Have you ever been disappointed by unmet expectations? I remember a day in my childhood when I built up an expectation, but never voiced it, and it led to my disappointment.
It was New Years Day, and I was nine or ten years old. I had heard that January 1 was a day filled with tons of college football bowl games. I loved sports. I knew my dad loved them, too, especially college football. So I expected we would enjoy a full day of college football together. Lounging on the couch. Nothing on the schedule. Football all day long. I even took the big step of pouring a bag of potato chips into a bowl. You know, major preparations.
But the one thing I forgot to do was ask my dad if he wanted to or was able to spend the day that way. I expected he would. I expected he could. But I never found out.
Well, you can probably guess what happened. My dad had no idea. He was surprised I had expected his entire day to be filled with couch time. And I was surprised his entire day would be filled with yard work. Yard work!
In our passage today, Jesus is going to tell three parables. They are an extension of the first parable we saw last week. And each parable was told against the backdrop of the crowds' expectations of the Christ-Messiah. They believed an anointed one would come with an external, powerful, militaristic, political, and obvious kingdom.
Some of them -- the Zealots -- tried to force that expectation on God by staging revolutions. Some of them -- the Pharisees -- tried to force that expectation on God by their meticulous adherence to God's laws. And all of them hoped this outward and obvious kingdom would come as soon as possible!
And, like my little New Years Day story, Jesus did not meet their expectations. But, unlike my story, he did not come to do something worse than their expectations. He did not come to do yardwork.
Instead, he came to exceed their expectations. And these parables were a way Jesus tried to get them to rearrange their thinking about his kingdom and how it would look. He did not want them to despise his kingdom because of their preconceived notions. He needed to show them he was doing something better than they ever dreamed.
Today, we will study all three parables. I will try to summarize each one and sprinkle seven applicational points throughout the teaching. Let's begin.
Parable 1: The Word Of Christ Is Not Hidden (Mark 4:21-25)
21 And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
Jesus Is The Lamp
The image of this parable is easy enough to understand. Lamps are not meant to be covered by baskets or beds (21). They should be put on a stand (21). This is why we install our lighting in the ceiling, not the floor. Or why we buy lampstands. Or why we string up lanterns above our campsites. If we want the benefits of a light source, we cannot hide the light source.
But what did Jesus mean by this imagery? One interesting clue is found in the way Mark constructed the sentence. Literally, Mark personified the lamp. You could translate his words "Is a lamp brought in " like this: The lamp comes or Does the lamp come? The coming of the lamp! It's an unusual way to talk.
Another clue is found in the expectation of the masses at that time. Again, they were not expecting the Messiah to bring an invisible and spiritual kingdom, but a physical one. The way Jesus came, though, appeared hidden and secret compared to their expectations. So Jesus told them everything hidden and secret would one day be made manifest and come to light (22).
So it seems Jesus was talking about himself and his kingdom. He is the lamp that came into the world (John 12:46). He is the true light, which enlightens everyone (John 1:9). He is the light of the world (John 8:12). He came! The light has come!
The Jesus Secret Will Be Made Known
And though Jesus is portrayed in Mark as silencing the crowds, the demons, and people he healed, this parable shows us he would one day be shouted about from the rooftops. One day he would be made manifest and come to light (22). Even these parables, designed at least for a moment to keep him mysterious, would one day be known by all. The Jesus secret would be made known. He would be widely broadcast by his people. The gospel would be preached. One day, the church would plainly declare the message of Jesus!
Application #1 -- Believe his message can be known.
Too many believers have spent too much time thinking Jesus and his message are mysteries that cannot be known. People like this see the Bible as a wasteland of unknowable doctrines describing an unattainable Christian life. They search for a "deeper life" and are convinced "most Christians" don't get it.
But Jesus can and should be known. His message is manifest and in the light. You can know him and his word. Stop thinking he and his word are too mysterious for you to know.
I remember where the calculus and trigonometry classes met at my high school. I wasn't on that trajectory. I had no desire to go beyond Algebra 2. And whenever I walked by those classes, I felt like I was looking at supernatural beings with miraculous superpowers. They understood deep mysteries I would never comprehend. And, so far, I have been right!
But this is not the way it is with the Bible and Jesus. We live in the era where his message has been revealed. He and his word are knowable.
Does it take some work? Sure. Can you grow to know him and his word more? Absolutely. Are some people gifted to discern and explain the word? Yeah. But the point is that the indestructible truth of Jesus Christ can be known. We must believe this to be true.
Application #2 -- Broadcast Jesus.
If Jesus is likened to the lamp that came to illuminate a room, then he must be broadcast today. In another place, he said:
Matthew 5:14 (ESV) — 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:16 (ESV) — 16 Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
We have the greatest message the world has ever known. And I know it's easy to believe no one wants to hear it, but some are groping for the truth. The Spirit is producing a thirst in many, and we have the good news which will generate Living Water from their hearts.
