Himself nothing, coming to this world in a very noble identity but taking on the form of a servant. In the eyes of the world, a servant is not respected; it is not a “high and mighty” image.
Just like that mustard seed, the mustard seed in human hands is not a grand thing. For example, we shared about a pearl recently; there was a news report about a person in the Philippines who found the most expensive pearl in the world, worth over 200 million. This person did not know the value of the pearl, and it was hidden in his house for ten years without him noticing. If it were such an object, wouldn’t it be very noticeable? A pearl is very dazzling; when held in hand, it at least shows its value. However, if a mustard seed is in your hand, it is hardly noticeable.
So, Jesus Christ came to the world in the form of a servant, and no one recognized Him as different. At that time, Isaiah described Jesus as “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” He appeared like a tender shoot out of dry ground; His outward appearance was not that of a “tall and handsome” figure, but rather one that was worn and weary, making us feel that there was nothing special about Him, just like a mustard seed that is very inconspicuous. “He was familiar with suffering.” Jesus was not worried about what to eat, drink, or wear; He was troubled by why people’s hearts were so hardened and did not accept Him. Jesus often worried about souls, which made His appearance often weary. So, some asked Jesus, “You are not yet fifty years old…” In fact, Jesus was just over thirty; how could He look like someone fifty years old? It is clear that Jesus was filled with the gospel of the Kingdom from morning till night.
He came to this world, humbly taking on human likeness, just like the mustard seed planted in the ground. No one thinks it has great value; when placed in the soil, it may take a long time to find where it is! Just like Jesus, in this world, among the crowd, it is hard to see what is special about Him compared to others. But when Jesus spoke, it was different. Whether it was the scribes or the rabbis of the time, when they heard Jesus speak, they found that this person was different from others.
Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross; therefore God exalted Him to the highest place.” This is the same as the growth process of a mustard seed. At first, the mustard seed is very small, so small that people do not notice it, but when it is planted in the ground and grows, it becomes larger than all the vegetables.
Jesus used the “mustard seed” to symbolize the gospel of the Kingdom. Although the church is indeed a small seed, this is a fact. Just like at the beginning, Jesus only had twelve disciples; who could have imagined that today the gospel of Jesus Christ has spread all over the world? Could the Jews at that time have imagined this? They had gone through 1500 years of the law, and they were only within their own country. But the church established by Jesus is completely different. Just like the life of the mustard seed, the gospel started with Jesus and has now grown into a “tree,” which is also a fact.
Looking at the life of Jesus further illustrates this fact: when Jesus was born, He was not received by a palace or a very wealthy family; He was born into a relatively poor family. Mary and Joseph were not wealthy; when they offered sacrifices in the temple, if they were rich, they would have brought a bull or a lamb. However, Mary and Joseph offered a pair of doves, which only the poor would offer. This proves that they were not affluent. If someone in this world could choose their birthplace, that person would definitely be Jesus.
None of us have the right to choose which family to be born into, but Jesus had that right, yet He did not choose; He placed Himself in a very humble family, and as a result, He was indeed born at an inappropriate time, in a manger. This tells us that the life of Jesus also seems like that mustard seed; He was an ordinary person in the world. He did not conduct a grand global evangelism; His ministry lasted just over three years, and it was only in a few small cities and villages in Palestine.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract people; when He died, many Jews did not understand Him, and many of His disciples left Him. Jesus was like a mustard seed, planted in the ground, and the seed died without causing much of a stir. But the real stir came after He died and resurrected; the gospel ministry only became a mustard tree after Jesus died.
Now the grown “tree” is different from that seed. Although the seed died, its growth power is very strong, and it has now become a tree. This is our Lord Jesus Christ; after He died and resurrected, everything about Him changed. Just like that mustard seed, it grows at a very fast speed.
John 12:24: Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
If Jesus Christ had not died, He could not have produced us as seeds. When Jesus Christ died and resurrected, He produced many “little Christs,” which are us Christians. Then He began to distribute the Holy Spirit to all His children. Hallelujah! This is what we call the characteristics of the seed.
Let’s think again; a single grain of wheat in your hand is still just a grain of wheat; its effect is not great, just the value of a grain of wheat. But if you plant that grain of wheat in the ground, the original grain of wheat must die; after it dies, it becomes a seedling, and the seedling grows vigorously, eventually becoming an ear of wheat, ready for harvest, producing 30, 60, or 100 grains of wheat. This is the change of life.
