Sermon Delivered October 16th, 2011 by Pastor Eric Ellis
Perhaps several of you are familiar with the philosophical construct called the secularization thesis. More or less, what this idea entails is that as technology and scientific understanding increase, belief in supernatural reasons for existence and being will, perhaps proportionally, decrease. The Wikipedia article under this topic states the idea this way, “Secularization thesis refers to the belief that as societies 'progress', particularly through modernization and rationalization, religion loses its authority in all aspects of social life and governance.” Some well known advocates of this idea were, understandably, Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud.
Along the same lines, Voltaire, the noted 18th century French philosopher, said that it took centuries to build up Christianity, but “I’ll show how just one Frenchman can destroy it within 50 years.” Taking his pen, he dipped it into the ink of unbelief and wrote against God. (Tan, P. L. Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, Bible Communications 1996, digital version).
So, one is right to ask, how is the secularization thesis doing? Is the world as a whole becoming less religious and more secular? Depending on who you talk to, the answer varies. Regardless, religion and, specifically, Christianity are no where near being marginalized in any way, shape or form. What is one of the primary political questions being asked today, over a year before the next presidential election? That question is “Should evangelical Christians vote for a Mormon for president of the United States?” I have no intention of answering that question today or in the near future. Perhaps this could be a topic for discussion in our home groups tonight? But you get the point. Religion...Christianity...are major players in all aspects of our society and in the world as a whole. At any rate, the secularization thesis is not moving rapidly or taking over the world.
My personal opinion is that not only will the secularization thesis not gain ground, but that in the next couple of generations, it will be dead. This thesis, along with idea of philosophical materialism and evolution, will be tossed onto the junk heap of bad thinking. The reason I hold this opinion is that I think that as scientific advances continue, proof of an intelligent designer will continue to increase to where it will be considered irrational to be an atheist. Some noted philosophers are coming around to this position already. Noted English philosopher Anthony Flew spent much of his lengthy academic life arguing against theism. In an astounding reversal, he authored a book in 2007 called There is a God: How the world's most notorious atheist changed him mind. (HarperOne 2007). Dr. Ian H. Hutchinson, head of the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote this about the book, “This engaging personal retrospective on Flew's philosophical pilgrimage illustrates that it is dangerous for an atheist to think too hard about his religious commitment – he might become unconvinced.” (Flew, preface). Unfortunately, although he wrote favorably about Christianity, there is no indication that Flew embraced saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross for forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
This leads to my next idea about the death of secularization. Although secularization will not prevail, evangelical Christianity will not be that which replaces or reigns as the dominant philosophy. There will be spiritualism, but not the rise of Biblical Christianity. This thinking comes from God's word. As we have looked at Revelation and discussed the End Times in recent months, worship and religion is dominant in those days. But it is a false religion and belief. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,...”. So just because secularization fails doesn't mean that true saving faith follows in its stead.
However, we do know that in the end, God's Kingdom and plan will be instituted and Jesus Christ will be King of kings and Lord of lords. And this, of course, is not opinion. There are many passages that affirm this truth. Here are just a couple:
· Hear the words of the pagan king Nebuchadnezzer in Daniel 4:34-35, “And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'”
· Jesus in Matthew 16:18, “...I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
God's Kingdom, God's plan, God's perfect will will be accomplished. And, as Paul wrote the Athenians in Acts 17, God proves this by raising Christ from the dead. This, praise the Lord, is not opinion.
In the passage we are looking at today in Luke 13, our Savior develops this theme of the absolute certainty of God's kingdom prevailing. And He uses a couple of very interesting and insightful parables to do so. And, again, this is not opinion. This is not Jesus saying, “I hope my Father's kingdom comes.”, or “My Father's kingdom might come.”. No, Jesus is declaring that God's kingdom will come and it can't be stopped. Thus, from Luke 13:18-21, lets look at God's Unfaltering Kingdom as declared by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Follow along as we read Luke 13:18-21:
Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
Because it is unfaltering and cannot be stopped, we should joyfully embrace and live for the furtherance of God's Kingdom
Four reasons we should embrace and live for the furtherance of God's kingdom:
1. It may appear small, but its growth is not dependent on appearances.
I continue to be amazed and blessed by God and Jesus that they have given to us Their word. Whenever we find ourselves, as Christians, in a jam or some sort or of a sorrowful heart, the word is available to us. As we look around the world today, we may find ourselves depressed at the moral morass in which we find ourselves. Indeed, without an eternal perspective, such an outlook, to me, seems inevitable. Especially as we strive to promote God's kingdom in our own lives and spheres of influence, perhaps it can be depressing. Many pastors have been marked by deep bouts of depression, Charles Spurgeon among them, wondering if they really are making a difference for the Kingdom of God. Perhaps you can relate to such attitudes? Sometimes we wonder if God's kingdom really is progressing.
I think that one of Jesus' reasons for putting forth these two parables is to address this issue of wondering about the power of God's kingdom. And when describing God's kingdom, the first thing Jesus says is that it may appear small, but its growth is not dependent on appearances. He gives us two examples of the apparent “smallness” of the kingdom of God...a mustard seed and leaven.
First of all, in regards to the mustard seed, the point isn't so much the actual size of the seed as to the size of the tree that comes from it. As you may or may not know, a mustard seed is much smaller than an apple or orange seed. The first thought that comes to mind when you see one is that it probably is the seed for a small herb or flower. But the tree that grows from it is quite shocking considering the size of the seed. There is speculation as to exactly the kind of tree in reference here. One of the proposed trees can grow up to twenty-five feet tall. But the size of the tree isn't all that important. The point is that this seed is tiny, but what comes from it is huge and able to host birds.
The same point is made regarding the leaven in verse 21. How much leaven is needed to leaven the entire lump of dough? The three “measures” or “pecks” of meal or flour, depending upon your translation, is the equivalent of about fifty pounds. So how much leaven does it take to leaven the whole lump? Well, you can put in as much as you like because the yeast bacteria grows to fill the entire lump of flour. But a pinch will do...put the pinch of yeast into the lump and it is simply a matter of time until the entire lump is leavened. In both cases, the size of the initial seed or pinch of leaven has no impact on the end result.
When you look at the ministry of Jesus and the initial start of the kingdom of God, you can see the comparison. Let's use our imaginations here for a moment. Say a man of 30 years old who has worked as a carpenter in Nederland for all his life decided one day to go to his church of 25 people or so and announce to them that He was God's Messiah and he came to save the world from sin and God's wrath. What would be the common reaction to that? Ridicule and rejection. I don't think he would get very far. Indeed, there are many self-proclaimed “Messiahs” in the world today, who even with the assistance of our modern technology and the internet, who aren't making much of an impact. If they are memorable at all, it usually is for how they left the world, so to speak. David Koresh comes to mind.
But friends, this is exactly what happened with Jesus. A thirty-year old carpenter from a Galilean back-water town called Nazareth stood up in His synagogue one day and announced that He is the Messiah who has come to establish God's kingdom. Those who heard Him tried to kill him that very day. And yet, here we are, two-thousand-odd years later and half a world away talking about that man and His impact on the world. What's going on here is being repeated multiple times all over this country and world on this day and others. What started off as absolutely tiny and insignificant has become huge and has had a massive impact. The young carpenter from Galilee is the most significant person to have ever lived.
God's kingdom is unfaltering because is may appear small, but its growth is not dependent on appearances. We'll develop this idea as we continue on.
2. The method of growth is simple, but the message is empowered by God.
Note secondly here the simplicity of the method of growth. A man takes mustard seed and puts it in his garden. A woman takes a pinch of leaven and puts it into a large lump of dough. How long does it take to do either of these tasks? Very little time and effort is put forth in this work. In fact the word translated as “put” in verse 19 is better translated as “threw”. The NASB has it so translated. The word literally means to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls. It has a nuance that includes casting in such a way as to not worry about the results. The picture is of the gardener and woman, in a sense, carelessly going about this work because they are absolutely confident of the result. A similar attitude and action is articulated by the Lord in the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8. The man sows the seed not being over concerned with where it lands. It is different in this case in that the gardener and the woman are very intentional in what they are doing. The gardener puts the mustard seed in a place where he is confident of its growth. The woman places the leaven in dough, confident of the result.
