“Where is God presently moving us from slavery to freedom? We are to lay behind all which ensnares and enslaves us. We believe this doctrinally but often functionally we forget and continue to wallow about in the mire wrapped in our chains. Am I disobedient to the high heavenly vision and command of freedom in Christ? Or am I devoted to my enslavement instead of my Lord? God desires to satisfy what that enslavement can never do – the deepest hungers of our hearts.” BHY
“Life is a battle against delighting in anything more than we delight in Him.” John Piper
That was the whole point when Jesus healed the paralytic in chapter Two of Mark – He forgave His sins before He gave him back his legs. He knew that in 2 or 4 or 6 months or whatever – if He had simply healed him – his intense longing for fulfillment would again resurface – it always will.
The opening of Mark Three continues with Jesus showing his adversaries that He was indeed the Lord of the Sabbath. It opens with a man with a shriveled hand in the synagogue and our Lord’s opponents looking for a reason to accuse Him, watching Jesus with a close eye. Perfect. Showtime! All eyes were on the Lord. A hushness fills the place. Jesus said to the man – “Stand up in front of everyone” – He wanted all to see – this healing was not to be done in secret nor behind closed doors. Then He asks of His adversaries a question: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But of course they remained mute. Jesus knows how to ask a loaded question does He not? He is determined for us to see and admit to what really lies in our hearts – not to condemn but to heal. Jesus’ desire was to set this shriveled hand man free to serve the true and living God and not some man-made rules and regulations:
Read Greg Laurie’s Set Free To Serve (2)
Deeply distressed over the calloused, blind, insensitive hearts of the onlookers, He tells the man to stretch out his hand in full view of all and when he did so, it was completely restored. Yet, enslaved and blinded by their own religiosity and pride, instead of placing Him above all and bowing the knee to Him those who witnessed the healing began plotting how they might kill Him. He was getting in the way of their worldview – big time – and they wanted rid of Him.
The Pharisees were of the “traditional values” approach to life which is a moral conformity to the Law (God’s and theirs!) sans the Spirit which we know through Scripture, of course, is an impossibility and it turns into a prideful legalism as well. This of course had already been proven to be a dismal failure by the Israelites as there is no one is righteous not even one and there is no way to perfectly carry out the Law of God apart from the power of the indwelling Spirit. God showed us through the Law that we desperately needed a Savior. These Pharisees enjoyed their high-ranking positions and praise of men and they were not desirous of being removed from the throne of their lives:
“These covetous Pharisees could not bear to have that touched, which was their Delilah, their darling lust; for this they derided him, they turned up their noses at him, or blew their noses on him. It is an expression of the utmost scorn and disdain imaginable. They laughed at him for going so contrary to the opinion and way of the world. It is common for those to make a joke of the word of God who are resolved that they will not be ruled by it.” Matthew Henry
The “progressive approach” embodied by the Herodians was self-discovery – one has to decide what is right or wrong for themselves. According to the Bible both of these are ways of being your own savior and lord. Also, both are hostile to the message of Jesus and both lead to self-righteousness and pride.
The moralist says, “The good people are in and the bad people are out – and of course we’re the good ones.” The self-discovery person says, “Oh, no, the progressive, open-minded people are in and the judgmental bigots are out – and of course we’re the open-minded ones.”
The gospel does not say, “the good are in and the bad are out,” nor “the open-minded are in and the judgmental are out.” The gospel says the humble are in and the proud are out. The gospel says the people who know they’re not better, not more open minded, not more moral than anyone else, are in, and the people who think they’re on the right side of the divide simply because of their actions are out. It is those sinners that know they need a Savior and by faith accept Jesus’ work for them on the cross that they might become the righteousness of God. No one can be good enough. No one. All have sinned and fall short of His glory – all (inclusive word). It is those who humble themselves under God’s mighty hand that He will up. Scripture states:
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
“The Cross epitomized the love of God (John 3:16) and of Christ (John 15:13; Romans 5:8). The Savior was sinless: He had no sin. He was ‘without sin’ (Hebrews 4:15), and ‘in Him is no sin’ (1 John 3:5). He took on Himself the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2). God made Him... to be sin for us (cf. Isaiah 53: 4-6,10). The sins of the world were placed on Him so that, in turn, His righteousness could be given to those who trust Him (Romans 5:17) and are thus in Him. That gift of righteousness is obtainable only by faith (Romans 3:22; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9).” The Bible Knowledge Commentary
Mark continues to reveal gradually like an expert storyteller as well as a faithful reporter of the Truth.
