What is the significance of the context of this passage? Why do you think that it is situated immediately after Jesus’ interactions with the disabled woman and the ruler of the synagogue (Luke 13:10-17)? What can we learn from this?
What is Jesus trying to communicate about the Kingdom of God from these illustrations (mustard seed, leaven)? How are their respective implications similar? How are they different?
Jesus’s illustration about the mustard seed implies that the kingdom of God starts small (humble, unremarkable). How is this true? What are some of the ways in which the Kingdom of God begins humbly and unremarkably?
Jesus’s illustration about the mustard seed implies that the kingdom of God grows big (massive, awesome, glorious). How is this true? What are some of the ways in which the Kingdom of God culminates in glory and majesty?
Jesus’s illustration about the leaven implies that the Kingdom of God permeates all of society, and drastically affects everything that it touches. What are some ways in which the Kingdom of God is already affecting the world? What are some ways in which the Kingdom of God will eventually affect the world?
In what ways does the Kingdom of God take after its King (Jesus)?
What are some ways that our church can lean into ministry that is small, and humble, and ordinary, and unremarkable – in the hopes that God will do something extraordinary through it?