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.

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

THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

MARK 4:11

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.

The hearer had to enter into the stories to understand and thus were provoked to consider what Jesus was telling them through these stories.

I. “UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN TO KNOW…”

A. The Mystery of His Will, Ephesians 1:9, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to HIS GOOD PLEASURE which he hath purposed in himself:”

1. He is NOT WILLING that any should PERISH, 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us–ward, NOT WILLING that any should PERISH, but that all should come to REPENTANCE.”

2. God has NO PLEASURE in the DEATH of the WICKED, but that he REPENT and LIVE, Ezekiel 33:11, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have NO PLEASURE in the DEATH of the wicked; but that the wicked TURN from his way AND LIVE: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

B. The mystery of FAITH, 1 Timothy 3:9, “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”

1. Faith = things to be BELIEVED:

a. That God is ABLE, Matthew 9:28, “And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, BELIEVE YE THAT I AM ABLE TO DO THIS? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.”

b. There is NO FEAR in faith, Mark 5:36, “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto
the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”

c. Prayer is INEFFECTIVE WITHOUT belief in results, Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, WHEN YE PRAY, BELIEVE that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

2. The OBJECT of Faith – CHRIST, John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE ON HIS NAME:”

a. Those who have BELIEVED on His Name KNOW that they HAVE eternal life, 1 John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

b. Jesus ASSURES US that WE are HIS CHOICE also, John 15:16, “He have not chosen me, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

II. “UNTO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT…”

A. These things were wrapped up in DARK SAYINGS or parables that were not understood, Luke 10:21-22, “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 22- All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.”

1. What makes us different is that we RECEIVED the Gospel and others did not, 1 Corinthians 4:7, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”

2. Salvation is of the Lord, Jonah 2:9, “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.”

B. “Many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see,” Luke 10:23-24, “And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24- For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which YE see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

C. Jesus speaks of the BLESSEDNESS of His disciples because they had RECEIVED the TRUTH, Matthew 5:13-16, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14- Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15- Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16- Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

D. Conversely, the UNBELIEVING HEARERS were CONDEMNED to experience the WRATH of God, John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that BELIEVETH NOT the Son SHALL NOT SEE LIFE; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

CONCLUSION

The mystery of the Kingdom of God is a great study of how the Lord has dealt with men about their eternal destiny. We have only begun to study for the subject of God’s mercy and grace is vast.

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME--MARK 10:13-15

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME

MARK 10:13-15

Introduction:

Children are important to the Lord. Jesus treated them with great love and compassion.

Children are also spoken of in our text as representing simplicity and humility. Their hearts are tender and receptive to the Lord’s Word. Parents and those that care for children need to be aware of the great responsibility that God places on them regarding the spiritual welfare of those children.

Consider the following thoughts in regard to our text.

I. THOSE WHO CARED FOR THESE CHILDREN

A. They were concerned about their souls, v. 13.

1. Jesus used the simple faith of a child, Matthew 18:2-5, “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”

2. A child’s heart has not had the opportunity to harden itself through sin, Hebrews 3:13, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

B. Those that cared for the children believed that Christ’s blessing would do their souls good, Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:”

1. They believed in God’s blessings, Psalm 3:8, “Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”

2. They believed that they would receive His Blessing, Psalm 24:5, “He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

a. They believed God would bless them through forgive of sin, Psalm 32:1, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

b. They believed that they were blessed because they trusted God, Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

II. THE DISCIPLES REBUKE THOSE THAT BROUGHT THE CHILDREN

A. They tried to keep them from going to Jesus thinking them unimportant, but Jesus had something to say to His disciples, Mark 9:36-37, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.”

B. “Let the little children come to Me,” v. 14.

1. Jesus wanted them to know about Him, Psalm 78:4, “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”

2. The Kingdom of God is made up of believers with child-like faith, Psalm 131:1-2, “LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.”

a. They are humble, Matthew 18:4, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

b. They are the greatest in the Kingdom of God because they are without guile or deceit, Revelation 14:5, “And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

III. BELIEVERS ARE REFERRED TO AS CHILDREN

A. They are called by the Lord “children of light,” Luke 16:8, “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”

B. They are said to be “children of the day,” by the Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

C. They are called “obedient children,” by the Apostle Peter, 1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:”

IV. THIS GENERATION IS CALLED “IGNORANT CHILDREN”

A. Children of foolishness, Matthew 11:16-18, “But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17- And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18- For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.”

