Dr. York's 12 Step Sermon Preparation Process | Mark 4:21–34

I remember hearing that Prince Philip once said to one of the ministers that preaches at Balmoral – If you can’t say it in 8 minutes the sermon’s too long. Or as one of his quotes says “The mind cannot absorb what the backside cannot endure.” So with that in mind I thought it may be a good idea to give a quick summary of what I think this passage is saying before diving into the details – If you remember nothing else hopefully this will stay 😊. These three parables tell us how Gods Kingdom grows:

1) It needs light

2) It’s actual growth can be a mystery

3) Don’t despise small things

Firstly, let’s look at the context. Jesus has been teaching in parables to the crowds and then explaining them to His disciples. Is he hiding the truth so that people won’t understand? To quote one commentator “The disciples may have wondered why Jesus seemed to be deliberately hiding the truth of the gospel through parables. … But Jesus’ words answered their question … “No,” explained Jesus, “I am not deliberately trying to hide the truth from people. That would be like lighting a lamp and then putting it under a bowl. Why then light the lamp at all? … The purpose of the parables is not to conceal the truth, but to reveal it; the parables explain in everyday terms truths that human minds cannot grasp. Thus the parables do not obscure, they clarify—but only to those who are willing to listen and believe.[1]

As we are probably aware these parables are in the other gospels as well. Though Mark adds in a little word that most bible translators ignore. One commentator points out that the verse should really be translated:

“And he said unto them, Is thelamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the stand?” (Mark 4:21, ERV). There can only be one “The Lamp” – Jesus is pointing out that He has not come to be hidden away but to be lifted up onto a lampstand so that all can see Him. His light shone through the early church throughout the Roman Empire.

The message is also clear to us, our light should shine. Jesus is the light of the world, and His light should shine through us.

During the pandemic like most people we had a bit of a clear out and a few things ended up at the tip. One of those was a rechargeable torch that we had. However long it was left on charge for the light was never very bright – in fact it was useless in the dark. How can we make sure we are not like that lamp. Like the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom didn’t have enough oil in their lamps for when the bridegroom arrived we need to be diligent. I think the Lord’s prayer is actually helpful here – if we pray through it regularly:

Our Father who art in Heaven: - Focus your attention on God

Hallowed be your name: - Worship

Thy Kingdom come:- make sure what you want is in line with God’s priorities

Give us this day our daily bread: - Thankfulness for God’s provisions

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us:- repentant and forgiving

Lead us not into temptation:- daily seeking guidance

As we live abiding in Christ His light will shine through us. How that works out though can be a challenge. Covid has changed many things work, relationships, for many even how we shop.

I’m sure though that if we are open to God using us, He will.

Jesus then reminds His listeners again that they need to take heed to what He is saying, to treat it seriously. This time Jesus adds to the warning.

““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 they have will be taken from them.”” (Mark 4:24–25, NIV)

Consider carefully what you hear, what you listen to, what you read, what you watch – this is certainly true today with all sorts of groups trying to manipulate us through the media and TV programs. I always found it strange that the TV media on the one hand argued that watching TV doesn’t affect people so they should be able to show whatever they want and on the other hand they tell advertisers that adverts on TV will make people buy their product! What we watch will affect us so lets be on our guard.

But I think that Jesus is also wanting to pull us back to the parable of the sower, I’m also hearing echo’s here of the master who went away and left the talents with his various servants.

How are we investing our time and our energies into our Christian life. Those who have spent time digging into scripture, memorizing and meditating on it (and most important obeying it) will have been rewarded by a bedrock for their faith able to withstand when the storms of life come. As we study God’s word and ponder how it applies for today we will be fed.

With this in mind I’m trying to memorize and chew over a verse from Philippians

(Philippians 4:8, NIV) “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Praying that as I do this God’s light will transform my thinking😊

The next parable is about the mysterious growth of the Kingdom of God.

“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground”[2] - A man asks a friend if he’s ok, A women gives her neighbor the good news newspaper… a seed is sown. The growth of the Kingdom is a mystery that only God understands – but it’s obvious from this parable that God wants to use people. Ordinary people: farmers, day laborer’s probably, fishermen. The farmer doesn’t know whether the seed will grow or not, but he sows. Maybe that’s an important point – the farmer has seed – which we’ve just been told is the word of God. The word isn’t just scripture. John begins his gospel with these well know words:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1–3, NIV)

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NIV)

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (John 6:63, NIV)

The word is the life of Jesus inside us, that is what we sow. That seed, that grain of life, that we pray will sprout and grow in someone else’s life.

{John – who doesn’t just have his lamp shining but takes it out to bring light to the streets of London…}

The third Kingdom parable carries on the theme of plants. The parable of the mustard seed. This would have been something that would have resonated with Marks first readers. How the mustard plant had grown from such a small seed: how the church had grown from such a small group of disciples. But it’s also possible that Jesus was alluding to a picture in Ezekiel:

““ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.” (Ezekiel 17:22–23, NIV)

But instead of using the picture of a majestic cedar He uses a mustard plant. Although people in the Middle East appreciated it as a ground spice, the plant itself though was considered a weed because it self-seeded so easily. I think that’s great – but also so relevant. What’s the kingdom of God like – a shrubby weed, that people can’t get rid of!

I was talking the other day to someone who is involved in helping refugees from Ukraine, one of his comments was that churches had been really helpful. When a crisis happens, so often it’s the church that steps in – whether it’s help for the homeless, food banks, refugees – a scruffy weed that pops up everywhere.

And as part of the body that is where we should be, for some that may be being physically involved, for others financially involved and for many prayerfully supporting.

Lets not skip over the last two verses in this section though as I think they show two great truths. V33 says that Jesus spoke to the people giving as much as they could understand. Sometimes when we hear preachers talk about the Greek for a word or some background to a passage we may feel inadequate. We mustn’t, we do need people to dig deep for us, to spend their lives trying to understand how the words were used. But Jesus will speak to us in ways we can understand – giving us light for our path. Then v34 ends with “when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything[3]”. For me this is a real encouragement to get alone with Jesus.

So this week let us pray that the light of Jesus would shine through us. Let’s look for those places where God’s Kingdom is mysteriously growing and lets pray that more and more of the weed of God Kingdom would be seen growing in our land.

Lets Pray:..”

https://opentheword.org/2017/08/11/the-kingdom-of-god-is-like-a-weed/

[1]Barton, Bruce B. Mark. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994. Print. Life Application Bible Commentary. [2] The New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print. [3] The New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print.