THE MUSTARD SEED

DATE: 6th October, 2013

TEXT (S): Matthew 13:31-32, John 12:24, Romans 4:17

BY: Ps. Abraham Addae Agyemang (Resident Pastor)

INTRODUCTION

Jesus taught his congregation in Matthew 13:31-32 with a parable that “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field, “which indeed is the least of all seeds. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The mustard seed is a very small seed. Though it is small, it grows to become a strong and great tree. The kingdom reign of God in the life of people starts small but from small beginnings it spreads to become very great. When people come to accept the Lord Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour, their small beginnings change with growth to become very great ends.  The kingdom reign of Jesus started small (in a manger) but now He is the King of kings and Lord of lords in heaven. He started His ministry small with the few disciples, but it grew greater after the beginning and spread throughout the world. Patient planting and cultivation of the seed of the kingdom in the hearts of men will eventually produce a great movement. We must reach individuals with the gospel and as time goes on we will see them grow to become great people. No one in the Kingdom of God should be despised. God can take people who are insignificant and make them very significant. The Kingdom of God makes the smallest the greatest, the poorest the richest, the weakest the strongest and the most foolish the wisest.

THE GROWTH OF THE MUSTARD SEED

In order for the mustard seed to grow and become the greatest of all trees it must first be taken by Jesus and planted in the house of God. One must surrender him or herself totally to Jesus. You allow His will to prevail and not your will. Until you grow you cannot become the greatest. But the before the growth comes the planting in the field. In the Kingdom of God, the way up is down. (Philippians 2:5-11). You must go down before you come up. Let Christ Jesus plant you and take care of you until you grow and bear more fruits to benefit or bless all the world.

Jesus said in John 12:24-25 that “Truly, truly, I say to you, except a grain of wheat falls onto the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal”.

So long as you are in this world, the flesh will fight the spirit, but you must allow Jesus to plant you in His field for the flesh to die and the spirit to grow and bear much fruit. Until this process of death to the flesh takes place the seed cannot grow. Most people love the fleshly things more than spiritual things. God wants you to know that just like His son Jesus; we must hate our life (worldly or fleshly desires) in order to obtain eternal life. Jesus went to the cross and the tomb but now He is reigning eternally in heaven and on earth. 

THE LIFE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

Romans 4:17 indicates that “As it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations,’ in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things that do not exist as though they did exist.”

The above scripture concerns Abraham. God told him that He has made him a father of many nations but he was old and frail but the God he was worshipping gives life to the dead. In the Kingdom of God, once the flesh dies new life from God’s Spirit comes to give life. When the life comes, even those things that do not exist come into existence. In the Kingdom of God, no one is a failure. Just faithfully worship God in spirit and truth and your life will change for the better.

In Jesus is the life of the seed. He empowers seed or the Christian to please God. Jesus fulfils all that promises of God for the believer based on God’s grace, not because of their self righteousness or meritorious work. All we need to do is to surrender to Jesus.

CONCLUSION

In order for the seed which is the Kingdom of God in the believer to grow and bear fruit like Abraham did and gave birth it Isaac we must submit to the grace of God. We must die to the flesh and live by faith in Jesus at all times. God- the giver of live to the dead will quicken us to bear much fruit for others to also benefit from us. When God made the promise of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah, they had no children, for at the time Sarah could not bear children. In Sarah’s old age when she was past the ability to bear children, God brought her womb to life in order that she could bear Isaac. Therefore, in her bearing of Isaac, it was manifested that the heritage and blessing came as a result of God’s grace and not the work of Abraham and Sarah. You cannot give life to the seed in you. It is God who will do it so just trust Him and He will do it. Amen