Proper 6 (Wednesday, June 19, 2024)

A TOP-DOWN FAITH

“He Makes His Kingdom Grow”

Ezekiel 17:22–24 NET

22 “ ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “ ‘I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 I will plant it on a high mountain of Israel, and it will raise branches and produce fruit and become a beautiful cedar. Every bird will live under it; Every winged creature will live in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I am the Lord. I make the high tree low; I raise up the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it!’ ”

Mark 4:26–34 NET

26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. 27 He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle because the harvest has come.” 30 He also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground—32 when it is sown, it grows up, becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds can nest in its shade.” 33 So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

GOAL: That the hearer knows and believes that God makes the smallest seed (his Word) grow into the largest plant (his Kingdom).

Some things are beyond us. When we try to affect them, we fail. When we try to control them, we get frustrated. When we try to handle them, we worry.

This Wednesday we see Jesus doing what we never could do, in that He is dealing with the invisible. He causes growth. He planted the seed of our faith by taking a tender shoot from David’s family tree and making it grow tall. Jesus shows us that this growth is not matter of our effort or activity, but the growth happens like a seed in the soil. God accomplishes it even as we are unaware. Jesus’ Word causes things to happen that are out of our control.

Jesus himself taught that the gospel seems unimpressive, for he often compared the gospel to a tiny seed. Yet within a seed is hidden life. As the seed of the gospel is planted, the Kingdom grows.

He Makes His Kingdom Grow

It Grows Gradually

As the seed is sown (Mark 4:26).

Both pastors and lay-people sow the seed of the Word.

The sowing goes on wherever God’s Word is proclaimed and taught. Gradual sowing is necessary for gradual growth.

The blessed reality before us is that

1 Peter 1:23 NET

23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:25 NET

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

James 1:18 NET

18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

As the plant develops.

We can prepare the ground and nurture the plant, but the seed grows of itself, mysteriously (Mark 4:27).

We may sometimes get discouraged because the growth is so gradual, but growth there will happen!. Isaiah 55:11 reminds us that the Word will accomplish what it was sent to do. Therefore, we can relax (Mark 4:27) and let the Word work according to its own schedule.

The Word takes care of itself, it is full of life and power.

Hebrews 4:12 NET

12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

While learning to be patient with growth that is gradual, we must also face up to the fact that

It Grows Inconspicuously

The Word is as inconspicuous as a mustard seed in the beginning stages of its growth (Mark 4:31).

The great and the powerful in Christ’s day gave little notice to the Word growing in their midst.

Those who wield power and influence in the world today are indifferent for the most part to the growth of the Word.

So inconspicuous is the Word’s growth that we are often not aware of anything taking place.

The sinners with whom Christ associated and the disciples whom He called often gave little evidence of spiritual growth.

We cannot see faith, nor do we always see the various stages of growth (Mark 4:28). Conversions are not necessarily spectacular, nor do we always perceive growth in love and patience in ourselves and in others.

At the same time, there is evidence of rather impressive growth.

It Grows Impressively

The Word that was sown in a little corner of the world has spread to many nations.

The Word has produced a great bush with large branches in which all sorts of people find refuge and rest (Mark 4:32).

The worldwide church attests to the growth power of the Word

The Word will continue to grow until it produces a harvest (Mark 4:29).

We shall see this harvest on the Last Day.

Then there will be a great gathering of ripened grain, of redeemed souls, for the heavenly garner.

We might be tempted to think that churches would flourish if we just implemented the right church-growth plan. If we would just do what the large churches do, then we will grow as well. If we had music that was attractive to every single age demographic, then the masses will come. “If you build it they will come.”

This way of thinking is breathtakingly wrong. All we need is God’s inerrant and infallible Word. It does it’s work. It is living and active. God makes His kingdom grow through the Word that grows gradually, inconspicuously, and impressively.

And we never need discount the power of God’s Word.

Let us pray: Almighty God, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your Word. By your Holy Spirit, help us to receive it with joy and bring forth fruits in faith, hope, and love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.