Recently, Christina showed me a video that made me laugh. It was of a couple, husband and wife, I think, in a video stream conversation. He was in his car. She was at home. And he had a joke he couldn't wait to tell her. What's the difference between Dubai and Abu Dhabi? he asked. I give up, she said. And then he just couldn't hold it together. He was giggling like a schoolgirl. Finally, in the midst of his laughter, he said, Dubai does not like the Flinstones, but Abu-Dhabi-do! Terrible. Kids, ask your parents. But I laughed so hard because he thought it was such an awesome joke.
And we've all had experiences like that, times when we just couldn't wait to share good news, tell a great joke, or celebrate a new blessing. And perhaps that same spirit should fill our hearts when it comes to the message of Jesus. We have the cure to what ails humanity and, though it has hurdles because it is offensive and controversial to many, we love the message of the gospel. It must be broadcast!
I would encourage you to go back, if you haven't already, and watch Pastor Matt's recent training forum on evangelism in our current crisis moment. It was a good teaching and conversation. Perhaps it will spark some thoughts to help you broadcast Jesus during this time.
But let's move on in our passage. Before looking at parable #2, we need to see something Jesus added to this first parable.
24 And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
Respond To The Word
Here, Jesus tells everyone to hear well. Remember the fourth soil from last week? They are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold (Mark 4:20). Now, Jesus encourages everyone to be like that fourth, good soil. Pay attention! Hear! Use the word!
This is part of the reason we seek to ask applicational questions of each Bible passage we're in. We want to use the word he gives to us. We want to respond to the word.
More Will Be Given
And Jesus said that when we use the word, it will be measured to us, and still more will be added to us (24). The one who has, more will be given (25). You use the word, and you will continue to grow in the word. When you apply the truth of the kingdom, you get to experience even more of the kingdom.
And there is a warning also. The one who has not, even what he has will be taken away (25). In other words, to reject the word of Christ leads to even greater darkness.
Application #3 -- Use the word and receive more.
Here, Jesus is alluding to the principle of spiritual momentum. You see, the Christian life is never run on flat ground. If you are following him, one lesson begets another, one truth leads to another, and growth is rapid. It's like running downhill. But when we are slothful in our allegiance, when our engagement with his word is haphazard and infrequent, our growth declines. It's like running uphill.
Many of us have seen this spiritual principle exemplified in our physical fitness. You know how it is. Go to the gym three days a week, and it often produces a desire to go again. You start feeling good. It's no biggie to go regularly. You have momentum. But then you get sick or go the Thanksgiving dinner or eat a carton of ice cream and momentum wains. You get tired too quickly. Soon, it becomes a major chore to just put your gym clothes on.
In other words, catch the wave. As we take in the message of Jesus, we get more from Jesus. He said more will be added to you. More will be given. Believe him by applying the truth he delivers. And watch how he gives you more understanding and insight than before.
Parable 2: The Word Of Christ Will Produce A Harvest (Mark 4:26-29)
26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
The Seed Again
This little parable is only found here in Mark's gospel. In it, the seed shows up again, and it is a picture of the kingdom of God (26). Slowly but surely, the seed sprouts and grows until a harvest comes (27, 29).
It is a fascinating way for Jesus to describe the coming of God's kingdom. He doesn't use majestic imagery. He doesn't compare the kingdom to the magnificence of a mountain range, the beauty of the dawn, or the power of a lion. Instead, he says the kingdom is like a seed. Almost anonymously, it goes into the ground. But, over time, a harvest comes from that seed. One seed has the power of generations of orchards inside it, and that's what the seed of the kingdom is like.
What does this mean? Well, consider the cross of Jesus. He died on a Roman cross outside the attention of the vast majority of humanity. He was flanked by robbers as he died in relative anonymity. It seemed any movement he was going to lead was now dead. Barely anyone on earth knew his name.
But the seed of that moment turned into the greatest movement in history. Just as the seed sprouts out of the ground, Jesus came out of the grave. New life is found in him. The quiet, obscure, out of the way death of Jesus was actually the event that saved humanity! And, now, billions know his name. He has produced a massive harvest of souls.
Application #4 -- Be patient for God's kingdom.
The kingdom is growing and building. A harvest is coming. When Jesus said it produces by itself, he used a word from which our word automatic comes. Though the growth of the kingdom is sometimes hard to see, it is automatic. Though the growth of the kingdom is often slow, it is automatic. Though the growth of the kingdom seems impossible, it is automatic. It is imperceptible, constant, and inevitable. We pray, Your kingdom come, and it will.
One of my favorite toys my kids ever owned was an elaborate marble tower. Man, I loved playing with that toy for them. We'd get all the shoots, funnels, bridges, and tubes set up. Then we would drop in the first marble to test out our run. Would it make it all the way to the bottom?
Jesus inaugurated the kingdom. His death and resurrection provided the drop of the marble. It is rolling and rolling and rolling. And, one day, the full harvest will come. God will put in his sickle, and this humble kingdom will become a glorious and external one.
As believers, this parable should encourage you to patiently hope for God's kingdom to come. Sometimes it feels as if no one is listening, no one wants Jesus, and no one is being added to the kingdom. But this is untrue. And God's kingdom is building and growing, almost imperceptibly, to the point it becomes the final harvest.
