LITTLE LEAVEN
Thursday, October 19, 2023Key Verse
“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9).
Text — Galatians 5:1-10
Message
Jesus stated, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” It is worthy of note that Jesus presented some of His most memorable lessons in parables as helpful ways of connecting abstract spiritual truths with regular everyday activities. In today’s text, leaven is applied negatively to mean bringing legalism (circumcision) into the faith gospel. If allowed, it could destroy the whole gospel message.
Leaven is yeast that helps in fermentation and causes bread to rise. During certain holy festivals, Israelites were instructed not to eat bread that contained leaven. This was because the leaven had become a metaphor for negative influence such as insincerity or hypocrisy. For example, ‘a little sin’ in a family or church member can ruin the other members. On the other hand, leaven provides a perfect image of the kingdom of God. God wants the leaven of the gospel to begin humbly and impact the entire world. Believers, including the youths, must spread the gospel and not sin.
Quote
Spread the gospel and not sin.
Challenge
You can transform others from the inside.
Prayer for today
Gracious God, help me to transform lives!
About Author - Pastor W.F. Kumuyi
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
