THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD REVEALED--MARK 4:11

THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD REVEALED
MARK 4:11

“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:”

Introduction:

“It is impossible to believe that Jesus was trying to prevent people from understanding Him and being reconciled with the Father, so we must take Mark’s forceful words to mean that Jesus used parables to provoke a crisis in the faith of the hearer.” Eclectic Note on Mark.

This forced them to believe Jesus or reject Him as the Savior. There was no middle ground.

I. THE MYSTERY OF THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES

A. It is NOT GOD’S WILL that you be IGNORANT of this Mystery, Romans 11:25, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

B. The Mystery of the calling of the Gentiles was HIDDEN, Colossians 1:26-27, “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27- To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

C. The Mystery of the Gospel was kept SECRET, Romans 16:25, “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,”

II. THE MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE

A. We shall not all die, 1 Corinthians 15:51, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”

B. We shall be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

III. THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY

A. This mystery is ALREADY AT WORK, 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”

1. There is a SYSTEM of CORRUPT, false DOCTRINE, 2 Timothy 4:3, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

2. This will lead to the general APOSTASY [a falling away] which is already in existence, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”

a. A TOTAL DESERTION of the truth, 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

b. The LOVE of many will WAX COLD, Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

c. Their CONSCIENCE WILL NOT bother them, 1 Timothy 4:2, “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”

B. The Spirit of God will be TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY, 2 Thessalonians 2:8, “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”

C. The RESULT will be the ENTRANCE of the ANTICHRIST as the Lord allows, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

IV. THE MYSTERY [PURPOSE] OF GOD SHALL BE FINISHED

Revelation 10:7, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

A. God will MAKE AN END of the Antichrist, Revelation 19:20, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

B. God will DESTROY HIM at His SECOND COMING to the earth, 2 Thessalonians 2:8, “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”

1. The Lord will smite with the ROD of His MOUTH, Isaiah 11:4, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”

2. He will smite the nations with the SHARP SWORD of His MOUTH, Revelation 19:15, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

CONCLUSION

The Lord reveals the mystery of the Gospel by the Word of His mouth. He does not need any other weapon. His Word will accomplish His will upon this earth regardless of the obstacles.