The Mustard Seed Challenge

A Series on the parables of Jesus
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Matthew 13:31-32 

[During the first century, it was common for a rabbi to use parables when teaching their disciples. The parables of Jesus were stories that he told to illustrate spiritual truth using some element from everyday life. Jesus used seeds, fish, trees, bread - things people could easily relate to – for a “teachable moment”.]

  

In the early 70’s, I began to sense God’s call to ministry, “by using basketball as a tool to reach inner city boys with the Gospel of Christ”.

 

That small beginning germinated when a roommate of mine got a call from a friend of his that was looking for volunteers to coach a boys’ basketball team for an inner-city ministry… what a coincidence.

 

Eventually, I went into full time ministry with them which led to me running a basketball tournament. The first year, we had four teams. After twenty-five years, when I finished, we had forty teams in one city, plus tournaments in four other cities including Atlanta, Chicago and Boston.

 

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”       NIV

 

God is counter intuitive. He takes a very small seed and grows it into a tree. He takes weakness and turns it into strength. He takes the impossible and makes it possible. Consider these few examples from His word.

 

·         Abram and Sarai were old and beyond the years of bearing a child when she became pregnant.

·         David was the youngest son of Jesse, and a shepherd, but was anointed king and later defeated Goliath.

·         Gideon was hiding in a winepress from the Midianites when God called him to be a mighty warrior.

·         Jesus’ disciples were common men and women, some of them even “known sinners”.

·         Following the resurrection, eleven apostles, plus the women, led to 120 believers which then led to adding 3000 more.

 

Like the parable of the mustard seed, that small seed of faith in God’s call led to many young men coming to Christ. There was nothing special about me. I was a regular kid, who grew up in a small rural town, that God used to grow his kingdom.

 

Really, this parable has two levels of application: macro and micro. Macro is quantitative. It’s how the kingdom of heaven grows numerically when people give their lives to follow Jesus. Micro is qualitative. That’s how we grow as an individual in our relationship with Christ.

Either way, a small seed can do unexpected and amazing things. That’s the challenge that you and I face every day… the mustard seed challenge.

Copyright 2022 Joseph B Williams

 

 

 

My Brand New Ford Pinto

A Series on the parables of Jesus
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 

[During the first century, it was common for a rabbi to use parables when teaching their disciples. The parables of Jesus were stories that he told to illustrate spiritual truth using some element from everyday life. Jesus used seeds, fish, trees, bread - things people could easily relate to – for a “teachable moment”.]

  

In 1972, I bought the very first car that I ever owned… a brown Ford Pinto. 

That December, I was driving on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. It was dusk, with freshly fallen snow on the ground.

 

As I drove down a slight hill, another car approached the intersection from the cross street. We both put our breaks on and slid to a stop on the snow-covered streets. It was a very close call with his car less than a foot from hitting the passenger side front bumper of my car… my brand new Ford Pinto.

 

But then, he backed up his car, looked at me through his front windshield, put his car into drive and rammed into the side of my car! Unbelievable! This is the most similar incident in my life that comes close to Jesus’ parable of the weeds.

In his parable, a farmer planted good seed in his field. That night, the farmer’s enemy planted weeds in the very same field, sabotaging his crop. Jesus explained to his disciples that the farmer who planted the good seed was the Son of Man and the enemy who tried to destroy his crop was the evil one, Satan.

Jesus is giving them the big picture of life where there’s a battle for good against evil and a final judgement. He was more direct when he put it like this.

 

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.            John 10 NIV

 

Paul wrote about this spiritual battle in his letter to the believers of Ephesus.

 

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.             Ephesians 6 NIV

 

Reading and meditating on God’s word, being accountable to other believers and prayer are a part of the full armor of God that will help you to stand. “So that, when the day of evil comes – when some crazy guy rams your brand new car – you can stand your ground, and after you have done everything… to stand!”

