Yeast. This little micro organism is an interesting critter. It has an amazing ability to eat sugars, provide gas (that what causes the bread to rise – yeast burps), and reproduce. When you start a loaf of bread, you might have a couple pounds of dough, but only add a tablespoon of yeast, and it affects the whole thing.
Jesus uses yeast as a picture of sin in Mark 8. In essence he says, “Beware of sin, it will eat up all the sweet stuff in your life, pass gas, and find it’s way into every aspect of your life.” This is especially the case in regard to sins of division and unbelief, but is true of every sin. (The Pharisees and Herodians did not believe Jesus was the Christ, and actively sought to disprove Him.)
Alton Brown is a TV chef on the Food Network, and has written a couple cook books. He tells a story in I’m Just Here for More Food about his younger days working in a pizza place. He had made dough – like 50 gallons worth! – but had left out the salt. Now salt and yeast do not get along. In fact, salt inhibits yeast, and keeps it from going out of control. Plus it makes the dough taste good. Brown had to throw the batch away. It was ruined.
Having put the dough in large garbage bag, he tossed it out in the dumpster behind the restaurant on an nice hot summer day. Guess what happened. The yeast went to work on the sugar in the dough. When he went out later he found the, “Son of Blob,” had filled and began to overflow the dumpster.
Beware the yeast of sin!
However, this story brings another passage to mind; Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the world. . . .”
In a world where sin is rampantly expanding and ruining everything, we are salt. Salt stops the yeast from growing, and we counteract sin in this world!
Does this happen because we try hard, or we’re more enlightened than others? No, the Pharisees worked very hard, and they were very well educated. Many of them had memorized the entire Bible! So how is it that we can inhibit sin?
Because we have Jesus in our lives. Jesus died on the cross to counteract sin. His forgiveness destroys sin. And while sin leads to death (Romans 6:23), Jesus gives life – full and blessed!
We are to beware of yeast, and be salt. We watch out for sin and it’s destructive power in our lives, and we bring the message of Jesus’ forgiveness and life to rescue those entangled in it, recognizing that it was Jesus who rescued us from our, “Blob of Sin,” and we are sharing His gift with others.
Jesus uses yeast as a picture of sin in Mark 8. In essence he says, “Beware of sin, it will eat up all the sweet stuff in your life, pass gas, and find it’s way into every aspect of your life.” This is especially the case in regard to sins of division and unbelief, but is true of every sin. (The Pharisees and Herodians did not believe Jesus was the Christ, and actively sought to disprove Him.)
Alton Brown is a TV chef on the Food Network, and has written a couple cook books. He tells a story in I’m Just Here for More Food about his younger days working in a pizza place. He had made dough – like 50 gallons worth! – but had left out the salt. Now salt and yeast do not get along. In fact, salt inhibits yeast, and keeps it from going out of control. Plus it makes the dough taste good. Brown had to throw the batch away. It was ruined.
Having put the dough in large garbage bag, he tossed it out in the dumpster behind the restaurant on an nice hot summer day. Guess what happened. The yeast went to work on the sugar in the dough. When he went out later he found the, “Son of Blob,” had filled and began to overflow the dumpster.
Beware the yeast of sin!
However, this story brings another passage to mind; Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the world. . . .”
In a world where sin is rampantly expanding and ruining everything, we are salt. Salt stops the yeast from growing, and we counteract sin in this world!
Does this happen because we try hard, or we’re more enlightened than others? No, the Pharisees worked very hard, and they were very well educated. Many of them had memorized the entire Bible! So how is it that we can inhibit sin?
Because we have Jesus in our lives. Jesus died on the cross to counteract sin. His forgiveness destroys sin. And while sin leads to death (Romans 6:23), Jesus gives life – full and blessed!
We are to beware of yeast, and be salt. We watch out for sin and it’s destructive power in our lives, and we bring the message of Jesus’ forgiveness and life to rescue those entangled in it, recognizing that it was Jesus who rescued us from our, “Blob of Sin,” and we are sharing His gift with others.
Comments