B. They are tossed back and forth by every religion because of their ignorance of the truth, Ephesians 4:14, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

1. Some professed Christians find themselves in that situation because they are still on milk, Isaiah 28:9, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.”

2. Or perhaps they have never been converted, Matthew 18:3, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

CONCLUSION

Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” These children are the future and need to be reached for Christ. Our world is in denial of the truth today because they are ignorant of the Word of God.

ONE THING THOU LACKEST--MARK 10:17-27

ONE THING THOU LACKEST

MARK 10:17-27

Key verse: 21, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

Introduction:

“What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” That is a legitimate concern in life, but not many are thinking about “eternal life” today. In fact, many are of the opinion that man is annihilated at death and that is all there is.

However, that is not the case here. This young man is sincere in his quest to know how that he “may inherit” eternal life. He wanted to do something to earn this life.

I. JESUS CHALLENGES THE MAN’S FALULTY PERCEPTION OF GOOD.

A. His concept of “good” was something measured by human achievement.

1. Most religion teaches salvation by good works.

2. Judaism had been reduced to this type of teaching long before the Lord was born.

B. Jesus sets him straight, v. 18, “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

1. No one is good, absolutely perfect, except God alone, the true Source and Standard of goodness. See Romans 3:10.

2. The man needed to see himself in the context of God’s perfect character. Isa. 6:5

3. The man, unwittingly calling Him “good,” needed to perceive Jesus’ true identity.

II. THOU KNOWEST THE COMMANDMENTS

A. Man’s relationship with man, v. 19, “Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.”

1. This part of the Decalogue deals with man’s relation to other men.

2. Eternal life is a relationship between man and God.

B. A moral young man, v.20, “And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.”

1. He had been reared properly according to Jewish law.

2. He had lived by what he had been taught since he was a boy, since age 12 when he assumed personal responsibility for keeping the Law as a “son of the Law.”

3. This young man apparently felt that something was missing in his life, thus his question to the Lord.

III. ONE THING THOU LACKEST

A. With a penetrating look Jesus saw beneath the young rich man’s religious devotion.

1. Go and sell your possessions and follow Me, v. 21b, “go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

2. Our Lord could see through the façade that hid what was on the interior of his heart, v. 22, “And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” John 2:24-25, “…because he knew all men, 25-And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”

3. Jesus’ loving action vividly illustrated that His blessing is freely given to those who receive it trustingly, Mark 9:36, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37-Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.”

B. The Lord’s astonishing observations.

1. His statement: v. 23, “And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”

2. You cannot serve God and the riches of this world, Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

a. A choice has to be made, “for either he will hate the one, and love the other…”

b. You cannot hold on to both, “or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.”

3. Jesus makes another statement, v.26, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

C. The disciple’s reaction, v. 24a, “And the disciples were astonished at his words.”

1. Who then can be saved? Matthew19:25, “When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?”

2. Perhaps they thought it was a “hard saying,” John 6:60, “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

D. Jesus explains His statement, v. 27, “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

CONCLUSION

Jesus told the young man, “One thing thou lackest.” That one thing was trust. He trusted in his possessions more than in the Lord. He loved the things that he had more than he wanted eternal life.

It is a miracle when someone put his faith in Jesus Christ. It is impossible for man to save himself because he will always being lacking one thing – FAITH in Jesus Christ.

HAVE I EVER MADE ANYONE THIRSTY FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?--MARK 9:49-50

HAVE I EVER MADE ANYONE THIRSTY FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?

MARK 9:49-50

Matthew 5:13, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Introduction:

At a meeting some young people were discussing the text, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” One suggestion after another was made as to the meaning of “salt” in this verse.

“Salt imparts a desirable flavor,” said one.

“Salt preserves from decay,” another suggested.

Then a Chinese Christian girl spoke out of an experience none of the others had. “Salt creates thirst,” she said, and there was a sudden hush in the room. Everyone was thinking, “Have I ever made anyone thirsty for the Lord Jesus Christ?”

I. “SALT IMPARTS A DESIREABLE FLAVOR.”

A. It makes things palatable, 2 Peter 2:20, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”

B. Elisha used salt to sweeten the brackish was of Jericho spring, 2 Kings 2:19-22, “And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. 20And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.”