 

Copyright 2022 Joseph B Williams

 

 

 

 

Two Ears and One Mouth

A Series on the parables of Jesus
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 8:1-15 

[During the first century, it was common for a rabbi to use parables when teaching their disciples. The parables of Jesus were stories that he told to illustrate spiritual truth using some element from everyday life. Jesus used seeds, fish, trees, bread - things people could easily relate to – for a “teachable moment”.]

  

You've probably heard this saying before somewhere. The problem is that most people, or probably it’s just me, are thinking about what they’re going to say just as soon as the other person shuts up!

 

The first career job that I had was as a full-time urban youth minister for a parachurch ministry. My boss used to philosophize all the time… most of which I didn’t get. I can still remember him telling me how my work should be like that of an owner, not a renter.

 

Looking back, I now understand that he recognized that I wasn’t fully committed to the ministry like I needed to be – that is, an owner mentality. I was more like a renter who was just passing through – there for a while, but not putting down roots.

 

Speaking of roots… in the parable of the sower, you can easily picture the setting. Jesus is sitting in a boat, out in the water with people standing around the shoreline listening intently. He may have looked up and seen a farmer spreading seed for his crop, which gave him the idea for the parable.

 

Once Jesus had told the parable, the disciples, like me not understanding my boss, didn’t quite get it. So, Jesus spelled it out for them.

 

¹¹ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.”         NIV

 

From there, he went on to explain how the different types of soil impacted the growth of the word of God in the person. Each one of these soils may bring to mind someone that you have known. Honestly though, I can identify with all of them.

 

In fact, James warns believers about something that’s right out of Jesus’ playbook. It’s a “parable of the sower” warning about seeds not taking root, and how to make sure that doesn’t happen.

 

²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. ²³ For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. ²⁴ You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. ²⁵ But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.   James 1 NLT

 

When Jesus finished telling the parable of the sower, he said the following.

 

⁸ “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” NLT

 

Apparently, two ears and one mouth is a formula that we should still abide.

 

Copyright 2022 Joseph B Williams

 

 

Outlier or Status Quo?

A Series on Living in the Wilderness: Part 2
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 7:36-50 

[This is Part 2 in a series of looking at people who lived in the wilderness. Not necessarily the wilderness of nature, but the wilderness of life. In fact, there are times when we all feel like we are living in the wilderness. During those times, it’s important to remember that the Lord is faithful. That He loves you and is always with you.]

  

The definition of an outlier is something that doesn’t fit with its surroundings. 

The word can be applied to data gathering, geology or most any object. It can also apply to people… like the sinful woman in Luke 7.

 

As the story goes, Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus for dinner. In that culture, it was considered a virtue to invite a teacher over for dinner, especially if the teacher were from out of town or had just taught at the synagogue. In fact, this was likely a banquet in honor of Jesus, but to bring prestige to Simon.

 

As the invited guests were reclined at table, an uninvited guest appeared and did something totally unexpected… and socially unacceptable.

 

³⁷ When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. ³⁸ Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.   NLT

 

Her behavior was scandalous! Simon silently judged Jesus for allowing it to happen. 

Realizing this, Jesus told Simon a story about a lender who forgave the loans of two people. One loan was a very large amount and the other was very small. Jesus then asked Simon which of the borrowers would love the lender more.

 

Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven”. Jesus proceeded to publicly chastise him for not extending common courtesies such as washing Jesus’ feet, greeting him with a kiss or anointing his head with oil.

 

He then compared Simon to the sinful woman by praising her. For she had done all of these as an expression of the depth of her love for Jesus.

 

⁴⁷ “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”     NLT

 

Both the sinful woman and Simon the Pharisee lived in a wilderness. The former was a wilderness of a social and religious outlier, rejected by the status quo. The later was a wilderness of religious rules and self-righteous piety, maintaining the status quo.

 

No matter which wilderness you may be living in at the moment, Jesus died for your sins and is ready to forgive you. What Jesus said to the sinful woman, he will say to you.

 

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” NLT

 

Copyright 2022 Joseph B Williams