The life of Jesus Christ died; He died in this world, and then His life began to change, just like that mustard seed. After the mustard seed dies, it begins to sprout, grow, bloom, and finally become a large “tree.” This is the growth process of the church. After Jesus resurrected, especially after the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost, the church was born. This true mustard seed began to exert its true and immense energy.
Many seeds like Him were produced; this group of originally uneducated people instantly became powerful evangelists. The once inconspicuous Peter preached one sermon, and 3,000 or 5,000 people repented; Peter’s shadow fell on the sick, and they were immediately healed. From that moment on, the church entered a phase of rapid development; soon there was no gospel left to preach in Jerusalem; the gospel had spread throughout Jerusalem.
This is like a mustard seed that, after beginning to grow, quickly becomes a “tree.” Its vitality is absolutely vigorous; the gospel did not end in Jerusalem; after the gospel spread throughout Jerusalem, it began to expand rapidly outward, reaching Samaria, and then a great revival occurred throughout the city of Samaria, followed by other places among the Gentiles. The gospel began to spread outward at the fastest speed wherever it went. Then, through Philip, the gospel was preached to an Ethiopian eunuch, and from there it spread to Africa and then to the household of Cornelius. This is the rapid development of the church recorded in the first half of the Book of Acts.
After Jesus died and resurrected, His life could not be stopped by anyone. To this day, do you know how many people believe in Jesus? Don’t say there are 1.5 billion; that is not accurate. There are currently 1.5 billion people who believe in Jesus, but from the time Jesus preached the gospel until now, there are at least 15 billion or more. So many people have accepted Jesus, from Jerusalem to our China; how many people have accepted Jesus in the past 2,000 years?
From the moment that seed from Jesus fell to the ground and died, after He died and resurrected, that seed began to grow rapidly, becoming a huge “tree.” Later, around 323 AD, the Roman Emperor also accepted the gospel, and the entire Roman Empire adopted Christianity as the state religion. It is easy to imagine how quickly this “tree” grew.
But do not forget, it is not a tree; it is a vegetable. Do you know the difference between vegetables and trees? Vegetables are for our consumption; no matter how large this vegetable grows, it always brings supply to others. Don’t underestimate the mustard seed; it contains powerful life. The church may seem inconspicuous, but it possesses the resurrected life of Christ. It is the most powerful life in the world, capable of overcoming death. In this world, death has the greatest authority. But only Jesus Christ has overcome death; nothing else can overcome death. Only the resurrected life of Jesus Christ has conquered death.
The seed is planted in the field, so now we need to preach the gospel of the Kingdom to others in this world. We do not preach the gospel in the underworld after we die; that is incorrect. The gospel of Jesus Christ is only in this world. Once our life ends, if we have not accepted Jesus before we die, there will be no more opportunities; we can only wait for future judgment. So our time is limited; we only have about 100 years. While we are alive, we must preach the gospel to the living. Once a person is dead, it is useless to try to pray for them. The seed is planted in the field, and the field is the world, so the church exists in this world.
It is not that after we believe in Jesus, we become saints and live like monks; that is not the case. We live in this world and must influence others. Have today’s Christians truly influenced the world? Many times, we not only fail to influence the world, but we are also influenced by it. When the world thinks something is good, we think it is good too. In fact, the church should influence the world, not the other way around.
Matthew 5:14-16:
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Who does “you” refer to here? Is it Jesus? - It is us. We are the light. Let’s say it together: “I am the light of the world!” If you are light, you must shine. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden; even if you want to hide it, you cannot. Because you are built on a hill, you are eye-catching. Once you become a Christian, you begin to attract attention. After you accept Jesus, the world has “lifted” you up to the hill. What does this mean?
Before you believed in Jesus, you cursed, drank, and smoked, and no one cared about you. Suddenly one day, you told others, “I believe in Jesus.” When you drink, your friends will say, “Christians still drink!” “Christians still smoke!” “Christians still curse!” You have been “lifted” to the hill by your friends; you must set an example for them. At that time, didn’t you find yourself speechless? You could say, “I didn’t really believe.” If you say that, then others will say, “Okay, I understand!” and they won’t say anything more. But if you say, “Yes, I believe in Jesus,” then you must be their example; you must guide others.