Crowds Follow Jesus
In the first passage we saw hostility towards Jesus and in this passage we see great popular acclaim. Large crowds kept flocking to Him. In this section, throngs of the sick were seeking to touch Him and be healed. They did not seem to care about Him or be concerned about His privacy, His need for time alone, or even His need for food and rest, they sought His miraculous power for healing. The needy need, no matter what the cost to the Provider. This passage tells us that He had withdrawn with His disciples as they too had experienced both hostility and popularity. Enthralled by His miracles, Scriptures states people came not only from Galilee but from all over the regions – Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Tyre and Sidon.
So intense was the impact of Jesus’ healing ministry and the desire of those with diseases to touch Him that He told His disciples to have a small boat ready to escape the rush of the crowds. Only Mark reported this detail, suggesting the memory of an eyewitness such as Peter.
The demons fall down at His feet before Him acknowledging His true status as the Son of God (no surprise here) and were greatly threatened by His presence. Jesus did not accept their repeated cries of recognition, and ordered them not to tell who He was. In silencing their untimely cries, Jesus reaffirmed His submission to God’s plan for the progressive disclosure of His identity and mission. It was both the wrong source and the wrong time. All authority is His.
The Appointing Of The Twelve Apostles
From the lakeside lowlands, Jesus proceeds to the mountaintop and there He calls the twelve and appointed them apostles. As His disciples they would follow Him, be with Him, and learn from Him. They would be sent out by Him with His authority to proclaim Him in the gospel. They would carry out His mission and would have the authority to preach and to cast out demons. In word and action they were to carry on His work of building the kingdom of God just as we are to do be about today.
To prepare them for so great a work He wanted them with Him for three years watching and learning from the Master Himself. In choosing 12, He shows that He is establishing a new, holy nation – a new community called the church. It is reminiscent of the 12 tribes of Israel as well. Peter tells us:
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
I wonder, are we faithful to declare His praises who called us out of darkness into His Marvelous light?
Two reasons Jesus handpicked His disciples (1) so they could be with Him – there would be immediate association for training – handpicked by the Master to mentor and train them and (2) to be sent out by Him to preach the good news as well as to have delegated authority to drive out demons. These 12 would be tasked with leading the early church and proclaiming the gospel among the nations.
Luke tells us He prayed all night before calling them (Luke 6:12). Clearly Jesus saw this as a crucial decision in His ministry and in the building of His kingdom and therefore He covered this decision with prayer and petition. Likewise, we would do well to do the same when facing crucial decisions in our own lives. He both taught them and gave them authority. Through the Holy Spirit’s power, He does the same for us.
Jon Bloom writes on prayer: Seven Ways To Pray For Your Heart (Read) (3)
Of this mountain top scene in Scripture Spurgeon writes:
Read Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening September 10 Morning Page 508 (4)
This motley group of men came from a variety of different backgrounds. They had different passions, interests, and agendas. But the thing they have in common was that Jesus called them out, committed Himself to invest in them, and used them to change the world. Likewise, we must call out those we wish to invest in as we continue to make disciples of Jesus today.
Jesus And Beelzebub
Mark immediately changes the scene and Jesus is now entering a house (probably the home of Peter) where once again Scripture states the crowds gathered with such a vengeance - all clamoring for healing - that the Lord and His disciples were unable to even eat. This scenario seems never ending for Jesus – the house being so full of people there was no time or space to catch a breath much less eat. When His family heard about it they came to take charge of Him thinking He had lost His mind.