C. No one desires a Christian who is not tempered by salt in his life, Matthew 5:13, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

II. “SALT PRESERVES FROM DECAY.”

A. Preserves from the decay of the marriage, Ephesians 5:21, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

1. The husband accepts his biblical responsibilities, Ephesians 5:25, 28, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

a. As Christ…loved the church.

b. Men should love their wives “as their own bodies.”

2. The wife accepts her biblical roll, Ephesians 5:22-24, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23-For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24-Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

a. Submit to his position as head of the wife.

b. Be subject to his leadership in everything.

B. Preserves from the decay of the family

1. It preserves harmony, Philippians 2:4, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

2. It produces respect for the father, Hebrews 12:9, “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”

3. It produces reverence for God, Hebrews 12:28, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:”

III. “SALT CREATES THIRST.”

A. Salty tongue, James 3:12, “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

1. Let your speech be seasoned with salt, Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

2. A fresh attitude, a new spirit, is what we need, Ezekiel 11:19, “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:”

1. Seasoned tongue, Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

2. Let the words of Christ dwell in you, Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

a. Richly, 1 Timothy 6:17, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”

b. In all wisdom, Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

3. Season your offering with salt, Leviticus 2:13, “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.”

CONCLUSION

Salt played a big part in the life of an individual in the Bible. In Matthew 5:13 (above) the Disciples are likened unto salt, with reference to its cleansing and preserving uses.

Do you have salt in your Christian life that would cause someone to desire to be a Believer in Jesus Christ?

A CUP OF WATER--MARK 9:38-41

A CUP OF WATER

MARK 9:38-41

Introduction:

What is done in the Lord’s name will last; and God does not forget it. The Apostle Paul advises us about showing mercy when he wrote in Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” We really don’t know who some people are that the Lord puts in our lives from time to time, so we need to be faithful to the precepts of God’s Word regarding our treatment of them.

I. OUR LORD WILL NOT DISMISS AS TRIVIAL, ACTS OF MERCY DONE IN HIS NAME

A. God will not forget, Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

B. He will ultimately be rewarded by participation in God’s kingdom, Mark 10:29-30, “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30- But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

1. He is rewarded, but NOT on the basis of a good deed but because of God’s gracious promise to people of faith, Luke 12:31-32, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32- Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

2. The reward is “in that day,” 2 Timothy 1:16, 18, “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 18- The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.”

3. “In that day” refers to the judgement seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

II. YOU HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME

A. The King gives His word, Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

1. The way we treat others reflects on our Savior, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15- And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

a. Jesus willingly became incarnate and followed the path of obedience to the cross, Philippians 2:6-8, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7- But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8- And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

b. He died for all, not just the elect, as some suggest, 1 Timothy 2:6, “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

2. “Ye have done it unto me.”

a. Therefore the Lord is not ashamed to call us brethren, Hebrews 2:11, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,”

b. He is not ashamed to confess us before His Father, Matthew 10:32, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”

B. Because you belong to Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:23, “And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”

1. We are His servants, 1 Corinthians 7:22, “For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.”

2. We belong to God the Father by Christ Jesus, 1 Corinthians 8:6, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

CONCLUSION

A cup of water does not seem to be much, but we do not know the end of what we do. An insignificant gesture could have eternal consequences in the life of someone. The Lord gives us opportunity to be a blessing from time to time without knowing the end product of our kindness. It behooves us to be aware of these opportunities of service.

THE SERVANT COMES TO THE SINNER--MARK 5:1-20 --LESSON 7A

LESSON 7

THE SERVANT COMES TO THE SINNER

MARK 5:1-20

Introduction:

Jesus traveled to “the other side;” the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, which Jesus visited comparatively seldom. It was about five miles across the lake.

“FRESH from asserting His mastery over winds and waves, the Lord was met by A MORE TERRIBLE ENEMY, the RAGE OF HUMAN NATURE ENSLAVED and impelled by the cruelty of hell. The place where He landed was a theatre NOT UNFIT for the TRAGEDY which it revealed. A mixed race was there, INDIFFERENT TO RELIGION.” ---Expositor Bible Commentary.