But what, or who, empowers the growth? With both the seed and the yeast, these two creatures grow because God made them to grow. When He created the world and universe, He specifically created seeds to grow trees and yeast to multiply and give off carbon dioxide which causes bread to rise. Give a scientist or group of scientists all the resources in the world and all the time in the world and they could never make a seed that grows into a tree. We need not ask the scientists for a forest of trees or an apple orchard. Just try to make one little seed that results in a tree or bit of self-reproducing leaven which fills an entire lump of dough. Can a man...any man...do this? No. The growth is empowered by God. God has so made the seed and the leaven to grow. All the gardener and the baker need to do is put it out there and let God do His thing.
And this is the picture that Jesus wants us to understand from these two parables. The Kingdom of God grows in an unfaltering way because it is empowered by the Word of God. God has so made His word, which in these parables is the seed and the leaven, in such a way that it grows by itself. All that has to be done is to put it out there and let God do His thing. Listen to the following passages which declare the power of God's word:
· Hebrews 4:12 ~ For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
· Psalm 119:97-100 ~ Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.
· Psalm 19:7-8 ~ The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;...”
Specifically regarding growth of God's kingdom...the salvation of the souls of men...Paul makes this huge statement in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,...” He rephrases this statement in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” This mechanism of growth is practically discussed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”
Beloved, do you understand that the method of growth in God's kingdom is simple, but the message is empowered by God. The presentation doesn't have to be complicated and dynamic. You don't have to be eloquent or learned. You simply need to have a garden or a lump of dough to cast the seed or put the leaven. Share a verse of Scripture with a friend. Speak these words, “Christ came into the world to save sinners.” Here is another passage, 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,...” Faithfully pursue your friends and family and cast the seed and watch God work.
Here are a couple of points of application from these first two points in the sermon:
· Do you understand the power of the Word of God? The gardener understood the power of the mustard seed and the woman understood the power of leaven. Do you understand that this Bible is God-breathed and changes lives? If you are a believer here today, it is because the Word of God came upon you with power and changed you. It is the only way that people are changed. Take this word and put it to its task.
· Do you have a garden or a lump of dough? Dear friends, if the gardener has the mustard seed and leaves it in its box, nothing is going to happen. If the baker leaves the leaven in its container, nothing is going to happen. Beloved, if we don't have a place where we are actively trying to plant the word, then more than likely we won't. I have found in my life that unless I am actively seeking to evangelize and share the life-changing gospel, I rarely do so. Dear friends, find a garden, find a lump of dough.
· A third application is not to worry about the size of your garden or lump. You need not be thinking that I have to share the gospel with everyone in Boulder or my school or work place. Pick one or two. Don't close the door to others, but don't think for a moment that if you're only speaking to a couple of people that this is ineffective. You know how multiplication works. Start with one penny on the first day of the month and simply double your amount of pennies everyday for that month. By the end of the month, you will have over a million dollars. Friends, if God allows you to impact one or two people with the gospel over the next year or so and they, in turn, impact one or two and on down the line...you get the picture. Please don't think that I am saying to not think big. Share with lots of people and pray for a great harvest. But there may be times when you are planning on putting forth the word and not many show up. You have small Sunday School class or children's church group of one or two. You plan a neighborhood cookout hoping to reach your neighbors and only a couple come. If the Lord brings one, be faithful with one. Don't worry about the size of your garden or your lump. Simply cast the seed or put in the leaven of God's word and trust Him to empower the message.
3. The initial start of the growth may seem insignificant, but the long-term impacts are amazing.
Another aspect of God's unfaltering kingdom is to look at how it grows. It initially seems insignificant, but the long term impacts are amazing. As we look at this text here, we may wonder about the immediate context. We refer to Matthew, Mark and Luke as the Synoptic Gospels because they contain very similar accounts of the life of Christ. John, on the other hand, is very different. But as we've been working through Luke and comparing the similar narratives in these three gospels, we have found that Jesus repeated much of His teaching in different contexts and places. These two parables are examples of this. In both Matthew and Mark, one or both of these parables can be found, but Jesus proclaims them along with many other Kingdom parables. In Luke, they stand by themselves. Also, in Matthew and Mark, Jesus is teaching these parables in Galilee early in His ministry. In Luke, He has left Galilee and is headed to Jerusalem to face the crucifixion. Looking at Luke here, we also wonder if Jesus is still in the synagogue where He has just healed the woman with the infirmity that we looked at last week. Perhaps he has left the synagogue and is traveling again, as he definitely is in the next narrative in Luke.
