Day 20

Genesis 41:17‐42:17; Matthew 13:24‐46; Psalm 18:1‐15; Proverbs 4:1‐6

The Perceived Jewish Messiah vs. Jesus Christ

It was no surprise that many who heard the rumor that Jesus was the Messiah that they had been waiting for wondered when He might break out the sword, take out the Romans, and conquer all the land. This was their perceived Messiah that they had been awaiting for generations. What they could not comprehend was Jesus teaching things like “the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.” Really, a mustard seed? That is the smallest seed on the planet, and you are comparing what is supposed to be the total domination of a Messiah to a mustard seed! It was new a perspective on what they had anticipated. They wanted physical domination but what they got was spiritual domination.

Jesus was giving them a new perspective on the Kingdom. It started within each of them by faith and would eventually lead to the greatest thing we would ever know…an eternal relationship with the Trinity, one that would reign and rule like never before seen. Jesus had said earlier in His instruction on how to pray that, “thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” Hence the concept of the mustard seed. The kingdom of God would begin small but grow into the greatest and most powerful kingdom ever experienced. What appeared small was in fact full of power and might!

Today the task at hand may seem mighty, and we are very small in comparison. Take heart in the words of Jesus that the smallest things can have some of the greatest impact. Your faith and the faith of others in Christ leads to the Kingdom of God spreading throughout all the earth. Do not lose heart, for the mustard seed will continue to grow in time!

The Rev. Wes Sharp