Mustard Seed Faith
Read: Matthew 13:31-32; Matthew 17:19-20
Key Verse: Matthew 17:20 – He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
The mustard seed is a tiny, tiny seed but it has great power. The seed itself is the least of all seeds but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs. The mustard plant can grow very large, so that even birds might nest in it and find refuge. It is rather strange that such a small seed can produce such a big plant. Jesus, in addressing his disciples lack of faith told them if they had the faith the size of a mustard seed they could move a mountain. The Kingdom of God is activated by faith because without faith it is impossible to please God. You don’t need to have giant faith, you just need faith the size of a mustard seed.
The mustard seed is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is sown it grows and becomes greater than all others. You have to sow it, in order for God to grow it. This shows that what is little in our hands and little in our sight, when we do our part and sow, God will do His part to grow and multiply the seed that we sow.
With this simple fact (that from a small seed a large plant can grow) Jesus illustrates the spreading of the gospel throughout the world. The Kingdom of God (the large plant) grows from the planting of the gospel in the hearts of men. The word of Christ from small beginnings can cause enormous growth and have influence attracting people to Christ from far away. This is represented by the birds coming to nest in the branches. When we are connected to the true vine and produce fruit in our lives, others will be attracted to the fruit but it all starts with the seed, even a seed as small as a mustard seed.
Though for the day:
What kind of mustard seed faith can I sow today, that God can multiply back to me?