This lesson reveals why Jesus traveled THROUGH A STORM to get to this place, (Mark 4:35-41). It was TO HELP this poor DEMON POSSESSED MAN where the people DID NOT WANT THE SAVIOR among them. This shows how Jesus loves the lowest of sinners.

I. THE DEMON POSSESSED MAN’S CONDITION. vs. 1-5

A. What the Devil did, vs. 1-3a.

1. He DWELT in the country of the Gadarenes, v. 1, LOCATED EAST of the Sea of Galilee and near the south end. Luke 8:26, “And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.” [That is, on the opposite shore.]

2. The man CAME TO THE LORD as He was getting out of the boat, v. 2; Luke 8:27, “And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.”

3. He DWELT among the TOMBS, vs. 2-3.

NOTE: There are a lot of TOMBS HEWN OUT OF THE CLIFF. Now there are STONE COFFINS LITTERING THE VALLEY below. Vandals robbed the tombs later on. No +oubt it was an ACTIVE BURYING PLACE in the days of Jesus. Since the tombs were hewn out ahead of time there would have been empty tombs for this man to dwell in.

4. The DEVIL FILLED HIM with UNCLEAN SPIRITS, v. 2.

NOTE: In the NT, these are persons, AFFLICTED WITH especially SEVERE diseases, either BODILY OR MENTALLY, (such as paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of speech, epilepsy, melancholy, insanity, etc.) whose bodies IN THE OPINION OF THE JEWS, demons had entered, and so held possession of them as not only to afflict them with ills, but also to DETHRONE THE REASON and TAKE ITS PLACE themselves; accordingly the possessed were WONT [ACCUSTOMED] TO EXPRESS THE MIND and CONSCIOUSNESS of the demons dwelling in them; and their cure was thought to require the expulsion of the demon.

5. The devil is a THEIF, John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Revelation 9:11, “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.”

6. The man had YIELDED TO the temptations of sin, and SATAN had literally TAKEN OVER HIS LIFE, 2 Timothy 2:26, “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

7. Satan has GREAT POWER, 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

8. We were UNDER Satan’s POWER in the past, perhaps to a lesser degree than this man, Ephesians 2:1-3, “And you hath he QUICKENED, who were DEAD in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past YE WALKED according to the course of this world, according to the PRINCE of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE: Among whom also WE ALL had our conversation IN TIMES PAST in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were BY NATURE the CHILDREN OF WRATH, even as others.”

B. What Man COULD NOT DO, vs. 3b-5.

1. NO man could BIND him, v. 3b-4; See Mark 9:18-22.

2. The WEIRD BEHAVIOR that we see in the UNBELIEVABLE ACTS of men is the WORK of the devil, Jeremiah 17:9, “The HEART is DECEITFUL above all things, and DESPERATELY WICKED: who can know it?”

NOTE: Mass murders, SEXUAL PERVERSION AGAINST CHILDREN, and other unbelievable acts today are the work of the devil.

3. Psychiatrists, counselors and the medical profession CANNOT SOLVE these problems. PRISONS CANNOT REFORM THEM.

4. ONLY GOD can CHANGE them THROUGH salvation, Matthew 19:26, “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, WITH MEN this is IMPOSSIBLE; but with God ALL things are POSSIBLE.

a. There is NOTHING TOO HARD for the Lord, Genesis 18:14, Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” thing too hard for me?”

b. NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE for the Lord, Luke 1:37, “For with God NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE.”

5. Men could NOT CHANGE him or RESTRAIN him, vs. 4-5; Matthew 8:28, “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding FIERCE, so that NO MAN MIGHT PASS by that way.”

6. He CONTINUED in this HOPELESS condition, v. 5; John 8:44, “YE ARE OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a MURDERER from the beginning, and ABODE NOT IN THE TRUTH, because there is NO TRUTH in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is A LIAR, and THE FATHER OF IT.”

7. He CUT and MUTILATED his on body as did the PROPHETS OF BAAL BEFORE ELIJAH, v. 5; 1 Kings. 18:28, “And they cried aloud, and CUT THEMSELVES after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.”

Note: This explains all the BODY PIERCING that we see in many people today. People with rings in the ear, tongue, eyebrows, nose, and private parts of their bodies, are all indications of the work of the devil today. When people start messing with DRUGS, they OPEN THE DOOR for SATANIC OPPRESSION and demon possession. Drugs play a big part in the worship of Satan.

