The Kingdom Of God

Mark 4:21–41 NASB95

And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? “It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.” With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples. On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

I. Introduction

a. Last week we discussed the parable of the Sower and the Soils.

b. We understand now that the Sower was Jesus Christ, but that we are sowers also, sowing the just like Jesus did.

c. The Seed is the Word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ

d. finally the four types of soil and persons heart and mind as pertaining the reception of the Word of God.

e. We have the heart that is hardened to the Word of God, then the shallow person who is looking for the next best thing, but when trouble or trial comes they fall away. The third soil being that one that is more concerned about this age, riches of this world, rather than the things of God. Finally the one that receives the Word of God and becomes true believers going out and increasing the harvest.

f. We learned that unless you understand this parable then the rest of the parables about the Kingdom of God will not make any sense.

h. Jesus explained why He spoke in parables but He would make sure that the believers would have the understanding.

i. Mark 4:11, “And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,”

j. Mystery is something that was known only to God but now is revealed only to the true believers. What is the mystery? Mystery about what the Kingdom of God is, how it grows and functions, who the King of the Kingdom God is.

k. So we are going to take a look at three things; Our responsibility to the Kingdom of God, How the Kingdom of God grows and who the King of the Kingdom of God is and our need for Him.

II. Our responsibility to the Kingdom of God

a. Sharing, i.e. Sowing, the gospel of Jesus Christ and making it known that we follow Jesus Christ.

b. All secrets will be revealed and unveiled.

i. Hebrews 4:11-13, “Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

c. The amount of study and applying the Word God to our lives, more will be given.

d. If you don’t study or apply the Word of God then what you do have will be taken away. Remember Mark 4:15, the Seed that fell on the hard ground?

III. How to grow the Kingdom of God

a. Seed, life is in the seed. The Seed is the Word of God. The gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 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.”

i. This is not talking about parameter stuff, like inviting people to church or how we got the best pastor, or some awesome programs, but the Seed is actually the Word of God.

b. Power is not in the person, but in the seed. 1 Peter 1:23-25, “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.” And this is the word which was preached to you.”

c. Our concern is not making the seed grow, but it is up to God, 1 Corinthians 3:6,7 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

d. To reap bountifully you have to sow bountifully. 1 Corinthians 9:6, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

e. Brings us to the parable of the mustard, although it is so small as a seed, it grew up to a large bush. This means that the smallest seed we sow can grow into someone coming to Christ. Also on a larger scale it started with 12, to 120 then 3000, then to what we have today.

IV. Our need of the King of the Kingdom of God

a. The storm: is a representation of the trials and tribulations that we suffer.

b. Notice Jesus was asleep, even when the water was splashing everywhere, the boat rocking. Nothing put peace and rest.

c. Notice the disciples, best described, IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD!!!

d. But Jesus showed His power, the King of the Kingdom.

e. Then He gently rebukes them, telling them that Hey I was in the boat, the boat was not going to sink, the boat was going to the other side, even if the most horrific storm of life.

f. let’s put this in perspective, no matter what the devil or life can throw at us, we are in the boat with Jesus Christ, even though things might not work out like we want, but because of Jesus we will get to the other side.

g. Notice the fear that came over them as they pondered who this person was in the boat that even the sky and the wind obeyed Him. This brought a hefty fear of God in them.

V. Summary

a. We are to be people of God that will not only live a life showing forth Jesus Christ, but we are to be sowers of the Word of God.

b. It is our responsibility to be diligent in the study of the Word of God and to apply it. If we do God will make sure we get more understanding, more revelation of His Word and of Himself. But we if don’t God will take away what have because we do nothing with what we have.

c. God takes the onus off of us if people receive or reject His Word, our only job is to throw the Word of God to others. If they say NO, that is not on you, if they say Yes that was God that prepared that soil. All you have to do is keep throwing it out there.

d. Finally we need to know our King of the Kingdom and that no matter what the devil or life brings against us, that in Him we are going to the other side.