When does light need to shine? If there is no sunlight now, everyone is in darkness. We need light; only when there is light can people know how to walk ahead. The world does not know where the road is; they need you to lead them. They do not know where the Kingdom is, but you know it is with Jesus, so you must bring them to Jesus. This cannot be hidden.
“People light a lamp and do not put it under a bowl, but put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” In your family, you have accepted Jesus, so let your light shine on your family. How do you shine your light on your family? It is not by saying, “Hurry and believe in Jesus! Otherwise, I will pray for God to change you.” That doesn’t work; you must let your good deeds touch them and change them.
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds.” The grace of Jesus Christ will bring forth good deeds. If you say, “I am receiving grace; God’s grace is upon me,” but what you show is bad behavior, it only proves one thing: you do not understand what grace is. A person who understands grace will certainly produce good deeds and be able to influence their family. The best way to hope for your family to change is for you to change first, and then your family will change.
“And glorify your Father in heaven.” In the past, you always cursed and did nothing. Suddenly one day, you became diligent, your words became sweet, and when there was nothing to do, you always praised your husband for “this is good” and “that is good.” Your husband sees your change and says, “I must go believe in Jesus!” This is an attraction. In the past, you cursed him, and after believing in Jesus, you said to him, “Hmph! I am a child of God; I am a glorious princess, and you must serve me.” At this point, your husband would definitely say, “What kind of God is this?” This would have the opposite effect.
Jesus Christ, like the mustard seed, did not boast about Himself. After He grew up, He still brought supply to the world. “When it grows, it is larger than all the vegetables.” Jesus did not compare Himself to a “tree,” but rather to vegetables. Mustard itself belongs to vegetables; it is not a tree, so there is no need to compare it to a “tree.” We should compare ourselves to “how much grace I have received from Jesus today and how much I give out.” This is what we need to compare, not jealousy or disputes. We compare “am I sharing the gospel more today than yesterday?”
“And it becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” What do you think these birds refer to? We talked about the metaphor of birds recently; what are these birds? Do you think the birds are the devil? Christians? I will now explain what these birds are.
Now Jesus is speaking about the parables of the Kingdom. When the Kingdom is being established, the church is gradually growing into a huge tree, and at this time, there are birds coming in. What kind of people will settle in the church? I looked up relevant interpretations online, and over 95% interpret these birds as the devil because in the parable of the sower, there is one that falls by the roadside, and the birds come and eat it. Jesus said, “The evil one comes and takes away what was sown in their heart.”
From this, people deduce that as long as birds are mentioned in the metaphor, they must refer to the devil. To interpret this passage, we need to look at the entire New Testament or the entire Bible to see what other meanings birds have when mentioned. Are all the birds in the Bible referring to the devil?
Matthew 8:20: Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
In this verse, the birds do not refer to the devil; they refer to actual birds. We cannot interpret all birds as the devil; that is incorrect. Indeed, some birds refer to the devil, as we discussed in the parable of the sower, where the birds refer to the devil. But there are also birds that refer to real birds, right?
Let’s first look at whether it is correct to say that birds refer to the devil. They explain that when the church is small, it is not easy for the devil to hide. Once the church grows, the devil sneaks in to destroy God’s work. Is this explanation correct? Yes, it is correct; that is to say, when the church is established, does the devil come to do destructive work?
Yes, there certainly is. However, we cannot interpret the birds as the devil. Indeed, there will be the devil’s work in the church. Many people, before believing in Jesus, look at the church from the outside and think that the people in the church are like angels, not sinning, behaving well, and saying nice things to everyone. They think Christians are such a group of people. But when they truly enter the church, they find it is not like that, so they say that those who behave poorly are sent by the devil. This explanation is a bit forced.
Some people also explain that “the devil’s work is to spread disputes, bite and devour one another, slander, and form cliques in the church.” The devil does have such work, but we cannot interpret the birds in this passage as the devil’s work; this interpretation is incorrect.
There will indeed be destructive work by the devil in the church. We talked about the wheat and the tares last time; there are indeed tares, and these people will do some destructive work. The devil enters the church with the aim of preventing us from receiving Christ’s supply, hoping we will attack each other and that the church will split. However, this passage does not mean that.
There is an important word in this passage - “nest.” “Nest” refers to lodging. It does not mean that the birds come here to rest for a while. If it only said that the birds rest here for a while, it would definitely refer to the devil. But the Greek original meaning of this word is to dwell, to lodge.