But as was emphasized in the first point of this message, all of this is occurring in a way off small nation with really no significance in the greater world, at least according to the rulers of that day. Israel was a small nation in the Roman empire, far away from the capital of Rome and other centers of influence. There are indications that Roman governor Pilate hated being there and that being ordered to serve in Israel may be similar to being sent to oversee Antarctica. This was definitely not a coveted assignment. Israel was rather insignificant.
Even looking at the recent miracle that Jesus just performed really wouldn't rock the world. If we happened to hear of a crippled woman being healed, say, in La Junta, this wouldn't be front-page news in the Denver Post. It would be rather insignificant.
But again, look at the long-term benefits that have come to men because of the life and work of Jesus. Think about how Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom has blessed mankind throughout history. This is the point that Jesus is making in the second half of verse 19 when He says that the birds of the air nest in the large tree that came from the little seed. Although not as clear in the parable of the leaven, the point can be seen in that the leaven starts off only impacting one part of the dough, but then, in time, impacts the entire lump. The picture of birds nesting in a tree is a picture of God's blessing on nature and mankind. Take a look at Psalm 104:10-12, “He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches.” God provides blessing for the beasts of the field and birds of the air. The birds then sing and the indication is that this singing blesses the Lord. The heavens declare the glory of God and, by their singing, birds do to.
So, as we can see, the growth at first may seem insignificant, but the long-term impacts are amazing. A Man teaches in Israel, heals a few people and then is killed on a cross. But in His resurrection, He accomplishes benefits for mankind that are unbelievable. Lets think for just a couple of moments about those benefits. Here are several:
· Because of Jesus Christ and the gospel, you can be forgiven of all your sin. Paul writes to the Colossians Christians, that Jesus, through His death, burial and resurrection, has forgiven them of all trespasses, having wiped them out. (Col. 2:13-14). If you would believe in Jesus today, the same could be said of you.
· In that same vein, because of Jesus Christ and the gospel, God no longer has any of His righteous wrath and anger left for the Christian. He poured all His perfect wrath out on Jesus and now it is exhausted for the one who believes in Jesus. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (NASB95). If you would believe in Jesus today, the same could be said of you.
· As with the crippled woman who was healed in the previous account, Because of Jesus Christ and the gospel, those who are believers in Jesus will one day experience complete wholeness of body, mind and spirit. As blessed as that woman was, she had to go through death. And, if the Lord doesn't rapture us out of here soon, all of us will also die. But for the one who believes in Jesus Christ, listen to these words as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:53-57, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NASB95). If you would believe in Jesus today, the same could be said of you.
· Because of Jesus Christ and the gospel, the one who believes in Him can have what is described as the peace that surpasses comprehension and a joy unspeakable and full of glory. The general tenor of the Christian's life is peace and joy because that person is restored into fellowship with His Creator. And that peace and joy will have a beneficial impact on all aspects and relationship in your life. If you would believe in Jesus today, the same could be said of you.
· Because of Jesus Christ and the gospel, one day Jesus will return and set up His complete and total kingdom in which righteousness and justice will dwell. For those who are Christians, they will reign with Christ and enjoy the blessings of a restored creation and complete rest and joy. If you would believe in Jesus today, the same could be said of you.
Dear friends, these are just a couple of the innumerable benefits and impacts of God's kingdom. And please note that all of this is possible for only one reason...Jesus Christ and the gospel. None of this occurs because of any worth or merit in ourselves. It is all of grace. When any good and glory occurs, it is because of grace. We are who we are by the grace of God...His unmerited, unearned favor. Jesus invites any and all to come into and begin to experience the long-term, amazing impacts of the kingdom of God. Would you do so today? Jesus says in John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” You've heard His word this morning. Would you believe in Him who sent Him and have everlasting life
4. Once the growth starts, it is impossible to stop.
Lastly this morning, let us observe from the parable of the leaven that once the growth of God's kingdom starts, it is impossible to stop. What happens once the yeast starts to multiple in the lump of dough? Can it be stopped and can the leaven be removed? Nope, once the process has begun, it cannot be reversed. Thus, what Jesus is saying here is that His kingdom has been initiated and it will not be stopped. God will accomplish all His plans and glory and no one can stop it.
