The Mystery of the Mustard Seed and the Devil's Dirty Birds

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Matthew 13In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches us secrets of the kingdom of God through seven parables. In these prophetic stories, the Lord Jesus is beginning something new. Yet the enemy has many ways to sabotage His good work.In the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32), Jesus is the one planting seeds of faith for a godly crop.The Godly CropThe mustard seed is small, emphasizing the faithful few of the kingdom of God. It is simple, bypassing grandiosity and fanfare, and boils down to Jesus’ love for us. Yet it is also strong; faith like a grain of mustard seed can move mountains (see Matthew 17:20).The secret of a seed is that it has the germ of life within it; it can reproduce itself over and over again. The seed begins to grow and becomes a shrub, which represents the growth of the Gospel in the lives of believers. It is not huge like a mighty oak, yet it bears whatever flowers, fruit, or seeds are within it. It doesn’t speak of prominence; rather, lowliness.Another CropBut we also see in this parable a strange shade—defying nature, the shrub develops into a tree. The spiritual meaning of this abnormality is rooted in Daniel 4. In a prophecy, Daniel typifies false religion as a monstrous tree—the final form of apostasy in the final days.The rise of false cults that deny the Bible are likened to this tree. The same devilish birds that come and steal the seed in the Parable of the Sower, come and lodge in the branches of apostasy.Adrian Rogers says, “Satan is not against religion; he uses religion to accomplish his purpose.”The birds in the branches of apostasy are not easily spotted, because the devil is a master of deception and camouflage.We can identify these birds by their messages, using five tests. As you evaluate the messages you hear, use these five tests:1. Source Test: Is the Bible the basis of his teaching?2. Savior Test: Does he believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?3. Subject Test: Is the primary focus of his teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ?4. Salvation Test: Does he teach salvation by grace alone?5. Sanctification Test: Does he teach and endeavor to live a holy life?Apply it to your lifeAre you on the lookout to identify the dirty birds who rest on the branches of false religion? Remember these five tests, and be careful regarding who you listen to.