Matthew 10:1-15
Qualifications of The Twelve Apostles
Matthew 10:16-31
Religious Opposition to Christ’s Followers
Matthew 10:32-42
The Service of Christian Workers
Matthew 11:1-19
Doubting of John The Baptist
Matthew 11:20-24
Clear Teaching of The Word
Matthew 11:25-30
Finding Rest From Your Burdens
Matthew 12:1-14
The Sabbath Law
Matthew 12:15-21
Preaching Teaching and Healing
Matthew 12:22-37
What is The Unpardonable Sin
Matthew 12:46-50
Need For Personal Relationship With Jesus
Matthew 13:1-9
Teaching in Parables
Matthew 13:10-17
The Secret Message
Matthew 13:18-30
The Parable of The Seeds
Matthew 13:24-35
Stories About a Mustard Seed And Yeast
Matthew 13:36-43
The Story About The Weeds
Matthew 13:44-52
What The Kingdom of Heaven is Like
Matthew 13:53-58
Jesus is Rejected in His Home Town
Matthew 14:1-12
Herod Antipas’ False Assumption
Matthew 14:13-21
Steps to Problem Solving
Matthew 14:22-36
The Storms of Life
Matthew 15:1-9
The Teaching of Ancestors
Matthew 15:10-20
What Really Makes People Unclean
Matthew 15:21-28
A Canaanite Women With Great Faith
Matthew 15:29-39
Feeding The Four Thousand
Matthew 16:1-12
The Religious Leader’s Demand
Stories About a Mustard Seed And Yeast
Matthew 13:24–35
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The mustard seed symbolizes false growth (v. 31). It was the smallest garden seed known yet it produced a plant that grew to a height of twelve to fifteen feet in one season and the birds of the air would sit in its branches (v. 32). Jesus did not explain this parable but its meaning could represent “Christendom” which has become a worldwide power with many branches. It had a very humble beginning but grew rapidly into a large organization. Some interpreters say the birds lodging in the branches represent Satan’s followers at work. This could well be represented in the World and National council of churches today.
The leaven may symbolize false doctrine (v. 33). Throughout the Bible, leaven is a symbol of evil Matt. 16:6-12). In Bible times women in every household baked their own bread. Each time she baked she would save a small piece of leavened dough from a risen batch just before it was baked. When the next batch was mixed she took the saved piece from the previous batch and hid it in the new batch so it could ferment and make it rise. Sin is like leaven or yeast! It grows, it corrupts and it puffs up (I Cor. 5:2). It is not just false profession of unsaved church members but false doctrine that they will attempt to bring into the church. The nature of it is such that once the process of leavening begins, it is hard to stop. Satan never stops trying to introduce false doctrine and false living into the Church. That is the way modernism has spread throughout the various denominations of our day.
Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these (vv. 34-35). In fact He never spoke without using them which fulfilled the prophecy spoken by the prophet. This is why I think it is important to tell stories and use illustrations when preaching or teaching.
Application
Allowing a little sin (leaven) in my life or home will affect all that I do. For instance just one person with an angry spirit can cause disharmony in our entire household. All sin needs to be dealt with.
Matthew 13:24-35 (English Standard Version)
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