Sermon Tone Analysis

*"Small Beginnings"*

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*Mark 4:26-32*

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*©February 10, 2002 from the series "The Stories of Jesus" by Rev. Bruce Goettsche, LaHarpe, IL. 61450*

 

As we study the parables of Jesus we will see that there are some parables that talk to us about the way we should live.

Some of these stories are designed to warn us of dangers.

And some, like the two parables we look at today are meant to teach us about the nature and work of God.

Both parables set out to teach us, "What the Kingdom of God is like."

In these two parables we are going to learn a couple of very important truths.

In fact these are truths I think you are going to find very freeing.

Listen to these words one more time from Mark 4:26-32,

 

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He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.

A man scatters seed on the ground.

Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?

It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.

Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”

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Note two things,

 

*True Spiritual Growth Comes from God and Not from Us*

 

Jesus uses the illustration of a farmer once again.

This farmer goes out into the field each year and plants his seed.

He prepares the ground and tends the seed but he has no idea why or how the seed grows to produce a crop.

The fertile soil and a healthy seed combine to do something that the mind does not understand.

In fact, the Greek word for "by itself" in verse 28 is the word, "automate"  The crop seems to grow automatically.

This is the way it is with God's Kingdom.

You and I share the truth of the gospel with those who are around us and then that seed begins to grow.

God's spirit begins to work in a human heart and slowly draws the individual to Him.

We see it in our own lives as well.

As we expose ourselves to the truth we find ourselves being changed by it.

Often we can't explain it.

We don't cause growth . . .

He does.

Archibald Hunter summarizes it well,

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Jesus is saying, "It's no good to shout or to shove.

The work is God's.

Leave the issue to him.

A new divine force has been released in the world, and grow it will, as surely as the sown seed, by the gracious ministry of God's sun and rain, ripens to the harvest.

A parable of 'agricultural grace' we might call it.

When a distinguished American surgeon was asked upon what he relied when he operated, he answered, 'medical grace'.

By this he meant that recuperative and healing power in the human body which, like the seed in the parable, works 'by itself', and without which all his professional expertise with the knife would be vain.

[Archibald Hunter, The Parables Then and Now (Philadelphia: Westminster 1971) p.40]

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This may not seem like it is all that significant but think about it.

Consider those who seek to advance the Kingdom of God by their military force.

Christians sought to bring the Kingdom to others through the Crusades and Muslim extremists try to advance the Kingdom through their holy wars.

And some people we know (maybe even people we see in the mirror) seek to advance God's kingdom through manipulation, legislation, or other means of intimidation.

Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom does not advance by the force of men, but by the power and grace of God.

 

*Three Important Lessons*

 

There are a couple of implications from this parable.

First, *The growth of the Kingdom does not depend on us.*

I hope you hear this clearly.

If you do, it takes a great load off your shoulders.

The growth of the Kingdom of God does not depend on you living a perfect life, or on your ability to proclaim the gospel message.

We are called to do our part.

But our job is to plant the seed . . .

God is the one that makes it grow.

Second, in light of this fact, *we should rely more on prayer than technique.*

Since God is the one who brings change and transformation we should spend more time asking God to change hearts and lives and less time trying to find a gimmick that will get a person to do what we want them to do and say what we want them to say.

Think about it.

How much time do you spend praying for your friends and relatives who have no desire for the things of God?  How much time do you spend asking God to change the hearts and lives of the people you know?

How much time to you spend asking God to work through this church and through your own life?

If you want to see more people come to faith, you should spend more time with the one who can bring faith to life in a heart.

Third, *we should be patient.*

The farmer plants the seed and then has to wait many months before the harvest.

They must wait in the dry times, they must wait in the wet times, they must wait even though there are predictions of great storms.

They must be wait in the knowledge that you can't take a crop out until it is ready to be harvested.

So it is with the unbeliever.

We should plant seeds.

We should seek to answer any questions that the person has.

We should work hard at living consistent lives as an example to our friends.

But when all is said and done we must wait for the harvest.

When a crop first begins to grow you do not even notice it.

The growth begins in the soil.

And the same is true of a new believer.

You don't notice the change of heart at first.

You don't see that first spark of interest.

You can't see their appetite changing . . .

but it is happening.

Don't give up!

Let God do His work.

You remember the story of the lad who went and bought some seeds.

He followed the directions and put the seeds in the soil and faithfully watered the seed.

After several weeks he returned to the place where he bought the seed and wanted to get his money back.

The dealer was confused and asked for details about how the seed was planted.

Everything sounded right until the boy shared that every morning he dug up the seed to see if anything was happening!

When we badger, nag, harass, and push others we are digging up the seed!

Our job is to prepare the soil, plant the seed, and water it.

And then we must let God do what only God can do in a human heart.

We need to be faithful and then relax and trust God's ability.

*Three Qualifications*

I'm not saying that we are to be passive.

The passage does not begin with the words, "and a farmer went to sleep".

The farmer cannot produce growth but there are some things the farmer can and needs to do to encourage growth.

Like the farmer, there are things we must do.

*First, we must prepare the ground*.

We do this by building bridges with people.

Christian people can't merely gather around in their holy huddles and wait for God to change the world.

We must prepare the soil by /showing/ people the effect of the Kingdom of God in our lives.

We can help prepare the hearts of those around us by our acts of kindness, by our enduring love, by the way we treat our enemies and by our involvement with those who hurt.

Jesus understood this.