Dear Explorer,
Read Matthew 16:5-12
And
Read Mark 8:14-21
Jesus told them to be on guard against the yeast or leaven of three groups, who are they?
Pharisees, Sadducees and Herod.
What is yeast or leaven?
It's a living organism that takes in sugar and gives off carbon dioxide. We put it in bread and the carbon dioxide makes the dough rise and become light and fluffy instead of being thick and heavy.
Now yeast multiplies itself at an amazing rate of speed. A typical bread recipe would call for about 5 cups of flour with milk and sugar – but it would only need a teaspoon of yeast to make it all rise in about an hour if you sat it in a warm place.
So how is the teaching of these 3 groups like yeast?
The teaching of the above groups was something that could grow quickly and spread to our thoughts and beliefs. Yeast is tiny and seemingly unimportant, but it spreads and affects every part of the bread.
What teachings might Jesus warn us about today?
Maybe certain books, movies, TV shows, computers, games, certain teachers or mentors or friendships, etc. Be careful because what you read and watch and participate in or listen to WILL influence you. Make sure it is a good influence and not a bad one.
What did the disciples think He was talking about?
Sometimes we don't hear well. Sometimes it's because we are concentrating on something besides what God wants to teach us. It's so important when God speaks that we listen with an open mind and open ears!
I had a friend who was in the final stages of breast cancer. One day as she was praying, God gave her a verse in Scripture that said she would be healed. She told everyone that God was going to heal her. Yet, a couple of weeks later, she died. What happened? Do you think maybe she heard wrong? Did she hear what she wanted to hear? Or did God heal her? Did He do it when and where she expected?
God is patient with us when we don't understand or get confused. But we need to keep our ears clean and ready to hear Him when He desires to teach us something.
In His service, dale
Next study