Can You Handle The Truth

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Parables, what to do with the Truth

Notes
Transcript
Welcome

I. Introduction

All rise for the scripture reading
Mark 4: 21-34
Mark 4:21–34 NASB95
And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.” With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.
Title of sermon Let the Truth Be told
We live in a world that brandishes partial truths expecting society to accept them as whole truths. I heard an interview with a college student who was asked if it is acceptable to cheat on the lections, she said “if it gets us what we want”. Americans use phrases that sound good in an attempt to get a following, when the true meaning of these phrases is not an accurate label for what the group stands for. We live in a time that has garnered the phrase false news and depends on the public to accept “no one is at fault” or “There was not enough evidence of manipulation to significantly affect the out come”. People in the world today look to new sources, radio talk shows, pod casts, and the internet for answers, because they are in search of the Truth.
Prayer

II. What is the Truth

If the Truth is told, Jesus is the way the truth and the life and we know that Jesus came preaching the Gospel of God, Mark 1:14 “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,” Therefore it stands to reason that the Gospel of God is the truth. We know from the Greek εὐαγγέλιον euangelion which translates as good proclamation, and we have all heard of the phrase that the Gospel is the Good News, but What is the Gospel? That alone is several sermons, but in a very simplistic presentation, there are four proclamations
The Anointed King - Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God - Anointed king by God - He is Lord
The Crucified King - Jesus dies on the Cross for our sins
The Resurrected King - Jesus is alive today
The Kingdom of God is at hand
Mark chapter four looks at the truth. Charles spoke last week about the parable of the sower in which the seed (the truth) fell on different soils and what their responses were to the Truth.
Now mark is presenting more parables. It is said that Mark did not write this Gospel in chronological order, so we need to pay attention to why the parables are listed following the parable of the sower. It is likely because the parables are relate to the Truth, The Gospel, The word of God.

III. Projection of the Truth

Mark 4: 21-23 “And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.””
The lamp represents truth and we are the lamp stand that is made for the projection of the truth to pierce the darkness for all to see. The Truth cannot be hidden, it will always come out eventually, how else did the Bible survive for thousands of years.
Why does Jesus tell us this parable? There is a difference between using something for its purpose and using it for our purpose. In the Erickson household, a steak knife is not just an eating utensil, I use it to tighten and loosen screws, open letters and boxes, or even to pry things loose. So many people use so many things incorrectly that manufactures have to place warning on there products, here are a few that seem a little silly. These all have to be done to keep the consumer safe.
We are given the Truth to reflect it to the world around us. There are churches and Christians that will preach another Gospel, that also is a sermon in itself, but this is eclipsing the truth for the sake of oneself, it is perverting the Gospel of God. We are not given the truth to do with as we please, to use it when it sounds good, or make changes to it so it suits us. We are the moon and Jesus is the Sun, we are to reflect the Truth in all situations.

IV. Growth of the Truth

Mark 4: 24-25 “And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.””
We get out what we put into it
Bible study
Worship
relationship
The more we gain, the more we will have
Knowledge
Effort
Skill

V. Spreading of the Truth

Mark 4: 26-29 “And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.””
We do not see the growing of the truth in someone’s life, we plant, we water, and or nurture, and we harvest, but God causes the growth.
MArk 4: 30-32 “And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? “It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.””
2. We never know how impactful a comment can be, even small ones
a. A comment can inspire - the mustered bush creating a place for nesting - A man stopped on the way out form a sermon and said to the preacher “You probably don’t remember me. I heard you speak about 20 years ago and when I was walking out then, I asked you a question that you answered. Your answer stayed with me for weeks and was the catalyst that got me to follow Go’s calling into the ministry”.
b. A comment can also be detrimental - David’s story of his church experience.

VI. Conclusion

Mark wraps up the parables with Mark 4: 33-34 “With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.”
As a true disciple of Christ, we will are given the understanding of the parables as well as an overall understanding of the Word of God. We will be judged by how we use or do not use this knowledge .
We need to pay attention to
Matthew 28: 18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
and it needs to start today
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