Lectionary Calendar

Saturday, December 21st, 2024
the Third Week of Advent

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Mark 4

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Verses 1-20

Intro:
1. Title: Receive the Implanted Word.
  1. From James 1:21b Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
    1. Msg - In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.
PARABLE OF THE SOILS (1-12)
1. SETTING FOR THE PARABLE (1)
2. Jesus leaves the house He was in, in Capernaum, & walks down the block to Galilee.
  1. Crowds were at epic proportions (& superficial followers multiplied).
  2. So they place him in a small boat, & push him out a little ways. The crowd wraps around the shoreline to hear the Master Teacher preach from his “boat pulpit”!
3. IN GENERAL (2)
4. Παραβολή - Para/alongside; ballo/to throw or cast.
  1. Para/medic (to come alongside a medic/doctor)
  2. So, a parable is a story that “comes alongside” a teaching to help us understand its meaning! Parables are truth in picture form.
5. The kingdom of God is like a seed...a wedding feast…a treasure, etc.
  1. Each clue unveiling the once mysterious kingdom! [mystery=previously unknown, now revealed]
6. A parable gets the listener deeply involved & compels them to make a personal decision about God’s truth & his/her life.
  1. On the surface, a parable seems like harmless story, but in time it explodes w/ powerful meaning.
7. It acts as a mirror & a window:
  1. It’s a mirror that forces us to look at ourselves.
  2. It’s a window through which we see God & His truth.
8. “Jesus explained the kingdom, not by giving a lecture on theology, but by painting pictures that captured the attention of the people & forced them to use their imaginations & think.”
9. PARABLE OF THE SOILS (3-9)
10. Sowing seed in bible times:
  1. The farmer carried a large bag of seed on his donkey. Then he would fill his leather bag that he would carry under his arm.
  2. * Unlike many countries today where the soil is prepared before the planting takes place, the seed would be scattered widely & then plowed in.
    1. This is not the parable of the Careless Gardner. (person just throwing seed everywhere haphazardly) No, it’s intentionally throwing the seed all over, then tilling.
  3. A footpath often times cut across his field which the public would use. As the farmer would scatter his seed some would always land on this.
    1. The birds would be quick to score a free meal. Often times large flocks would often follow the farmer. [Like the seagulls if you’ve ever been Deep Sea fishing]
  4. Rocks were under the soil & couldn’t be seen, thus no depth of earth.
  5. Many thorn bushes were present. The native farmer would use these in the summer for outdoor fires for cooking meals.
    1. So, he wouldn’t have gotten rid of all of these weed/bushes.
  6. So, this is not wastefulness or inefficiency on behalf of the sower, but it is an illustration of the grace of God.
    1. God’s message, God’s seed is for all, but not everyone will receive it.
    2. Remember, It is not the sower or the seed that is the problem...but the soil!
11. A PARABLES PURPOSE (10-12)
12. Because of the superficial followers & antagonists…he hides the meaning.
  1. They can not get it with only their own understanding.
SOILS EXPLAINED (13-20)
1. SPECIAL PARABLE (13)
2. This parable holds the key to all others. Now He’ll show them how to interpret a parable.
3. 3 DEFINITIONS
4. The Sower (14) - Here Christ, but any believer who shares the Word of God w/others.
  1. Sow Plentifully – 2 Cor.9:6 Whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
  2. Sow Passionately – Ps.126:5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
  3. Sow Patiently – Gal.6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
5. The Word=The Seed. The gospel is always a fruitful seed as to its power, but not as to its produce!
  1. Like seed the Word of God is alive & is able to produce spiritual fruit!
  2. But the seed must be planted & cultivated before that harvest can come.
  3. Seed is fruitful…there is an orchard in an apple; there’s a forest in an acorn.
6. The Soil = is the human heart. Let’s look at he 4 hearts described.
7. [1] SUPERFICIAL HEART (15)
8. The Superficial Heart has a Lack of Understanding.
  1. It may not be some gross sin in their life but simply no interest in God whatsoever.
  2. Or they’re busy...no time for contemplation.
  3. Or they might not be hostile to the gospel...just simply disinterested.
9. Soil becomes hard when too many feet, hooves, wheels tread upon it.
  1. Don’t recklessly open your heart to all kinds of people & influences.
  2. Prov.4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
10. Hard hearts must be plowed up…which can be pretty painful!
  1. Hosea 10:12 NLT Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.
  2. Did the Lord have to plow up some things in your life to get your attention right before you got saved?
  3. Pray for your friends who have hard hearts; And for your own hearts when you go through calloused times.
11. The Superficial Heart has a Lack of Understanding.
12. [2] SHALLOW HEART (16,17)
13. The Shallow Heart has a Lack of Depth.
