Today we’ll be talking about the Birds and the Seeds. Sounds weird right, however, I promise you that it will make sense in a few minutes. I was led by the Holy Spirit to speak on this topic when I visited the supermarket a few days ago. I was on a mission to buy salt, so naturally I went to the seasoning aisle and began to seek Himalayan pink salt. All of a sudden my eyes fixated on one shelf in particular which had an item that fascinated me. I am sure you’ve already guessed it: mustard seed. As soon as I saw the small container, I immediately recollected Christ’s parable. As a matter of fact most of Matthew chapter 13 is about seeds. Jesus many important lessons to teach us on this topic using seeds as tool to illustrate His point. So, what is the significance of mustard seed and what do birds have anything to do with it. Let’s read Matthew 13:31-32 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” In the 1st century especially in this part of the world, the mustard seed was indeed considered to be the smallest seed. I have inspected the mustard seed closely, and I can attest to its insignificant size. Basically, a mustard seed is 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, and once planted it grows into a beautiful large mustard tree which is between 6 and 20 feet in height and it has a spread of 20 feet.

Let’s take a moment to identify the two parts in these two verses. You have the mustard seed which is representative of the Kingdom of Heaven, and you have birds which represent something that will require more time to properly explain. In the preceding parables, The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Weeds communicate the same or similar analogy and representation. The seed in these parables is the Word of God; it’s the Kingdom of Heaven that begins small and insignificant. However, it has the force to grow and become powerful. It will spread and branch out to cover a vast area. In the proceeding parable, the Parable of the Yeast in verse 33, yeast is used as the second type of small and seemingly unimportant thing which transforms the thing that it enters. As for the meaning of birds, chapter 13 has two type of birds. Birds that represent the Evil One and birds that are a representation of the gentiles as mentioned in Ezekiel 17:23. Let’s Read Matthew 13:19 “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.” Let’s Read Ezekiel 17:23 “23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches”. I recommend that you read the entire chapter to obtain a full grasp of the message that Christ is making regarding the different parts and events taking place. Essentially, we know that that Kingdom of Heaven is something that when it is in motion, when the Word of God is in motion, it grows and it branches and becomes a place where everyone can come to and find haven. It’s no surprise that Satan is fighting the Kingdom of Heaven with full force and is doing everything possible to manipulate and snatch those who hear the message. He does whatever he can to stray away those from actually hearing the message.

In the case of Illuminating Faith, sermons that we prepare and upload to the organization’s YouTube Channel is now deemed offensive and many of the popular sermons are no longer monetized. The Word of God is offensive to the unsaved, so this is one example of the “bad birds” example and what Satan is doing to silence us. So what significance does the Kingdom of Heaven have to us? Do we believe in the power of the Kingdom and the Word of God, or have we been become numb to it. Do we see the Kingdom in action or are simply cultural Christians which have resorted to traditions and don’t actually see the Holy Spirit in action. My dear brother once asked me, is the Bible sufficient for someone to read and come to faith? I want to answer my dear brother and to say, yes, yes it is. I believe in the power of the Word and the glory of the Kingdom. I have heard many testimonies of those who in sin have picked the Good Book, read it and have come to receive the Lord. I pray that we return to the foundation of our faith and believe in the power of the Kingdom. Amen.