16.03.25 Luke 13:18-30

Prepare

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your presence today. We pray that here and now, we would behold your glory and by your spirit, be transformed into someone more and more like our risen King Jesus. Amen.

Read Luke 13:18-30

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”

20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

The Narrow Door

22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

Reflect

Today is Sunday. The future of the church may sometimes feel uncertain and unsure. It’s been sad to see the church in the headlines recently, often for the wrong reasons. Sometimes it seems the worldwide church takes a step forward and then multiple steps back. In todays passage Jesus uses the metaphors of mustard seed and the yeast of a loaf of bread to describe the His kingdom. Both these things take time, their change is subtle but their effect is irreversible. Jesus promised Peter that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. It is this promise that should give us reason to hope, that despite the failures of the global church and those who misuse it for evil, Jesus’ kingdom will expand and will not stop. 

Be

Let’s praise Jesus for His Kingdom, that today is here in part but one day will come in full

Jesus, we thank you that you came to earth as a human being to proclaim the good news of your kingdom

Jesus, we thank you for the promise that the growth of your kingdom will not be stopped

Jesus, we pray that would kingdom would come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven 

Become

Jesus makes it clear that the christian life will feel like entering through a “narrow door”. We can’t go through by accident, we have to be decisive. We must let go of everything that would prevent us from fitting through that door. It’s a choice that will require us to “make every effort” to enter through. But the door is open and Jesus is beckoning us to come through; inviting us to know him.

In the quiet, allow the holy spirit to help you examine your life. Consider the areas of your life where you are making every effort and allow God’s delight to wash over you. 

Allow a moment for God for to challenge you in the moments where you hear him but do not obey.

Do

Jesus doesn’t hesitate to mention the consequences involved in refusing the narrow door. This can be deeply upsetting for those of us with loved ones who are yet to decide for Jesus. We cannot make people’s decisions for them. We can however be resolute in living compelling lives that cause those that don’t know Jesus to consider Him again. Elsewhere Jesus says to His followers “you are the light of the world”. Let’s pray that God would use us in this way. 

• Heavenly Father, I bring to mind all the people in my life who I most desperately want to know you

• Holy Spirit, would you enable my witness to be so compelling that others are drawn closer to you

• Help me to be radically loving, radically generous, radically forgiving, radically hospitable, radically prayerful. 

Practice

Though our Christian life will sometimes feel challenging, we are provided with the hope of the world to come, where there will be a feast more grand and more joyful than we can imagine. We will be joined by people from every corner of the earth and we will have eternity to spend in the presence of our saviour. As you go about your day, let that glimpse of Jesus Kingdom be vivid in your mind. May it give you joy and hope.