From the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches us about living life with the love of God in our heart which influences what we do and the world around us. In earthy stories of “the kingdom of heaven is like,” he tells of a life of great value, one in which we participate in the goodness of God’s work in our world. Jesus uses a tiny mustard seed, a pearl, and even yeast mixed into bread to illustrate the growth and value of living in the kingdom of heaven.

Later in the gospel, Jesus puts the sayings into action when he takes 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed thousands of people. Jesus uses his disciples in his kingdom work as he has them distribute the food to the people. Like the parable of a little yeast and bread, a handful of yeast in 5 loaves provides for thousands of people. Jesus works through his disciples, his church, to provide for the kingdom of heaven on earth. It could be said, that in the hands of God, the church is like a handful of yeast and flour that provides for many.

What if we stop and think, for a second, before we do something for the church, for God, in one of the Lord’s ministries, and consider that we are the yeast about to be part of an incredible miracle? If a miracle is anything that is out of the ordinary and divinely driven, such as the love of God being shared, the care for God’s people, the work for God’s justice, or acts of kindness, then the potential good that can come out of this “kingdom work,” is far greater than the work we do on our own. We have all been invited to part of something greater than ourselves. The church has the opportunity to become part of what God is doing in creation. Such is the kingdom of heaven.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

Pastor Rick