Sermon for Sunday, Apr 19th, 2026 at First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY (BPC)
Old Testament Reading:
[Ezekiel 17:22-24 ESV] 22 Thus says the Lord GOD: “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.”
New Testament Reading:
[Acts 21:17-26 ESV] 17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.
Gospel Reading:
[Luke 13:18-21 ESV] 18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” 20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
Sermon Text:
[Matthew 13:31-34 ESV] 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.
Introduction
Last year, I had a yellow-jacket problem at my house; in the wall of the house. I tried various approaches to getting rid of them; most of which were spectacular failures. And one these failing approaches was to block their wall entrances with spray foam. We’ve problem all used it for various purposes. A tiny amount of spray foam grows and grows until it pushes out from gaps and presses on everything around it. From a tiny amount it grows quickly. A wonderful products, though our application of it might not be successful. Well, I believe, had there been spray foam in the time of Jesus he might have said “the kingdom of heaven is like a can of spray foam.” And we would know immediately what he meant.
In his time, however, the best analogy to use for this parable is the mustard seed.
There are actually two parables here, two that are related.
These two go together – the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Leaven. Each speak about “expansion.” That is the primarily focus of the text; the expansion of the Kingdom of heaven.
I. The Kingdom Expands
Last week we had the Parable of the Weeds, where there was the growth of each individual Christian in sanctification.
But now the expansion in the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Leaven is a growth of the WHOLE Church, numerically.
With other parables in Matthew we are first given the parable, then given the explanation. The parables are told to a mixed company of disciples and enemies of Christ, while the explanations are given only the disciples. But here there is no explanation?
Why is there no explanation given for the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Leaven? Well, most likely because the understanding is clear to those who know Christ’s teaching.
Like the mustard seed grows into a mighty tree providing shade for many birds, the Kingdom of Heaven expands to give rest to the many who believe in the Lord.
The mustard seed is indeed small. It makes an appearance also in Luke 17:6 where its smallness is emphasized:
[Luke 17:6 ESV] 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
But now it becomes “larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree.”
And we see that outgrowth in the New Testament. From Jesus and his group of just 12 apostles, there are soon many thousands who follow the Lord. And today, many millions.
A small band, unlikely to change the world. No power in themselves. Paul was educated, but the first apostles were not. Fishermen, tax collectors, simple men and sinners. This was not a movement of the Rabbis of the Kings. Yes, there was a prophet in John the Baptist, but the only power was the Power of God, not the power of John. But was John was killed, and we have just the uneducated small number of disciples. These helps to emphasize the power not of man, but of the Gospel. From the Gospel, a simple message, the world was changed. The whole world. And many were gathered in and many continue to be gathered in to the Kingdom of God.
Other movements would fail, but Christ would build his church and not even the gates of hell could prevail against it. Luke tells us of a Theudas who rose up and claimed to be someone, but came to nothing. And he tells us of Judas the Galileean who drew away some of the people but then perished. And how many false messiahs do we not eve know about? But Jesus was different; he was truly the promised messiah, expanding the Kingdom of God.
The growing tree metaphor is used also in the Old Testament. It is used in multiple places including Ezekiel 17. There it is not a mustard tree, but a cedar.
[Ezekiel 17:22-24 ESV] 22 Thus says the Lord GOD: “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD;
Notably, that growth is the work of the Lord. He plants it. He makes it grow. And we (his people) rest in its branches.
The Parable of the Leaven (which is yeast) is then added on to our text to repeat the same idea for emphasis. The Kingdom of Heaven is growing. Now, sometimes, “leaven” is used in a negative way in Biblical analogies.
For example:
[1 Corinthians 5:6ESV] Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
But here is it used in a positive way. The Kingdom grows. And that is good news to all sinners (which is all people); for heaven is not just for the perfect but for us. And it is good news to the Gentiles; that they are included with the Jews in the Kingdom of God.
So that is our first point, the Kingdom expands (by the power of God).
II. The Kingdom is Now
Then, we ought also to learn that the “kingdom of heaven in now.” That it, it has begun, and is present among us.
This idea of the Kingdom of Heaven starting out small and then growing informs us that, as Jesus says elsewhere, “the Kingdom of Heaven is among you.” That is, it is here and now. It has begun. The knowledge of the Gospel of your salvation is known to you. The Lord is working. We don’t have to wait to some future age, but we have the Lord even now; and His Kingdom is growing even now.
The kingdom of heaven is now.
