6/19/2018
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man
took and planted in his field. 32 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." (Matthew
13:31-32)
This parable is repeated in the Gospel of John, 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."
A familiar sight in Palestine was a six to twelve foot mustard bush filled with a flock of birds. The birds enjoyed feasting on the tiny black seeds. Mustard seeds were cultivated for their oil during biblical times and were ground into powder for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
The significant lesson that Jesus draws from the mustard plant is the fact that a huge, significant plant can come from a small, insignificant beginning like a little seed. This is parallel to the kingdom of God. Think of all of the insignificant events that hold such huge meanings: a little out-of-the-way town of Bethlehem, an animal's manger, an obscure carpenter and his young wife, fishermen, a few loaves and a couple of fish, a rooster crowing, a tree that's wood would someday be a cross, a tomb with a stone rolled away.
Sometimes it seems that the little part we play in the kingdom is insignificant.The parable of the mustard seed is a lesson to us that huge things can happen as the result of a very small thing. There were only a very few believers in the beginning but the number of people who followed Jesus grew.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," (Matthew 28:19).
I WANT TO BE A WORKER FOR THE LORD
I want to be a worker for the Lord,
I want to love and trust His holy Word,
I want to sing and pray,
And be busy every day
In the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray,
In the vineyard, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray.
I will labor every day, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I want to be a worker every day,
I want to lead the erring in the way
That leads to Heaven above,
Where all is peace and love,
In the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray,
In the vineyard, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray.
I will labor every day, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I want to be a worker strong and brave,
I want to trust in Jesus power to save;
All who will truly come
Shall find a happy home
In the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray,
In the vineyard, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray.
I will labor every day, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I want to be a worker; help me, Lord,
To lead the lost and erring to Thy Word,
That points to joys on high
Where pleasures never die,
In the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray,
In the vineyard, in the vineyard of the Lord.
I will work, I will pray.
I will labor every day, in the vineyard of the Lord.