The Parables of Jesus (Part 3)

Introduction

Most of you will not be surprised to learn that today, we are continuing our study in the book of Mark. As we have shared with out you over the past several weeks shows Jesus as the Suffering Servant. This morning, we are going to be looking at the last three parables, in Mark 4. These include parables about a lamp on a stand, and a parable of growing seed, and the parable of the Mustard Seed.

If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to Mark chapter 4, and we’ll begin reading with verses 21.

Jesus is continuing His teaching on the sea of Galilee. You may remember from last week, that He is sitting in a little way off shore in a boat, teaching.

Mark 4:21 NIV84

He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?

Parable of a Lamp on a Stand

Jesus begins this parable with a rhetorical question. “Do you bring a lamp to put it under a bowl or bed?” Of course you don’t! Jesus confirms this by His next statement. “Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?” The goal of lighting a lamp and putting it on a stand is so we can see—so there are no hidden things! That’s exactly what Jesus says!

Mark 4:22 NIV84

For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.

This is a parable! So what is hidden? Jesus has been teaching about the kingdom of God! In a parable in Matthew 13, Jesus uses the idea of “hidden” to refer to the “kingdom of heaven.” But now, God’s true kingdom was being revealed in Jesus. Yet even with all of their religious knowledge, the religious leaders are missing this point. Perhaps that is why Jesus included verse 23.

Mark 4:23 NIV84

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus encourages anyone who can actually hear and understand what He is saying! Jesus longs for the religious leaders to understand. Yet the truth is, they lack understanding. Remember, what was said back in verse 12.

Mark 4:12 NIV84

so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

Jesus concludes this parable with still another warning. Look at verse 24-25.

Mark 4:24–25 NIV84

“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

Think about this, Jesus had just told the parable of putting a lamp on a stand rather than putting it under a bowel or bed. He had just told His listeners to listen and understand!

Now Jesus tells his listeners to consider carefully what you hear. . . Then Jesus says that we will be measured by the same standard we use to measure. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were using a very narrow measuring stick for Jesus—likewise, God will use a very narrow measuring stick with them. Remember, just a little earlier, the religious leaders suggested that Jesus—the Son of God—was possessed by the prince of demons (3:22).

In this parable, Jesus concludes that whoever rejects His Word—His gospel message—will suffer complete loss. It is complete loss because any person who rejects the message will lose any share in the kingdom. This is a solemn warning to the Jewish religious leaders. “whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” A strong warning in parable form.

Parable of the Growing Seed

Mark records another parable of Jesus for us. This one returns back to the agrarian theme. Look at verse 26.

Mark 4:26 NIV84

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.

Once again, Jesus uses a parable to explain the kingdom of God. He says it is like a person—a farmer—who scatters seed on the ground.

Mark 4:27–28 NIV84

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.

So we have a person spreading seed. The second thing we see is that after planting (spreading) the seed, the farmer goes on about his business. Notice “Night and day, whether he sleeps or get up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.”

Once the seed is planted, sprouting and growing has nothing to do with the person who did the sowing! The emphasis here is that it is God who causes the growth! Then look what happens next.

Mark 4:29 NIV84

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

When the grain is ready to harvest, once again there is human involvement! Think about that for a minute. God chooses to use you and I in the process of growing His kingdom. But we only play two roles. The first role is the planting role! You and I are to spread the seed!

The second role is the harvester role. We are to participate in the harvest. In other words, we gather the ripe fruit or grain. So we are involved in sowing (or planting), and harvesting. It is up to God to make the plant grow, and it is God’s joy to prepare people for harvest. The key for us is that God is growing His kingdom, and God will continue to grow His kingdom. It ALL depends on God!

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Now Mark has Jesus moving on to yet another parable about the kingdom of God. Look at verse 30.

Mark 4:30 NIV84

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

Now Jesus is going to share the last parable Mark is going to share with us in this part of the book. And He continues to compare the kingdom of God. Look at verse 31.

Mark 4:31–32 NIV84

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.”

Jesus says that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed—the smallest of seeds—Now it is small! It takes between 20 and 21,000 seeds to make up one ounce! Now that is small!

But, when the plant grows it becomes a big plant in the garden. So from a small unimpressive beginning—this plant grows into a plant that is so big that the birds come and perch in its shade. That’s pretty big!

Now some think the birds are just a reference to size—to show us the size of the plant. Other scholars have said that the birds are a reference to evil forces. Still other scholars say that it is a reference to Gentiles (Ezk. 17:22-24; 31:6).

No matter which view you take when thinking about the birds, the main point is clear! From the view of the Jewish religious leaders, Christianity had a small less than impressive start—an “uneducated” teacher with a rag-tag group of outcasts—it will become a huge kingdom, the kingdom of God!

Finally, Mark tells us that this is just a sampling of the parables that Jesus told. Look at verse 33.

Mark 4:33–34 NIV84

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

And Mark says that Jesus continued to explain the meaning to His disciples.

SO WHAT

The salvation that we received was never meant to be kept to ourselves. It was meant to do three things:

To Bring Light to the Dark.

To Expose Evil.

To Bring Salvation.

We need to listen carefully to the Word of God—Jesus!

We want to encourage people not to miss God’s salvation.

Everything depends on God and His work!

Small things grow into big things when empowered by God!

This is what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross, and rose from the dead! It is this salvation that we celebrate today as we come to the Lord’s