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“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven
that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour,
till it was all leavened.”

– Jesus to the crowds by the sea (Matthew 13:33)

Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God in parables, stories that illustrated the truth of God’s kingship and how God’s rule is manifested in our world. One of His short parables of the Kingdom likened God’s reign to leaven that a woman puts into the flour as she bakes bread. Leaven contains hidden power. As it infiltrates the entire batch, the dough slowly begins to rise. Although the leaven remains hidden and may seem insignificant, the bread cannot rise without it.

Many of the Jews in Jesus’ day were expecting God’s Kingdom to burst into the world all at once. Jesus however taught them that God has His own timetable. His Kingdom is like the leaven that makes the dough rise. As God’s reign and rule extends and permeates every aspect of society, the whole world is eventually touched by God’s transforming power!

The Kingdom would grow slowly at first, and even under auspicious beginnings; but it would eventually come to bear on the world at large. Jesus was right. Within a few hundred years, Christianity had become dominant within the Roman Empire.

Today, if we are to be true citizens of God’s Kingdom, our obedience to Christ must touch every area of our lives. Confessing with our mouths that “Jesus is Lord” does not affect only our church life and a few spiritual habits here and there. As Kingdom people, we must be actively spreading God’s reign into every segment of society, influencing the world by bringing God’s love and grace to all, whether it be through the arts, through business, through politics or through our vocations.

We answer to God for how we are seeking to extend His Kingdom in the place He has put us. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we must work to see God’s will done here on earth, as it is in heaven.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2008 Kingdom People blog

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