e-votional
a message to encourage and uplift from College Heights Baptist Church
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
If you would like any of the previous e-votionals, just reply to this email and let me know. Likewise, if you would like to stop receiving them.
We are excited to be able to provide the first twenty-eight e-votionals (including a gospel presentation) in a printed booklet. Unfortunately, we will have to pass along the printing costs. The booklet, entitled Tough Life-Big God, will be available beginning Sunday, December 14. The cost will be roughly $2 per book. You can email us if you would like to reserve a copy (or copies), or just pick some up on beginning Sunday. It is our hope that these will be great tools to help spread the gospel this Christmas season.
31 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.” 33 He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” – Matthew 13:31-33, NASB
I am fortunate to have three great kids. Two of them are teenagers and the other is a grade-schooler. All three of them were born at very distinct moments in the history of our family. My oldest was born on my graduation day from seminary. My middle child was born shortly after we moved into our permanent residence at my first pastorate. My youngest was born shortly after our move to a new church. Life is funny that way. We have these times filled with very small beginnings that blossom into magnificent things.
Jesus teaches us that the Kingdom of God begins with very small beginnings. He compares it to the mustard seed. The mustard seed was the smallest of the seeds that a farmer of that time used. From these tiny beginnings, great things grow. This tiny seed becomes a tree. I once heard it said that anyone can count the number of seeds in an apple. Only God can count the number of apples in a seed. God’s plan is for that tiny seed to expand into a great abundance of fruit.
Jesus expands the concept of growth in the next few verses. Usually, leaven is used in the New Testament as a picture of sin. Here, it is used as a symbol for growth. A little leaven goes a long way. Have you ever baked bread? Of all of the ingredients you might use, yeast (or leaven) is probably a very small amount. It does great things in the baking process. As it’s heated, it serves as a catalyst to spur the bread to rise. It is an agent for growth.
Christ’s Kingdom would begin small. Jesus invested a majority of His time in twelve men. From there, Christianity would impact the world tremendously for centuries. In a similar way, Christ’s rule in our lives may begin small. It may begin with a simple childhood prayer to receive Jesus during nighttime prayers, or teenager becoming a Christian at a summer camp. It might be a mom or dad giving their life to Jesus over coffee at a local restaurant. From there, Jesus does incredible things. He grows us and develops us. He uses us to impact people all around us. Let God use the little beginnings in your life to branch out and fill the sky.
Pastor Darrell