This is Mrak’se first mention of Jesus’ family and it does not reflect too well on them. They hear He is swamped and being unwilling to care for even His physical needs they came to restrain Him convinced He was out of His mind. It is one thing to be misunderstood, let down, and betrayed by a friend. It is hard to put into words what it feels like when it is your own family. Those who should know you the very best. It quite frankly takes betrayal to another level.
The teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem were so hardened in their rejection of Jesus as God’s True Messiah that they attribute to Satan the works of the Holy Spirit stating it was through demonic power that the demons were cast out. They believed Jesus was a demon-powered apostate who should be silenced quickly.
In stating He was possessed by Beelzebub they were saying He was lord of that which was rotten and repulsive, lord of the dung heap. He was the ruler of a house or dynasty of demons. They consistently hurled this slur at Jesus, trying to destroy His reputation. With a hardened heart, which was a sin against the gospel in its clearest manifestation, they look at the supremely good One and called Him the supremely evil one. It was a persistent rejection of and declaration against what the Spirit of God was doing in and through Jesus.
Those who move in the direction of the unpardonable sin are aware of the miraculous works of Jesus that cannot be denied. The scribes at no point deny He had cast out demons! In addition, this unpardonable sin was characterized by consistently rejecting the obvious and logical conclusion that these spiritual works were done by the Spirit of God. Instead, those guilty will declare verbally and consistently that these spiritual works were actually from Satan. Such actions reveal a hardened heart that calls evil good and that will not celebrate the works of God in Christ.
Jesus responds by calling the religious elite to hear a short proverbial saying that quickly refutes their accusations and reveals the absurdity of their logic. He first makes a simple observation in verses 23-26:
23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.” Mark 3:23-26 (NIV)
Their logic is inconceivable! If what they were saying was true, Satan was destroying himself, he would be utterly powerless to do anything to advance his kingdom, and obviously that was not the case. They need only to look around at all the misery he causes to see that. Satan extends his kingdom by sowing chaos and enslaving humans, not be setting them free. Confusion is his handiwork. It is ridiculous to suggest that Jesus was fighting for Satan by releasing his captives. To not see this reveals intentional spiritual blindness: “My mind is made up! Don’t confuse me with the facts! I am NOT going to believe it!”
Jesus then changes the analogy. He says, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” Pick your context – marriage, family, business, sports, church – the truth remains: a division in the ranks will cause the institution to fail, destroying itself from the inside out.
Next Jesus gives a parable. Satan is the “strong man”, and Jesus is the One breaking into his house, his realm, to bind and plunder Satan’s domain. Satan is indeed a strong man in this world. His house is a house of horrors, filled with sin, sickness, death, demon possession, and all that is evil and wicked. His possessions are human beings, enslaved by all these evils. Demons are his agents who delight in carrying out his diabolical agenda. No one but Jesus is strong enough to invade his realm and carry away his possessions. No one but Jesus is more powerful than this strongman. It is self-evident and indisputable that the Son of God has come to destroy the works of the Devil. In denying this truth, the scribes reveal their intentional spiritual blindness.
Jesus concludes this matter by stating “I tell you the Truth”, literally “Amen”. This word is found only in the Gospels. In every case the word is said by Jesus. It is a serious and solemn affirmation. In using it, Jesus attests His words are completely true and reliable because He is uniquely the true witness of God (because He is God). Put this in the mouth of any other person, and it is completely out of place. With Jesus there is a perfect fit. Jesus declares the gracious forgiveness and mercy of God in forgiving sins. “All sins”, literally, “whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme”, will be forgiven. All sinners can find the forgiveness of God if they will come to Him in repentance and faith. However, if someone speaks against the Holy Spirit verbally and continually, with willful and malicious intent that reveals a hardened heart beyond the possibility of repentance, there is no forgiveness, and they are “guilty of an eternal sin”.
