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Tag: the kingdom of God

Parables of the Kingdom – Mark 4:21-34

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Last week, we studied the parable of the soils (Mark 4:1-20). In that parable, Jesus showed that when the gospel (the message of the kingdom of God) is shared, it lands on different types of soil. These different soils represent human hearts. Thus, the gospel is received or rejected by its hearers depending on the state of their hearts.

Today, Jesus continues teaching in parables.

Sermon Text: Mark 4:21-34

The first thing we see is that the message of the kingdom (the gospel) is not meant to be hidden.

The Message of the Kingdom is not Meant to Be Hidden (21-23)

21 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? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

In vv. 21-22, Jesus uses the imagery of a lamp. He asks his listeners, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?” Of course, the answer is no. The purpose of a lamp is to give light and illuminate one’s environment. In biblical times, at nighttime, you needed a lamp or a fire or you would have been in the dark. Thus, a lamp was “brought in” a room to give light (v. 21).

The lamp in this text refers to the word about the kingdom – the gospel message itself.

Contextually, this passage follows the parable of the soils. In the parable of the soils, the seed is the word of the kingdom; that is, the gospel.

In verses 23 and 24, Jesus puts an emphasis on hearing. In fact, look in Mark 4 at the references to hearing and listening to the word:

  • 3 – “Listen!”
  • 9 – “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”
  • 12 – they “may indeed hear but not understand”
  • 15 – “when they hear…”
  • 16 – “the ones who hear…”
  • 18 – “they are those who hear the word…”
  • 20 – “But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it…”
  • 23 – “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
  • 24 – “Pay attention to what you hear…”
  • 33 – “With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.”

In case you weren’t counting, there are 10 references in Mark 4 to hearing and listening to the word.

Thus, in verses 21-22, Jesus is saying that he has come to speak the truth of the gospel and the words about God’s kingdom. That message is not something that is to be put under a basket or put under a bed. That message is to be put on a stand and give light to all that surrounds it!

At the time Jesus taught these words, the kingdom of God consisted of a few disciples. Jesus is preparing his disciples for the day that they will replace him as heralds of the gospel message. Remember, Jesus is training them to be fishers of men (Mark 1:17). One day, it would be the responsibility of the disciples to communicate the gospel of the kingdom to the world (Acts 1:8).

Notice verse 22. The truth of Jesus’ message will come to light. After Jesus’ resurrection, it became known that he was no ordinary man. Many who were skeptics of Jesus before his resurrection became his followers. Christianity went on to explode after Jesus’ resurrection, most prominently on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

The gospel of the kingdom that the disciples had is the same message that we have — that God has sent his son Jesus into the world and that all who turn from their sin and place their faith in Jesus and his life, death, burial and resurrection can have peace with God.

Rather than experiencing God’s just wrath for our sin in hell, we can have forgiveness through Christ. Paul said in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The light of the gospel message is not to be hidden, but it is meant to “come to light” in our hearts and in the hearts of those that we share it with.

This morning, I want to ask you, who are you praying would come to faith in Christ?

Who are you trying to share the gospel with?

We have the greatest message of all time. Let’s share the light of the gospel with others.

We have the greatest message of all time. Let’s share the light of the gospel with others.

In vv. 21-23, we see that the message of the kingdom is not meant to be hidden. In the next section, we see that the message of the kingdom will be revealed to those who listen.

The Message of the Kingdom Will Be Revealed to Those Who Listen (24-25, 33-34)

24 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. 25 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.”

In these verses, Jesus teaches us how God reacts towards one’s response to the word. The measure one gives to hearing will be the measure one receives. Thus, if someone has ears to hear and receives the word joyfully, they will be given more of the word and more truth will be revealed to them.

Whoever seeks to understand the message of the kingdom will receive more, but those who are not good soil and don’t respond to the word in obedience, Jesus says, “even what he has will be taken away.”

I have found this to be true. Those who are humble and teachable are given more truth. Those who are apathetic or hard-hearted will have what truth they do know taken away. In other words, if you do not respond in obedience to the spiritual truths you learn, then you will not be fruitful. And remember, true disciples bear fruit (Mark 4:20).

