Pictures of the Kingdom

Mark 4:1-32

Pastor Miles

9/23/2012

1. Why does Jesus speak in parables?

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. (Mark 4:33, 34 ESV)

The people in Jesus' time were expecting a physical and earthly revolution that would usher in the Kingdom of God.
There are similar parallels with our current society, e g Christianity in America, Islam in Muslim countries, etc.
But Jesus had different intentions.

And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that
"they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven." (Mark 4:10-12 ESV)

Jesus used prophetic irony; He used parables as prophesy was being fulfilled.

2. Kingdom principles from Jesus' parables:
A. The 4 soils

#1 People will respond differently to the message of the kingdom.

"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." (Mark 4:3-8 ESV)

#2 The message of the kingdom is opposed by Satan.

The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. (Mark 4:14, 15 ESV)

#3 Fruitfulness is what matters.

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." (Mark 4:16-20 ESV)

Materialism is a barrier to fruitfulness

Application:
a) what kind of soil are we?
b) what kind of soil do we want to be?

#4 Some seed you sow is going to have amazing effect.

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." (Mark 4:20 ESV)

e g Edward Kimble sowed the seed in the young life of D L Moody who went on to preach to millions!

B. The Lamp
#5 Don't hide what you have been given. Share it with others.

And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." (Mark 4:21-25 ESV)

- We have been given the secrets of the Kingdom, and our duty is to share and proclaim it.
- If not, even what we have will be taken away
- Are we sharing at every opportunity?

C. The uneducated farmer
#6 Sow the seed and leave the results to God.

And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:26-29 ESV)

We just have to do our part, and faithfully wait for God's transformative work to be done

D. The mustard seed
#7 The kingdom will start small but it will grow. Believe it.

And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32 ESV)

Jesus is telling his disciples and us that this is the hope that will happen

Are we hiding our light or letting it shine?

Are we sowing the seeds of the gospel to others?

Look for opportunities!