2002.8.11. Metaphors for Heaven(2) - Rev. Chan Young Jang

Why is the Kingdom of Heaven Like Yeast?

Matthew 13:31-34

According Matthew 5's Sermon on the Mount, God's greatest blessing to born again Christians is that "Heaven is theirs." This is the shocking news. Heaven is not the abstract place where we go after this world, and Heaven is already on this earth when Christ came to this world; it is the real world that we must experience. Heaven is small and insignificant like a mustard seed but when it finally grows up, it become a large tree for birds to build a nest upon. This was the first metaphor about Heaven that we shared three weeks ago on "why is heaven like a mustard seed?" Today again, I am going to share with you the 2nd metaphor about Heaven. "Why is the Kingdom of Heaven compared to yeast?"

Christ compares today's heaven to yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour and until it worked through the dough. What then is the meaning of this metaphor of the yeast?

First, heaven through born again people changes the world. In the metaphor of the mustard seed, a very small seed grows into a large tree, and this seed itself grows. The metaphor of the yeast and the mustard seed are very similar. A small seed is planted and becomes a large tree, and a very small amount of yeast is kneaded and worked through the dough. However, there is one important difference. Although the mustard seed does not change into something else when it grows, the yeast changes others. This is the main point of the yeast metaphor.

Therefore, what is the meaning of the yeast being mixed in with the flour?

It means not only that heaven will change itself, but also change the world. This energy to change is like a contagious disease. In Luke 12:1, Christ says, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." Guarding against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees is like yeast that is contagious. Their hypocrisy changed people's faith into a formality. Christ compares the impure thoughts and the evil spirits that come in an instant and change this world to contagious yeast. Of course, in this case we have used yeast in a negative way but the whole meaning of the yeast at this moment is greatly different. Just like a small amount of yeast changes in an instant when it is mixed in with a large amount of flour, a few Christians who possess the kingdom of heaven change the world in which they live and have the ability to do new things. Christians not only can change themselves but can also change the world they live in. It is like in the past when disciples who heard the word of Christ were changed.

In Corinthians 2 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" When we come to believe in Christ, first one's character is transformed. The old self that we used to know changes. Those who keep their old selves, will not meet Christ. Here there is no compromise. Although you may be attached to or think about that self that you used to like, and may imitate or resemble that person, the person who has met Christ has experienced a transformation that completely changes their character. Not only that, but also one's sense of values changes. One's views also change. Views on money, on marriage, on family, success, standards on good and evil all change.

We are born anew. While living in this world, we leave behind our worldly, success-oriented values and open up our eyes to God's heart and to the meaning of the Bible. Therefore, we struggle in order to think like Christ, carry the heart of Christ, and act like Christ. And we become holy and are transformed into a person that we cannot imagine. This is different from pretending to change or imitating. We cannot call an imitation a "new creation."

However this is not the end. People who truly received the kingdom of heaven, become the children of God and are saved, not only do they enjoy heaven's life, but they also change the world. Christ is your salt and light in the world. Although Christians are few in a world that is corrupt and rife with immorality and injustice, no matter what sort of difficult existence we have, we are the salt. The saly does not claim that it is the salt. Yet by quietly dissolving itself, the environment is changed. This is the principle of change for Christians.

That is it. Christians are the salt of the world. They don't work in order to preach or to heal others. Yet when we exist as salt, the world can be influenced by the salt. When we as Christians enjoy a rich life like this, this influence goes out and is spread. The few Christians of the early church overturned Rome through the power of the Gospel. At the time of the Reformation, the Gospel that was set on fire in the hearts of a few people changed Europe. The Puritans who left for religious freedom in order to live according to the Lord's word, more than building a new nation, they left in order to serve well the Lord and changed American society. Today we discover in the metaphor of the yeast the reason that we must fearlessly enter the world and change it.

Thus, the question that we must ask ourselves is "What role should our church and Christians play in this society as true yeast?" Truly we are not there yet. We may imitate the yeast. In Korea, there are a lot of churches and a lot of Christians but Korean society has so much discord and corruption, society and people's lust for power grows and the very ugly scars are revealed. Now the American society that we live in also carries so much pain and great shame.

Why is it like this? We have many churches, many pastors, many church members, why is it shameful and pitiful?

