Advancing the Kingdom
Open Your Bible
Matthew 13:1-23, Matthew 13:31-32, Matthew 28:16-20, Ephesians 4:4-14, James 5:7-8, 1 Peter 2:11-12
BY Tameshia Williams
Our King calls us to share in His kingdom work and participate in its growth.
Jesus’s parables are diverse in length and content. Some last for several paragraphs; others are mere one-liners. Whatever the length or topic, He used the metaphors of each parable to drive home the truth of God’s Word. Today’s reading includes one of those shorter word pictures used to describe God’s kingdom.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field” (Matthew 13:31). Throughout the Gospels, Jesus constantly shows us what His kingdom looks like and what it doesn’t. The upside-down kingdom functions in ways that are uncharacteristic of this world. God’s kingdom is great and powerful, and we’d expect a more appropriately sized seed to represent it instead of the smallest of them all. Yet Jesus uses the imagery of the mustard seed to show us what His kingdom looks like. It starts small, Jesus says, but it continues to grow and grow.
Since the days of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20), God’s kingdom has expanded exponentially. Just as He charged Peter and company to make disciples, Jesus calls us to share in His kingdom work and participate in its growth. Kingdom work is not exclusive to those with official church titles; it is the privilege of all believers. What a diverse—unified, but diverse—group of people we are. We all have different gifts that God uses to promote growth and harmony in the Church body (Ephesians 4:16).
When we share the gifts that God has given us with each other and with the world, we allow His power to work in us, transforming all. It isn’t our efforts or inner genius that produce results. It is all God, working through us to share the good news of the kingdom in various ways, powered by His Spirit.
Kingdom work doesn’t equate to easy work. We are kingdom people, but our bodies and minds remain tethered to this earth. That means sin, with all its devastation and brokenness, is still present and active. In the midst of this brokenness God calls us to grow together and bring His example to the world (1Peter 2:11–12). No, kingdom work isn’t easy work. But as my boss often says, it is worth-it work.
What gifts has God given us? None are too small, none too insignificant—like the mustard seed. Let’s continue to ask the Lord for insight into how we can encourage and challenge each other as we grow and work together in His kingdom.
57 thoughts on "Advancing the Kingdom"
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Praying for you and your children, Angela White!!
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Salvation is by faith, but expanding the Kingdom is by works. Both are necessary and important. I appreciate the emphasis of Temeshia that Kingdom work is HARD. They are also very inconvenient, 100% requiring self-denial, leaving behind comfort zone to allow disruptions.
But GOD!!!! the REWARD from God is incomparable to all the inconvenience and sacrifice combined. Honestly, I will say it again loudly, the reward (right here right now on earth) for us is soooo worth it. The presence of God, the response from Heavens, the assurance that He is there, the miracles that show up that make your jaw drop and keep you in awe for months and months!!!, all of this is just so amazing that I would say yes to Him again and again. After a long while, I started to realize that it is by His goodness that He allows the work to be hard. Our God is attracted to difficult situations, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord” (Genesis 18:14a), the greater the trouble, the greater He shows up with power, wisdom and solutions. He does not want us to settle in a comfortable small life. He wants us living large, for Him and for Him. God is always bringing something new, and the more I say yes to his assignments (at a cost), the greater adventure and greater reward He has lead me to see and experience. Mighty God! God can do all things, but are we willing? May we say YES. Baby steps. Baby steps. A mustard seed is the smallest (baby) size of all seeds, but it becomes the greatest among all. Just like a great prophet who once said, Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Who can I send? Who will go for us?” So I said, “Here I am. Send me! (Isaiah 6:8). May we say yes to Him also, putting fear aside, and volunteer ourselves for His Kingdom work.
Praying for you dear sisters on your prayer requests. My heart breaks reading some of them. Covering you in prayers and lifting you into God’s merciful hands. Shared joy is double joy, shared sorrow is half a sorrow. God bless you sisters!
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This weeks podcast was so good – inclusive yet exclusive. Hurt people hurt others. The church is made up of a lot of Hurt.
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Bessie. I am so sorry to hear of this loss. I will pray for you and your family.
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Rita Ann! So happy to hear this :)
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Angela I will pray for you and your family. I hear genuine desire to seek God in your words, and I rejoice in that for you! God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. It may be difficult to talk to Him now but don’t give up! I believe 100% He can give you and your family a breakthrough.
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Yes!
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Praying
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