Psalm 33:20 (ESV) — 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
Application #5 -- Keep putting the word in.
Jesus said the seed does its imperceptible work. In his first parable, Jesus said, the sower sows the word (Mark 4:14). And, in this parable, we learn that the seed does a long-range work in the universe, but also in us as individuals. Slowly, surely, and steadily, the word is working and producing fruit in those who have received its truth.
And as you put the word in, good things will flow from your life. This is not a hard concept for us to understand. We can compare it to what we eat. I have no idea what a calorie -- or what fats, carbohydrates, and proteins -- actually looks like. But I do know what I look like. And I can see the effects of all each upon my body. What I put in has a way of manifesting itself.
And, in the wonderful and gracious plan of God, we can slowly grow as we allow the seed of his word to have its way in us. And God isn't looking for some rapid or artificial growth. Steadily, he is using his word to shape and mold us into the image of Christ. Though it might take decades, he is working a harvest in us.
OK, let's look at one last parable today.
Parable 3: The Word Of Christ Started Small But Will End Massive (Mark 4:30-32)
30 And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
Mustard Seed
They considered the mustard seed the smallest of all the seeds they used in their gardens (31, 32). It was a sort of proverb. The mustard seed was so small, but sprouted up to become a large plant with large branches (32). And Jesus said the kingdom of God could be compared to the mustard seed and the plant it produces. Though it had a small start with a carpenter's Son in northern Israel, it would branch out into the whole world.
Application #6 -- Don't despise the day of small things.
I borrow the phrase from Zechariah. During his day, some were tempted to despise the small things as they tried to rebuild the temple in Israel (Zechariah 4:10). It seemed like a small work, but God didn't want them to despise it because it was a good work.
In a similar way, when it comes to God's kingdom, we should not despise the day of small things. Slow growth, little church plants, brand new ministries -- they can all be examples of small things God is going to do a powerful work through. So, just as the ancient multitudes Jesus taught should not have despised the humble beginnings of his kingdom, so we should not despise the small things in God's kingdom today.
Warning? Birds Of The Air
But Jesus also mentioned the birds of the air nesting in the shade of the tree (32). What is the meaning of this part of the parable?
Some see the birds as a reference to the nations that would come into the kingdom. And there are great Old Testament passages that point to God's kingdom eventually expanding to the Gentile world (Psalm 104:12, Ezekiel 17:23, 31:6, Daniel 4:9-21). This is a solid and compelling interpretation.
Some think the birds have no significance in the parable. I doubt this line of thinking.
And others think the original parable gives us a clue about the birds' identity. Remember the first soil where the seed was sown on the path? Jesus said:
Mark 4:15 (ESV) — 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
Furthermore, when Jesus explained the first parable, he said:
Mark 4:13 (ESV) — 13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
Since birds were representatives of Satan in the first parable, and since Jesus said understanding the first parable would help them understand all the parables, many have concluded the birds this current parable are bad. For people who hold this interpretation, though the church will undergo rapid growth and expansion over the years, it will also house some pretty weird stuff. That weird stuff isn't part of the real church but pretends to be. I think the history of the church bears this out—odd things done in the name of Christ. I mean, can anyone say "Branch Davidian"? So weird. Like birds resting in the branches of something they aren't part of, they aren't part of the church.
As much as I would like this parable to only indicate the beautiful, radical, multinational growth of the kingdom, and as much as those themes are expressed elsewhere in Scripture, I tend to see the birds as something negative attached to the ultimate expansion of the kingdom. I mean, I'm not going to break from fellowship with someone who holds another view, but it's the one I lean towards.
Application #7 -- Grow in discernment.
If this parable indicates that odd and unbiblical factors will attach themselves to the church over the years, then we must grow in discernment. Not everything that claims to be biblical or appropriate for the church is so. And not everything that sounds right is right. We do not gain discernment from Oprah or Facebook or from within. We grow in discernment as we grow in the word of God, and interact with those who have done the same.
Romans 12:2 (ESV) — 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Is there anything that can help us avoid having discernment? If we are swimming in this world — if our televisions and phones and tablets and billboards and feeds are all trying to disciple us — is there any hope? If our every conversation and classroom have an angle, how could we possibly avoid world conformation? It all seems so inevitable.
Paul writes: but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. This is our aid: mind transformation. We are not to be conformed, but to allow our minds to be transformed.
So how does this transformation of the mind occur? Basically, through interaction with the word of God, the Bible. It is only by learning, reading, studying, and applying the word of God to our lives we'll be able to "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (Colossians 3:10). Would you like to think like God? Well, you must study how God thinks. He reveals himself to us in his word.
Conclusion
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Parables
Mark only gave us four of the thirty-nine parables recorded in all the gospels. He was mostly focused on Jesus' actions, not his words, but these four parables we've looked at give a great sense of Jesus' teaching.
Hearing
And the thrust has been simple. Ten times in the last two weeks, Jesus used the word hear. We must hear him. Hear his word. Hear what his kingdom is really all about. If we don't, our expectations of him will often go unmet. But if we do hear him, he will go beyond our wildest dreams.