Over the past several weeks, I have addressed some of the issues in our country that confront us as followers of Jesus. We have taken a closer look at the evil that surrounds us, and I have challenged us to be light in a dark world. And last week, we looked at what seems to be so pronounced in both politics and industry, and that is the issue of lying and deception. Political platforms and industry statistics are skewed to promote a particular agenda regardless of the truth.
Some of the issues that lead to discouragement for followers of Jesus is political corruption, judicial injustice, unrestrained violence, and civil unrest that are plaguing our country. It’s no wonder that we tend to be discouraged. However, this is exactly why the New Testament writers consistently encouraged us to be “encouraged!”
And for that encouragement, I’d like us to look at two of Jesus’ prophecies regarding the nature of the Kingdom of God. And with those prophecies, I’d like to point out two important Principles revealed in those prophecies. Let’s first look at Jesus’ parable of “The Mustard Seed” and the Principle it reveals:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).
And so, the Principle of “The Mustard Seed” reveals that although those entering the Kingdom are at first small in number, the “Kingdom Tree” will continue to grow and become influential in society. The Gospel is truly powerful enough to transform lives.
The second important Principle was introduced by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount,
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Let’s call this the “Principle of the Narrow Gate.” Jesus wanted us to understand that He is the gate through whom we find the life that leads to eternal life, and there are few who will walk through that gate. Jesus said many times that being His disciple is both hard and costly, and because of that, most choose the easy way, entering through the wide gate that eventually leads to destruction.
However, in spite of the few who enter through the narrow gate, the spread of the gospel continues to impact our world with an increasing number of those who profess to be Christians. The following statistics from the website christianityinview.com are very informative:
- In the 200 years from 1800-2000, the world population increased more than 6 times, but the Christian Population increased faster over the same period (over 9 times).
- As a percentage of the World Total, the Christian Population increased from 22.7% to 32.4%, with a projected figure of 33.8% for 2025.
What this information tells us that despite “the few” who are entering through the “narrow gate,” the rate of growth is continuing to increase, and I would suggest, this has been going on since the first century. The point being, “The Kingdom Tree” is growing as more and more people are becoming Christians and finding shade in its branches. (Note: the data did not separate evangelicals from other Christians, and so the data is just about “professing Christians”).
Now, in spite of the evil that sometimes overwhelms us, let’s not forget that Jesus’ prophecies are still being fulfilled today. In spite of the narrow gate and the “few” who are entering through it, the “Kingdom Tree” continues to grow and flourish as people are finding salvation in Christ and true rest in the branches of that tree.
I hope this encourages you today.
