We are on the topic of the parables of Jesus.

Today we will be talking about the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

Turn to Matthew 13:31-35 …Mark 4:30-32, and Luke 13:18-19,

In the first two parables Jesus gave an explanation to His disciples but He doesn’t explain the parables we are studying this morning.

Matthew 13:31-35 ESV this morning

(31) “He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. (32) It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’

(33) He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.’

(34) All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. (35) This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.’” (THIS IS GOD WORD)

Biblical scholars interpret these two parables about the mustard seed and leaven (yeast), in two contrasting ways. We would like to give you both sides from experts in biblical expository research, but first let’s do some review on what we already know.

(24) “Jesus told them another parable: ’The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. (25) But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. (26) When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
(27) The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
(28) ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
(29) ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. (30) Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Matthew 13:18-23

(18) Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: (19) When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. (20) The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. (21) But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (22) The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. (23) But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

This is God’s word.

Quick review, what is a parable? It is the comparison of two subjects for the purpose of teaching. It proceeds from a known truth to add meaning to something unknown. It is an everyday story that “comes alongside” something not known or difficult to understand. It is, similar to what the Hebrews called a mashal, ‘a riddle’. Jesus used parables as a means to teach truths that were not evident to hearers. The parable of the sower describes even though the Kingdom of God is available to everyone, not everyone chooses to enter in. It is an example of why the gospel falls on deaf ears, is turned down, and not worth the struggle or hardship of the journey to abundant life, a fruit-bearing purposeful life.

I want to make a statement about the events of this week because if I were sitting where you are I would want to know what my Pastor might say at a time such as this. Before I begin I want to read,

I Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

And it is how people are led to online extremism.

Main Verse:

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

— Galatians 1:10

1. Introduction – Who Are You Living For?

Church, let me ask you something today.

Not just something surface. Something that presses into the real you.

The you behind the outfit. Behind the story. Behind the social media.

Whose approval are you living for right now?

Whose voice gets the final say in your life?

For many of us, we seek validation from the crowd. We crave likes, compliments, recognition. We shape ourselves around what others expect instead of who God called us to be.

I’ll be real with you—when Shandel asked me to speak, my first thought wasn’t excitement. It was worry. I worried about whether I could say enough, be enough, and live up to the moment. Maybe you’ve felt that too—the pressure to perform, to prove yourself worthy in the eyes of others.

But here’s what God reminded me: He never asked me to be “enough.” He asked me to be available. My strength doesn’t come from my words or my confidence—it comes from Him. And if He’s the one who called me here, then He’s the one who will carry me through.

But the enemy loves to twist that pressure. He wants us chasing the crowd, measuring ourselves by the world’s approval. And if we’re not careful, our desire to be enough for people will start to drown out our devotion to God. That’s why Scripture warns us so clearly:

Matthew 9:27-38 - Jesus’ Mercy and Our Mission

As we continue preaching on the miracles of Jesus, we close out 2 chapters Matthew 8–9 which walked us through a gallery of ten miracles that reveal who Jesus is and what His kingdom is like. Our passage today has three scenes:

1. two blind men who see (27–31),
2. a mute man who speaks (32–34), and
3. The compassionate Christ who calls for workers (35–38).

(27-31) As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

(32-34) While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

(35-38) Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

In our study of the book of Matthew, Jesus has taught about the Kingdom of Heaven, The Kingdom of God. The invitation is for those who desire him, who will repent, those who are poor in spirit (those who know they need God), those on the fringe of society, the unclean, outcasts, sinners, and to those who are willing to obey and follow his example of mercy and compassion.

We are in the book of Matthew, going through the miracles of Jesus. This is a story of two miracles, one occurring in the midst of the other.

A little seminary lesson to kick off this morning…

Matthew abbreviates the stories to highlight certain important Jewish points to emphasize Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience.

Luke is writing to Theophilus, which means “lover of God”, who we believe to be a significant person in the early Church who then circulated the gospel account.

Mark’s account is pastoral, to encourage and build up the faith of the Church in the face of dangerous persecution.

Anyway, Matthew for sure, condenses this story, focusing on the faith-response rather than the chronology. We will be drawing from parallel passages in Mark / Luke

Matthew 9:18-26

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region.