December 8, 2016

Leaven: December 8, 2016

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016.
LEAVEN
DEFINITION:

A substance that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter; an element that produces an altering or transforming influence; yeast.
SCRIPTURE:

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 leavened.” Matthew 13:33.


KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

In this parable that Jesus taught, most interpretations say that the woman is the harlot church that teaches false doctrine.  But there are two interpretations by Bible scholars concerning the leaven.

In some passages of scripture leaven is a symbol of evil so some say that the leaven represents evil that penetrates the Kingdom of God and His church. The second interpretation that is the most used is that the leaven symbolizes the Kingdom of God that penetrates and works silently to transform man and society.

Our concern is not to get into a theological discussion but to relate the message found in this parable to us as believers today. Jesus is saying that it is the responsibility of the church (believers) to penetrate the hearts of individuals with the gospel until the whole person and all of society is transformed.

We believe that the leaven represents the gospel. In the parable, leaven is likened unto the gospel. Leaven first of all makes bread soft and pliable and no longer hard. The leaven of the gospel penetrates the heart of a man and softens the hardness of his heart.

Leaven secondly makes bread moist and no longer dry. The leaven of the gospel penetrates the dryness of a man’s heart and life. Thirdly, leaven makes bread satisfying and no longer unfulfilling like dry, hard bread. The leaven of the gospel transforms the dissatisfied life with no purpose, into one with meaning and significance.

And finally, leaven makes bread nourishing. The leaven of the gospel nourishes our faith. The growth of our faith will prepare us and inspire us to feed others with the leaven of the gospel.

Jesus seemed to want believers to understand how the Gospel penetrates to the heart and soul of the unbeliever by comparing it to leaven. Leaven works quietly and silently until it permeates the whole batch of dough. The Gospel, like leaven, works silently and quietly in the soul of those who receive it causing the dough to grow. The Gospel works slowly and gradually in the believer causing him or her to grow spiritually. Leaven changes the quality of the dough and not the substance. The Gospel leaves a new believer unchanged on the outside but on the inside he is a changed person. He has been made a person of perfect quality, a man of God.



LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:165.

Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.


PRAYER:

Help me to be diligent in feeding on Your Word so the leaven of the Gospel will penetrate the hardness of my heart and make me pliable in Your hands. Give me the words and guidance to be Your representative to someone today.


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