August 28, 2022
Sermon Series: Believers Are to Sow The Gospel Seed
Sermon # 4
A MUSTARD SEED FAITH
Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 4:31-32 & Matthew 13:31-32
When you think of a “Mustard Seed” think of the word “potential.” Exactly what is it? Very simply, potential expresses the idea of possibility. Potential is rooted in the idea that something is possible if certain conditions are met. To put this on a practical level, think about the early days of companies like…
· Microsoft
· General Motors
· IBM
· AT&T
These companies had original investors who contributed small amounts of money (compared to what a share of their stock is worth today) to support an idea they believed in. Each company had the potential to become a great organization and each company realized its potential. On the other hand, other companies began at the same time as Microsoft, General Motors, IBM, and AT&T and failed miserably. Maybe the delivery or packaging. Maybe the management. All of these are important and so much more. But whatever the reason, some companies simply failed to succeed.
But the organization that has the greatest potential in history is not a business at all. It is not to be found on the world’s stock exchanges. This organization is not governed by a board of directors whose job is to keep the stockholders happy. The organization that has the greatest potential and that has already had the greatest impact on the world is the church of Jesus Christ. From humble beginnings of a few men who invested their very lives, the message of Christianity has swept the world and has influenced kings, governments, business, and people of every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Christ is describing the growth and greatness of His kingdom and of Christianity in this parable. He shows how it begins as the smallest of seeds and grows into the greatest of movements.
The parable is a powerful message to individual believers and congregations as well as to Christianity as a whole. The seed of faith begins ever so small, but it grows into the greatest of bushes as it nourishes itself day by day.
In our text today our faith is revealed like a mustard tree. We have three movements regarding a mustard seed faith!
I. A MUSTARD SEED FAITH BEGINS AS A GRAIN (Matt. 17:20)
(“If you have as small as a mustard seed,
you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there ‘and it will move.”) NIV
A. Grain faith is small. Every Christian is given a measure of faith. Mustard seeds are the smallest seeds you plant in the ground.
B. Grain faith must be planted.
C. A mustard seed germinates fast, I believe within four to seven days.
II. A MUSTARD SEED FAITH TURNS INTO A PLANT (Mark 4:31-32)
(“It is like a tint mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds. It grows to become one of the largest of plants.”) NLT
A. A plant seed is greater than herbs. Our faith should never be smaller than when we became born again. Do not discourage young Christians from using their faith to move mountains.
B. Plant seed must be well footed. The root of the mustard plant grows three times faster than the stalk. Our faith must become rooted in God without seeing. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight.” NIV
Here are some sayings in regards to believing without sight:
I believe in the sun---even when it does not shine.
I believe in love---when it is not shown.
I believe in God---even when He does not speak.
C. Plant seed must be growing.
*Faith is designed by God to grow.
*Faith can only grow by continual use.
III. A MUSTARD SEED FAITH TURNS INTO A TREE (Matthew 13:31-32)
(“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 becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.’) KJV
A. Tree faith must grow. Mustard trees grow to a maximum height of 21 feet tall, which means the root is 63 feet in the ground, straight down. It becomes a tree with destiny!
B. Tree faith must have branches. While the tree is 21 feet tall, it branches are many feet as well.
Our faith needs to spread out for others over three times as much as ourselves.
Responsive Reading: Matthew 17:14-21
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