The Vastness of The Kingdom

The Smallest to The Greatest

Mark 4:30–34 ESV

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 the 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.

Illustration:

Starting a fire

The comparison that Jesus embarks tells us that He is no longer just talking about the individual… He is referring to the small start and later vastness of His kingdom.

Focus on its latter state how great the mustard seed becomes.

Greatest impact of the Kingdom is it starts with something so small and flourishes to greatness

THE SOWER AND THE SEED

Matthew 13:3–9 ESV

And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Briefly illustrates the sower as God, and presses us into an understanding that the sower is the agent to progress the Gospel.

The seed is the word of God

The Kingdom being the mustard seed the parables weave intricately to let us know something incredibly important about the Kingdom of Heaven...

The Kingdom is the Word

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Word is Authority

We hold in our hands the authority that is found in Christ

The rule of the Kingdom in our lives.... drives our lives

The Word is Alive and Active

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Powerful to divide the soul (fleshly desires) from the Spirit (what comes from God)

Discerns the Thoughts of the Heart

Jesus’ Ministry

Hebrews 2:6–8 ESV

It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

Jesus’ ministry was one that started so small

Made intentionally to show the kingdom starts and then broadens

All authority then is given to Him… the Kingdom belongs to Him

The Kingdom of Heaven Given to Humanity

Hebrews 10:16 ESV

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”

His word and authority will be etched on our hearts

Greater covenant we do not know but the one the Son of God has made with us

Revelation 2:26–28 ESV

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

The authority of Heaven given to us

Ephesians 3:7–10 ESV

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

The birds of the air: rulers and authorities in the heavenly places

The work before us is will be so vast that in it all visible and invisible will want to make a nest in it....