A Responsibility of Truth.

Good morning church family. It’s great to be here with you again this morning. I’m glad to get to bring God’s Word to you again.

Hopefully I didn’t scare you off too much last week, I had a lot smoother of a week this week to prepare and so i’m excited to get to share with you this morning from the book of Mark 4:21-25.

This past year we have been going through the book of Mark with our students. It’s been a great journey. We started chapter 1 last August and we are now about to finish up chapter 6! Out of 16 chapters in Mark.

It’s been a great journey as we have been trying to build biblical literacy within our student ministry to allow them the chance to understand how great it is to study all the way through a book of the Bible and also how much it really takes to study God’s Word.

So… I decided to go back and bring to you some of what we have spoken about from Mark.

This is not the exact lesson we went over so i’m not just giving you a copy, but very similar. I got to expand a little bit in studying for this sermon.

It is something i think is very beneficial for everybody to hear from this passage this morning.

In our passage, it is said that John Mark collected a bunch of sayings that had been circulating of Jesus that are technically wisdom sayings.

These deal with everyday life but are easily included under the broad term “parables”.

And so commentators will tell you that there is in each verse.

Mark brings these sayings together in one place because of the relevance to his understanding of parables.

WHAT IS A PARABLE?

A PARABLE: A simple practical story that illustrates significant spiritual the truth.

David Platt gives us three great quick tips when reading parables for us to be reminded of.

TIPS:

Listen from the hearers perspective. Step into the people’s shoes who first heard these stories. Think to yourself how did they hear this and what came through their mind as they heard it.

Look for the main point.

Let the truth change your life

Thru these parables Jesus is trying to get us to understand that His kingdom, HIS KINGDOM IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE OTHER KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD!

It’s so amazing when we allow ourselves to PONDER GOD’S KINGDOM.

Especially when we think about for just a sec the eternal aspect of things… like how long we are here as opposed to how long we are there in heaven with Jesus.

BEGINNING ILLUSTRATION

Possibly bringing up the LONG rope, taping the end with red and allowing people to understand the spiritual impact you can have on somebody.

We have this responsibility as believers to share this truth that we possess.

That truth has the chance to effect somebodies eternity.

IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER.

IF YOU KNOW JESUS AS LORD AND KING OF YOUR LIFE.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO JESUS AS LIGHT AND HAVE AND POSESS THAT LIGHT IN YOUR LIFE.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS TRUTH THAT WE POSESS.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT IT CAN HAVE!

IF you HEAR and allow God’s Word to be REVEALED through you.

Now, before getting into verses 21-25, It’s important to clarify something that is often confused in Mark chapter 4.

Some of you may remember that in verses 10-12 we see Mark write that parables veil the truth from those who have no appreciation for it..

Mark 4:10–12 (ESV)

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”

But then we see in verses 21-25 Mark writes how parables ultimately reveal the truth to those who consider them carefully and understand.

Now, i think this needs to be clarified. If you were just reading through this, not really slowly studying it, you might think that God’s Word here is contradicting. IN ONE CHAPTER.

But that’s not the case....

The two passages balance each-other.

Emphasis on one of the ideas, and exclusion of the other would lead to error.

We’ll talk about this more here in a sec.

Another idea at work within this passage is the simple understanding of Jesus.

There is much of God’s Word where we see even His disciples not fully understanding Jesus, who He is, why He came, what He is here to do.

It would be after the death and resurrection that His identity and mission would become at least more fully apparent.

We’ll talk about all of this a little more as we go on.

But let’s open up by reading our passage for tonight.

Mark 4:21–25 ESV

21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

So like I said to begin… John Mark collects for us in this passage 4-5 sayings for us. Let’s break these down.

1. Jesus & the Kingdom of God are to be revealed! Not hidden. (V. 21)

Jesus is a master of the graphic illustrations.

He asks this question that just kind of seems really dumb… to get through a point.

How many of you have done this to your children.

Like, their just not getting something for whatever reason… and you ask them a dumb question that’s just outlandish to get them to understand something.

You then proceed to watch their face as the light kicks on somewhere in their brains… to which they begin to understand your point!

It’s ok. You can admit it!

This is kind of what Jesus has done here with this first parable or wisdom saying.

INVISIBLE LIGHT IS POINTLESS.

INVISIBLE LIGHT IS POINTLESS!

(WRITE THAT DOWN IN YOUR NOTES)

The lamp was a clay dish filled with oil, with a wick put into the oil. In order to give light, the lamp had to “use itself up”; and the oil had to be replenished. If the lamp was not lit, or if it was covered up, it did the home no good.

-Warren W. Wiersbe

Now what is the light that is being spoken of?

God’s Word refers to light in a few different ways...

