2. It is the smallest of seeds.
3. The Son of man, Christ, is the sower.
4. The field represents the world.
5. This phrase tells us that everything that follows is meant to describe the kingdom of heaven.
6. Jesus is using this parable to tell us that the kingdom did not come in with an explosive force or in an instantaneous manner. The smallness of the mustard seed is a biblical illustration to show that the kingdom would initially start with a tiny beginning.
8. That the end result of the tiny beginning (mustard seed) would be something of significant size as compared to its beginning.
10. The parable of the leaven portrays the same truth as that of the mustard seed. The idea of the leaven working within the meal indicates the hidden or secret working of God’s power to advance the kingdom. This change works like the leaven, which is somewhat unobserved, until the entire mass of meal has been affected. The fact that the presence of the kingdom could not be easily observed in its early form was not proof that it was not already present and thriving according to the Father’s plan.
12. The kingdom of God comes without observation – you cannot see it!
14. The kingdom of God is within the believer!
15. The kingdom of God is within the believer because Christ is within the believer – see Learning Activity #8.