II. THE STILLING OF THE STORM, vs. 35-41.--MARK, LESSON 6 C

MARK, LESSON 6 C

II. THE STILLING OF THE STORM, vs. 35-41.

A. The Awesome Storm, vs. 35-38.

1. A strange proposal, v. 35, “Let us pass over unto the other side.”

NOTE: Jesus certainly knew that a great storm was coming, but He wanted them to see that Christians must face the storms of life.

2. They had just HEARD THE WORD of God, and it PRODUCES FAITH so now they are going to be TESTED, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

3. Jonah was in a storm because of disobedience, but they were in the storm BECAUSE OF OBEDIENCE, v. 35; John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

4. Reasons why they had NOTHING TO FEAR:

a. Jesus SAID they would go to the OTHER SIDE.

b. Jesus Himself was WITH THEM and they had seen His MIRACLE WORKING POWER.

c. Jesus Himself had gone to SLEEP, REVEALING that there was NOTHING to be afraid of, Psalm 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

5. Some of His disciples were EXPERIENCED SAILORS, BUT even they were afraid. This happens when we walk by sight and not by faith, 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

6. God does NOT EXEMPT is children FROM THE STORMS of this life, 1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”

5. We should MAKE SURE that we have the Lord WITH US, when the storms hit, Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

a. He is our refuge, Psalm 46:11, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

b. He will GO WITH US through every difficulty, Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

c. He is the STRENGTH of our life, Psalm 27:1, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

B. The Awesome Calm, vs. 39-41.

1. The AUTHORITY of His words, v. 39; Psalm 107:29, “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

a. The Lord is the ONE we need TO FEAR, Jeremiah 5:22, “Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?”

b. The Lord RULES THE SEA, Psalm 89:9, “Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.”

c. With a word He brought an UNCOMMON PEACE, John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

d. This is a PEACE that PASSES our understanding, Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

2. He REBUKED them for their LACK of faith, v. 40; Matthew 8:26, “And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”

3. They LEARNED a great lesson ABOUT HIM, v. 41.

a. They feared the Lord, Revelation 15:4, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

NOTE: “That is, the men in the ship, the mariners to whom the ship belonged, and who had the management of it.” ---John Gill’s Expositor.

b. What manner of man is this?

(1) He is a man mightier than the waves of the sea, Psalms 93:4, “The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.”

(2) He is the Son of God, Matthew 14:33, “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

THE PARABLES AND THE STORM--MARK, LESSON 6 B

THE PARABLES AND THE STORM CONT.
MARK, LESSON 6 B

5. Let us notice some IMPORTANT LESSONS for us.

a. There MUST BE A SOWER and that is OUR responsibility.

b. We DO NOT KNOW HOW the process works, BUT that is in the HAND of God, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.”

c. It is THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT that this comes about, John 1:11-13, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

d. As there is A PROCESS that works with the corn, so is there a process as God works in the heart of a man. We must remember that the mighty oak was once an acorn.

e. We must WAIT FOR the harvest, Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

B. The Parable of the MUSTARD SEED, vs. 30-34.

Note: This parable must be interpreted very carefully, or we will make it teach error instead of truth. It can best be interpreted in relationship to the prophetic parables of Matthew 13.

1) In the parable of the sower we see the seed sown with different degrees of success, Matthew 13:3-23. This we can expect in the age of grace.

2) The tares among the wheat show us that the devil will imitate the work of God with evil seed, which will produce a mixed crop, Matthew 13:24-30.

3) The MUSTARD SEED represents the building of a religion that will END UP AS THE ONE WORLD CHURCH of the last days, Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32.

4) The placing of the LEAVEN in the meal represents the PLANTING OF FALSEHOOD among the truth, which of course is what we have in the religious world, Matthew 13:33-35, “Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

5) The net cast into the sea brings forth two kinds of fish. One is good and the other is evil. This shows the mixing of the lost and the saved in religion which only God can sort out.

1. This parable of the mustard seed also SHOWS the DETERIORATION IN KIND and QUALITY. It represents PROFESSING Christianity, but NOT THE PURE THINGS of God.