Mark’s comments in vv. 33-34 give a glimpse of the measure described in vv. 24-25.

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

He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear, but he explained everything to his disciples.

You’ve heard it said that the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. This is exactly what Jesus is saying about spiritual truth. Those who do not have ears to hear will become mired in a pit of ignorance and indifference. Brothers and sisters, we in America have much access to biblical truth. We must be careful to have ears to hear!

  • Do you have ears to hear?
  • Are you the good soil that was mentioned last week (Mark 4:20)? Remember, those will hearts of good soil hear the gospel, accept, and bear fruit.
  • How do you react to God’s Word?
  • Are you reading it?
  • Are you learning from it?
  • Are you applying it?
  • Are you bored by the preaching of God’s Word?
  • Do you seek to learn from the preached word? Do you take notes?

My caution to you this morning is that if you’re not seeking to understand and apply God’s Word that your heart will grow indifferent and even what you know will be taken away. Those are Jesus’ words, not mine!

The message of the kingdom is not meant to be hidden. The message of the kingdom will be revealed to those who listen. In the rest of our passage, Jesus promises hope regarding the kingdom of God!

First, Jesus teaches that God brings about the growth of his kingdom.

God Brings About the Growth of His Kingdom (26-29)

In vv. 26-29, Jesus uses a parable about the sowing, growing, and harvesting of a seed to describe the kingdom of God.

26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Notice in the parable that the sower plays a minimal role. The seed grows without his effort. He sows the seed and “the seed sprouts and grows.” In fact, the text says, “He knows not how.”

Jesus wants to encourage his disciples that as the seed of the kingdom is sown, that eventually there will be a harvest. Just as “the earth produces by itself,” God is at work to bring about the growth of His kingdom.

Jesus says the kingdom of God is like this. As Christians scatter the seed of God’s Word, it will succeed because God is active. There is no amount of human effort that can bring about a harvest in God’s kingdom. We are dependent on his power for there to be a harvest.

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

1 Cor 3:6-7

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”

Rom 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

This parable should do two things.

First, the parable should remove a burden from us. We learn that as we share the gospel, we don’t have the power to save anyone. These verses show that ultimately the result is not up to us. I’ve heard it said that “Evangelism is sharing the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.” Notice what the sower does in the parable. He sleeps and rises. He sows the seed and leaves it be. We are not ashamed of the gospel! God is at work and he will give the growth and build his church (Matt 16:18)!

Second, the parable should drive us to our knees in prayer. Because God is the one that brings about the harvest, we must pray to him as we share the gospel with others. We pray that the Father would draw, the Holy Spirit would convict of sin, and that people would come to faith in Christ. Sometimes we see a blade, sometimes an ear, and sometimes the grain!

R.C. Sproul:

“That’s the way the kingdom is. We often do not know what God does with our service. We plant the seed, go to bed, and, while we sleep, God germinates the seed so that life grows and eventually produces a full harvest. Then God Himself reaps for His own glory. We simply need to forget about trying to see the fruit of our service immediately. It does not matter if we ever see it. We are called to take the light and let it shine, then let God do with it whatever He pleases.”[1]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 76.

As a church, we must learn the lesson from this parable and the parable of the soils. As we sow the seed of the gospel, will fall on different kinds of hearts. But as we sow broadly and pray earnestly, then inevitably, we will see a harvest. It may be slow, but we will see one!

Jesus assures us in verse 29 that there will indeed be a harvest.

God’s Kingdom Will Grow Large (30-32)

In vv. 30-32, Jesus likens the kingdom of God to the growth of a mustard seed. Though the mustard seed is very small, eventually it grows much larger!

Read 30-32

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 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.”

A mustard seed’s diameter is only about 1/10 of an inch, but the plant itself grows into a very large shrub (about 10-12 feet tall). When Jesus first called his disciples, the kingdom of God looked insignificant. Jesus was teaching them that eventually the kingdom of God would be much larger than they could have imagined.

