Jesus drew powerful lessons from everyday activities: “A sower went out to sow;” “A man had two sons;” “There was a certain landowner…” When we have “ears to hear,” we will hear the Lord speaking to us all the time. The Holy Spirit in us is not silent, but very active in His desire to encourage the downtrodden and reach out to the lost.
Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:33
A parable told in a single sentence! The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that you mix into the flour you use to bake bread. A teaspoon or two of yeast is all that is needed to leaven three cups of flour to make the bread rise. The result cannot be seen right away, but in the Kingdom a little can do much!
Your story of what Jesus did for you, no matter how simple it may sound to you, is enough to find its way into the heart of the next person, and do its work there. The leaven will do its work!
There is this perception that people must be brought to church to hear a sermon preached by a pastor for the Lord to reach them, but nothing is further from the truth. Your word of encouragement is active leaven wherever you go. People are saved in the most unlikely places: at work, a coffee shop, a simple telephone call made on the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
We live at a time when so many people have become immune to the gospel. Some have heard the gospel as children from their parents and grandparents, and hardened their hearts against it. Others were offended by Christians or churches — whether true of perceived — and made up their minds to turn away from it. The harshness of life made some blame God for their misfortunes — the reasons are many and varied, but it doesn’t remove the fact that eternity awaits every one of us.
I sometimes think we lack urgency when we approach somebody in need of the Saviour’s touch, but the stakes are high and the consequences eternal. You may be the only hands, feet and voice the Holy Spirit has to bring conviction to the needy person on your heart. He responds to your prayer for God to intervene in the life of the one heading for a cliff. Powerful as He is, there is little that He can do when you choose to do nothing. A little leaven has great power in His hands.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me. John 16:7-9
Your part is to share the leaven; the Holy Spirit will do the conviction. Make that call. Go see that person that is on your heart. Invite that friend for a coffee. Send that e-mail. Post that thought on social media. You live in a mission field.
And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” Luke 14:22-24
