Luke 13:18-20

Luke 13:18-20 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.” Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Luke 17:20-21 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

Both of these parables explain the expansion of God's kingdom in the world, especially in one's life. In the first, a tiny seed is planted in good soil and grows into a large plant, imposing enough for birds to find shelter and rest on its branches. In the second a small bit of yeast is placed in flour, and it powerfully permeates the dough, providing bread for many. Both parables reveal God's power to change one thing into something totally different, something small into something large: the seed into a plant, the flour with yeast into bread. Both parables reveal expansion; both parables reveal usefulness in the final condition. This is the nature of the kingdom of God. In the carnal, we often look for the kingdom of God in the natural world. People might say ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,' but Jesus says, the kingdom of God is within you.” Even in our day some speculate the United States is God's kingdom because of the blessings we have received. In Jesus' time many of the Jews believed the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. (Luke 19:11) But Paul says, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (1 Corinthians 15:50) The kingdom of God is a kingdom of the Spirit, where God reigns and is. The Bible says God is a spirit. Our spirits will enter the kingdom of God if we hold Jesus as our Savior. He alone opens the door to the kingdom.

Well, how does the kingdom function in our lives? At first we are but immature plants, still unstable in our walk. The forces of evil and the vicissitudes of life can easily put an immature plant into stress, but as we mature IN CHRIST, we become more like him, and our ability to endure increases. We find more strength in our inner being as we grow into mature plants where others can find comfort and sustenance from us. Jesus illustrates the latter point by saying the birds of the air can perch on our branches, a place of comfort and protection.

The Spirit of God has also thoroughly permeated the world as with the yeast and the flour. We find the testimony of Jesus and the kingdom on every continent, in every nation. In some places, people can openly preach Christ and the kingdom of the Spirit, but in other places the work is done in secret, clandestinely. But the yeast, the truth of God and his kingdom, has truly permeated the whole world, fulfilling Jesus' words. People from the four corners of the earth are eating the bread of life today because the kingdom has gone forth. We are that kingdom because of Christ's work at the cross and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

We who are IN CHRIST are in the kingdom. Jesus told the people as He walked this earth that the kingdom was near them. Yes, it was near them for it was IN HIM and THROUGH HIM that they would enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus said, you must eat of me and drink of me; you must partake of my life. You must partake of me if you desire to experience the kingdom, to enter into God's kingdom. We, my beloved Christian friends, have entered into his kingdom, for we died with him on the cross and are now resurrected with him into new life. Jesus said you must be "born again" to experience this new life. IN CHRIST, we are born again. We have been resurrected WITH HIM into a new life. The kingdom of God has permeated our souls. Paul wrote, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Let us praise God forever as we experience the peace, joy, and love of God in our hearts and minds and share it with others.