[See Scriptures in Bible Study]
Leaven or yeast in the Bible has a terrible
reputation. We can thank the Pharisees
for that association. Jesus warned us to
beware of their leaven and that of Herod (Matthew 16:6, Mark 8:15). It wasn’t
the obvious power that they had as religious and political leaders, but their
subtle and manipulative influence that they wielded behind the scene. Luke 12:1 identified their leaven as
hypocrisy. They supposedly were helping others to be more “godly,” but according
to Matthew 23:15, the result of their influence was those they impacted were “twice as much a
son of hell.” Ouch!
Leaven is all about
influence. A small amount has dynamic
impact. “A little leaven
leavens the whole lump of dough.” (Galatians 5:9). The nature of leaven is to change what it is
mixed into and impose its characteristics on it. For example, to get sourdough bread you use a
sourdough starter or leaven. You cannot
use it to make sweet rolls. Yuck! Whatever it is mixed in will become sourdough. It takes what it is and influences what it
comes in contact with.
Unfortunately, we were all exposed to the leaven of sin. It
infiltrates our entire being. By the grace of God, we have been made a new lump
of dough – free of leaven of any kind. Read 1 Corinthians 5:6-8. We have a
start over. We are this new lump of
dough characterized by sincerity and truth. We need to be very careful what we
add to it.
Leaven is not always bad.
Actually, it can be incredible. Jesus used leaven to describe the
Kingdom of heaven. See Matthew 13:33. The
specific amount of flour referenced actually drives His point home. This
particular amount of flour had historical significance to the people sitting on
the seaside listening to Jesus’ parables.
Back in Genesis 18, Abraham had three divine visitors. He wanted to fix
them a bite to eat. Read Genesis 18:1-8. Three measures (pecks) of flour is a LOT of flour. In US dry measurements, it
is about 72 cups or enough to make about 18 loaves of bread. Three men, no matter how angelic, were NOT
going to eat 18 loaves of bread, plus an entire calf, but that was what Abraham
served because it was everything or the best of everything they had. He told Sarah, “Take it all. Mix it well. Bake
it up. Give it all to God.”
Everything is what Jesus was referring to in the parable of
Matthew 13:33. This woman took everything she had and mixed into it the leaven
of heaven. She added love and grace
and the glory of God into everything until everything she was and had was defined
by it. She took those things she received from God and used them to impact and
influence everything.
We need to be that woman! We
have been given the leaven of heaven and incredible relationships and
opportunities. With a lot of intentional
effort, we can knead that leaven into everything we are, have and do, so that
everything we are a part of and is a part of us is influenced by the grace and
glory of God. This requires constant focus and effort. We must consistently
choose to make it all about and for the glory of God. The kingdom of heaven comes when we do!
Making
It Personal
Do an honest evaluation of what you are allowing to influence your
life.
- What is the specific result of these specific leaven/influences?
- Which of these have “kingdom of heaven” impact on your life?
Take some time and make a list of the roles and relationships that
you have.
- Are you intentionally adding the leaven of heaven to each one of these? Yes or No
- How are you or could you?
We pray “Your kingdom come; Your will be done.” How are you being like the woman in this
parable (Matthew 13:33) and partnering with God to bring the kingdom of heaven into
reality here and now?
