Matthew 13: Parable of the Yeast

This is the third in a series of posts to examine three parables from Matthew 13. Much of the material in these posts is based on the International Bible Series lesson I used to teach Sunday school at Annual Conference.

Matthew 13:33

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

What does this parable say to you?

Have you ever baked bread? A few years ago, I taught myself how to bake bread with yeast. If you’ve never done that, it’s kind of an amazing process. You start out with lots of flour – and lots of other ingredients – and this little packet of grainy powder. Powder that looks like it would do nothing for the recipe. And yet, it’s the power behind the whole bread baking process. Without it, I would have an ugly pita. With it – beautiful, gorgeous bread.

It’s then smallest ingredient in the recipe. But it’s life. Alive. And it brings life.

I remember a song we sang when I was in youth group – It only takes a spark to get a fire going – that’s how it is with God’s love.

I teach stewardship classes sometimes. One of the curriculum I use talks about how a movement can start. One person, alone, might not be able to do it. But if he can attract one other, then together – just the two of them – can start something new. It’s like that in church, isn’t it. It doesn’t take a whole lot of people to make a change – With God and with a faithful few, we can change the world.

How can you be the yeast? What friend can you recruit to help you start a movement of hope?