The birds built a nest on the mustard; they made that vegetable their home. The devil will not make the church his home. Therefore, it is incorrect to interpret the birds as the devil. There will indeed be the devil’s work in the church, but the devil will not build a nest and dwell in the church. Anyone who does not belong to this church, that is, anyone who is not a true believer, will not treat the church as home; in other words, sooner or later, they will leave.
2 Thessalonians 2:2-3:
I urge you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
There is a very important word here: before the return of Jesus Christ, there will certainly be rebellion. What does rebellion refer to? Some people say, “Some people will not believe in Jesus.” “Many people’s behavior will begin to deteriorate.” In fact, this passage is translated a bit “over.” The original meaning is “Before Jesus Christ comes, many people will leave the church.”
If this place is not their home, they can stay for a month or two, but if you let them stay until they die, they cannot do it. In between, they will definitely leave. If this is their home, even if they leave, they will come back. A home and a temporary dwelling place are not the same; that is the difference. Before the day of Jesus Christ comes, there will certainly be people leaving the church. The reason is simple; they are not building a nest here; they are just temporarily staying. Heretics enter the church; they do not treat the church as home; they come to do destructive work, and once the destruction is complete, they will go to the next church to harm others. This is the characteristic of heretics.
They disturb people’s faith, causing others not to believe in Jesus anymore. This is the son of perdition; he does not dwell in the church. The church is established as the body of Jesus Christ. Although there are tares and wheat together in the church, the tares will eventually be pulled out. Some unbelievers are used by the devil, so the birds here do not refer to the devil.
So what do the birds refer to?
Ezekiel 17:23-24:
On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses seeds as a metaphor, while in the Old Testament, it mentions that “birds of every kind will nest.” What do these birds refer to? This “tree” refers to the abundant life of Jesus Christ, or the growing church, and the birds here refer to the Gentiles. In other words, Jesus Christ not only saves the Jews but also saves the Gentiles; He saves everyone in the world. No matter which ethnicity, skin color, or nationality, as long as you are willing to believe in Jesus and join the church, just like these birds in the sky, you can all find shelter there. This is the gospel of our Kingdom.
The parable of the mustard seed mainly refers to the parable of the Kingdom, the process of the Kingdom's growth. It speaks of what kind of people can come and dwell inside as the church grows; as long as you are willing to believe, you can come in.
So the true “birds” refer to the Gentiles. Is there any other explanation?
Romans 9:25-26:
As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one.” And, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
We know that the Book of Romans is written to the Gentiles. The meaning here is that in the past, you were like the birds in the sky; now this huge vegetable has grown, and if you are willing to build a nest here, you are welcome to come and stay.
Isaiah 11:10:
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
Thus, “to dwell there” refers to dwelling in His resting place. When the birds prepare to dwell in that place, that place becomes their resting place. “The Root of Jesse” refers to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has set up a banner for all peoples, just like the “tree” that has grown from the mustard seed. Now the banner has been raised, and the vegetable can be eaten.
“The nations will seek him.” This means that the birds finally see this vegetable and take it as their resting place, and it is glorious. There is a difference between a bird building a nest on a vegetable and building a nest on a tree. If we are that bird, and we build a nest on the vegetable, we save the time of flying out to find food because this mustard has produced many black seeds on top. Every morning when we wake up, we do not need to move; we just look up, and there is food to eat. This is a resting place. If we build a nest on a tree, we have to go out to find food. Building on the vegetable means the vegetable itself is our food.
We place our resting place in Jesus Christ, which means He Himself is the supply. The house we live in cannot provide us with supply; if we want to eat, we must go to the market to buy vegetables. But if we treat Jesus Christ as our home, He Himself is our supply. For us, the gospel is truly the best news! All supplies are available. This mustard has moisture; even the matter of drinking water is resolved. This indicates that the supply Jesus Christ gives us is complete.
David often meditated on God’s grace. No matter what happened to David, he was always very grateful. David had a wish: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)
This is David’s wish. He means to say, “All the days of my life, God’s goodness will always accompany me. I only need to do one thing, which is to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Today, we dwell in Jesus Christ; grace and love also accompany us. When we are willing to accept Jesus, God’s grace is upon us, and it lasts forever.
1 John 2:24-25:
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
Today, God tells us, “See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.” When you first believed in Jesus, you heard, “Jesus loves you,” “No matter what you encounter, if you seek Him, He will accomplish it for you.” What we heard at the beginning were all such words. As our faith time grows longer, our “vegetable” becomes smaller and eventually “withers.”
