The Kingdom of God is where God reigns supreme. The Lord Jesus said that only those who are born again can see and enter the Kingdom. Our citizenship in the Kingdom of heaven begins when we die to self and are raised to a new life with Christ. This is such a wonderful privilege that no amount of money can purchase!

When you read through the gospels, you'll find that the Lord Jesus gave some parables or "picture stories" explaining various spiritual truths we should know and understand as a Christian. In Matthew 13 and Luke 13, we find that Jesus gave parables regarding the Kingdom of God, and two of them are short passages that speak of two illustrations: the mustard seed and baker's yeast. These passages, according to some, are used to explain the spread of Christianity in the earth, but for this writing we will look at it in light of how God's seed planted in a person grows to make the person increasingly Christ-like.

The mustard seed

"Then Jesus said, 'What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.'" (Luke 13:18-19)

Mustard seeds are tiny little seeds measuring 1 to 2 millimetres in diameter. When placed in proper conditions, these little seeds, which are yellowish white to black in colour, can grow to become a mature tree or shrub where birds can perch.

In the same way, God's work in all of us starts spectacularly "small," in the sense that it brings us to the realisation that we are nothing apart from Him, and that we need Him for our salvation. However, when repentance bears fruit, it grows to become something amazing: that we could be used by the Lord for His purposes.

Did you know that all parts of the mustard plant are edible? According to the Mustard Factory, its leaves can be eaten as salads or as a vegetable, and the seeds can also be used for making aromatic oils. In the same way, when a Christian grows mature in the Lord, all of his learning and experiences can be used for the Lord's glory! Wow!

The baker's yeast

Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough." (Matthew 13:33)

Yeast is used to make the dough rise to make fluffier and bigger breads, like loaves and other kinds of delicious breads. All that's needed is a little amount mixed into the batch of dough, some time to allow it to rise, and then voila! You have some raised, fluffy, big breads.

In the same way, God mixes His seed into our lives and allows it to grow little by little inside us in time, just like what the faithful baker does. And just like how the yeast takes time to raise the dough, our lives as Christians need time to mature. We should be patient with our growth in the Lord. Time will come when, as we faithfully walk with Christ, we will see ourselves mature in Him and be ready for His purposes.