Matthew 13: 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
When I get a hamburger and they ask how I want it cooked, I say well done. It’s tougher but I want mine done. A well-done Christian is tougher too.
When Jesus taught he used everyday life. He learned carpentry in Joseph’s shop. Mary must have taught him something about cooking because he knew how to make bread. Generally when leaven is mentioned it refers to sin. Paul used it in this context too. Sin has a far-reaching effect if we let it. The devil is sure making bread and a little leaven of sin produces effects. If we let the devil and the world have their way we’ll end up like Samson. We’ll wake up one morning not realizing something has happened until it is too late.
We need to work God into our lives, not just a few hours or a day or two. Work him in. Let him do his job. Jesus was saying ‘the devil doesn’t have anything on me.’ The devil can work in but so can Jesus. Jesus does a better job. I want to be like Peter and be washed all over. Purpose every day to let God work in every part of your life—what you do, what you say, what you think. Pray and then put legs on the prayers.
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. The woman saw how much meal she had and put in enough leaven to make dough. It takes flour or meal—from the ground—to make the bread as well as oil and water or milk. We are but dust—from the ground. We are the flour. The rest can’t work without the flour or meal. We have a reasonable service to present ourselves to God. The flour must be willing to accept the leaven. How often do we allow Jesus in what we plan to do and where we go?
The flour also needs to be prepared. You don’t take the whole thing from the field and make bread with it. It has to go through the grinder. We need to prepare ourselves for the Master. Don’t read a few verses and say a little prayer and forget God the rest of the day. Be like Daniel. He prayed morning, noon and night. He worked God into his live and it got him through his night with the lions. We’re faced with the devil’s challenges every day. He wants to get into our lives. Let’s choose Jesus. This woman hid the leaven. Hide the Spirit into every area of your life top to bottom. Open your heart and soul. Let no corner of your being be without Jesus. Take his Word, his presence, and his promises and work them in. He can make us the person we need to be when we let him have first place. Once the leaven is worked in, let it do its work.
We’ll find ourselves ready to be baked. You can’t get a good pot of beans from a can. You need to cook them all day. Jesus can’t be gotten out of a can or put in one. Let the Spirit of God work. Wait on him to work. If we go with the Lord every day we’ll find ourselves returning each day and bringing our sheaves with us.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 