Firstfruits: Baked with Leaven

·34 min·3 clips

Pastor Steve Wilkins reveals that leaven in the Bible is not a symbol of corruption, but of influence.

This sermon from Church of the Redeemer, titled 'Firstfruits: Baked with Leaven,' is delivered by Pastor Steve Wilkins. It begins by challenging the common interpretation of leaven as a symbol of corruption, proposing instead that it symbolizes influence, working secretly and slowly to change dough. The pastor references Exodus 12, where the commandment to remove leaven during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is explained as a means for the Israelites to make a clean break with Egypt, eating 'bread of affliction' in their haste. He discusses how this practice memorializes their exodus and reliance on God rather than material goods. The sermon then shifts to the New Testament, examining 1 Corinthians 5, where Paul uses leaven imagery to address a case of sin in the Corinthian church, emphasizing the need to purge harmful influences. Next, it explores Matthew 16, where Jesus warns his disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, interpreting this as a call to scrutinize teaching that works like leaven. The pastor applies this to modern contexts like podcasts and media, urging listeners to consider what influences them. Finally, the sermon concludes with the parable from Matthew 13, where the kingdom of heaven is likened to leaven that gradually transforms the world, encouraging believers to be 'bread' that nourishes others. Throughout, the tone is educational, focusing on biblical exegesis and practical application.

As heard by us

A sermon on leaven as influence, turning Paul's warning to Corinth into a call for shared responsibility.

The sermon turns a familiar kitchen image into a question of shared moral responsibility. Leaven is treated as influence: something that works through dough and changes the whole, rather than only a ready-made symbol of corruption.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a sermon that turns leavened bread into a question of influence across a church?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Weekly Sermons - Church of the Redeemer