Influence Upon the World

Some weeks ago I began a series of messages on the responsibility of the Church to the kingdom of God. One of my messages deals with Luke 13:18:

“Then He said, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in His garden: and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.’”

I have often wondered why Christ used the mustard seed as an example to us. It has become clear to me as I have grown in the Lord. I had been looking at the size of the seed and not what it could produce. The mustard seed could grow unto a tree! The seed began to grow until it became a tree and the birds began to built a nest in it. Now here we have a seed that becomes a tree and a bird that brings forth its young it in. As I begin to apply this to my place in the kingdom of the Lord, I asked myself the question: Am I growing in the Lord and will I keep growing until I have become an influence upon those I come in contact with?

2 Peter 3:18 says:

“But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

I believe the grace that I received from the Lord and the knowledge of the Lord that comes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life will become an influence upon those I meet.
I wonder how many birds will nest in a tree during the life of the tree? I have meet a lot of wonderful people in my life time. People who have had great influence upon my life. I hope that because of those people and the grace of God, my life has been an influence for the kingdom of God. Let's be an influence uon those we meet and become a big, big tree where they could find “a place to nest.”

Let me quote this same scripture from the book of Mark in closing:

“To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller that all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” Mark 4:30-32.