PARABLE OF THE YEAST.
'Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."' (Luke 13:20-21) Jesus compared the working of the Kingdom of God to that of leaven (yeast) because it has the ability to work through an entire batch of dough and ferment it. Once mixed in, the yeast begins feeding on the sugars in the flour, and releases the carbon dioxide that makes bread rise. Yeast also adds many of the distinctive flavors and aromas we associate with bread. Likewise, if one person in a family or among friends or in a community happens to enter the kingdom of God, then before long the entire group will be influenced and they will begin to develop the flavour and aroma that are characteristic of believers - the aroma of Christ! 'Thanks be to God who ... through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To one we are the smell of death ; to the other, the fragrance of life.' (2 Corinthians 2;14-16) Is there the flavour and aroma of the kingdom of God in our homes? Do others who come across us, get the aroma of Christ in us?
Jesus also mentioned that hypocrisy works like yeast. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." (Luke 12:1) A little bit of it can work through an entire batch of dough, corrupting an entire group of people. Hypocrisy stems from wrong teachings! Therefore Jesus also cautioned his disciples against false teachings. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees ... against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6-12) Do not be in the company of legalists who are like the Pharisees, who think salvation is by observing rituals and sacraments, nor in the company of liberals who are like the Sadducees, who don't believe anything! They say there is no resurrection ( Luke 20:27, Acts 23:8), no judgement, no hell! Both these groups hold extreme views and their teachings will work like yeast through us and corrupt us, if we let them, just as it happened to the Galatian church. 'You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."' ( Galatians 5:7-9) Be with Jesus right in the middle where truth takes it stand! Let the teachings of Christ work in us and through us to reach our family and friends. Amen.
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