You ALREADY know of your salvation.
Joy is YOURS, as you look each day to Christ.
Naturally, if it is expanding – if people are being brought into the Kingdom – then the Kingdom is here.
The kingdom of God is where He reigns. And he reigns in the hearts of his people, even here and now.
It’s not just a future reality, but a present one.
III. The Kingdom Includes Many
We also learn that “the Kingdom includes many.”
The expansive large tree with many birds is one point of evidence towards the idea that MANY shall be saved, not few. Many shall be saved.
We read also in the words of institution of communion: “this cup is the new covenant in my blood shed for MANY for the remission of sins.” No doubt there are other passages that seem to speak of heaven being for only a few: few enter by the narrow gate. But that focuses on Jesus being the ONLY way. There are other passages that speak of “many.” There is, for example, a multitude in heaven that no one can number, from every tongue tribe and nation in Revelation. Jesus even says “in my Father’s house are many rooms.”
So don’t believe those cults and doomsayers who claim only a few will be heaven. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, for exampled, once believed (and maybe still do) that literally only 144,000 will be heaven. Other churches virtually think they alone – maybe a few dozen people – have it all figure out and will be granted entrance into heaven. But we know, that it is not perfect theology that saves – for then no one would be saved – but it is Jesus who saves, and that he saves MANY.
There is a frequent idea in Christian circles that we are few and getting fewer in number. That may be for a time. Others think – against present declines – that the Church will inevitably grow; that all people will come to faith before the end. I believe it is more like this: the church inevitably goes up and down; (REPEAT: THE CHURCH GOES UP AND DOWN IN NUMBERS) but over time, with people from ever era living and dying in the faith, the total number of those in the Kingdom of Heaven can only increase in number. It may not be that the percentage on Earth who is Christian expands, but certainly the quantity of those who are saved expands with every generation.
The Lord is powerful to save. And he saves many. He provides rest for many in the shade of his Kingdom tree.
That ought be encouraging to us. We shall be safe in the great mustard tree.
Application 1: This gives us hope for the growth of the Kingdom.
There have been “golden ages” of Church history. The early church expanded. The Reformation changed the world. The Great Awakening changed America. But that’s not the end. The Lord is working EVEN NOW to grow his kingdom. If he were done growing the kingdom, then the end would be here. So long as the world is not ended, the Lord (we ought to be encouraged) is continuing to grow his kingdom. This means your friends, your neighbor, your family member, yet might come to the Lord. There is hope. Even those who are most hardened against the Lord can repent and come to faith. St. Paul did. He was an enemy of the church, but became the greatest evangelist.
We see the growth of the kingdom of God even today, especially in China, the Middle East, and various other places. The Lord is working.
He grows His kingdom by the power of His word. When the Bible is read or preached it changes hearts and minds. It has changed mine. I pray it has changed yous.
Application 2: Great things start off modestly.
We might similarly say “God works gradually.” He does so in our sanctification. It takes much time to learn more of the Lord and change our ways and even our minds to be more like his.
But it starts off modestly.
So if you think, “I can’t be a Christian because I’m not like so-and-so who is living the Christian life,” remember that the Lord is only just starting a work in you. He will grow you and grow you and grow you, slowly molding you to be more like him. And doing great things in your life. But it starts off modestly.
No one builds a castle in a day, or succeeds at business immediately.
Great things are accomplished with much effort. And all great things start off small. When they built the great pyramid of Egypt, there was a time (however brief) where only 1 stone has been placed. Imagine that – a one stone pyramid. But that is where it started. You don’t start with half of the blocks laid, you start with one.
And when it comes to the Kingdom of Christ, it starts modestly. Twelve disciples. Then Stephen the Martyr. Then Paul the Apostle. Then Timothy. Then Barnabas. Clement of Rome. Ignatius of Antioch. Papias, Tertuallian, all the great writers of the church, but untold numbers of unknown people. Families. Slaves. Adopted children. KINGS. One by one, the kingdom grows. And with that growth we see the power and glory of God, who alone can do such great things.
Conclusion:
The parable notes the shade of the tree, but we must also realize that such a tree is sturdy and strong, supporting many in its branches. It is not a tree with weak branches and swoop downwards when birds rest on them; but it has branches UNMOVED and not-affected by weight on them. So strong is the Lord and His Kingdom.
He grows the kingdom, for his glory.
Let us thank the Lord for the Kingdom of Heaven in our lives, and pray as He works out His plan in this world.