Misc. - "No Worries" - Mark 4:26-29

“No Worries”

Welcome everyone! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to preach tonight. I want to invite you all to turn to Mark 4.

While you turn over to Mark 4, we are jumping into a text, so I believe it’s important for us to begin by understanding the context!

Jesus is teaching by the sea to a crowd in verses 1-9.

He’s telling parables, and continues those parables throughout chapter 4.

A parable is “earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”

Mark 4:1-9:

Parable of seeds and soils.

This parable describes the condition of different hearers.

The seed stays the same, but soil is different:

Soil of wayside (birds ate it)

Soil of stony ground (sprung up but the sun scorched it)

Soil of thorny ground (killed the fruit)

Soil of good ground (Sprung up and produced fruit).

3/4 of the hearers wouldn’t get it.

Mark 4:11-19 - Jesus explains the parable of the soil and CHALLENGED the people to examine their own hearts.

Mark 4:20-25 - Jesus warns us that people are responsible for the truth they receive. We must shine the light!

Now, Jesus is giving us a parable describing the Kingdom of God… particularly in the “good soil” and those that receive the message and grow.

Before we read, what can I remind you of in this:

We have a responsibility to participate in God’s work, but understand that it’s God’s power alone for life to happen.

Mark 4:26–29 KJV 1900

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

When Hailey and I were in college, I got so nervous around her.

I had a crush on her.

At the end of our senior year, we finally started texting a little bit and stuff...

I found out she was interested in going on a date with me.

Cool, so I was going to ask her out.

I was: hopeful, excited, and felt confident that she would

Anderson had a lip sync battle on campus and our friends were going. She was there first with a friend and we sat together

long story short, there came a time when I had to speak up.

Tonight’s focus is going to be “no worries” in witnessing… How can we feel confident in witnessing? Speaking up and sharing the gospel?

1. The Kingdom Responsibility

Mark 4:27 KJV 1900

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

What do we do? Verse 26 lays it out:

a. The Substance of the Seed

What is the seed that Jesus is talking about?

Mark 4:14 KJV 1900

14 The sower soweth the word.

the Substance of this seed is the gospel!

1 Peter 1:23 KJV 1900

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1 Peter 1:25 KJV 1900

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1 Peter 1:25 CSB

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

This week, we were at the SBC. I never heard the gospel preached. So what is the gospel of Jesus?

The birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

birth - had to be born perfect.

Isaiah 7:14 KJV 1900

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.

Prophetic. Power of God. Diety.

life - lived perfectly but without sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV 1900

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Death - in His death, He died for our sins.

He shed His blood for the remission of sins.

Hebrews 9:22 KJV 1900

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

death continued

The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus.

Resurrection - He had to live again!

Genesis 3:15 fulfilled.

1 Corinthians 15:4 KJV 1900

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Psalm 2:7 KJV 1900

7 I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee.

Psalm 16:10 KJV 1900

10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Isaiah 53:10 KJV 1900

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Ascension

1 John 2:1 KJV 1900

1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

b. Skill of the Sower

What is our role?

Throw it out there.

2. The Kingdom Resolve

Mark 4:27–28 KJV 1900

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

After the sows the seed, notice what he does:

a. Rests

we rest

b. Rise

c. Routine

it was a routine!

3. The King’s Role

Remember back earlier in this message… when the man casts the seeds...

Casting the seed requires that it is literally out of our hands now.

“he knows not how...”

How does this work?

God works even after our work is done.

There is life in the seed.

4. The Kingdom’s Readiness

Mark 4:29 KJV 1900

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

Gather the crops!