2. The mustard seed PRODUCES a MONSTROSITY that becomes a tree, Matthew 13:32, “Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”

3. This is the PUBLIC MANIFESTATION of religion as we see in the GREAT APOSTASY of our day.

4. The FOWLS of the air REPRESENT SATAN and his EVIL WORKERS who are ROOSTING in FALSE RELIGION of the last days. The fowls represent evil, Revelation 18:2, “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every UNCLEAN and HATEFUL BIRD.”

a. There is a CONTRAST BETWEEN the seed in the PREVIOUS parable and the seed in THIS parable. Corn (v. 38) is a FITTING TYPE of Jesus Christ the BREAD OF LIFE.

b. The seed in this parable is MUSTARD seed, which CANNOT REPRESENT Christ the bread of life.

c. The mustard plant is NO MORE EVIL than the LEAVEN, BUT they are SYMBOLS of EVIL in this case.

6. There is NO HARVEST, but just a TREE FULL of EVIL BIRDS, Daniel 4:20-22, “The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.”

a. The TREE in Daniel 4 represented the EVIL CORRUPT EMPIRE OF Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

b. Notice that IT TOO IS FILLED with EVIL birds, Daniel 4:14, “He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:”

7. Jesus used MANY PARABLES to teach the MULTITUDE, BUT when He was alone with His DISCIPLES He EXPLAINED THEM.

THE PARABLES AND THE STORM--LESSON 6A

LESSON 6A

THE PARABLES AND THE STORM

Mark 4:21-41

Memory Verse: Mark 4:39

Introduction:

Jesus had now taught that the only good ground was that in which the good seed bore fruit. And He adds explicitly, that men receive the truth in order to spread it, and are given grace that they may become, in turn, good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ---Expositor’s Bible Commentary.

I. THE PARABLES. vs. 21-34

A. The Parable of the Candle, vs. 21-25.

1. The PURPOSE of a candle, Psalm 119:130, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

2. It should be placed ON a candlestick, v. 21; Matthew 5:15, “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

3. The light of God's truth is NOT TO BE HIDDEN, 2 Corinthians 4:3, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:”

a. Putting it under a bushel REFERS TO people letting their MONEY OR BUSINESS INTERESTS hide their light.

b. Putting it under a BED speaks of letting COMFORTS and LAZINESS cover the light.

4. The CANDLESTICK is WHERE the light is placed, in order to give THE MOST LIGHT. New Testament Scriptural CHURCHES are represented as being candlesticks, Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” [ Spoken to the church at Ephesus]

a. This is WHERE every Christian OUGHT TO BE that their light would shine, Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

b. If they are not, then they are hiding their light, Revelation 1:20, “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

4. We are NOT ONLY to RECEIVE light, but we are TO IMPART LIGHT. This refers to ALL Christians, NOT just the pastor,Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

a. Use the gifts God has given you, 1 Peter 4:10, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

b. Be a testimony in your walk among men, Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.”

c. We may be the only Gospel other see, Philippians 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”

5. We are NOT TO HIDE the TRUTH, NOR to hide SIN, for it will be revealed on that day, v. 22;

a. God will bring to light the truth, 1 Corinthians 4:5, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

b. We are to manifest the truth, 2 Corinthians 4:2, “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”

6. We are to be CAREFUL WHAT we HEAR and HOW we hear, v. 24a, Luke 8:18, “Take heed therefore HOW ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” We are to hear the truth and apply it to our lives.

7. The MEASURE of our REWARD will be according to the measure of our DILIGENT LABOR for Him, v. 24b; Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” We decide whether God will use a teaspoon or a shovel when He gives us our reward.

8. Our rewards will be ADJUSTED TO FIT the case, v. 25; Luke 8:18, ke heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

B. The Parable of the SEED, vs. 26-29.

Note: “This beautiful parable is PECULIAR TO MARK. Its design is to teach the Imperceptible Growth of the word sown in the heart, from its earliest stage of development to the ripest fruits of practical righteousness.” ---Jamison, Fausset, Brown Commentary.

1. The SEED is the WORD of God, and the GROUND is the WORLD of LOST MEN, v. 26. (See v. 14, “The sower soweth the word.”).

2. The seed DOES NOT bring forth results IMMEDIATELY. We must wait for the results, v. 27; Ecclesiastes 11:5, “As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.”