  1. In much of the land there is a 2-3” thin covering of soil over a limestone bedrock.
  2. This is an emotional hearer! - Easily swayed by “a tender appeal, a good sermon, or a sweet melody.”
  3. This person lives on “impulses, impressions, intuitions, instincts, & largely on their circumstances!”
  4. They joyfully accept God’s Word, but do not really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian.
  5. They are like the fish that leaps out of the water with great energy,…but it would be foolish to conclude that he has left the water forever.
    1. In a moment the fish is swimming again as if it had never left the stream. The water is still his“home, sweet home”.
    2. They’ve only been “brushed” by Christianity!
  6. You might see great enthusiasm for days, weeks, months; but when the sun of persecution or difficulty comes out, enthusiasm wanes & the joy disappears.
    1. A dazzling profession of faith, but then when something unexpected comes into their life they abruptly fall away.
    2. I believe this is where so many of the enemies of the faith come from!
  7. Man is pretty good at counterfeiting religious feelings.
14. The Shallow Heart has a Lack of Depth.
15. [3] SHARED HEART (18,19)
16. The Shared Heart has a Lack of Weed Killer.
  1. They need a good dose of Round Up.
17. The Lord desires our whole heart! - Ps.119:2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
  1. Not a divided heart like the girl to which a young man proposed to. He said, “Darling, I want you to know that I love you more than anything else in the world. I want you to marry me. I’m not rich. I don’t have a yacht or a Rolls Royce like Johnny Brown, but I do love you w/all my heart.” She thought for a minute & then replied, “I love you w/all my heart, too, but tell me more about Johnny Brown!”
18. This heart receives the Word, but does not truly repent & remove the Weeds out of his or her heart!
  1. See a gardener must not only love flowers & fruit, but also...Hate Weeds!
19. Unfruitful? - “Fruitless Christians” is an oxymoron.
  1. Lk.8:14 adds “…and bring no fruit to maturity.” (it never ripens!)
  2. Maybe you’ve had this on a fruit tree at home? [little, stunted, sour fruit]
  3. The 1st 3 hearts produced no fruit.
20. 3’s A CROWD
  1. Cares of this world – worries of this present age.
  2. Deceitfulness of riches – deceptive lure of wealth.
  3. The desire for other things – whatever takes place of the word in your life.
    1. Miscellaneous things can become the cause of spiritual strangulation!
  4. The lust for stuff is a stealthy thing that enters your house a guest, then becomes a host, & then a master.
  5. Haddon Robinson said, “Money has a way of binding us to what is physical and temporal, and blinding us to what is spiritual and eternal.”
    1. It's a bit like the fly and the flypaper. - The fly lands on the flypaper and says, "My flypaper." When the flypaper says, "My fly," the fly is dead. It is one thing to have money, another for money to have you. When it does, it will kill you.
21. 3 FRUITLESS HEARTS
22. The 3 fruitless hearts were influenced by 3 different enemies:
  1. Superficial Heart – The devil himself snatches the seed.
  2. Shallow Heart – The flesh counterfeits religious feelings.
  3. Shared Heart – The things of this world smothers the growth & prevents a harvest!
    1. 3 ugly enemies we still face :(
23. The Shared Heart has a Lack of Weed Killer.
24. [4] SUCCESSFUL HEART (20)
25. The Successful Heart doesn't Lack...Understanding, Depth, or Weed Killer.
26. These are true believers…evidence a changed life; they evidence fruit in their lives.
  1. Gal.5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is (1st group of 3 are the inner attitudes, sourced in God) love, joy, peace; (2nd the relational qualities, expressed to others) longsuffering, kindness, goodness; (3rdly, personal qualities, that guides indiv. conduct) faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
27. Not all true believers are equally as productive.
  1. Experts say, that tenfold is an average harvest, thirtyfold is good, sixtyfold is excellent, one hundredfold is amazing!
  2. But every genuine Christian will evidence some fruit.
  3. Interesting that Isaac sowed in that land(Gerar), and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous. Gen.26:12,13
28. The Successful Heart doesn't Lack...Understanding, Depth, or Weed Killer.
29. Example in Jn.4 of the women at the well w/Jesus of a progression of all 4 hearts!
  1. Superficial (vs.9) How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?
  2. Shallow (15) Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.
  3. Shared (20) Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.4. Successful(29) Come see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?
30. What soil type currently represents your response to God & His Word?
31. What can you do for your heart to become the kind of soil Jesus is looking for?
32. Saints, by grace, liberally sow the Word of God to all who you meet!
  1. Let God take their Core Samples. He’ll sort out the alluvium/colluvium of their hearts
  2. You just keep sowing/sharing His precious Word!
33. James 1:21b Msg - In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