After we pray, we will say, “Lord, does my prayer align with Your will?” When we first believed, we would not consider this; we would say, “Our pastor said, believe and you will receive, and I believe that.” This is why many new believers send me the most testimonies.
They start without considering whether it aligns with God’s will, whether this prayer is in accordance with the Bible; they only know that God loves them, and when they pray, God accomplishes it for them; they simply believe. That is why God says, “You must keep what you heard from the beginning in your heart.” Do not let human thoughts, theories, or theological concepts fill your heart; the more you store, the less faith you have in God.
“If you keep what you heard from the beginning in your heart, you will remain in the Son.” We rely not on our actions but on faith. When we accept Jesus, we believe we are already dwelling in Jesus Christ. We should believe that all of us have built our nests in Jesus Christ. Moreover, this vegetable has grown large; we can eat freely. We must believe that we have built our nests on this huge vegetable of Jesus Christ.
“And you will remain in the Father.” Jesus and the Father are the same. When we know we dwell in Jesus Christ, we dwell in the Father. Today, we are the same as Jesus, all in the Father. When we pray, we believe that all our prayers will be accomplished by God in the best way. And “what the Lord has promised us is eternal life.” In the past, we had no part in God’s Kingdom and were unrelated to the Kingdom of Heaven. But today, through the cross of Jesus Christ, we have reconciled with God. Just like the early church seemed inconspicuous, but after He died and resurrected, His life became immense. So do not underestimate the power within us.
When we preach the gospel to others and face rejection, do not be discouraged. Even if you plant seeds in their hearts, just like the mustard seed, you say to others, “You should believe in Jesus!” If they refuse, it doesn’t matter; you have already planted the seed, just like the mustard seed has been sown in their soil. Once that seed sprouts, it will grow rapidly, becoming larger than all the vegetables.
At that time, it will be able to provide for them. Today, regardless of whether this person can accept it, when we have the opportunity, we still need to preach the gospel to others because the power of the church is immense. We do not rely on our ability but on the power of the Holy Spirit. We have planted a small, invisible mustard seed in others’ hearts, but its power is the life force of the Holy Spirit. This is the process of our lives being changed. In the past, how many people planted seeds in our hearts, and suddenly one day, the seed sprouted, and we believed in Jesus.
Today, we also need to spread the gospel, telling others that Jesus loves them, telling them what Jesus accomplished for them on the cross today. We have built our nests in Jesus; do not be a bird anymore. Do you know why birds fly in the sky? A flying bird has one very important thing to do: find food. Our Heavenly Father is the provider for the birds. Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow; the birds of the air do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”
The Heavenly Father is the provider. We have a better promise; the huge vegetable has grown. The Heavenly Father says to this bird, “Come, come, welcome to come here; you can build your nest here. You won’t have to find food in the wind and sun anymore. Here, you can eat whenever you want and drink whenever you want.” But this bird says, “No! I have to find it myself!” This is the unbelieving person. At this time, you cannot treat the bird as the devil; it is just a bird that is unwilling to build a nest. If it wants to fly, let it fly! When you meet the next bird, continue to say to it, “Welcome to build a nest here!”
What we tell the world today is, “Build your resting place in Jesus Christ! In Jesus Christ, there is lasting supply. No matter what problems you have, bring them to Jesus Christ; the Heavenly Father will help you, the Heavenly Father will supply you, because God has the promise to give us eternal life.” Eternal life means the blessing of abundant life. God has given you abundant life; those who believe have already received it. For those who do not believe, welcome to accept Jesus and build your nest in Jesus Christ!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You. Thank You for helping us again today through these words. You let us know that we have a resting place in this world, which is Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus, You did not find a resting place in this world; foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. But ultimately, You found a resting place on the cross.
Heavenly Father, we thank You. We know that the cross is also our resting place because there, Jesus accomplished everything for us. Just like today’s church, the parable of the Kingdom, He is a mustard seed, a huge tree. Today, we have built our resting place in Jesus Christ. We know He is our eternal provider.
As we continually receive the blessings of Jesus Christ, we also wish to pass on such blessings; I am willing to pass on the light of Christ to the world, to our family, so that they may see our good deeds and be changed. Thank You, Lord! Thank You for supplying us and caring for us. All glory be to our Father in heaven! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!