Tag: Mark 4
Understanding the kingdom of God
Scripture reading for February 13: Mark 4
“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 that air can make nests in its shade.” 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 4:30-34
Jesus used parables, stories or illustrations from everyday life, to help His disciples and seekers to understand the kingdom of heaven and God’s rule. The parables spoke of ordinary things like sowing seed, types of soil, weeds, hard soil, birds and growth. To His own disciples, He explained the deeper meaning of these ordinary things. As they opened their hearts, they began to understand unseen spiritual realities and grow in their world view from Jesus’ perspective. Those with hard hearts heard the stories but did not find truth or understanding.
The mustard seed in this parable represented the small and seemingly insignificant beginning of the understanding of God’s kingdom rule in Jesus. Jesus was the ‘Sower’ of Good News and a call to repent and believe. This seemed very insignificant to the world. Jesus explained that although small, the ‘seed’ would grow into a large and substantial tree with many branches. On the branches, the birds of the air would roost and make nests. Earlier, the birds of the air stole the seed that was sown. (Mark 4:4) They represented false teachers and Satan’s emissaries coming to oppose God’s kingdom and His people. Jesus explained the parable and its parts to help His disciples stand firm against spiritual conflict coming to the kingdom.
Have you studies Jesus’ parables and His explanation to better understand the kingdom of God? How does this parable of the mustard seed growing into a large tree with birds roosting help you navigate the church world today?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the parables of Jesus and how You always help Your people to grow in seeing the kingdom of God manifest in our world. Help me to discern the ‘birds of the air’ seeking to distort the simple truth of the Gospel. Deliver us from evil! Yours is the kingdom forever and ever! Amen.
Be attentive to the words of Jesus!
Scripture reading for February 15th: Mark 4
Key Scripture for over-comers: Mark 4:24-25 “Consider carefully what you hear,” He continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you–and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”
Jesus told His followers that listening was important. Listening is not just to hear, but to understand. When we give full attention to Jesus and want to learn, He reveals more and more of His plans and us. The measure of diligence and desire we give brings and even greater measure of reward. On the contrary, if we are careless in our listening and desire to learn, we can even lose what we have already understood. Spiritual life is not static, but must be growing through active listening and obedience to God’s instructions. We will definitely reap more than what we sow!
Observations for over-comers: Active listening is listening with the heart as well as the ears with the intent to learn and obey. “Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.” (Proverbs 22:17-18)
Be careful how you hear!
Scripture reading for February 13th: Mark 4
Jesus was a great teacher, and still is! He used stories of ordinary things and daily events that taught spiritual truths to those who had “ears to hear”. (Mark 4:22) He taught the multitudes through the use of these stories called “parables” and revealed deeper truth to His followers. (Mark 4:2) The parable of the sower is recorded in the first three Gospels and gives a foundation for all the parables told by Jesus. (Mark 4:13) Having ears to hear is more than just having a physical part of your body that works! Hearing these stories requires a heart that is open to truth and a willingness to believe Jesus as the Son of God.
In the story of the sower, Jesus revealed the secret of the kingdom of God. He was the Sower that sowed the good seed of God’s Word. Those who heard were like the various kinds of soil that the seed fell on. Some soil was hard like the paths used for walking and transporting goods. This soil could not receive the seed and birds ate it up, yielding no crop. Other soil was rocky and shallow, and the seed sprouted but could not sustain growth because of no roots. Other soil contained seeds of weeds, which grew along with God’s Word, but the weeds of worry, deceitfulness of wealth, and worldly desires choked it out. Finally, some seed fell on good soil. Here the Word produced a crop for eternal life!
Jesus speaks to us today, “Consider carefully what you hear,” He continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you–and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” (Mark 4:24-25)