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Verses 1-20

Intro:
1. Title: Receive the Implanted Word.
  1. From James 1:21b Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
    1. Msg - In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.
PARABLE OF THE SOILS (1-12)
1. SETTING FOR THE PARABLE (1)
2. Jesus leaves the house He was in, in Capernaum, & walks down the block to Galilee.
  1. Crowds were at epic proportions (& superficial followers multiplied).
  2. So they place him in a small boat, & push him out a little ways. The crowd wraps around the shoreline to hear the Master Teacher preach from his “boat pulpit”!
3. IN GENERAL (2)
4. Παραβολή - Para/alongside; ballo/to throw or cast.
  1. Para/medic (to come alongside a medic/doctor)
  2. So, a parable is a story that “comes alongside” a teaching to help us understand its meaning! Parables are truth in picture form.
5. The kingdom of God is like a seed...a wedding feast…a treasure, etc.
  1. Each clue unveiling the once mysterious kingdom! [mystery=previously unknown, now revealed]
6. A parable gets the listener deeply involved & compels them to make a personal decision about God’s truth & his/her life.
  1. On the surface, a parable seems like harmless story, but in time it explodes w/ powerful meaning.
7. It acts as a mirror & a window:
  1. It’s a mirror that forces us to look at ourselves.
  2. It’s a window through which we see God & His truth.
8. “Jesus explained the kingdom, not by giving a lecture on theology, but by painting pictures that captured the attention of the people & forced them to use their imaginations & think.”
9. PARABLE OF THE SOILS (3-9)
10. Sowing seed in bible times:
  1. The farmer carried a large bag of seed on his donkey. Then he would fill his leather bag that he would carry under his arm.
  2. * Unlike many countries today where the soil is prepared before the planting takes place, the seed would be scattered widely & then plowed in.
    1. This is not the parable of the Careless Gardner. (person just throwing seed everywhere haphazardly) No, it’s intentionally throwing the seed all over, then tilling.
  3. A footpath often times cut across his field which the public would use. As the farmer would scatter his seed some would always land on this.
    1. The birds would be quick to score a free meal. Often times large flocks would often follow the farmer. [Like the seagulls if you’ve ever been Deep Sea fishing]
  4. Rocks were under the soil & couldn’t be seen, thus no depth of earth.
  5. Many thorn bushes were present. The native farmer would use these in the summer for outdoor fires for cooking meals.
    1. So, he wouldn’t have gotten rid of all of these weed/bushes.
  6. So, this is not wastefulness or inefficiency on behalf of the sower, but it is an illustration of the grace of God.
    1. God’s message, God’s seed is for all, but not everyone will receive it.
    2. Remember, It is not the sower or the seed that is the problem...but the soil!
11. A PARABLES PURPOSE (10-12)
12. Because of the superficial followers & antagonists…he hides the meaning.
  1. They can not get it with only their own understanding.
SOILS EXPLAINED (13-20)
1. SPECIAL PARABLE (13)
2. This parable holds the key to all others. Now He’ll show them how to interpret a parable.
3. 3 DEFINITIONS
4. The Sower (14) - Here Christ, but any believer who shares the Word of God w/others.
  1. Sow Plentifully – 2 Cor.9:6 Whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
  2. Sow Passionately – Ps.126:5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
  3. Sow Patiently – Gal.6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
5. The Word=The Seed. The gospel is always a fruitful seed as to its power, but not as to its produce!
  1. Like seed the Word of God is alive & is able to produce spiritual fruit!
  2. But the seed must be planted & cultivated before that harvest can come.
  3. Seed is fruitful…there is an orchard in an apple; there’s a forest in an acorn.
6. The Soil = is the human heart. Let’s look at he 4 hearts described.
7. [1] SUPERFICIAL HEART (15)
8. The Superficial Heart has a Lack of Understanding.
  1. It may not be some gross sin in their life but simply no interest in God whatsoever.
  2. Or they’re busy...no time for contemplation.
  3. Or they might not be hostile to the gospel...just simply disinterested.
9. Soil becomes hard when too many feet, hooves, wheels tread upon it.
  1. Don’t recklessly open your heart to all kinds of people & influences.
  2. Prov.4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
10. Hard hearts must be plowed up…which can be pretty painful!
  1. Hosea 10:12 NLT Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.
  2. Did the Lord have to plow up some things in your life to get your attention right before you got saved?
  3. Pray for your friends who have hard hearts; And for your own hearts when you go through calloused times.
11. The Superficial Heart has a Lack of Understanding.
12. [2] SHALLOW HEART (16,17)
13. The Shallow Heart has a Lack of Depth.
  1. In much of the land there is a 2-3” thin covering of soil over a limestone bedrock.
  2. This is an emotional hearer! - Easily swayed by “a tender appeal, a good sermon, or a sweet melody.”
  3. This person lives on “impulses, impressions, intuitions, instincts, & largely on their circumstances!”
  4. They joyfully accept God’s Word, but do not really understand the price that must be paid to become a genuine Christian.
  5. They are like the fish that leaps out of the water with great energy,…but it would be foolish to conclude that he has left the water forever.
    1. In a moment the fish is swimming again as if it had never left the stream. The water is still his“home, sweet home”.
    2. They’ve only been “brushed” by Christianity!
  6. You might see great enthusiasm for days, weeks, months; but when the sun of persecution or difficulty comes out, enthusiasm wanes & the joy disappears.
    1. A dazzling profession of faith, but then when something unexpected comes into their life they abruptly fall away.
    2. I believe this is where so many of the enemies of the faith come from!
  7. Man is pretty good at counterfeiting religious feelings.
14. The Shallow Heart has a Lack of Depth.
15. [3] SHARED HEART (18,19)
16. The Shared Heart has a Lack of Weed Killer.
  1. They need a good dose of Round Up.
17. The Lord desires our whole heart! - Ps.119:2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
  1. Not a divided heart like the girl to which a young man proposed to. He said, “Darling, I want you to know that I love you more than anything else in the world. I want you to marry me. I’m not rich. I don’t have a yacht or a Rolls Royce like Johnny Brown, but I do love you w/all my heart.” She thought for a minute & then replied, “I love you w/all my heart, too, but tell me more about Johnny Brown!”
18. This heart receives the Word, but does not truly repent & remove the Weeds out of his or her heart!
  1. See a gardener must not only love flowers & fruit, but also...Hate Weeds!
19. Unfruitful? - “Fruitless Christians” is an oxymoron.
  1. Lk.8:14 adds “…and bring no fruit to maturity.” (it never ripens!)
  2. Maybe you’ve had this on a fruit tree at home? [little, stunted, sour fruit]
  3. The 1st 3 hearts produced no fruit.
20. 3’s A CROWD
  1. Cares of this world – worries of this present age.
  2. Deceitfulness of riches – deceptive lure of wealth.
  3. The desire for other things – whatever takes place of the word in your life.
    1. Miscellaneous things can become the cause of spiritual strangulation!
  4. The lust for stuff is a stealthy thing that enters your house a guest, then becomes a host, & then a master.
  5. Haddon Robinson said, “Money has a way of binding us to what is physical and temporal, and blinding us to what is spiritual and eternal.”
    1. It's a bit like the fly and the flypaper. - The fly lands on the flypaper and says, "My flypaper." When the flypaper says, "My fly," the fly is dead. It is one thing to have money, another for money to have you. When it does, it will kill you.
21. 3 FRUITLESS HEARTS
22. The 3 fruitless hearts were influenced by 3 different enemies:
  1. Superficial Heart – The devil himself snatches the seed.
  2. Shallow Heart – The flesh counterfeits religious feelings.
  3. Shared Heart – The things of this world smothers the growth & prevents a harvest!
    1. 3 ugly enemies we still face :(
23. The Shared Heart has a Lack of Weed Killer.
24. [4] SUCCESSFUL HEART (20)
25. The Successful Heart doesn't Lack...Understanding, Depth, or Weed Killer.
26. These are true believers…evidence a changed life; they evidence fruit in their lives.
  1. Gal.5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is (1st group of 3 are the inner attitudes, sourced in God) love, joy, peace; (2nd the relational qualities, expressed to others) longsuffering, kindness, goodness; (3rdly, personal qualities, that guides indiv. conduct) faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
27. Not all true believers are equally as productive.
  1. Experts say, that tenfold is an average harvest, thirtyfold is good, sixtyfold is excellent, one hundredfold is amazing!
  2. But every genuine Christian will evidence some fruit.
  3. Interesting that Isaac sowed in that land(Gerar), and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous. Gen.26:12,13
28. The Successful Heart doesn't Lack...Understanding, Depth, or Weed Killer.
29. Example in Jn.4 of the women at the well w/Jesus of a progression of all 4 hearts!
  1. Superficial (vs.9) How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?
  2. Shallow (15) Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.
  3. Shared (20) Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.4. Successful(29) Come see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?
30. What soil type currently represents your response to God & His Word?
31. What can you do for your heart to become the kind of soil Jesus is looking for?
32. Saints, by grace, liberally sow the Word of God to all who you meet!
  1. Let God take their Core Samples. He’ll sort out the alluvium/colluvium of their hearts
  2. You just keep sowing/sharing His precious Word!
33. James 1:21b Msg - In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

