THIS EPISODE:
To help explain the Kingdom of God, it's place and importance in our lives, Jesus uses several analogies in Mark 4—a lamp, a tiny mustard seed, a soil producing a crop by itself...
In this episode we look at these more closely and come to see 4 important Kingdom of God realities that every Christ follower should understand:
The Kingdom of God IS TO BE REVEALED.
The Kingdom of God GUARANTEES A REWARD.
The Kingdom of God IS A MIRACLE.
The Kingdom of God IS SHADE & REST FOR THE WORLD.
Let's unpack this and more in today's message…
PRIMARY TEXT:
Mark 4:21-32 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
Using Your Light
21 He also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and more will be added to you. 25 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 “The kingdom of God is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain on the head. 29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade.”
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