GOoD Life Pre-Cepts: By: KeviJ
From humble beginnings—where a few folding chairs circled in a modest living room and voices joined in worship and prayer—a small home gathering—One Community Church has begun and now has grown into an inspiring movement of faith, courage, and obedience. Pastor Conway Edwards modeled what happens when even the smallest seed is planted in God’s soil—it takes root, flourishes, and multiplies beyond imagination. I still remember walking into the Hilton Garden Inn where faithful hands rolled in equipment, carried chairs, and set up each space as an act of love before the services. Those were the hidden seeds that God was nurturing beneath the surface—preparing a harvest we could not yet see. The deep root system that has now blossomed into eight vibrant campuses, each one symbolizing a living branch in God’s expanding kingdom. As we approach 17 years of worship and service next month, we celebrate not just longevity, but the unstoppable expansion of God’s kingdom in and through this body. This story reminds me of Jesus’ words about the mustard seed—though almost invisible at first, in His hands it grows into a place of sheltering space for many. One community church is living proof: when God’s hand is on it, even the smallest beginning can yield an unstoppable harvest.
What is the kingdom of God like? … To what shall I compare it?
Even the smallest beginning can yield an extraordinary harvest when God’s hand is in it.
In Luke 13, Jesus heals a woman who had been bent over for 18 long years—an act of compassion going above and beyond kindness—it boldly challenges the rigid rules of religious leaders. As the congregation buzzes with mixed reactions—some rejoicing, others angered—Jesus confronts the tension between liberation and legalism. He responds with two brief, yet profound stories: a tiny mustard seed growing into a majestic, sheltering tree, and yeast that transforms an entire batch of dough. These parables reveal a truth at the heart of His kingdom: God’s kingdom begins quietly, grows steadily, and transforms everything it touches. These questions are inviting us to “think deeply”, not just receive answers.
The mustard seed is tiny, it’s almost invisible, yet it grows into something massive, which can shelter other people and things. Leaven is hidden in the dough, unseen, but at work influencing the entire loaf nevertheless. Although both examples highlight process and patience, there’s a certainty of growth that will include both wheat and tares. When Jesus was here on earth, He seemed to be disruptive to the human systems that were in place. The seeds He sowed, however, spread, transforming lives and eventually becoming a place of refuge with unstoppable growth. Don’t ever despise the day of small beginnings, for you know that the latter end will be great. The kingdom is not in a hurry, but it’s also never stagnant; its growth is inevitable when planted in the right soil.
Back then, in the first century, Jesus’ words and works challenged the status quo—sometimes in dramatic confrontations, other times in subtle shifts. Now, the kingdom is still advancing in a world obsessed with control, image, and self-preservation. Whenever we see compassion undermining cruelty, when integrity shifts a corrupt culture, and even when truth disrupts injustice, we’re seeing the kingdom at work. The kingdom doesn’t always arrive with a dramatic entrance; sometimes it begins quietly, in hidden places, but the impact is always inevitable. God works in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure and purpose. The mustard seed is nearly unseen, but it’s there; the leaven works internally, without being seen.
This means that even in our lives today, we should not underestimate small acts of courage and kindness toward others when God’s spirit leads us to do so. If you feel prompted to buy a few groceries for that co-worker you sense is struggling, you never know the impact it could have. If you feel led to speak to someone about your faith as you’re out at the mall in casual conversation, it could lead to something greater than you can imagine. Social media makes us crave visibility—likes & instant results, but remember the kingdom work often thrives in unseen faithfulness. We’re having to shift during this time to understand that investing even in small acts of faithfulness to advance the kingdom can amount to something greater than anyone can fathom. The stance we should take as believers is always obedience; it is God who brings about the increase.
Time Of Reflection:
** There’s no doubt about it, if God saved you, He’s asking you to be a light that shines, planting mustard seeds of faith in the world around you.
** Ask God today for one small, Spirit-led act of obedience—and do it without delay, trusting him to multiply it.
Heart-Probe:
** How can I become more sensitive to the Holy Spirits leading and guiding throughout the day?
Scripture references
Matthew 13:31–32 – The parable of the mustard seed
Luke 13:10–13 – Jesus heals the woman bent over for 18 years
Luke 13:18–21 – The mustard seed and the leaven
Zechariah 4:10 – Do not despise the day of small beginnings
Philippians 2:13 – God works in you to will and to work for His good pleasure
Galatians 6:9 – Do not grow weary in doing good
Chronological Bible Placement
- Event occurs in the final Perean ministry phase, after the healing of the bent woman and before the journey toward Jerusalem intensifies.
- Falls between Luke 13:10–21 and Luke 13:22–35 in the chronological sequence of Jesus’ ministry.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) — Key Cross References
Luke 13:21 — 1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9
Luke 13:18 — Matthew 13:31; Mark 4:30; Isaiah 60:21–22; Daniel 2:35, 44–45
Luke 13:19 — Psalm 72:16; Ezekiel 17:22–24
Luke 13:20 — Matthew 13:33
Closing Prayer
Lord, teach me to value the small, Spirit-led steps of obedience You give me. Make me bold to plant seeds and work in the yeast of Your Kingdom, trusting You for the growth and transformation. Amen.