It is because either Christians misunderstand the essence of the kingdom of God, or do not have the appearance of sincere yeast. It is not that I alone believe in Christ and go to heaven. It is not that I alone or my family is blessed, is healthy, and is successful. If we do not change the world in which we live, and are not up to playing the role of true yeast, instead we will threaten our faith and the world through the bad influence of the yeast.

Second, we want to think more about the meaning and content of the yeast. What is the driving force behind the small amount of yeast that is mixed in with the flour and worked through all the dough? It is because of the propagating power of the yeast. Therefore what is the meaning of the power of the yeast? It is the power of the word and the Gospel. It is not we who change. Christ is within us. The power is not mine but within us. Because of this, there is no need of Christians who believe that the power is from within them. People who have this kind of power, people who meet in churches like clouds, can never change the world.

If the yeast does not come into contact with the kneaded dough, it has no use. If the yeast is not mixed, there is no meaning. The yeast must come into contact with the kneaded dough in order to have meaning. If I know Christ, I should enter into people who do not know him. We must go out to our spouses, to our children, to our colleagues at work, and to our neighborhoods. We must give off the scent of Christ that lives within us more to these people when spreading the Gospel. Of course, this is not easy. Sometimes in the process we become hurt or confused. Other times we may suffer material loss and lay down our own self-esteem. However, the thing that changes the world is not my own work, but it is the power from the Gospel and the Spirit of Christ that resides within me.

Therefore, what is the life of Christ and the power of the Gospel? It is the 8 Beatitudes that we shared on Christian living from Christ's Sermon on the Mount.

When we live in this world sincerely poor in spirit, the world changes. A poor spirit signifies this kind of humility. When we live a life that grieves for this world, the world changes. Even though you may not make a mistake and I may consider that it is my mistake when those people clearly wrong you. If we can embrace them, our family, our world will change. When we show pity that we received first from God in a great way, the world changes. When we live a life like Christ who sacrificed himself to make peace, the world changes. Although living dishonesty may be the norm, when we try to live a clean life, the world changes. This is not a selfish life, when we resist lawlessness and dishonesty for the sake of justice, the world changes. No matter how much we try not to lose, when we have a life that can choose to lose out for the sake of truth, the world changes. If we do not have this, we are mere clanging cymbals. No true change takes place.

This is the real yeast of life. Life reveals the power of the Gospel most clearly. It is a life whose truth cannot be hidden. The life of Christ is concentrated in these 8 Beatitudes. A changed Christian, a true Christian through this life, whether it is true or fake is revealed. Because of this, we do not have to preach how we are to live. We do not need to raise our voices and say let's reform. When people say that they have a different opinion, we do not need to judge them. This is not the attitude of a sincere Christian. We should do first what we preach others to do.

Because of this, we need to first stand in front of the mirror and see ourselves honestly. In all the areas that we now serve, in our family, our work place, anywhere we are, are we serving with joy, wholeheartedly, and without remorse?

Our life makes clear who we are. The apostle Paul explains in his own confession how this new life in Christ has changed and how through his transformed life, other people were also changed.

Why is our life not influential?
Why does church lose its influence and instead is being ridiculed by the world?
Why when salt falls to the ground, it is trampled on by people?
In one word, it is because it is not the truth.

No matter how many plastic flowers you make, it has no impact but if there is one living fresh flower in the bunch, that flower will gives off a scent and attract butterflies and bees, and that seed will spread in this world and finally bear fruit. In these times, it is difficult to find the truth. Imitation copies flourish and wither. It is sad but this is the truth of today's world.

Thirteen years ago, I started my first ministry at the Yangkak Methodist Church, located in a remote village of Kimchon in Southern Kyungsang province in Korea, one hour away by bus and another hour by foot. The small village had no more than 200 homes. The village is usually empty as most people go to work in the fields. The young people all left for the city and only the elderly and young children remain. This was the typical country village. Even the elementary school was about to be closed. I began my first ministry there without knowing the basics ABCs of ministry. I didn't listen to my friend's advice about serving in a small country church and instead went there. When I came there, I had no idea how or where to start. I was truly in despair.