3. We have NO CONTROL over the process, v. 28; Isaiah 61:11, “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

4. The HARVEST will come IN DUE TIME, v. 29; John 4:38, “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”

Outline by E. L. Bynum; Revision by Art Davison--CONTINUED IN LESSON 6B

THE PARABLES AND THE STORM--LESSON 6

LESSON 6

THE PARABLES AND THE STORM

MARK 4:21-41

Memory Verse: Mark 4:39

Introduction:

Jesus had now taught that the only good ground was that in which the good seed bore fruit. And He adds explicitly, that men receive the truth in order to spread it, and are given grace that they may become, in turn, good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ---Expositor’s Bible Commentary.

I. THE PARABLES. vs. 21-34

A. The Parable of the Candle, vs. 21-25.

1. The PURPOSE of a candle, Psalm 119:130, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

2. It should be placed ON a candlestick, v. 21; Matthew 5:15, “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

3. The light of God's truth is NOT TO BE HIDDEN, 2 Corinthians 4:3, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:”

a. Putting it under a bushel REFERS TO people letting their MONEY OR BUSINESS INTERESTS hide their light.

b. Putting it under a BED speaks of letting COMFORTS and LAZINESS cover the light.

4. The CANDLESTICK is WHERE the light is placed, in order to give THE MOST LIGHT. New Testament Scriptural CHURCHES are represented as being candlesticks, Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” [ Spoken to the church at Ephesus]

a. This is WHERE every Christian OUGHT TO BE that their light would shine, Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

b. IF THEY ARE NOT, then they are HIDING their light, Revelation 1:20, “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

4. We are NOT ONLY to RECEIVE light, but we are TO IMPART LIGHT. This refers to ALL Christians, NOT just the pastor,Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

a. Use the GIFTS God has given you, 1 Peter 4:10, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

b. Be a TESTIMONY in your walk among men, Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.”

c. We may be the ONLY Gospel others see, Philippians 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”

5. We are NOT TO HIDE the TRUTH, NOR to hide SIN, for it will be revealed on that day, v. 22;

a. God will bring to light the truth, 1 Corinthians 4:5, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

b. We are to manifest the truth, 2 Corinthians 4:2, “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”

6. We are to be CAREFUL WHAT we HEAR and HOW we hear, v. 24a, Luke 8:18, “Take heed therefore HOW ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” We are to hear the truth and apply it to our lives.

7. The MEASURE of our REWARD will be according to the measure of our DILIGENT LABOR for Him, v. 24b; Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” We decide whether God will use a teaspoon or a shovel when He gives us our reward.

8. Our rewards will be ADJUSTED TO FIT the case, v. 25; Luke 8:18, “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

B. The Parable of the SEED, vs. 26-29.

Note: “This beautiful parable is PECULIAR TO MARK. Its design is to teach the Imperceptible Growth of the word sown in the heart, from its earliest stage of development to the ripest fruits of practical righteousness.” ---Jamison, Fausset, Brown Commentary.

1. The SEED is the WORD of God, and the GROUND is the WORLD of LOST MEN, v. 26. (See v. 14, “The sower soweth the word.”).

2. The seed DOES NOT bring forth results IMMEDIATELY. We must wait for the results, v. 27; Ecclesiastes 11:5, “As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.”

3. We have NO CONTROL over the process, v. 28; Isaiah 61:11, “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

4. The HARVEST will come IN DUE TIME, v. 29; John 4:38, “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”

5. Let us notice some IMPORTANT LESSONS for us.

a. There MUST BE A SOWER and that is OUR responsibility.

b. We DO NOT KNOW HOW the process works, BUT that is in the HAND of God, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.”

c. It is THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT that this comes about, John 1:11-13, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

d. As there is A PROCESS that works with the corn, so is there a process as God works in the heart of a man. We must remember that the mighty oak was once an acorn.

e. We must WAIT FOR the harvest, Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

C. The Parable of the MUSTARD SEED, vs. 30-34.

Note: This parable must be interpreted very carefully, or we will make it teach error instead of truth. It can best be interpreted in relationship to the prophetic parables of Matthew 13.

1) In the parable of the sower we see the seed sown with different degrees of success, Matthew 13:3-23. This we can expect in the age of grace.

2) The tares among the wheat show us that the devil will imitate the work of God with evil seed, which will produce a mixed crop, Matthew 13:24-30.

