Little Is Much When God Is In It

Neal Pollard

The caption above is also the title of a song our family listened to on a vinyl record when I was a boy.  While I enjoyed the melody of that spiritual song, I suppose I may have not dwelled much on the message.  There are some parables in Matthew 13 that may have been the inspiration for the lyrics.

THERE IS THE LITTLE SEED (31-32).  The mustard seed produces a gigantic herb that is virtually tree-like.  That's the power of Christ's kingdom.

THERE IS THE LITTLE LEAVEN (33).  Just a little yeast and yet it thoroughly permeates.  That's like the kingdom of heaven.

THERE IS THE LITTLE PARCEL (44).  Compared to all that he had, one little field wherein the prospector's treasure was hidden was little.  That's how great the value of the kingdom is.

THERE IS THE LITTLE PEARL (45-46).  Hold even a huge pearl in your hand, and it fits there.  It's small.  Yet, the merchant Jesus mentions sells all he has to buy it.  That's the huge value of the kingdom.

God can do great things through the church, though we do not have the greatest numbers, voice, or power.  God owns His kingdom and it transcends all earth might throw against it.  Do not discount how big the little part you play can be! 

HOW ARE WE DOING IN THE FIFTH KINGDOM?

Neal Pollard

Scott Balbin is doing a great job teaching Ezekiel and Daniel on Sunday mornings.  Yesterday, he briefly touched on what the class had seen in Daniel two the prior week.  It was my pleasure to sit next to our resident sage and my dear friend, Johnson Kell.  At the end of the class, he asked me the question, "How are we doing in the fifth kingdom?"  I knew exactly what he was asking.  Nebuchadnezzar's dream and visions about the "last days" concerned a great image, which represented four great kingdoms.  Historically, these were the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires.  Daniel says that during the days of the Roman "kings," another kingdom would be set up that would never be destroyed (Dan. 2:44).  That kingdom is clearly shown in Hebrews 12:23-29 to be the church of the firstborn.  This is the church Jesus promised to build (Mat. 16:18-19), a kingdom the establishment of which was imminent (Mat. 16:28).  A kingdom that came with power on the Day of Pentecost, at which time we see first reference made to that church being in existence (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 47).  That "fifth kingdom," the church, will never be destroyed and nothing will bring about its utter and complete demise.

Yet, Johnson's question is valid.  How are we doing in this "fifth kingdom"?  Some individual congregations are thriving, while others are languishing.  Some are growing and some are dying.  Some are being faithful to the New Testament pattern and are boldly proclaiming the whole counsel, but others have abandoned such an approach.  

Beyond that, how is each congregation doing to educate, evangelize, edify, equip, entrust, and endow?  As we look at individual components of our congregation, how are we doing in church leadership, organization, involvement, outreach, benevolence, spirituality, morality, discipline, and the like?  

We should never be satisfied that we are doing enough.  We can always grow and improve.  But, oh the wisdom in asking the question.  If we stop self-analysis and self-examination, we are in a dangerous place!  This starts with me asking, "How am I doing in the fifth kingdom?"  That is the area over which I have the most control!