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Verses 21-34

Intro:
1. We have 3 Kingdom Parables this morning. Kingdom? (26,30)
2. World history has revealed many forms of government.
  1. The most common types have been: Dictatorships (ruled by military strength); Republics (ruled by law); Democracies (ruled by majority vote). And then 2 types of monarchies: Constitutional Monarchies (where the monarch’s powers are limited); Absolute Monarchies (where the monarch’s word is law). (R.C.Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, pg.277)
    1. The Kingdom of God is an absolute monarchy.
  2. In any monarchy, the virtues of honor & loyalty to the throne are exceedingly important. Even more so in God’s kingdom.
    1. Yet the fundamental sin of the human race is grounded in our refusal to honor God as God and in our disloyalty to the King of Kings.
    2. Rom.1:21 NLT Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
  3. Kingdom of God is a thread that runs through both OT & NT.
    1. Its theme highlights God’s reign over His people.
    2. His coming Messiah is announced as God’s anointed King.
    3. The OT points to the kingdom as coming in the future.
    4. The NT speaks about the kingdom being both present & future (an already & a not yet).
    5. The NT opens w/the announcement of John the Baptist that, “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It was God’s kingdom breaking through into history that heralded the NT gospel. [his message of “the King is coming” signaled the urgency of the times]
      1. Then Jesus’ own preaching declared the kingdom had come with power & was in the midst of His people(w/in their grasp; not w/in you like in your heart). He tells His disciples at His ascension to witnesses to His reign as King of Kings.
      2. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God. He’s already been enthroned in heaven. But it is though He is a King in exile with few loyal subjects. At His return He will fully consummate His reign.
      3. Jesus’ current status as cosmic king is invisible.
      4. It is the task of the church to give visible witness to the invisible kingdom.
LIGHT SHINING (21-25) Parable of the Lamp
1. Big Idea: The Good News that Jesus brought us is not to be kept to ourselves, but to be shared w/others.
2. The River Jordan supplies two large lakes. Sea of Galilee (full of fish/plant life) & the Dead Sea (nothing living in it at all - It’s stagnant & lifeless).
  1. Both lakes have the same source, but only the Sea of Galilee has an outlet.
  2. In other words, it passes on what it has received...the Dead Sea does not!
  3. That is the challenge of this passage, the message that Jesus has brought is not to be kept to ourselves but it is to be passed on to others.
3. (21) Explain lamp/oil/wick.
  1. Its purpose is to illuminate the whole room.
4. (22) He who has been enlightened must in turn enlighten others.
  1. The message of His Kingdom/His Coming should be shared as widely as possible.
5. (24) Hear it & use it
  1. Only as the disciples share the light they have received will they be able to receive more light from their Lord.
    1. Maybe this is the reason for the ignorance of the church.
    2. Sounds like Jesus is saying, “I’m not giving you anymore till you share what I just shared with you to others,...no matter how many studies you go to.”
    3. You weren't made to be reservoirs but conduits! [Conduits for Christ]
      1. Share what you have so far!
6. (25) Use it or lose it
  1. Those who have spiritual truth will receive more; but the one who has failed to listen
    1. profit by what he hears, will soon be deprived of what little he possesses!
  2. Other examples? Our physical muscles must be used else we lose them (atrophy) In banking the more you have in the bank the more you will earn. If you have nothing in savings, in the end, they’ll even take your account away.
7. In order for a lamp to give light:
  1. The lamp had to “use itself up” (i.e. the oil).
  2. Be refreshed often with more oil (H.S.)
    1. You can’t give out until you take in.
  3. If it was covered, the flame would be extinguished, & it would be no good to those around it.
8. Hide it under a bushel...NO! - *Share what you learned!
  1. Why are we often tempted to hide our light, rather than let it shine? Why is this?
9. So, how will people respond to their/our message?
  1. As we learned last week from the Parable of the Soils there will be many indifferent or hostile to this message.
  2. So Jesus gives them two more Parables to encourage them/us, that the going will be rough at times but there will be an exiting harvest.
SEED GROWING (26-29) Parable of the Growing Seed
1. Big Idea: We learn a number of things about the growth of God’s word in people’s lives.
2. This parable picks up where the Parable of the Soils left off.
  1. He is drawing parallels between the way things are in nature & how they are in the kingdom of God!
3. This is Mark’s only unique parable.
4. This is an important parable for those who sow the Word of God.
5. Note: Sowing (26) Growing (27,28) & Harvesting (29).
6. We learn 3 other things from this also: (David Hewit, Mark, pg.71)
  1. It has Mysterious Growth – Sharing the gospel is never a matter of formulas & techniques. There is always another dimension…the mysterious working of God!
  2. It has Gradual Growth – The Sower needs patience. You can’t plant today & pick tomorrow! The seed needs to germinate & grow.
    1. James 5:7,8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
    2. When you sow…give it time to grow.
      1. Never expect a full crop of Christian graces immediately from them.
        
        But, you can water it with your tears & prayers!
        
        Ps.126:5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
    3. It germinates, sprouts, grows & he did not know how nor could he explain it.
      1. Meaning it was w/o human intervention. It’s “Miracle Grow!” [God Grow]
  3. It has Certain Growth – The seed’s growth is inherent in the seed.
    1. Note by itself in (vs.28). Try to guess the Greek meaning αὐτόµατος.
      1. Used 1 other time in NT, in Acts12:10 when the prison gate opened by itself automatically.
    2. When the word of God is faithfully sown it will grow…there will be a harvest!
      1. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Rom.1:16
    3. “The world has more winnable people than ever before...but it is possible to come out of a ripe field empty-handed.”
TREE EXPANDING (30-32) Parable of the Mustard Seed
1. Big Idea: This last parable underlines what he just said about a certain & successful harvest!
  1. From the tiny mustard seed a large plant grows!
  2. From insignificant beginnings a great movement develops!
  3. Remember the manger in Bethlehem a helpless infant now known all over the globe
    1. Zech.4:10 For who has despised the day of small things?
2. (31) Actually, the mustard seed is not the smallest seed known to botanist.
  1. Evidently it was the smallest in common use among the Jews. It was proverbial.
3. Some see this as the growth of the church during this age.
  1. Our Lord started with 12; grew to 70; at Pentecost 3000; then 5000; it was carried to other nations(Africa, Asia, Europe)...it will go to ALL nations! And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
  2. Don’t be put off by the outward appearance of things or apparent lack of response.
    1. There is no doubt in Jesus’ mind that when the seed is sown a process begins that will bear fruit in God’s time.
4. Birds?
  1. May indicate just the surprising size of the result.
  2. Represent the Gentiles incorporated into God’s kingdom program.
    1. Ezek.17:22 On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they (Gentiles) will dwell.
  3. Perhaps they represent evil forces(vs.4).
    1. Jesus just used it that way(vs.4), same day, same teaching time!
    2. Small beginnings, large growth, & not without it attacks!
      1. Already in the 12, a Judas bird flew. In the Jerusalem church, Ananias & Sapphira roosted. Simon Magus was perched in the church in Samaria.
    3. The bigger the net, the greater the possibility of catching both good & bad fish!
USE OF PARABLES (33,34) [mote: cutest lil girl in Jesus lap in pic]
1. He explains the principle that He operated by.
  1. Jn.16:12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
  2. Jesus was fully aware of the capacity of His listeners.
  3. He reserved detailed explanations for the disciples.
  4. Parables gave the crowd time to think & prevented them coming to premature & probably mistaken conclusions about who He was & what He had come to do.
2. Mark’s selection of Parables is followed by a series of Miracles.
3. What Jesus said (His parables/words) was authenticated by what he did (miracles/works).
4. Slide#19 3 Take aways:
  1. Share what you’ve learned
  2. Don’t be discouraged, growth is mysterious/gradual/but certain
  3. God uses Humble beginnings then grows them into something great
5. Slide#20blank
6. Starting Spiritual Conversations:
  1. Don’t dump the gospel on someone, because no one likes to get dumped on.
  2. They should not feel like someone’s project, but a person that is loved.
    1. Develop authentic relationships.
    2. Does my life reflect only religious activity or does it bear the mark of profound love?
  3. Evangelism is a way of life not a program.
7. Evangelism training is simply calling believers to live as true Christians. When we live as we are called to be, evangelism can’t help but happen.
8. Our message is not that we have it all together, but that we know One who does! Our message is not behave, then believe, then you can belong!
9. Penetrate their mask. We all wear one.
10. See anyone’s sin(even most vile) as them simply trying to fill their God-shaped vacuum.