3) The MUSTARD SEED represents the building of a religion that will END UP AS THE ONE WORLD CHURCH of the last days, Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32.

4) The placing of the LEAVEN in the meal represents the PLANTING OF FALSEHOOD among the truth, which of course is what we have in the religious world, Matthew 13:33-35, “Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

5) The net cast into the sea brings forth two kinds of fish. One is good and the other is evil. This shows the mixing of the lost and the saved in religion which only God can sort out.

1. This parable of the mustard seed also SHOWS the DETERIORATION IN KIND and QUALITY. It represents PROFESSING Christianity, but NOT THE PURE THINGS of God.

2. The mustard seed PRODUCES a MONSTROSITY that becomes a tree, Matthew 13:32, “Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”

3. This is the PUBLIC MANIFESTATION of religion as we see in the GREAT APOSTASY of our day.

4. The FOWLS of the air REPRESENT SATAN and his EVIL WORKERS who are ROOSTING in FALSE RELIGION of the last days. The fowls represent evil, Revelation 18:2, “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every UNCLEAN and HATEFUL BIRD.”

5. There is a CONTRAST BETWEEN the seed in the PREVIOUS parable and the seed in THIS parable.

a. Corn (v. 38) is a FITTING TYPE of Jesus Christ the BREAD OF LIFE.

b. The seed in this parable is MUSTARD seed, which CANNOT REPRESENT Christ the bread of life.

c. The mustard plant is NO MORE EVIL than the LEAVEN, BUT they are SYMBOLS of EVIL in this case.

6. There is NO HARVEST, but just a TREE FULL of EVIL BIRDS, Daniel 4:20-22, “The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.”

a. The TREE in Daniel 4 represented the EVIL CORRUPT EMPIRE OF Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

b. Notice that IT TOO IS FILLED with EVIL birds, Daniel 4:14, “He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:”

7. Jesus used MANY PARABLES to teach the MULTITUDE, BUT when He was alone with His DISCIPLES He EXPLAINED THEM.

II. THE STILLING OF THE STORM, vs. 35-41.

A. The Awful Storm, vs. 35-38.

1. A strange proposal, v. 35, “Let us pass over unto the other side.”

NOTE: Jesus certainly knew that a great storm was coming, but He wanted them to see that Christians must face the storms of life.

2. They had just HEARD THE WORD of God, and it PRODUCES FAITH so now they are going to be TESTED, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

3. Jonah was in a storm because of disobedience, but they were in the storm BECAUSE OF OBEDIENCE, v. 35; John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

4. Reasons why they had NOTHING TO FEAR:

a. Jesus SAID they would go to the OTHER SIDE.

b. Jesus Himself was WITH THEM and they had seen His MIRACLE WORKING POWER.

c. Jesus Himself had gone to SLEEP, REVEALING that there was NOTHING to be afraid of, Psalm 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

5. Some of His disciples were EXPERIENCED SAILORS, BUT even they were afraid. This happens when we walk by sight and not by faith, 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

6. God does NOT EXEMPT is children FROM THE STORMS of this life, 1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”

5. We should MAKE SURE that we have the Lord WITH US, when the storms hit, Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

a. He is our refuge, Psalm 46:11, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

b. He will GO WITH US through every difficulty, Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

c. He is the STRENGTH of our life, Psalm 27:1, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

B. The Awesome Calm, vs. 39-41.

1. The AUTHORITY of His words, v. 39; Psalm 107:29, “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

a. The Lord is the ONE we need TO FEAR, Jeremiah 5:22, “Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?”

b. The Lord RULES THE SEA, Psalm 89:9, “Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.”

c. With a word He brought an UNCOMMON PEACE, John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

d. This is a PEACE that PASSES our understanding, Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

2. He REBUKED them for their LACK of faith, v. 40; Matthew 8:26, “And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”

3. They LEARNED a great lesson ABOUT HIM, v. 41.

a. They feared the Lord, Revelation 15:4, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

Note: “That is, the men in the ship, the mariners to whom the ship belonged, and who had the management of it.” ---John Gill’s Expositor.

b. What manner of man is this?

(1) He is a man mightier than the waves of the sea, Psalms 93:4, “The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.”

(2) He is the Son of God, Matthew 14:33, “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

Outline by E. L. Bynum; Revision by Art Davison--CONTINUED IN 6A