Jesus is telling his disciples that the kingdom of God is going to be massive. It will be proportionately much larger than its humble beginnings. Jesus started with 12 disciples and today there are millions of people who are followers of Jesus.

There will come a day when the kingdom of God will surpass every kingdom that has ever existed on earth. We know from the previous parable that even though we don’t see all of it now, one day we will.

There will come a day when the kingdom of God will surpass every kingdom that has ever existed on earth.

Notice the reference to the birds making nests in the shade of the mustard plant in v. 32.

In biblical times, the image of great trees symbolizing great kingdoms was common. We see this in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 17, Ezekiel 31, and Daniel 4. Specifically, in Ezekiel 17:22-24, there is a messianic prophecy that says that under the rule of the Messiah, nations will come to salvation, and the Gentile nations are pictured as birds coming to lodge in the tree of blessing. It is almost certain that Jesus is borrowing from this imagery and thus, in our text, the birds represent the Gentile nations.

Again, though the kingdom of God has been inaugurated with the coming of Jesus, one day, Jesus tells his disciples, that the kingdom of God is going to be much larger than they could’ve ever imagined.

Revelation 7:9-10

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Conclusion

These last two parables show us that even at times when the kingdom of God may seem hidden, God is at work to produce a harvest that is bigger than we can imagine. We must be faithful to the commission of our Lord Jesus to sow the seed of the gospel!

References

References
1 R.C. Sproul, Mark, 76.

The Parable of the Soils – Mark 4:1-20

Sermon Video

Results may vary. You see it on commercials for drugs. But have you noticed that results vary when someone shares the gospel?

On one end of the spectrum, people reject it outright. On the other end of the spectrum, people receive it with joy and follow Christ. In between those extremes, there are people who seem to receive the gospel. They make a profession of faith but over time, they fall away due to various factors.

In our text today, Jesus helps us to understand why people respond differently to the gospel.

Sermon text: Mark 4:1-20

This parable is usually called the parable of the sower, but I call it the parable of the soils. As we study the parable, you’ll see that there is no emphasis on the sower at all. Rather, the emphasis is on the condition of the soil that received the seed.

The text breaks down into three sections:

  • Jesus speaks the parable of the soils/sower (1-9)
  • Jesus explains his purpose for using parables (10-13)
  • Jesus explains the meaning of the parable of the sower to his disciples (14-20)

Jesus speaks the parable of the soils (1-9)

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 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. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus was teaching by the sea and a great crowd of people gathered around him. So, Jesus gets into a boat and proceeds to teach from the boat while the people line the seashore. The waves and wind would’ve amplified Jesus’ voice for his many listeners.

Verse 2 says that he was teaching them many things using parables.

What are parables?

  • A parable uses a word picture to make a comparison between two things in order to teach a spiritual truth, usually with a twist.
  • Parables are not allegories in which everything in the parable stands for something.
  • Most parables have one main point, though this particular parable is a more complex one.
  • In vv. 10-12, we see that Jesus taught in parables to hide the truth from the self-righteous and to reveal the truth to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Now let’s talk about the parable itself. A farmer, bag slung around his neck and shoulders, is sowing seed by throwing it into a field. The sower is trying to sow broadly and to completely cover the field. He does not want to waste seed or any part of the field.

As the sower sows, the seed falls on four different kinds of soil.

(1) The seed that fell along the path (v. 4)

In biblical times, fields were marked off and surrounded by footpaths. As he throws the seed, some of it falls onto the footpath. This soil, which would have been unplowed, when dry, would be as hard as concrete due to the hot Palestinian sun. This seed would have no chance to sprout and would be eaten by birds.

(2) The seed that fell on the rocky ground (5-6)

Jesus is not describing soil that has rocks in it but is referring to soil that has a rock bed a few inches under the surface. The underlying rock bed would be invisible to the farmer because the plowshare would’ve only penetrated 8-10 inches of soil. Because of this rock underneath the ground, the plants would not have enough moisture in the dry climate of Palestine.

