September 10, 2008 + The agent for a Christian revolution + Hayward Fong

Matthew 13:33, 34; Luke 13:20, 21

Off and on for the past several years, we have been reflecting on the Kingdom of Heaven as recorded in the Gospels. Today, we reflect on the last parable on the Kingdom of Heaven, recorded in both Matthew and Luke in one sentence.

To understand this parable, we need to return with Jesus to his home village. In villages and small towns, baking was a household activity. There was no Van de Kamp or La Brea Bakery, or a super market where you could get a loaf of Oro-Wheat bread. I am sure that Jesus, as He was growing up, had seen His mother Mary baking bread. In home making bread, one takes leaven, dough left over from a previous baking which has fermented and inserts it into the dough as a rising agent. This changes the character of the dough. So Jesus is saying, “Just as leaven changes the character of the dough into which it is inserted, so the Kingdom changes all things.”

This raises a theological dichotomy in that leaven in Hebrew thought and language was a synonym for evil influence. In preparing for Passover, every scrap of leaven had to be swept out of the house. At the same time, there is a Rabbinical saying, “Great is peace in that peace is to the earth as is the leaven to the dough.” We also find this allusion to evil in the New Testament. In Mark 8:15, Jesus warned His disciples to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:6, uses the phrase, “…a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough,” and a similar phrase in Galatians 5:9 when he was admonishing people to have nothing to do with evil influences. This negative reference probably had to do with the fact that leaven introduced decay into that which it was placed.

Bible scholars seem to feel that Jesus was telling His followers of the disturbing influence of His teachings. Even though at first, the leaven is hidden and nothing appears to happen, the reality is it is not a slow imperceptible process. Soon the whole mass swells and bubbles as fermentation rapidly advances. As the leaven turned the dough into a seething mass, so the influence of Christianity is profoundly disturbing. When Christianity first came to Thessalonica the cry was, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,…” (Acts 17:6). In Phillipi the accusation against Paul and his associates was, “These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city…” (Acts 16:20). Real religion is always disturbing. We should always remember that true Christianity is always revolutionary.

E. Stanley Jones, the great missionary to India, points out that one of the most revolutionary documents is found in the Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55). Take a look at these three verses (v. 51-53): “He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.” In these three verses are three revolutions which true Christianity is called to carry out.

There is first a moral revolution. The proud are brought down. Christianity works a revolution within a man’s own heart. It does that by making him see who he really is. When a man meets Jesus Christ he cannot help but compare his life with the life of Jesus and the comparison speaks for itself. When we set our lives beside the life of the Lord of all good life we know how far we have fallen short. When a man realizes the love of God in Christ and the lengths to which that love went, he cannot help but be amazed that this was done for him. And he must then be filled with a desire to change himself until somehow he becomes worthy of a sacrifice like that.

Secondly, there is the social revolution. The mighty are brought low and those of low degree are exalted. Christianity has no respect for the labels that the world attaches to man. It rates a man by the service that he renders to his fellow men. “…whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mark 10:44). The bottom line is that the man whom the world deems great may well be worthless in the Kingdom of God, while the man who appears of no standing in the world may be the greatest.

There is told the story of a Russian nobleman who kept open house. Everyone was welcome. When each guest arrived, the nobleman would say, “Show me your hands.” If the hands were worn and calloused, the guest received a high place; but if the hands were soft and flabby, he was directed to the lowest seat. So, the test in the Kingdom is the test of service.

Then there is the economic revolution. The hungry are filled with the good things and the rich are sent away empty. In the true Christian society there would be such a feeling of responsibility that no one could bear to have too much while others had too little. Businesses would run not for the owners only but to support the needs of the community; farmers would till not only for financial gain, but also to feed a hungry world. Doctors and lawyers would serve to heal and help those in distress. Every activity would be directed to the healing, the helping and supplying of the spiritual and physical needs of mankind. This would crown every task its glory. He would be greatest who was the greatest servant of all. An economic revolution is a Christian mission.

If you take the leaven as a disturbing influence in the dough, this parable teaches the disturbing influence of Christianity on the life of an individual and the life of the world.

It may be argued that the parable also stands for the imperceptible influence of the Kingdom. In a near term observation, we can no more see the leaven working than we can see a flower growing, but we know it is working all the time. When we look at the day-to-day changes, we may not see much, or for that matter, even year-to-year. But if we look at the world as a matter of historical record, the world is better. Despite the abuses in the name of Christianity, it is better because of the positive Christian influence. The cruel and merciless customs of the world two thousand years ago have been eradicated or significantly reduced because of Christianity. Christian ideals have so permeated society that certain things can no longer be entertained in civilized society. Imperceptibly but surely, the influence of the Kingdom is there.

Like leaven, the influence for change must come from within. Before the leaven can have any effect, it must be inserted into the dough mass. We live in an age where we place emphasis on external change as primary. We believe that better housing and working conditions will make better men. Granted these are desirable objectives, everything would be lost if we do not change the heart of man. The primary function of Christianity is to make new men and women. If that is done, then new and better conditions will follow. To do otherwise is to put the cart before the horse.

The dough has no power to change itself. The power to change it, the leaven, had to come from the outside. In like manner, men have no power to change themselves. Our new year’s resolutions and other pie in the sky plans attest to the futility of man’s sole effort. If we are to be changed that change must come from a power that is greater than ours, the power of Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The risen Christ said, “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5).

For the past two weeks, the two major political parties have held conventions to select their nominees for the office of President and Vice-president of the United States. In a mere two months, you and I along with millions of other citizens of the United States will have an opportunity to effect the executive and legislative leadership for our government by electing men and women who will not blinded by the lure of big money …men and women who will place the welfare of the public before that of special interests…men and women who can be entrusted to be good stewards of all God’s creation. If you are entitled to vote, then you as a Christian have the responsibility and the duty to study the issues and vote as the Spirit leads you.

Amen.