Ash Wednesday is this week!
Stories Jesus told: Seeds and yeast -Mt 13:31-33 2-14-2010
31He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
33He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount[b] of flour until it worked all through the dough."
Ash Wednesday is this week
Jesus makes it simple and clear
The nature of the kingdom is simple and clear
When you hear people making it complicated, watch out
Some latest fad, some latest teaching
There is nothing new under the sun
The simple loving grace of God beckons humans
1. In the kingdom of heaven
The seed becomes a tree
a.that is its purpose
there is a genetic code inside of it that calls it to be
Its what we do
Olathe oak
We hold each other up, we provide shade
b.It takes time
Be patient with yourself
Number of people that I talk to that are down on themselves….
Beating down one’s self because you don’t feel spiritual
Feelings of spirituality are fleeting
True spirituality makes a person humble, useable by god
When you start to feel real spiritual, you better watch out
Get acclimated to feeling unworthy-this is characteristic of the saints
Be patient with yourself.
Fruits and seeds
A woman dreamed that she walked into a brand new shop in the marketplace and, to her great surprise, found God behind the counter.
"What do you sell here?" she asked.
"Everything your heart desires," replied God.
"That is just wonderful," said the woman. "If that is so, I want peace of mind and love and wisdom and happiness and freedom from fear."
And, after a moment, she added, "Not just for me. For everyone on earth."
God smiled and said. "I think you have me wrong. We don't sell fruits here. Only seeds."
Don’t worry about being a genius….
Do you think the disciples were spiritual geniuses
share Gods love and put yourself in a position to grow.
This is a miracle
2. In the kingdom of heaven
The leaven acts on you, the dough
A little bit at a time
The love of god interacts with those places that are hard to get to
The innermost places of your heart
You change a little at a time, just like a big ship
Look back on your life- are you more gracious than you used to be? Are there things that used to bother you but now they don’t?
Story – illustration: a Time when I was acted on by another.
The words of my father act on me a little bit at a time
Jeff you talk too much
The words of a favorite professor, inscribed in my heart and mind, speak to me for my entire life and call me to change
But pastor, I have an Amazing story of conversion?
Yes but it still takes time for you to apply what happened to your life. For you to understand it.
The holy spirit acts on you a little bit at a time.
3.In the kingdom of heaven
You are the leaven, acting on others
Don’t have to close the sale
Jesus did not say the kingdom is like a person with a hammer
The kingdom is like a person with a guillotine
The kingdom is like yeast-acting on others
Sneak in, show up, be there.
Have you made an impact on the life of someone else?
How did it happen?
You are an active agent in the hands of a living god
You are the seed that becomes a tree
The great danger of life is that we will tire from our tasks, our purposes, our energy will wain – no matter how amped we are about something – time takes its toll.
The great Russian writer Solzhenitsyn, now self-exiled in Vermont, writing on the difference between communist countries and democratic America: "In the United States, the difficulties are not a Minotaur or a dragon - not imprisonment, hard labor, death, government harassment and censorship - but cupidity, boredom, sloppiness, indifference. Not the acts of a mighty, all-pervading repressive government but the failure of a listless public to make use of the freedom that is its birthright."
If you are a seed-
Where is your passion.
What is that which God has put inside of you?
Where is the point where your heart meets thee needs of others
An agent has a power, a dream, a persistence.
Do you see yourself as overwhelmed? Are you self focused? Does your ego get in the way of the cause? Do you do what you do out of obligation? Would you rather just maintain the status quo then risk effective change – or
Are you in touch with your passion? When we are, we possess enthusiasm and energy. You concentrate on your life purpose. You lead out with a surrendered ego. You have a clear vision. You are willing to take risks. You are confident.
Years ago the kids used to sing, I am a promise, a possibility
conclusion
Daffodil bulbs that came to life
Seeds dormant for 200 500 1800 years can come to life
You are a force, a power, an active agent in the hands of a living god
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