The Parable of the Mustard Seed-Matthew 17:20

Have you ever felt like your faith is too small to make a difference? Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed three separate times in the Bible and is one of His most well-loved teachings. We are going to explore what Jesus teaches about faith through the mustard seed passages and how these lessons can encourage us today.

parable of the mustard seed- close up photo of mustard seed on surface with small wooden spoon filled with seeds

The Mustard Seed in the Teachings of Jesus

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is not a fully developed parable, but three distinct and different teachings of Jesus on the analogy of the mustard seed and faith. Each teaching is brief, with one or two sentences, offering no further explanations. 

We discover, however, that the smallest seed can transform individual lives and the world. Jesus shows us how this tiny seed, when planted in our hearts, can grow into something of immeasurable significance to His kingdom!

1) The Parable of the Mustard Seed- Luke 17:5-6

We find the first parable in Luke 17:5-6. Jesus had been teaching the disciples about some radical forgiveness qualities they needed to practice. They realized they would need help to implement them.

 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faithHe replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’ and it will obey you.”
That’s it; Jesus then moves on to another topic.

What He is telling them is that even with faith the size of a mustard seed, they could move a tree that grows up to 35 feet tall and tell it to go plant itself in the sea. In other words, the impossible. 

They needed only a tiny amount of the right kind of faith to do the impossible. It needed to be genuine faith; the amount was not important.

Christ’s disciples needed a faith completely dependent on God and a willingness to humble themselves entirely in obedience. 

He wants us to have a mustard seed of faith, not a mustard seed of doubt. Both can grow exponentially if they are given what they need to flourish.

2)Second Parable of the Mustard Seed- Matthew 13:31-32

We find the second parable in Matthew 13:31-32. “He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

The mustard seed is indeed one of the smallest in the world; about the size of a pinhead. From this tiny grain of mustard seed, a mustard tree grows up to 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide!

The image of a huge tree with birds nesting in its branches is found sprinkled throughout the Old Testament, so it would be familiar to the disciples. He was explaining the kingdom of God has the very smallest of beginnings, but will grow and expand profusely. 

People from all nations will come to find rest in his kingdom. He meant it for encouragement, and to scrub any doubts from their hearts and minds. Even the smallest seed of faith can lead to something much greater when God is at work.

3)Third Parable of the Mustard Seed- Matthew 17:20

Matthew 17:20 contains the third parable. Jesus had given the disciples the authority to drive out evil spirits and heal every disease and sickness before He sent them out.

 But a man approached Jesus and told him that the disciples could not heal his son. Jesus heals the young boy, and the disciples spoke to Jesus about it later in private. They asked him why they had been unable to heal him. 

“He replied, “Because of the littleness of your faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus pointed to their lack of trust and faith. It is the power of God that moves mountains, but faith must be present to do so.

Just as the tiny mustard seed has great potential, even a small faith can be sufficient. There is great power in even little faith when God is with us. 

parable of the mustard seed- watercolor mountain background of greens and blues with text overlay
Pin me for later!

Lessons on Mustard Seed Faith 

What is faith? It is total dependence on God and a readiness to do his will. Jesus knew what the disciples would be up against later in their ministry.

They would need a faith that could overcome great difficulties (move mountains). In each parable, Jesus uses the mustard seed to help teach the disciples that even the tiniest amount of genuine faith can bring something great out of something tiny.

We see small beginnings leading to great things throughout the Word of God. 

~Jesus Christ came to us as a helpless baby and grew into a man, the Son of God. He became the “perfecter, finisher, of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), bringing us a saving faith by His sacrifice.

~David was just a young shepherd boy who fights and slays a giant with a sling and a stone, plus the power of faith and God’s help.

~When God reduced the size of Gideon’s fighting force in the face of a large enemy, He showed that victory comes from faith in God’s power, not human strength. (Judges 7:1-22).

The beauty of the faith of a mustard seed is that it must take root and grow. 

When a seed is planted, it sprouts, shoots up, grows deep roots, and spreads. This growth takes time and certain growing conditions. Farmers don’t expect to see immediate results after planting or during droughts. Just as plants need fertile, well-watered, sun-kissed soil, we too need to make sure we optimize the soil of our hearts for growth.

“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17.

Challenges to our faith (major life changes, painful trials, over-scheduled personal commitments, spiritual warfare, etc.) will always try to pull us away from Christ. Our faith can strengthen through these times if we continue to trust God’s timing and plans.

How encouraging! Persevere in your personal faith journey, even in the waiting seasons. Our faith- our complete trust in God- can gradually grow a strengthening change in us that takes away our fears and doubts. 

Then, when the mountains seem unmovable, they will not consume us. Moving the mountain is about removing the fear the mountain brings. The mountains no longer control our thoughts and actions.

We trust God to work his will in the circumstance that are best for us. A tiny bit of faith- a faith in our all-powerful God- can move mountains!

God’s Kingdom is far larger than we can imagine.

The tiny seed growing into a tree that is large enough to provide shelter for the birds of the air illustrates the kingdom’s far-reaching impact. We do not know how even our small acts of faith can have ripple effects for God’s glory. 

How Can We Apply These Lessons to Our Own Lives?

Start Small! There are practical ways to nurture a mustard seed of faith. Regular prayer, Bible study, and stepping out in obedience are cornerstones of the Christian life. God honors each small, consistent step of faith you take!

Trust God through the process. We have to let go of the self-reliance that holds us back, or skips ahead of His timing and plans. Embrace His strength and timing and watch your faith grow.

Pray through doubts and fears even when we can’t see where He is leading. Express your feelings, focus on His character, and rely on His strength and guidance.

Lean on God’s promises to inspire you to see how you can play a role in building His kingdom here on earth. Never underestimate what God can do with the smallest “mustard seed” sized acts of kindness, the weakest of prayers, the smallest words of encouragement.

Never underestimate what just one individual -you and I- can do when we allow God to work through us. 

Can one person make an impact for Christ? Absolutely! When you show God’s love through words and actions, that person passes it on to others, who then passes it on… It starts like a little mustard seed, but grows and spreads exponentially.

We can trust him to work through even the smallest of genuine, faith-filled acts to bring about his purposes. In fact, I think he’s counting on us to do so!

“Be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.”  2 Corinthians 1:24

“And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith.” Philemon 1:6

Blessings,

AnnMarie

Reflection Questions:

What is one area of your life where you can plant a small “mustard seed” of faith and trust God to grow it?

How can you encourage someone else who feels their faith is too small?

What does trusting God’s timing look like in your current season?

All Scripture is taken from the New International Version unless specified otherwise.

Photo Credit: Canva

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top