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Verses 21-34

Intro:
1. We have 3 Kingdom Parables this morning. Kingdom? (26,30)
2. World history has revealed many forms of government.
  1. The most common types have been: Dictatorships (ruled by military strength); Republics (ruled by law); Democracies (ruled by majority vote). And then 2 types of monarchies: Constitutional Monarchies (where the monarch’s powers are limited); Absolute Monarchies (where the monarch’s word is law). (R.C.Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, pg.277)
    1. The Kingdom of God is an absolute monarchy.
  2. In any monarchy, the virtues of honor & loyalty to the throne are exceedingly important. Even more so in God’s kingdom.
    1. Yet the fundamental sin of the human race is grounded in our refusal to honor God as God and in our disloyalty to the King of Kings.
    2. Rom.1:21 NLT Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
  3. Kingdom of God is a thread that runs through both OT & NT.
    1. Its theme highlights God’s reign over His people.
    2. His coming Messiah is announced as God’s anointed King.
    3. The OT points to the kingdom as coming in the future.
    4. The NT speaks about the kingdom being both present & future (an already & a not yet).
    5. The NT opens w/the announcement of John the Baptist that, “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It was God’s kingdom breaking through into history that heralded the NT gospel. [his message of “the King is coming” signaled the urgency of the times]
      1. Then Jesus’ own preaching declared the kingdom had come with power & was in the midst of His people(w/in their grasp; not w/in you like in your heart). He tells His disciples at His ascension to witnesses to His reign as King of Kings.
      2. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God. He’s already been enthroned in heaven. But it is though He is a King in exile with few loyal subjects. At His return He will fully consummate His reign.
      3. Jesus’ current status as cosmic king is invisible.
      4. It is the task of the church to give visible witness to the invisible kingdom.
LIGHT SHINING (21-25) Parable of the Lamp
1. Big Idea: The Good News that Jesus brought us is not to be kept to ourselves, but to be shared w/others.
2. The River Jordan supplies two large lakes. Sea of Galilee (full of fish/plant life) & the Dead Sea (nothing living in it at all - It’s stagnant & lifeless).
  1. Both lakes have the same source, but only the Sea of Galilee has an outlet.
  2. In other words, it passes on what it has received...the Dead Sea does not!
  3. That is the challenge of this passage, the message that Jesus has brought is not to be kept to ourselves but it is to be passed on to others.
3. (21) Explain lamp/oil/wick.
  1. Its purpose is to illuminate the whole room.
4. (22) He who has been enlightened must in turn enlighten others.
  1. The message of His Kingdom/His Coming should be shared as widely as possible.
5. (24) Hear it & use it
  1. Only as the disciples share the light they have received will they be able to receive more light from their Lord.
    1. Maybe this is the reason for the ignorance of the church.
    2. Sounds like Jesus is saying, “I’m not giving you anymore till you share what I just shared with you to others,...no matter how many studies you go to.”
    3. You weren't made to be reservoirs but conduits! [Conduits for Christ]
      1. Share what you have so far!
6. (25) Use it or lose it
  1. Those who have spiritual truth will receive more; but the one who has failed to listen
    1. profit by what he hears, will soon be deprived of what little he possesses!
  2. Other examples? Our physical muscles must be used else we lose them (atrophy) In banking the more you have in the bank the more you will earn. If you have nothing in savings, in the end, they’ll even take your account away.
7. In order for a lamp to give light:
  1. The lamp had to “use itself up” (i.e. the oil).
  2. Be refreshed often with more oil (H.S.)
    1. You can’t give out until you take in.
  3. If it was covered, the flame would be extinguished, & it would be no good to those around it.
8. Hide it under a bushel...NO! - *Share what you learned!
  1. Why are we often tempted to hide our light, rather than let it shine? Why is this?
9. So, how will people respond to their/our message?
  1. As we learned last week from the Parable of the Soils there will be many indifferent or hostile to this message.
  2. So Jesus gives them two more Parables to encourage them/us, that the going will be rough at times but there will be an exiting harvest.
SEED GROWING (26-29) Parable of the Growing Seed
1. Big Idea: We learn a number of things about the growth of God’s word in people’s lives.
2. This parable picks up where the Parable of the Soils left off.
  1. He is drawing parallels between the way things are in nature & how they are in the kingdom of God!
3. This is Mark’s only unique parable.
4. This is an important parable for those who sow the Word of God.
5. Note: Sowing (26) Growing (27,28) & Harvesting (29).
6. We learn 3 other things from this also: (David Hewit, Mark, pg.71)
  1. It has Mysterious Growth – Sharing the gospel is never a matter of formulas & techniques. There is always another dimension…the mysterious working of God!
  2. It has Gradual Growth – The Sower needs patience. You can’t plant today & pick tomorrow! The seed needs to germinate & grow.
    1. James 5:7,8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
    2. When you sow…give it time to grow.
      1. Never expect a full crop of Christian graces immediately from them.
        
        But, you can water it with your tears & prayers!
        
