Mark 4:10-19 The secret of the kingdom
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Reflection:
Today Jesus explains the parable to the disciples, as apparently they don't get it. Sometimes things are better in a small group than just hearing a sermon. Both are needed. Small groups can be a chance to go into greater detail as to how this teaching opens up our ability to live in the kingdom. And on this occasion Jesus talks about things that prevent the kingdom from growing.
At the heart of the kingdom is the Word. The secret of the kingdom is the word taking root in a believers life because it produces growth. That is why I do the daily bread so we can daily reflect on God's word with an eye to how God is calling us to step out in obedience to the word. The word has the power of the kingdom, because it is the word of Christ. "Word" is the Greek word "logos" from where we get our English word logic. So you might say the word is God's logic on how to love life to the fullest in the kingdom. There are many programs out there that say listen to my logic and I will bring you the greatest success in this world. But many times this success in only measured by the things important in this world. Like money, power and fame. The problem is at the end of the day these things are all passing away, but the things we for the kingdom will last forever. So in the end you might say investing in the kingdom is a wiser and better choice for the logic or focus of one's life.
But as the passage says there will be many obstacles or hindrances to God's Word taking root in one's life. Satan, worries, trouble and persecution would all want to thwart the word taking root and bearing fruit in your life. Importantly though just like a football team studies it's opponent and has a game plan to defeat them, you can too. When these things come God's very word helps you to keep your mind on Christ and remember verses like Philippians 4:13 that say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I have found that if you have few verses in your back pocket for each of these hindrances you can defeat them easily with one Word or promise from Christ. As Ephesians 6 says, the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God! Martin Luther said in a great hymn, one word subdues him.
So as you go to work today wherever that takes you today, make sure to bring the Sword of the Spirit with you, the Word of God so that you might be an agent of God's kingdom since you have been given the secret of the kingdom by Christ himself!!!
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Reflection:
Today Jesus explains the parable to the disciples, as apparently they don't get it. Sometimes things are better in a small group than just hearing a sermon. Both are needed. Small groups can be a chance to go into greater detail as to how this teaching opens up our ability to live in the kingdom. And on this occasion Jesus talks about things that prevent the kingdom from growing.
At the heart of the kingdom is the Word. The secret of the kingdom is the word taking root in a believers life because it produces growth. That is why I do the daily bread so we can daily reflect on God's word with an eye to how God is calling us to step out in obedience to the word. The word has the power of the kingdom, because it is the word of Christ. "Word" is the Greek word "logos" from where we get our English word logic. So you might say the word is God's logic on how to love life to the fullest in the kingdom. There are many programs out there that say listen to my logic and I will bring you the greatest success in this world. But many times this success in only measured by the things important in this world. Like money, power and fame. The problem is at the end of the day these things are all passing away, but the things we for the kingdom will last forever. So in the end you might say investing in the kingdom is a wiser and better choice for the logic or focus of one's life.
But as the passage says there will be many obstacles or hindrances to God's Word taking root in one's life. Satan, worries, trouble and persecution would all want to thwart the word taking root and bearing fruit in your life. Importantly though just like a football team studies it's opponent and has a game plan to defeat them, you can too. When these things come God's very word helps you to keep your mind on Christ and remember verses like Philippians 4:13 that say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I have found that if you have few verses in your back pocket for each of these hindrances you can defeat them easily with one Word or promise from Christ. As Ephesians 6 says, the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God! Martin Luther said in a great hymn, one word subdues him.
So as you go to work today wherever that takes you today, make sure to bring the Sword of the Spirit with you, the Word of God so that you might be an agent of God's kingdom since you have been given the secret of the kingdom by Christ himself!!!
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