The Kingdom of God: Hear, accept, and bear fruit
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Secular
Classes/programs at the Y
Personal
What would you like to learn? Who would you like to teach you?
What if God could teach you the things of God?
He did and wants to today
Biblical
Mark has introduced us to Jesus, a man of power to heal and forgive
A man who is God and who provides forgiveness
Things of God are confusing, but what does God offer to bring clarity?
Subject
What does Jesus teach us about the kingdom of God?
Textual
Textual
Narrative:
Teaching by the sea - large crowd - teaches from the boat
READ 3-9
parable:
Listen
sower
4 soils
path
birds came and devoured it
rocky ground
not much soil
immediately sprang up
no depth of soil
sun rose - scorched
no root - withered away
among thorns
thorns grew up - choked it
yielded no grain
good soil
produced grain
growing up AND increasing AND yielding
30x, 60x, 100x
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear”
M
When Jesus was alone, disciples and those around him asked about the parables
He said to them...
READ 11-20
“To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God”
“BUT for those outside everything is in parables”
so that… (as a result)
“they may indeed see but not perceive and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.” quotation of
Do you not understand? How will you understand all the parables
Explanation of soils:
Seed:
word
Path:
hear the word
they hear the word
Satan immediately comes and takes the word away that was sown in them
Rocky ground:
hear the word
immediately receive it with joy
no root in themselves
endure for a while
tribulation or persecution arise on account of the word
immediately they fall away
Thorns:
hear the word
choked out by:
cares of the world
deceitfulness of riches
desire for other things
proves unfruitful
Good soil:
hear the word
AND accept it
bear fruit
30x, 60x, 100x
He said to them (disciples and inner group)...
READ 21-25
Is a lamp brought to:
put under a basket
put under a bed
not be put on a stand
Nothing is hidden except to be revealed
Nothing secret except to come to light
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear
Pay attention to what you hear
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you
still more will be added to you
For, to the one who has, more will be given
From the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away
READ 26-32
Parable: growth of the seed (how)
while farmer sleeps
seed sprouts and grows
earth produces by itself
blade, ear, full grain in the ear
Grain is ripe, puts it in the sickle
Harvest has come
Parable: growth of the seed (quantity)
compare to the kingdom of God
like a grain of mustard seed
smallest of all seeds
grows up and becomes larger than all garden plants
puts out large branches
birds nest in its shade
many such parables he spoke the word to them
as they were able to hear it
Didn’t speak to them without a parable
BUT privately, to his own disciples, he explained everything
What does Jesus teach us about the kingdom of God?
It takes more than hearing to produce a harvest. (1-25)
condition of our hearts?
focus on things of this world (persecution, cares, riches, desires)
hear and accept it - bear a plentiful harvest
pursuing understanding by closeness to Jesus vs human logic
pursuing understanding in ourselves vs going to God
purpose of hiddenness of truth
pay attention - more will be given
hear and accept it - bear a plentiful harvest
bear a plentiful harvest
baking a cake - more than ingredients
Remember that God is responsible for the growth. (26-29)
Often unseen growth
Often unexplainable
Process of growth - orderly
harvest - time of judgement and gathering
husband and the magical laundry
Don’t judge the harvest by the size of the seed. (30-34)
mustard seed - common ordinary seed
large growth
creates a blessing for others
Aldi quarter
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Parable of the Sower and the Mystery of the Kingdom (4:1–20)
The word “parable” means something that is placed alongside something else for the purpose of clarification.
Communion -
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.