        Ps.126:5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
    3. It germinates, sprouts, grows & he did not know how nor could he explain it.
      1. Meaning it was w/o human intervention. It’s “Miracle Grow!” [God Grow]
  3. It has Certain Growth – The seed’s growth is inherent in the seed.
    1. Note by itself in (vs.28). Try to guess the Greek meaning αὐτόµατος.
      1. Used 1 other time in NT, in Acts12:10 when the prison gate opened by itself automatically.
    2. When the word of God is faithfully sown it will grow…there will be a harvest!
      1. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Rom.1:16
    3. “The world has more winnable people than ever before...but it is possible to come out of a ripe field empty-handed.”
TREE EXPANDING (30-32) Parable of the Mustard Seed
1. Big Idea: This last parable underlines what he just said about a certain & successful harvest!
  1. From the tiny mustard seed a large plant grows!
  2. From insignificant beginnings a great movement develops!
  3. Remember the manger in Bethlehem a helpless infant now known all over the globe
    1. Zech.4:10 For who has despised the day of small things?
2. (31) Actually, the mustard seed is not the smallest seed known to botanist.
  1. Evidently it was the smallest in common use among the Jews. It was proverbial.
3. Some see this as the growth of the church during this age.
  1. Our Lord started with 12; grew to 70; at Pentecost 3000; then 5000; it was carried to other nations(Africa, Asia, Europe)...it will go to ALL nations! And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
  2. Don’t be put off by the outward appearance of things or apparent lack of response.
    1. There is no doubt in Jesus’ mind that when the seed is sown a process begins that will bear fruit in God’s time.
4. Birds?
  1. May indicate just the surprising size of the result.
  2. Represent the Gentiles incorporated into God’s kingdom program.
    1. Ezek.17:22 On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they (Gentiles) will dwell.
  3. Perhaps they represent evil forces(vs.4).
    1. Jesus just used it that way(vs.4), same day, same teaching time!
    2. Small beginnings, large growth, & not without it attacks!
      1. Already in the 12, a Judas bird flew. In the Jerusalem church, Ananias & Sapphira roosted. Simon Magus was perched in the church in Samaria.
    3. The bigger the net, the greater the possibility of catching both good & bad fish!
USE OF PARABLES (33,34) [mote: cutest lil girl in Jesus lap in pic]
1. He explains the principle that He operated by.
  1. Jn.16:12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
  2. Jesus was fully aware of the capacity of His listeners.
  3. He reserved detailed explanations for the disciples.
  4. Parables gave the crowd time to think & prevented them coming to premature & probably mistaken conclusions about who He was & what He had come to do.
2. Mark’s selection of Parables is followed by a series of Miracles.
3. What Jesus said (His parables/words) was authenticated by what he did (miracles/works).
4. Slide#19 3 Take aways:
  1. Share what you’ve learned
  2. Don’t be discouraged, growth is mysterious/gradual/but certain
  3. God uses Humble beginnings then grows them into something great
5. Slide#20blank
6. Starting Spiritual Conversations:
  1. Don’t dump the gospel on someone, because no one likes to get dumped on.
  2. They should not feel like someone’s project, but a person that is loved.
    1. Develop authentic relationships.
    2. Does my life reflect only religious activity or does it bear the mark of profound love?
  3. Evangelism is a way of life not a program.
7. Evangelism training is simply calling believers to live as true Christians. When we live as we are called to be, evangelism can’t help but happen.
8. Our message is not that we have it all together, but that we know One who does! Our message is not behave, then believe, then you can belong!
9. Penetrate their mask. We all wear one.
10. See anyone’s sin(even most vile) as them simply trying to fill their God-shaped vacuum.