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

1 John 1:5 ESV

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

John 9:5 ESV

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

The Bible also speaks of our lives being a light that reflects the ultimate light in JESUS!

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: The Servant, the Crowds, and the Kingdom (Mark 3:13–4:34)

The Apostles were like that lamp: they were called to shed God’s light and reveal His truth. But they could not “give out” without first “taking in”

SO I’LL ASK YOU THE DUMB QUESTION...

Does one bring in a lamp to put it out when it’s dark?

NO OF COURSE NOT!

Mark (C. A Description of Responsibility (4:21–25))

Jesus’ words here declare that a person is responsible for the light or knowledge he or she has received.

One does not take a lamp and hide it.

Therefore, a person does not take the truth and deliberately obscure it.

The sad reality of this is that we have all at some point obscured the light of Jesus at some point.

We have all tried to put a basket over the light or tried to put the light beneath the bed.

We all at times think it is up to our management as to when and if i’m ready to share the light that I KNOW in Jesus Christ.

Times at the Alsups cash register.

When running into somebody you knew before you came to know Jesus as Lord. You know Jesus has transformed your life! BUT THEY DON’T KNOW! AND YOU’RE IN A HURRY. So you decide, God now’s not the time.

When somebody at works finds out you go to church, but you don’t really go into it because “work just isn’t the place”.

Or all of the times when we justify not to bring up Jesus because we don’t want to be the one who offends anybody. We justify it by saying that we don’t want to burn a bridge.

JESUS AND THE KINGDOM DID NOT COME TO BE HIDDEN BUT TO BE REVEALED TO ALL.

Matthew 28:18–20 CSB

18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2. Already but not yet. (V.22)

The statement seems to contradict v. 21 by indicating that a lamp may be hidden temporarily.

Jesus and the kingdom were in fact concealed temporarily to some a little and to some fully.

Jesus was fully revealed though following his resurrection, but the kingdom will not be fully realized until the consummation.

This is something that really take me to think about the saying within Theology of

“ALREADY BUT NOT YET.”

Did many realize who Jesus was and what he came here to do following His resurrection? YES!

We read the evidence of this in Mark 15:39

Mark 15:39 ESV

39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Hundreds of people saw Him afterwards as well and were convinced that he was the Son of God.

Millions of people every since have come to know Jesus as Lord and King of their lives and have been given Salvation through His name!

BUT, we still live in this tension here on earth don’t we?

We have the benefits of redemption that are already experienced in this life but also await more benefits at the consummation.

CHRISTIANS get to enjoy the ALREADY-NESS of

atonement,

remission of sins,

adoption as God’s children,

the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, etc.

HOWEVER, there is this understanding that we will not see these things in their totality until the last day. (1 John 3:2)

1 John 3:2 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

THE BELIEVER, already has enteral life, (John 5:24), but he is not yet physically resurrected.

Likewise, THE CHURCH is a fellowship of persons who are both new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and still imperfect sinners. (Something that we need to remind ourselves of a lot)

We await our glorification and the destruction of our sinful natures in the last day.

Mark (C. A Description of Responsibility (4:21–25))

Jesus is the light that is hidden from some eyes because they refuse to see,

but he will be revealed in glory to all: to the disciples in their lifetimes and to the Pharisees at the final judgment.

NOW… the reason I bring this point up in talking about our responsibility with truth

There are some who will take this ALREADY-NESS… and JUST LIVE THERE.

They’ll go to every Bible study they can (Bible study’s aren’t a bad thing).

They’ll be at church every single time the door is open.

They read their Bible’s daily without a hiccup.

Their prayer life is on point!

Everything looks like they are Jesus’s best friend walking on earth.

BUT… they have no idea what their neighbor’s names are.

They couldn’t tell you the last time they had a conversation with a stranger or for that matter an unbeliever.

They couldn’t tell you the last time they prayed for somebody else or somebody they barely know.

They can’t tell you the last time they shared the gospel.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND AS BELIEVERS that yes we live in this already reality,

BUT we are also called to live out the gospel in the NOT YET.

THERE ARE STILL THOSE WITHIN OUR WORLD WHOM NEED TO BE REACHED AND WHO NEED TO BE CONVINCED OF THE GOSPEL TRUTH!

YES I SAID CONVINCED!

We need believers who are willing to begin to have the hard conversations with others in convincing those to come to Jesus as Lord.

We are responsible for what we have heard.

And we are responsible for how we act upon it....

3. Pay attention to what we hear & beware how we act upon it! (Vv. 23-24)

Another fun thing to bring up as a parent… is guessing the amount of times we have had a certain conversations with our kids.

You know?

Like how many times will it take for me to tell my child, I need you to hear what I say and then act upon what I say. “Don’t add to it and don’t take away from it. JUST BE OBEDIENT TO DADDY OR MOMMY.

