Understanding the Kingdom: The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
(Mat 13:31)
Throughout human history we would be hard pressed to find a people more outwardly concerned with faithfulness than the Jews. Yet it is to them the Lord Jesus spoke the following…
…"If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you would tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible for you. (Mat 17:20)
Why would Jesus say such a thing to the faithful Jews? Because the faith He was speaking about was not a natural but a spiritual faith. Natural faith is little more than a strong confidence in a person (God) or and outcome (prophecy). This kind of faith can be conditioned into a person through repetitive practice of religious tradition. Jesus knew this was the “faith” of the Jews and that it had no real power, for if it did surely someone would have accepted Christ’s challenge to “tell this mountain to move from here to there”.
Christ uses the example of the tiny mustard seed to make a powerful point about true Christian faith -- that it’s much more than ritual bible reading, prayer, church attendance or even ministry, all of which can be accomplished without any assistance from God whatsoever. True faith exceeds mere confidence in God and His word. True faith is found only in the “knowing” that ignores all evidence to the contrary. The “knowing” that has its roots in “hearing” God “speak” into the heart. It’s only when I’ve “heard” God say “Go and tell the mountain to move in my Name and it will obey you.” that I am emboldened to do so before witnesses.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God.
(Rom 10:17)
For many years I confused reading the word with “hearing” God. I put my “faith” in what I read and found myself continually frustrated by the outcome. The Lord never intended the word to replace sitting at His feet and listening to Him. True, He always uses the word to confirm what I hear, but the word alone can never produce the “knowing” faith in that word that will move mountains.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
(Rom 1:17)
This is why Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed, because it represents a faith born of “hearing” God. And from that deep conviction comes the action that produces the “greater things” Christ prophesied I and every true disciple would do in His Name.
…for when it (mustard seed) is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Mat 13:32)
revealingrevelation.blogspot.com
Interesting blog, but I felt compelled to reply about this post. You claim that 'true faith' (if I can put it that way) is somehow more than simply reading God's Word and trusting in it- however, I think this is the definition of true faith. The author of the Hebrews states 'Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.' (Heb 11:1). The author says that faith is having confidence in what we hope for- that is, the hope of heaven and the Gospel- and assurance that the Gospel is true and God's Word is true and that God is good, even when in this world that can seem invisible.
ReplyDeleteThe potential danger of making faith about a 'knowing' contrary to evidence is that it makes Christianity quite mystic, that there is this special knowledge we have to have directly from God. You seem to imply this too by claiming that God never intended us to 'hear' from God by listening to His Word- but isn't that the very way God reveals Himself to us? It's through God's Word we can find out about who God is and what He is like and what we are like as God's creation and how we can have a relationship with Him through Christ.
The other potential danger is how you seem to describe things like prayer, God's Word, church and ministry and ritualistic things. Yes, I agree with you that one can do any of these things and appear to be a Christian without actually having repented or trusted in Jesus, but I must say I disagree that you think that the Christian life is 'much more' than doing these things:
-Prayer is talking to God as our heavenly Father- the fact God allows us to talk to Him in the way that Jesus does is an immense privilege and a miraculous testimony of the relationship we have in Christ.
-Church is the redeemed body of God and the local gathering of believers, where we can hear from God's Word, communicate with God corporately through prayer and the preaching of God's Word and encourage one another in keeping going as Christians. Again, this is a huge privilege and a miracle in itself to see how God is gathering and growing His people.
-Ministry is serving God, using whatever gifts and circumstances He has given us- how can Christianity be seen as much more than this, as this is our Christian lives in service to God?
Sorry this is a bit of a long comment and sorry if it's overly critical, I mean what I say with every respect. I just think your post has the danger of making faith sound too mystical and to downplay vital aspects of the Christian life as 'ritual' or somehow 'not enough'.
Thanks
Jo :)
Wow! I wrote this a long time ago. Seems like ages, but actually it's only been a few years. God has been teaching me a lot since then and one of things He's been drilling into me is how to better share my thoughts in this kind of forum. Musing aloud is a dangerous thing. But I deeply appreciate your comments and interest in what I've written. And thanks for taking the time to do so!
DeleteHi, so sorry didn't realise you'd posted it so long ago- I was going on the time on the bottom of the post which just said you'd posted it at 12:15pm, I should have checked at the top where it said October 09! Thanks for the quick reply, again I didn't mean to sound critical, more pondering aloud back on some of the potential roads people could go down that might not be helpful (i.e. thinking faith is something mystical or thinking that the more 'ordinary' experiences of the Christian life might not be enough). Thanks again, Jo :)
ReplyDelete