Luke 13:20-21

THE GOSPEL IN THE HEART

‘Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven.’

Luke 13:20

The parable of the leaven is intended to show the progress of the Gospel in the heart of a believer.

I. The first beginnings of the work of grace in a sinner are generally exceedingly small.—It is like the mixture of leaven with a lump of dough. A single sentence of a sermon, or a single verse of Holy Scripture, a word of rebuke from a friend, or a casual religious remark overheard, a tract given by a stranger, or a trifling act of kindness received from a Christian—some one of these things is often the starting-point in the life of a soul.

II. The work of grace once begun in the soul will never stand still.—It will gradually ‘leaven the whole lump.’ Like leaven once introduced, it can never be separated from that with which it is mingled. Little by little it will influence the conscience, the affections, the mind, and the will, until the whole man is affected by its power.

III. Let us learn from this parable never to ‘despise the day of small things’ in religion (Zechariah 4:10).—The soul must creep before it can walk, and walk before it can run, If we see any symptom of grace beginning in a brother, however feeble, let us thank God, and be hopeful. The leaven of grace once planted in his heart, shall yet leaven the whole lump. ‘He that begins the work will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ’ (Php_1:6).

Let us ask ourselves whether there is any work of grace in our own hearts.

Illustration

‘It is thought by many that “leaven,” in this parable, was intended by our Lord to mean an evil and corrupt principle, and that the object of the parable was to describe the silent entrance and rapid growth of corruption and false doctrine in the Church of Christ. In defence of this view it is alleged that the word “leaven” is always used as an emblem of something evil. The doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees, for example, is called “leaven.” But there is no force in the objection that “leaven” is generally used as an emblem of that which is evil, and therefore must be so used here. I do not see why the word is to be rigorously tied down to be only an emblem of evil; and why it may not be in this case an emblem of good. The goat in Matthew 25 is an emblem of the wicked: yet the goat in the Old Testament is a clean animal, and appointed to be used in some sacrifices, as well as the sheep. The serpent is generally regarded as an emblem of evil. Our Lord called the Pharisees “serpents.” And yet in another place He says to the disciples, “Be wise as serpents.” In short, I believe that the same word may be used in one place as a figure of that which is good, and in another as a figure of that which is evil. In some places leaven certainly means “false doctrine.” In the passage before us, I believe it means “grace.” Stella supports the view which I have maintained by quotations from Augustine and Gregory.’