In this kind of soil, the crops would germinate and look good at first, but when the sun came out and the water was gone, the crops would die as quickly as they came in the first place.

(3) The seed that fell amongst thorns (7)

The seed that fell on ground that contained thorns was okay for a while, but eventually it was choked out by thorns and thistles. These thorns and thistles soaked up water and nutrients and blocked out the sunlight that the seed needed to grow.

(4) The seed the fell on good soil (8)

This soil has been prepared and the seed is able to get down into it and take root. This soil, free from embedded rock, thorns, and thistles, produces an abundant crop. The expression of 30, 60, and 100-fold is the return on the farmer’s original investment. For instance, if the farmer had spent $1 on a seed, it had a return of $30, $60, or $100. Tenfold was considered a healthy return, so 30, 60, or 100-fold was a great profit.

Three Things to Note

  1. Nothing is said about the sower and his skill – the same sower sowed all the seeds.
  2. Nothing is said about the quality of the seed – the same seed is used during all the planting.
  3. The weather was the same for all the seeds in this field.

Clearly, the lesson that Jesus is teaching is about the four different kinds of soil.

Jesus explains his purpose for using parables (10-13)

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 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, 12 so that

“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,

    and may indeed hear but not understand,

lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

10

After the crowds go home, the disciples ask Jesus to explain the parable. This shows that they want to know and understand Jesus’s teachings. They are not hardened like the Pharisees (see Mark 2-3). They want to have a fuller understanding of the kingdom of God.

11-12

Jesus responds to the request of the disciples by quoting Isaiah 6:9-10. In that passage, Isaiah was instructed to go to the to the leaders of Judah and preach to them about the hardness of their hearts towards God. God told Isaiah that people would see but not perceive and hear but not understand (Isaiah 6:9); this was the same kind of experience that Jesus had with many of the Jews.

Jesus is telling his disciples that he is using parables to hide the truth from the hardened and self-righteous and to reveal the truth to those who are ready to receive it.

See, those that cherish the seed of the word will grow in their understanding of God, but those that refuse the seed of the Word will continue to grow hardened to it.

Those that cherish the seed of the word will grow in their understanding of God, but those that refuse the seed of the Word will continue to grow hardened to it.

13

Jesus uses a rhetorical question to rebuke his disciples. He goes on to explain that if they do not understand the parable of the soils, then they will not understand other parables.

Jesus explains the meaning of the parable of the soils to his disciples (14-20)

14 The sower sows the word. 15 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. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 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. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 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. 20 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.”

The parable of the sower is a parable about the kingdom of God (v. 11). Many will be exposed to the gospel but only some truly receive it and bear fruit.

BIG IDEA: A person responds to the gospel based on the condition of his heart and his response to the gospel will be truly revealed in time.

The sower is whoever disperses the gospel message and the soils represent human hearts. We see this made clear in Luke 8:15.

Luke 8:15

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

This passage teaches that the gospel and the unadulterated Word of God is to be sown broadly.

Sadly, in order to get people in the doors of the church building and increase attendance, many churches have tried other things rather than sowing the seeds of God’s Word. See, they are trying to alter the seed rather than seeing that the problem is not with the seed, but with the soil; that is the hearts of the people who reject God’s Word.

We see this in Jesus’ explanation of the four soils.

The Soil of Some People’s Hearts is Hard (14-15; cf. 4)

These people are resistant and unresponsive. They are not open to the gospel and dismiss it without giving it careful consideration. Their hearts are as hard as the footpath along the grain field.[1]Simon Kistemaker, The Parables, 38. As soon as they hear the gospel, Satan snatches it away. These are people who love their sin and do not want to have to surrender to King Jesus.

The Soil of Some People’s Hearts is Shallow (16-17; cf. 5-6)

These people hear the gospel and receive it with joy, but they are not truly rooted in their faith. They appear to be Christians and endure for a while, but when tribulation or persecution arises, they fall away. These are people who look like Christians for a time and perhaps even make a profession of faith. They are attracted to joyful Christians and the offer of salvation, but when trials arise in their lives, they fall away because they were never really born again.

