What is the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:21-34)
You might have heard this week about the Asbury University revival.
"Revival" in the best sense of the term refers to a period of time when God's people are especially aware of God's presence, their sinfulness, and Christ's redemption. It is an intensification of the ordinary habits of the Christian life (worship, prayer, confession, etc).
Even though I've read in the past about the history of revivals in a way that was deeply compelling for me personally, I'm embarrassed to say that my initial response to hearing about this a few days ago was skepticism. "Was this really God's work?" I made a common mistake in our current culture, mistaking cynicism for wisdom.
Behind this skepticism are the questions, "If God really came, how would we know? What would it be like? What would happen next?"
This week at Grace, we'll be looking at three parables about the Kingdom of God from Mark 4 that address these questions. All three describe the coming of the Kingdom in an inevitable, surprising, and beautiful way, beyond the control and manipulation of people.
I hope that as we gather for worship on Sunday we'll have a deeply revived heart to hear from God and worship Him.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
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.”
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
- Mark 4:21-34