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Verses 35-41

Intro: Life’s Storms Mrk.4:35-41
1. St. Patrick was neither Irish nor Roman Catholic
  1. Born in Britain. Carried off by pirates at age 16. He was forced to work as a slave in Ireland. After 6 years, during which he experienced a conversion, he then escaped & returned to Britain & his family.
  2. Later, he had a night vision in which he received a call to evangelize Ireland. St. Patrick ended up becoming the greatest single force in the Christianization of Ireland. Way to Go Pat! Makes me want to go Green.
  3. I would say getting yanked from your homeland as a junior in H.S. & live as a slave till your 22 would have been a pretty tough Life Storm to ride out.
    1. But he did so, by experiencing the presence of Jesus!
2. After a long day of teaching…time for some practical tests to see what they’ve learned!
  1. This storm was part of the day’s curriculum. [Storm theology 101]
    1. The journey of this boat is a picture of the journey of life.
  2. Jesus can You be trusted in the storms of life?
  3. Many think that storms only come when they’ve disobeyed God.
    1. Jonah ended up in a storm because of his disobedience; The disciples got into a storm because of their obedience.
LESSONS ON THE SEA (35,36)
1. Crisis = [from Greek krisis “decisive moment”]
  1. Crisis is a situation or period in which things are very uncertain, difficult, or painful.
  2. Crisis is a critical moment: a time when something very important for the future happens or is decided.
2. Crisis is a good thing…it helps people change!
  1. God knows that, and lovingly provides those times of crisis for us.
  2. They can come in countless forms: disaster; catastrophe; emergency; calamity; predicament; job loss; spouse loss; child loss; etc.
  3. Remember Issac Newton First Law of Motion, “Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it.”
    1. No one is willing to do real Change until real Crisis comes!
  4. Some people will change when they see the light; others change only when they feel the heat!
  5. Just as we vaccinate our children w/the very disease we don’t want them to get, to build up their immune system; So Christ builds our Spiritual Immune System w/ Slide#13c storms, waves, wind, trials!
3. Jesus can be trusted in the storms of life.
  1. You can sail with Him right into a sea of tribulation.
  2. With Him you’ll never suffer the shipwreck of your soul.
4. It’s like soaring like a kite. You have to run right into/against the wind...to make it go up,up,up!
5. Time for R&R (36) - The eastern shore was relatively uninhabited.
6. Sea of Galilee - 700’ below sea level (13m. Long x 8m.wide) [Lake Elsinore is 6m.x1.5m.]
  1. Situated in a pocket, hills on every side. Wind would rush down the ravines from the Mediterranean Sea causing a sudden whirlwind action. [see red arrow]
  2. The waves kept beating into the boat. It was already filling w/water.
CHICKEN OF THE SEA (37, 38b, 41)
1. Do you not care? (38) We’ve all asked Him...Aren’t you concerned? Don’t you know? If you were only here earlier? Don’t you care?...Of course He does!
  1. It is much easier to trust God when the sun is shining, than to trust Him when the storm is raging around us.
    1. He does care if you spiritually drown!
    2. Don’t be hasty to think He doesn’t care...even when your sinking and He seems to be asleep in the stern.
2. We are perishing – WE? [Really, Jesus is going to sink?]
  1. Hymn: No waters can swallow the ship, where lies, The Master of ocean & earth & skies.
  2. The storm couldn’t disturb Him, but the unbelief of His disciples did!
3. Maybe you’ve asked, Jesus, why did you fall asleep at this important time in my life?
  1. Although God does not always shield us from the destructiveness of all life’s storms. He can always be trusted to be there in the storm with us! (Shepherd’s Notes, Mark, pg.33)
4. If you sense Jesus is asleep in the storm you’re going thru...relax!
  1. If you sense Jesus is not doing anything it means: He’s not pacing. He’s not anxious. He’s not worried. He’s resting!
    1. You too may rest, though that isn’t easy.
  2. Remember also, at any moment Jesus can stand up & speak a word, and immediately the storm will stop.
  3. How many times have you made Him stop the testing early?
  4. How many times have you rode out the storm, w/Christ on your vessel?
5. Seasoned sailors with cowardly terror. (40)
  1. Jesus didn’t stop w/the calming of the elements, for that wasn’t their greatest danger, it was the unbelief of their hearts!
    1. Our greatest problems are within us not around us!
  2. The Master that day taught His disciples that the cure for fear is faith!
    1. Fear is looking at the storm; faith is looking at the Savior;
    2. Fear is looking at the circumstances; faith is looking at God!
      1. Oh & what was it like to be in one of the other little boats? (36b)
  3. Oswald Chambers said, “Beware of worshipping Jesus as the Son of God, and professing your faith in Him as the Savior of the world, while you blaspheme Him by the complete evidence in your daily life that He is powerless to do anything in and through you.” ouch!
6. (41) Now they feared exceedingly, in a different way.
  1. This time it was AWE in the face of the majestic power & presence of Christ.
  2. Fear of God eliminates cowardly fear!
    1. “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom!”
  3. [lit.] Who then is this? – They knew He could forgive sins, cast out demons, heal all sorts of diseases, but now even the wind & waves obeyed Him.
    1. This must mean He is in constant control of every situation!
    2. Which situation can you apply this truth to in your life today?
  4. Don’t only Wonder w/the Intellect, but Worship w/the Heart!
7. LORD HIGH ADMIRAL OF THE SEA (38a, 39, 40)
  1. So here we have The Lord High Admiral of the sea, right next to the Chicken of the sea!
  2. Peace, be still (39) – Or, be muzzled, & stay muzzled.
    1. Lenski, “Put the muzzle on & keep it on”
    2. A great calm – A double miracle here. Not only the wind above the sea, but also the current below.
      1. I can’t even speak to the Carbonation of a Coke running over the top of my glass, “no, no, no”, and have it listen to me!
      2. Prov. 30:4 Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?
  3. Jesus’ trust in His Great Father was so firm that He rocked in the cradle of the deep!
    1. His disciples caused Him more disquiet than the storm.
      1. They awoke Him, not the wind, not the waves, not the boat filling w/water, not the rocking back & forth, not the noise. None of these woke Him, They Did!
  4. What a great cry though: “Lord” “Save us” “We are Perishing”.
  5. Make Jesus your anchor, your rudder, your lighthouse, your life-boat, & even your harbor!
    1. Jesus, fully man (asleep from fatigue) & fully God (calming the storm).
  6. Jesus showed Himself Lord over the Natural realm & next week He will over the Supernatural realm. [They don’t even realize they’re heading right into another storm]
3 REASONS NOT TO FEAR
1. They had His promise they were going to the other side! [Promise]
  1. To the other side, He didn’t say, “to the middle of the lake to be drowned!”
  2. His commandments are His enablement’s!
  3. He didn’t promise an easy trip, but He did guarantee arrival at their destination.
    1. And so w/salvation.
2. Jesus was with them! [Presence]
  1. Is Jesus’ presence in your life enough?
    1. In Ex.3 God’s presence wasn’t enough for Moses, he needed the dramatic & spectacular. [rt after burning bush & promise “I will certainly be with you” 3:12]
    2. In Ex.33 God’s presence was all that mattered to him.
      1. Context: After God was so mad w/golden calf event, He finally said, “Depart & go up from here...& I’ll send My Angel before you(33:1,2). Moses said, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” (33:15)
  2. They already had seen His power demonstrated in His miracles, they should have had complete confidence He could handle this situation.
  3. They hadn’t realized He is Master of every situation...Have you?
    1. Even…Bankruptcy, disease, tragedy, enslaved w/addiction, your fortunes lost in the stock market, a marriage lost to infidelity, one of your kids went prodigal on you.
    2. Every situation? - A financial storm? A business storm? A professional storm? A college storm? A household storm? A marriage storm? A medical storm?
  4. Again, His goal is to strengthen you…not shipwreck you!
3. Jesus was perfectly at peace! [Peace]
  1. David said, I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Ps.4:8
4. Prayer: He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. Nahum 1:3b [Life storms]

