MONDAY- 17^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35: A mustard seed becomes a tree so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches.

I Reading Jeremiah 13:1-11: The people will become like this loincloth, good for nothing.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed:

The Growth and Greatness of Christianity, Mt 13:31-32

Jesus is describing the growth and greatness of his kingdom and of Christianity in this parable. He shows how it begins as the smallest of seeds and grows into the greatest of movements.

The message of the parable is a powerful message to individual believers and congregations as well as to Christianity as a whole. The seed of faith begins ever so mall at baptism and grows into the greatest faith day by day. Mature believers (grown v.32) believers and congregations alike provide lodging for the people of a turbulent world.

1.    The parable: describes the kingdom (Christianity) (v.31)

2.    A mustard seed was planted (v.31)

a.    A man deliberately took and planted seed

b.    Planted in his field

3.    The mustard seed grew and became the greatest of bushes (v.32)

a.    Was the smallest seed

b.    Grew into the greatest bushes

c.     Result: birds come and lodge in its branches

Thought: The parable is great encouragement to all believers and to us in our personal lives and in our ministry for the growth and success of hard work or mission of Christ.

The Parable of the Leaven or Yeast:

The Transforming Power of the Gospel, Mt 13:33

There are essentially two interpretations of this parable.

1.    Some say the leaven represents evil that penetrates the kingdom of God and his Church. A woman mixes represents the mixture of evil within the good.

2.    Most say the yeast symbolizes the kingdom of God that penetrates and works silently to transform people and society. The power of God transforms the lives of people and society.

1.    The parable describes the kingdom of heaven (v.33)

2.    It is deliberately taken (v.33)

3.    It is mixed in unfinished flour (v.33)

4.    It silently transforms the whole lump (v.33)

Thought: The Gospel is powerful, extremely powerful. Just a “little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (1Cor 5:6; Gal 5:9).

The Messiah’s Purpose for Speaking in Parables, Mt 13:34-35

See outline and notes-Mt 13:10-17 for a full discussion of the “Messiah’s reasons for speaking in parables.” The secret of the gospel must be revealed (v.34-35). See also the notes Eph 1:9-10.

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