“What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”-Luke 13:18-19
I have a collection of lessons by Charles Spurgeon entitled Sermons On The Parables. This man is perhaps the most honored preacher among the Baptists. He lived and ministered in London during the late 1800’s. Spurgeon’s sermon on the parable of the mustard seed (Luke 13:18-19) really moved me. It is a sermon given to Bible class teachers. It is a love letter. I will poorly try to reproduce a few of its themes here.
We must have a garden: There is no growth, no tree without a garden. Spurgeon observes, “they pine to see the entire band go out to cultivate the whole world, but they do not come to personal particulars.” We may all nod in agreement that the gospel needs to go to all nations, but what is the actual application. We must be about the work of gardening ourselves. Bible class teachers have a garden. They work the tender soil of young hearts. They do not talk of tilling soil. They get their hands dirty. The gardener is unnamed, yet his fruit is clearly seen. Spurgeon ask the question, “But have you a class of your own?” Praise God for those who do and may God prick the hearts of those who will.
A small word makes big change: The seed became a great tree. How miniscule a thing is a word of encouragement? How simple is it to tell a child, “Christ died for your sins.”? Yet, that small thing may be the spark that leads to a lifetime of Christian service. It may seem minor to teach a child the simple Bible stories of Jesus. But the faith that grows from it may change a life, a family, a church or even more. Faith like a mustard seed is no small thing. God bless the hands of those who plant it.
Teaching is an act of faith: Ponder Spurgeon’s words here, “If you had never seen a harvest, you would think that someone burying good wheat under the clods had gone mad; if you had never seen conversions, it might seem an absurd thing to be constantly teaching to boys and girls the story of the Man who was nailed to the tree.” We don’t know how the word of God produces faith and changes lives. But we have faith it will by the power of God. Without that faith, we would never put that precious seed in the ground, “the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.”-Mark 4:27.
Teachers see growth: The gardener looks at their garden differently than others. They see every green sprout and rejoice with the tender new leaf. Others may walk by and see no change, but the gardener is more sensitive to their precious plants. God bless those who take the time to have a garden, speak the word, believe in the seed, and praise God for the growth. Spurgeon puts it like this: “Dear teacher, do you always sow in hope, do you trust that the Word will live and grow? If you do not, I do not think your success is very probable. Expect the truth to take root and expand and grow up. Teach divine truth with earnestness and expect that the life within it will unveil its wonders.”
May God bless the seed you sow in faith. I can’t wait to sit under the shade of the tree.
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