The Parable of the Mustard Seed by Lewis Kiger

Massive palaces begin with one single block. Trees so enormous that your arms can’t stretch around, started as a tiny sapling. Vast cities with mammoth skyscrapers that touch the clouds and neighborhoods that extend for miles and populate millions, all began with a few people living out of tents or shacks.

Similarly, the glorious kingdom of God began out of relative obscurity. With a handful of mostly uneducated men and shunned women from the backwaters of the Roman Empire, came this fledgling little faction that God has used to turn the world upside down. 

This is the lesson of the Parable of the Mustard Seed. Christ would teach his disciples by use of this earthly illustration that, while they had the humblest of beginnings, His empire was going to grow far beyond what their natural eyes could see.

In Matthew 13:31-32 we read these words, “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: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it 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.”

Photo Credit: Scarletina

It is understood that the “mustard seed” was the smallest herb-bearing seed in all of Israel. While it is true that there are other seeds that are actually smaller than the mustard seed identified today, none of them would have been known or used by the Jewish people. So, it is folly to try and accuse the Lord of misspeaking. Besides, Christ was not giving a lesson on botany (although He could have), instead He was teaching about His kingdom.

The mustard seed is about the size of the tip of a ball point pen. If, like me, you owned and loved a BB gun as a kid, you know just how small a BB is. But, a mustard seed is about one quarter that size. 

Yet, when planted and fully grown, a mustard plant can become the largest bush in the garden. From a tiny little seed, this plant can become as high as 12-15 feet tall. There are reports from the Middle East of birds nesting in its tangled vines and even of men riding their horses underneath the branches of the Mustard plant.

When compared to all others, it is like a tree. Contrast it to wheat or barley which only grow a few feet high with a shingle shoot, and the mustard seed increases far beyond these others.

This is the simple message of the parable.

The kingdom will begin small and seem insignificant to the eyes of the world. But, it will not stay that way. Despite the hard-hearts of the unrepentant, in spite of false conversions, and regardless of Satanic opposition; God’s kingdom is going to flourish.

The Gracious Teacher tells His young disciples not to lose heart. While they may seem weak and feeble, their Spirit-empowered work is going to grow and become great. Jesus tells them, do not judge my kingdom by the size of the seed, but rather envision what it can become. That little mustard seed may seem fragile and frail, but it has huge potential.

This should continue to encourage us in His kingdom work today. We are all prone to judge only by what our eyes can see, when we ought rather to walk by faith, and not by sight. Like the early church, we may feel like nothing of significance is being accomplished. We may think that God is not working. Yet this parable reminds us that God’s sovereign design remains.

The Kingdom of God has extended to the four corners of this globe. It has reached farther and grown greater than anyone could have ever imagined. It has reached into the hearts of an innumerable host and turned their lives around. Even some of those who have sought to destroy it have heard the Gospel and found an eternal home in the branches of Christ’s Kingdom. Christ’s spiritual reign has spread to every tongue, tribe and nation. It continues to grow today.

Dear reader, the only question that remains, is whether you are a part of this Kingdom? Have you, by faith trusted in the finished work of Christ and become a part of this growing glorious kingdom? I pray you have.

Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
svdbygrace2@roadrunner.com