However at the opening service in Yangkak church which was also the first church in the town, the Dean of the Seoul Methodist Seminary, Professor Byun, Sun-Whan, attended. I sent him an invitation without expecting him to come but he came all the way to this small church in a remote part of the country. I still cannot forget the encouragement he gave me when he tapped me on my shoulder heavy from despair and said,

"Pastor Jang, I only studied and have not done real ministry. Even though I am a pastor, I have only taught and have not done ministry. However, there is one thing that I am sure of. A real pastor doesn't care about the size of the church. Even though there is only one member, if the member is genuine, the church is genuine. If there are a thousand members in the church, if they are fake, then the church is fake. Even though it is a small church, it can still influence the world. So what's important is whether I am genuine or fake. So don't be disappointed. Just be genuine."

Yes, that is what matters, whether I am genuine or fake. Whether I am true or fake salt. Whether I live a truly changed life through Christ or make believe that I do. Pretending to be a Christian will not change the world. In order to change the world, you must be genuine.

In this way, the Gospel requires us to make a commitment to act. It requires a commitment to seek the truth and to be a true Christian. What's the use of the yeast if it is not mixed in with the dough? We must have the commitment to be a true Christian at home, at work. Without this, the world will not change.

Finally, we need to think over again how we can spread the yeast. It tells us that "change happens silently." It is like the mustard seed that grows unnoticeably, but finally grows into a big tree. Change takes place without being seen. It starts in a very small way.

One doctor quietly volunteered to go to a small village to serve people. However, through this unknown service, people came to see the Kingdom of God. This busy person every day goes out to search for people in need. He washes the faces and feet of children and clothes them. Then change happens. The life of yeast is not about bragging. The yeast quietly, without a sound but continuously, brings about change. Truly the Kingdom of God is realized not by rumor or advertising, it is because of the power of the Gospel.

The phenomenon of the yeast can apply especially to the times when the Church does the Lord's work. Generally it is easy for people to be tempted by big things, grand things, and fame. They believe that they have achieved success with a church with a lot of people and money. Therefore people look at the membership and offering statistics that come out in the weekly bulletin and decide in their own way whether this is a weak church, an OK church, a church doing well or a church doing poorly. These people are not interested in how we are to live. These people are not interested in what to do on the Lord's day or how to devote oneself to others. These people are interested more in how many famous people are in this church. If there are many famous people in the church, they regard the church as fine. And the church begins to boast unknowingly and depend upon these people. This shows already that the church has begun losing the power of God. It cannot depend upon the power of God, it cannot depend upon the power of prayer. They can not rely upon God's laws. We also unknowingly depend upon people's money, fame, and power. These things we can see how much they have become a part of today's worldly church and Christians.

Let us look at Christ. He was never a person who pursued splendid things, fame, or comfort. Always he cared for things that were small, avoided formalities, and cared for those lost and poor souls. He did not work for success or accomplishments. He came to die on the cross. His glorious mark was that he died on the cross. The Lord always thought of this. He said, "After I leave, another Counselor, the Holy Spirit, will be with you forever. Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." Christ always thought of his death. This death was no ordinary death; it had to be a death that was painful on the cross. While thinking and meditating of his death, Christ lived his life. At time, the problem remained on how he was to die. During that time, Christ did everything. He did not need flattery or to depend upon this world or to be discouraged or quit because of failure and despair. It was because he knew that he would leave this world soon. At the age of 33, he died.

However, we again do not need to stare at our true selves in the mirror. To be honest, our concern is how we can live more comfortably, live a little longer, possess, and enjoy more things. When we look honestly at ourselves, our suffering and pain comes from our attachment to our desire for success. The purpose of Christ's life was not for fame; he gave that up. It was not for ruling power; he instead served others. Christ kindly gave us the metaphor of the yeast and lived his life like yeast. And the disciples who directly witnessed his life, also lead a life like yeast.

We believe in Christ, are God's children, possess the kingdom of God, and live a joyful and transformed life. We need to quietly open our eyes to the space around us, to our family, our workplace, or world. Just like yeast spreads out and works through the dough, through our life, God's kingdom must go out and spread through this world. Everyone, at the moment that you decided to become true Christians, the world began to change.

Truly, the yeast is spreading.
Truly, Christians also spread out. And finally the world will change.