The fact of the matter is we are all raising little sinners… Their cute… but they’re little sinners let’s just be real.

Mark (C. A Description of Responsibility (4:21–25))

Jesus here in verse 23 and 24 is telling us to consider carefully what you hear.

“Hear” in the Bible also carries the meaning of “act upon.”

Jesus was telling us to pay attention to what we hear and beware how we act upon it.

These verses came after Jesus’ confrontation with the religious leaders when they accused him of acting by Satan’s power. (Mark 3:22-30)

Now, to begin this point.

WE MUST BE SURE WE’RE HEARING THE RIGHT THINGS!

We cannot live out what we do not know.

We can’t live by God’s Word is we are not reading God’s Word.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Three: The Servant, the Crowds, and the Kingdom (Mark 3:13–4:34))

The more we hear the Word of God, the better we are able to share it with others… THE WORD OF GOD.

ARE YOU HEARING THE RIGHT THINGS…

BUT ALSO, HOW ARE YOU ACTING UPON WHAT YOU ARE HEARING?

Mark (C. A Description of Responsibility (4:21–25))

Maybe you have heard the story about two men, one a baker and the other a butcher. Rather than charging each other, they would trade their goods to each other. But the butcher became angry because the pound of flour he was given for his pound of meat always came up short of a pound. He confronted the baker. The baker told him, “I don’t have a measurement on my scale, but a balance, so I always used your pound of meat on one side of the balance.”

His point was clear. The butcher had been trying to cheat him by giving him less meat, but he did not want the same standard of measurement used against him!

Mark (C. A Description of Responsibility (4:21–25))

What measure were the religious leaders using? If they were using the Law, then the Law would become their judge...

If we use the truth we have received to condemn others instead of attracting others to Jesus, this measure will be used upon us.

JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH… I’m not sure if you know this or not.

But it’s the month where you begin to see all of the rainbow flags with business and profiles on social media.

I can’t stand it for obvious reasons.

I believe that understanding of sexuality is wrong.

It’s against God’s Word.

It’s against the reality and truth that God has set for sexuality and gender. PERIOD. If you think something different, in my mind you’re not reading the same Word of God that I am.

But I also can’t stand this month for another reason… it can many times turn into this Christian condemnation month.

I think Walt Mueller put it well in his article entitled “Youth Workers, Parents, and Pride Month.”

When it comes to treating those who are deeply enmeshed with disordered sex/gender desires and those who choose to act on those desires, we have somehow elevated sexual sin to a category that eclipses all other types of sin, especially those which we struggle with personally. While an apology is never warranted or in order for carefully and lovingly teaching God’s design (unsettling as it may be for some), we do owe apologies for our consistent lapses in posture. . . which is a sin in and of itself.

CHURCH, we have this responsibility of truth for those of us who know Christ. Let us not use it as dagger to condemn, but as something where we seek to find and save the lost through the Gospel message.

ALLOW US TO SPREAD JESUS.

His Love,

His Salvation,

His righteousness.

Let us be careful not to spread condemnation.

CHURCH THAT IS NOT OUR JOBS TO THE UNBELIEVER.

Much like you once were before JESUS BEING YOUR KING, the unbeliever is already condemned.

OUR JOB is to say…

Hey hey LOOK AT JESUS! REPENT AND FOLLOW HIM.

TO ANY UNBELIEVER!

4. To those who love the truth and wants more, more will be given. To those who oppose the truth and have no interest, will find themselves further from it. (V. 25)

Mark ((2) The Purpose of Parables (4:10–12, 21–25))

This verse is both a promise and a warning about understanding the parables.

Whoever acquires some understanding and wants more will receive more.

Proper understanding will lead to accepting Jesus and entering the kingdom and to more and more blessings from God.

Those who have no interest in parables and the kingdom about which they teach will soon find themselves further from it than before they ever heard about it.

This again is this responsibility of truth that we carry as believers.

WE MUST BE STUDYING SCRIPTURE IN OUR LIVES IN ORDER TO GAIN MORE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PARABLES--->, OT LAW, OT STORIES and PROPHECY’S , NT GOSPEL STORIES AND EPISTLES.

The reason… for others to hear the Word of God, acquire some understanding, begin to want more and then end up trusting in Jesus as Lord and King of their lives.

The truth that we carry is up to every single believer to go and share.

CLOSING

CHURCH… The responsibility of this light is on our shoulders to spread.

It is up to us with the work of the Holy Spirit to bring God’s Word to unbelievers, parables and all, explain the scriptures to them and seek to convince them of JESUS!

Think again on the spiritual impact that you can have on somebody else… (SHOW THE ROPE.)

Their eternity can be altered if only we do our job and put the light of Jesus on a stand where it belongs.

Let us take seriously our responsibility.