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Verses 35-41

Intro: Life’s Storms Mrk.4:35-41
1. St. Patrick was neither Irish nor Roman Catholic
  1. Born in Britain. Carried off by pirates at age 16. He was forced to work as a slave in Ireland. After 6 years, during which he experienced a conversion, he then escaped & returned to Britain & his family.
  2. Later, he had a night vision in which he received a call to evangelize Ireland. St. Patrick ended up becoming the greatest single force in the Christianization of Ireland. Way to Go Pat! Makes me want to go Green.
  3. I would say getting yanked from your homeland as a junior in H.S. & live as a slave till your 22 would have been a pretty tough Life Storm to ride out.
    1. But he did so, by experiencing the presence of Jesus!
2. After a long day of teaching…time for some practical tests to see what they’ve learned!
  1. This storm was part of the day’s curriculum. [Storm theology 101]
    1. The journey of this boat is a picture of the journey of life.
  2. Jesus can You be trusted in the storms of life?
  3. Many think that storms only come when they’ve disobeyed God.
    1. Jonah ended up in a storm because of his disobedience; The disciples got into a storm because of their obedience.
LESSONS ON THE SEA (35,36)
1. Crisis = [from Greek krisis “decisive moment”]
  1. Crisis is a situation or period in which things are very uncertain, difficult, or painful.
  2. Crisis is a critical moment: a time when something very important for the future happens or is decided.
2. Crisis is a good thing…it helps people change!
  1. God knows that, and lovingly provides those times of crisis for us.
  2. They can come in countless forms: disaster; catastrophe; emergency; calamity; predicament; job loss; spouse loss; child loss; etc.
  3. Remember Issac Newton First Law of Motion, “Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it.”
    1. No one is willing to do real Change until real Crisis comes!
  4. Some people will change when they see the light; others change only when they feel the heat!
  5. Just as we vaccinate our children w/the very disease we don’t want them to get, to build up their immune system; So Christ builds our Spiritual Immune System w/ Slide#13c storms, waves, wind, trials!
3. Jesus can be trusted in the storms of life.
  1. You can sail with Him right into a sea of tribulation.
  2. With Him you’ll never suffer the shipwreck of your soul.
4. It’s like soaring like a kite. You have to run right into/against the wind...to make it go up,up,up!
5. Time for R&R (36) - The eastern shore was relatively uninhabited.
6. Sea of Galilee - 700’ below sea level (13m. Long x 8m.wide) [Lake Elsinore is 6m.x1.5m.]
  1. Situated in a pocket, hills on every side. Wind would rush down the ravines from the Mediterranean Sea causing a sudden whirlwind action. [see red arrow]
  2. The waves kept beating into the boat. It was already filling w/water.
CHICKEN OF THE SEA (37, 38b, 41)
1. Do you not care? (38) We’ve all asked Him...Aren’t you concerned? Don’t you know? If you were only here earlier? Don’t you care?...Of course He does!
  1. It is much easier to trust God when the sun is shining, than to trust Him when the storm is raging around us.
    1. He does care if you spiritually drown!
    2. Don’t be hasty to think He doesn’t care...even when your sinking and He seems to be asleep in the stern.
2. We are perishing – WE? [Really, Jesus is going to sink?]
  1. Hymn: No waters can swallow the ship, where lies, The Master of ocean & earth & skies.
  2. The storm couldn’t disturb Him, but the unbelief of His disciples did!
3. Maybe you’ve asked, Jesus, why did you fall asleep at this important time in my life?
  1. Although God does not always shield us from the destructiveness of all life’s storms. He can always be trusted to be there in the storm with us! (Shepherd’s Notes, Mark, pg.33)
4. If you sense Jesus is asleep in the storm you’re going thru...relax!
  1. If you sense Jesus is not doing anything it means: He’s not pacing. He’s not anxious. He’s not worried. He’s resting!
    1. You too may rest, though that isn’t easy.
  2. Remember also, at any moment Jesus can stand up & speak a word, and immediately the storm will stop.
  3. How many times have you made Him stop the testing early?
  4. How many times have you rode out the storm, w/Christ on your vessel?
5. Seasoned sailors with cowardly terror. (40)
  1. Jesus didn’t stop w/the calming of the elements, for that wasn’t their greatest danger, it was the unbelief of their hearts!
    1. Our greatest problems are within us not around us!
  2. The Master that day taught His disciples that the cure for fear is faith!
    1. Fear is looking at the storm; faith is looking at the Savior;
    2. Fear is looking at the circumstances; faith is looking at God!
      1. Oh & what was it like to be in one of the other little boats? (36b)
  3. Oswald Chambers said, “Beware of worshipping Jesus as the Son of God, and professing your faith in Him as the Savior of the world, while you blaspheme Him by the complete evidence in your daily life that He is powerless to do anything in and through you.” ouch!
6. (41) Now they feared exceedingly, in a different way.
  1. This time it was AWE in the face of the majestic power & presence of Christ.
  2. Fear of God eliminates cowardly fear!
    1. “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom!”
  3. [lit.] Who then is this? – They knew He could forgive sins, cast out demons, heal all sorts of diseases, but now even the wind & waves obeyed Him.
    1. This must mean He is in constant control of every situation!
    2. Which situation can you apply this truth to in your life today?
  4. Don’t only Wonder w/the Intellect, but Worship w/the Heart!
7. LORD HIGH ADMIRAL OF THE SEA (38a, 39, 40)
  1. So here we have The Lord High Admiral of the sea, right next to the Chicken of the sea!
  2. Peace, be still (39) – Or, be muzzled, & stay muzzled.
    1. Lenski, “Put the muzzle on & keep it on”
    2. A great calm – A double miracle here. Not only the wind above the sea, but also the current below.
      1. I can’t even speak to the Carbonation of a Coke running over the top of my glass, “no, no, no”, and have it listen to me!
      2. Prov. 30:4 Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?
  3. Jesus’ trust in His Great Father was so firm that He rocked in the cradle of the deep!
    1. His disciples caused Him more disquiet than the storm.
      1. They awoke Him, not the wind, not the waves, not the boat filling w/water, not the rocking back & forth, not the noise. None of these woke Him, They Did!
  4. What a great cry though: “Lord” “Save us” “We are Perishing”.
  5. Make Jesus your anchor, your rudder, your lighthouse, your life-boat, & even your harbor!
    1. Jesus, fully man (asleep from fatigue) & fully God (calming the storm).
  6. Jesus showed Himself Lord over the Natural realm & next week He will over the Supernatural realm. [They don’t even realize they’re heading right into another storm]
3 REASONS NOT TO FEAR
1. They had His promise they were going to the other side! [Promise]
  1. To the other side, He didn’t say, “to the middle of the lake to be drowned!”
  2. His commandments are His enablement’s!
  3. He didn’t promise an easy trip, but He did guarantee arrival at their destination.
    1. And so w/salvation.
2. Jesus was with them! [Presence]
  1. Is Jesus’ presence in your life enough?
    1. In Ex.3 God’s presence wasn’t enough for Moses, he needed the dramatic & spectacular. [rt after burning bush & promise “I will certainly be with you” 3:12]
    2. In Ex.33 God’s presence was all that mattered to him.
      1. Context: After God was so mad w/golden calf event, He finally said, “Depart & go up from here...& I’ll send My Angel before you(33:1,2). Moses said, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” (33:15)
  2. They already had seen His power demonstrated in His miracles, they should have had complete confidence He could handle this situation.
  3. They hadn’t realized He is Master of every situation...Have you?
    1. Even…Bankruptcy, disease, tragedy, enslaved w/addiction, your fortunes lost in the stock market, a marriage lost to infidelity, one of your kids went prodigal on you.
    2. Every situation? - A financial storm? A business storm? A professional storm? A college storm? A household storm? A marriage storm? A medical storm?
  4. Again, His goal is to strengthen you…not shipwreck you!
3. Jesus was perfectly at peace! [Peace]
  1. David said, I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Ps.4:8
4. Prayer: He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. Nahum 1:3b [Life storms]

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Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Mark 4". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/mark-4.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesMark 4

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-20

Verses 1-20

Verses 21-34

Verses 21-34

Verses 35-41

Verses 35-41

Bible Commentaries
Mark 4