Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Mark 5-6
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 13:31-32
Jesus told them another parable.
Jesus: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a sower took and planted in his field. Mustard seeds are minute, tiny—but the seeds grow into trees. Flocks of birds can come and build their nests in the branches.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
I didn’t know much about mustard seeds or how they grow until I did a little research. There are a few different kinds of plants, none really grow into real trees, but there is one that grows so rapidly and so tall that it could be considered a tree. It grows wild in some of the most inhospitable climates as long as it has a water source. And because the seeds are so small, when the seed pods burst at maturity, the wind scatters them so they have the potential of growing wild almost anywhere.
So Jesus talks about these tiny seeds, about one millimeter in diameter. These tiny little seeds germinate in one to five days and grow large enough to harvest in 60 to 85 days. Usually, the plants grow as clumps of bushes three to five feet high, but in the right conditions these wild mustard plants can grown together into tree-like plants as tall as 20–22 feet high. It’s interesting that Jesus would use this as a metaphor for explaining heaven.
Perhaps He compared heaven to a mustard seed to share how quickly it can grow when conditions are right. Certainly they were right when the Father sent His Son into the world at just the right time to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. At no other time in history, had the world enjoyed such a wide-spread commonality in language, freedom to travel, common government, and prosperity. The Roman Empire brought together the nations of the known world at a time that made Jesus’ entrance into the world the perfect time for breaking the chains of sin that bind humankind. So His message could spread around the known world more rapidly at that point in time that at any time before or for centuries after His earthly ministry.
Maybe He compared heaven to a mustard seed to demonstrate how much it grows. Heaven starts with God. He created heavenly beings to minister to Him, then created the rest of the universe and then humankind. Each person that accepts Jesus as Lord enters into His kingdom, the kingdom of heaven and it grows by one more person. The rapid growth of His kingdom happens as we share His word and His Spirit convinces and convicts those who hear His message and come to Him in faith.
Maybe He compared heaven to a mustard seed because like the seeds that scatter from the dried pods at maturity, Christianity, faith in Him, scatters broadly as His followers carry Him in their hearts.When we accept Him as Lord, He travels with us and in us. And like at the day of Pentecost when thousands gathered in Jerusalem to worship, then traveled back to their homes, they took with them the message they heard from Peter. Those thousands who became part of the church during those early days didn’t stay in Jerusalem. They were businessmen, housewives, rabbis, city officials. They came from all walks of life and all the surrounding countries. After they received Peter’s words, gave themselves to God, and received His Spirit in them. They took the message back with them to their several countries and cities and homes. Seeds were scattered. Heaven expanded.
Maybe Jesus compared heaven to a mustard seed because it grows under some of the most difficult conditions. He probably picked up one of these tiny seeds from the ground as He shared this parable. Most in the crowd couldn’t even see it. But they understood that when this tiny seed found its place in the soil, it would grow with just a little water. It grew in rocky soil, sandy soil, dry desert climates. It could withstand drought and floods. It grew under the intense heat of the middle-eastern sun. Just so, no matter what Satan does to try to defeat or slow the growth of God’s kingdom, His kingdom not only survives, but thrives and grows fast and high and strong.
Now that you know a little more about the mustard plant and those tiny little seeds that are almost too small to even see, think about this. Heaven is like a mustard seed. Stop and consider what a great thing to be part of God’s kingdom of heaven. It grows no matter the circumstances, it scatters broadly to every nation and every culture on the globe, it grows under the harshest of conditions, it grows as fast as we share His message, God army cannot be stopped.
What a marvelous analogy. Heaven is like a mustard seed. Are you helping it grow by scattering the message, watering new believers and your heart with the Spirit of God? Are you encouraged by the fact that nothing can stop the kingdom of heaven anymore than nothing can stop those mustard seeds from scattering around the desert.
Pretty cool metaphor when you think about it!
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