My wife and I were involved in a campus ministry during college. Many appeared to be Christians, but when they got into the real world, they fell away. They endured for a while. They looked like Christians. They came to worship with others, but when trials and persecution came, they fell away.

When they got into the real world, they heard things like this:

  • “You’re a bigot.”
  • “I can’t believe you don’t think that these two people can’t be married.”
  • “I can’t believe you’re against abortion.”

It’s easy to follow Jesus when you’re surrounded by others and having fun. It’s not easy when you’re being persecuted for Jesus’ sake. How many people look like Christians until they leave home?

Many people think that if they are going to make it in this world then they need to turn away from Jesus. For them, their career and being liked is more important.

Others leave the church because something bad happened to them. They come and make a profession of faith. Then, they lose a job, have a divorce, or get a bad diagnosis and they are out.

Scripture teaches that faithfully following Jesus means that we endure to the end.

The Soil of Some People’s Hearts is Strangled by the World (18-19; cf. 7)

These people hear the word, but the cares of the world and the desire for riches and worldly things choke out the word, and the seed proves unfruitful. For these people, this present life is more important than the life to come, and riches are more important than the Savior. Just as thorns and weeds gradually choke out fruit bearing plants, riches and worldly things gradually choke out a person’s desire for eternal things. These people are strangled by these worldly things.

I think about young families, many of which grew up in church. They have some desire for the things of God, but their focus is mostly on their education, their careers, building a house, and eventually a family. Once they have families, they are focused on their kids’ educations, athletic events, and more. Sure, they might come to church every once and a while, but if you really look at their lives, what is the center of their lives? Instead of loving their Savior, they are in love with the world. It has strangled them with its allure of pleasures.

We will not produce spiritual fruit if our hearts are strangled by the world.

The Soil of Some People’s Hearts is Fruitful (20; cf. 8)

The people who in the parable represent good soil hear the gospel, accept it, and bear fruit. They are not deterred by trials and persecution. They are not distracted by worldly riches and worldly things. They have been truly saved by the gospel and have a new heart where God’s word takes root and then bears fruit.

The spiritual fruit in our lives should be plentiful. Remember, Jesus said that good soil will bear fruit yielding a  thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or hundredfold increase. If we are truly in Christ, spiritual fruit should be evident.

If we are truly in Christ, spiritual fruit should be evident.

Salvation is more than a one-time decision in response to the gospel. Someone who is truly saved will continue in their faith and continue to grow in obedience to Jesus the rest of their lives.

John 15:5-6

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

How is the soil of your heart this morning?

  • Is your heart hardened like the footpath?
  • Is your faith superficial? You like Jesus, but not trials or persecution.
  • Is your heart in love with this world? Perhaps you have heard the word, but you love riches and worldly things more than Jesus.

Here is the question you need to answer:

What do you want more in life than anything?

Good health? Riches? A new house?

If your answer is something other than the advance of God’s kingdom and seeing people come to Christ, then you are likely one of the first three soils and you need to trust in Jesus today.

What do you want most for your children and grandchildren?

A big house and a successful career?

Your greatest desire for your children and grandchildren should be that they trust in Jesus and follow him no matter the cost.

Really, there are two ways to live.

If the soil of your heart is good soil, you joyfully hear the word, receive it, and obey it, producing lasting spiritual fruit for Christ (v. 20; John 15:8).

Alternatively, if you reject Christ, you will be thrown into the fire and burned (John 15:6).

This parable teaches us that as we proclaim the gospel or teach the Word of God to those around us, the results will vary. But take heart, success or failure does not depend on our skill as sowers. Rather, what is most important is the condition of the hearts of our hearers.

There is nothing wrong with the seed of the gospel! If we are faithful, eventually we will find good soil that will result in an abundant harvest.

May we pray that God would break up the soil of hardened hearts around us and that we will be faithful to the task of speaking the gospel to a lost and dying world.

References

References
1 Simon Kistemaker, The Parables, 38.

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