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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We have been reading in Matthew Chapter 13 of the parable of the sowing of the seed, the mustard seed which appeared so small and insignificant, and the amazing working of the yeast in the dough, invisibly and imperceptibly, yet powerfully and effectively.
These parables of Jesus are packed with relevance, and truth that is profoundly encouraging.
The world is looking for sensations. The world is not for Jesus. Might this be one reason why Jesus speaks about something very ordinary as seed and yeast?
When people taste the power and mercy and love of Jesus Christ, they are changed and transformed. There is an influencing power that is of God. That is God - the Holy Spirit – and a hard shell or a black crust, or a closed tough heart, can be split open.
This is where we see how precious the seed is, and then how precious the treasure, when we focus upon the Cross of Jesus Christ.
Keep these Parables of Jesus in mind when we might think, or feel, or sense, that nothing is happening.
They were spoken to a very mixed crowd.
God takes His Word and carries it to its ultimate destination.
Once the seed is sown it is out of our hands, and there should begin a process of generation and growth.
Some of the seed is aborted from the beginning, which causes us at times, to rethink what we mean by success. Jesus teaches us that lesson very clearly.
You can almost hear the disciples saying, “Oh no – not a grain of mustard seed. Oh no, not yeast!”
We can have that desire to be big and Jeremiah Chapter 45 verse 5 speaks about this cautioning us – “Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not.”
Do you want to be important – then be a grain of mustard seed – or unseen yeast – unseen but not ineffective and uninfluential?
There was a preacher in Scotland who was very discouraged. He had a dream one Sunday night. It was like a slide show, or power point, of his ministry. He saw certain faces, from his congregation whom he recognised. Then one couple appeared and he asked, “Who are they?”
“Oh that husband and wife were on holiday. They were going to another service in the city but missed the bus and came to the church building where you were preaching the Gospel. They heard of Jesus Christ in a new way, and went on serving faithfully after arriving back home.”
“I didn’t know!” “No, I didn’t tell you!”
We never know what is happening when we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and teach the Word of God. That is one vitally supreme lesson emerging from the parables of Jesus.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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