For the believer this morning, this is really good news. It has individual implications in that, as Paul stated in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;...” Once God initiates His kingdom in your life, He will not stop. Praise to His glorious name. Regardless of my maturity or understanding, by His grace, His kingdom in my life continues to grow and mature because He has determined it to be so.
And, as articulated earlier, the unfaltering nature of God's kingdom has universal implications. Christ will build His church and, one day, come and establish His holy and complete righteous kingdom here. Dear friends, Christ initiated God's unfaltering kingdom in His first coming. It started off small and insignificant. But as we can see in the world, the kingdom of God is not insignificant. And not only that, it is impossible to stop
As we wrap this message up, there are several applications to consider:
· For those here this morning who are not Christians, please note that God is at work in this world and His kingdom will be established. It is inevitable and unfaltering. God through Jesus Christ invites you to join with Him in this kingdom by believing in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. To not become a citizen of God's kingdom is to face eternity out of God's kingdom and presence and that, dear friend, you do not want to face.
· For the Christian here this morning, how committed are you to God's unfaltering kingdom? Is it the driving motivation in your life? Jesus our Savior is clear in this matter of priorities. He says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,...” Our first priority...that which we are to “seek first”...is God's kingdom. That kingdom is to be sought in our own lives as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. And that kingdom is to be sought in how we serve and bless others around us. We are to be actively seeking to impart kingdom truth to those around us. To that end, I ask again, do you have a garden into which you are casting seeds of gospel truth? Do you have lump of dough into which you are placing leaven? Perhaps you could begin serving here, teaching the little ones of our congregation? Think deeply about those whom God has called you to interact with on a daily basis...your work colleagues, classmates, teammates, etc. If you are a believer here this morning, it is because someone in your past cast a seed of the gospel to you and, by God's supernatural grace, you believed it. Now go and cast God's gospel toward others and see what God does.
· For our church here this morning, we need to be single-minded in our desire to see God's kingdom promoted and developed in our body and in our community. This can take on so many different forms and ministries. But one thing is certain...we have a huge garden sitting right outside our door. There are several different ministries that are on going right now that you could jump on board and begin to help develop and grow. But what is most effective is when you deeply pursue God's kingdom in your life and then He inspires you to cast seed in a certain places and ways. This needs to be our commitment as a church as well as our individual commitments. Seek the mind of the Lord and ask Him specifically how you might be used of Him to promote His unfaltering kingdom. The ideas are limitless. Seek them out.
Remember Voltaire's statement from the introduction? “I’ll show how just one Frenchman can destroy [Christianity] within 50 years.”. Twenty years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society purchased his house for printing the Bible. And it later became the Paris headquarters for the British and Foreign Bible Society. The Bible is still a best-seller; an entire 6-volume set of Voltaire’s works was once sold for 90¢. Just before his death, the noted atheist swore: “I wish I had never been BORN!” (Tan, P. L. Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, Bible Communications 1996, digital version)
On the flip side, the great reformer Martin Luther penned these words in the hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God...
And tho’ this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph thro’ us; The prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly pow’rs, No thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours Thro’ Him who with us sideth: Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.
Because it is unfaltering and cannot be stopped, we should joyfully embrace and live for the furtherance of God's Kingdom.
Discussion Questions:
· At times we may become discouraged with the state of God's kingdom in the U.S. or even our own church situation. How should we approach overcoming that discouragement?
· Should every Christian be active in sharing the gospel? What if that person is uncomfortable with discussion spiritual matters with others?
· How “aggressive” or “creative” should we be in our gospel sharing? Look at 2 Corinthians 5:20 as you consider this question.
· Do you have a garden or a lump of dough? Where are some possible areas where God might be calling you to cast a seed?
· What about God's unfaltering kingdom causes you to rejoice? How might dwelling on such a topic increase your joy?
No comments:
Post a Comment