“The failure of the scribes to recognize Him as the Bearer of the Spirit and the Conqueror of Satan could be forgiven. The considered judgment that His power was demonic, however, betrayed a defiant resistance to the Holy Spirit. This severe warning was not addressed to laymen but to carefully trained legal specialists whose task was to interpret the biblical law to the people. It was their responsibility to be aware of God’s redemptive action. Their insensitivity to the Spirit through whom Jesus was qualified for His mission exposed them to grave peril. Their own tradition condemned their gross callousness as sharply as Jesus’ word. The admonition concerning blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not to be divorced from this historical context and applied generally. Mark emphasizes this by terminating the incident with a reference to the specific accusation that Jesus was possessed by an unclean spirit…Repetition and a fixed attitude of mind…brought the scribes to the brink of unforgivable blasphemy.” William Lane
To conclude, the unpardonable sin is to knowingly, willingly, and persistently attribute to Satan the works of God done by and in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, who testifies to these truths in your heart. (1) It is a sin of full knowledge. (2) It is an ongoing disposition of the heart that resists the conviction of the Holy Spirit. (3) It is a verbal act that attributes the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. (4) It is a willful rejection of God’s grace in Jesus. (5) It is rooted in unbelief. (6) It is a sin a Christian cannot commit. (7) It is a sin not committed by one who is concerned that he may have committed it.
Sin is no laughing matter to God. He never makes light of it or winks at it. Always, always run to Jesus in faith in repentance for forgiveness. You will always find His arms open there!
Jesus’ Mother And Brothers
Jesus’ intent here was not to shoot down the false doctrine of universalism (everyone will be saved); yet He does just that, even at the expense of His own family. They have accused Him of being deranged and in need of forced confinement. In this context Jesus makes clear who is family and who is not, who is in and who is out. His words could not be more striking or any clearer.
We are not brought into the family of God through physical relationships, but by faith in Jesus Christ which leads to our humble obedience.
Jesus’ family was standing on the outside of the home Jesus and the others were in – the symbolism here being striking! Their desire was to restrain His activities. The crowd relays the message that His family is outside asking for Him. His response, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” was shocking to the family-centered culture of that day. Yet His words in Verse 35 makes it pristinely clear:
35 “Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:35 (NIV)
In this our Lord states that no physical family connection is ultimately necessary to be in God’s family. Jesus provides a clear, simple, blanket statement concerning who is part of the family of God: anyone who “does the will of God”. Obedience does not originate a relationship with God, faith does that, but obedience demonstrates our faith.
Read Ronnie Stevens’ The Path To Discipleship – January 26 (5)
Of this text Tim Keller relates:
“Jesus…is the true elder brother. He willingly brings us into the Father’s family at His expense. He died for us, He was plundered for us. We sit at the Father’s table dressed in Jesus’ clothes, with His ring on our finger. All through Him. We must celebrate and live out the fact that we are members of a kingdom family, and it is all at the expense of our big brother, Jesus Christ. Do you live every day as if you are a member of God’s family, accepted and loved? Remember, a child in a family obeys not in order to be loved and accepted, but because he already is loved and accepted.”
Chapter Four
In the first four sections of Chapter Four are four parables depicting the character of God’s kingdom: The Parable Of The Sower, The Lamp On A Stand, The Parable Of The Growing Seed, and The Parable Of The Mustard Seed. A parable is a short discourse that conveys spiritual truth by making a vivid comparison. The truth to be taught is compared to something in nature or a common-life experience. A parable usually expresses a single important truth, though occasionally a subordinate feature expands its total meaning. A parable draws its hearers to take part in a situation, evaluate it, and apply its truth to themselves.
The Parable Of The Sower
Once again Jesus was teaching a large crowd by the lake – the Sea of Galilee. The crowd was so large that He was forced to sit in a boat... out on the lake and teach those who lined the shore at the water’s edge. This, of course, helped His voice to carry as the water served as a microphone. On this occasion, He taught them many things by parables. The first being the Parable of the Sower. The seed was sown by a farmer but the seed fell on many different soils. Jesus’ illustration mentioned four types of soil: (1) the path – verse 4 (2) the rocky ground – verses 5 & 6 (3) the soil with thorns – verse 7 and (4) the good and productive soil – verse 8.
The kingdom of God, through the preaching of the Gospel, will break into this world like seed being sown by a farmer. It will fall in various places, receive various responses, but will eventually experience a tremendous harvest. The parable begins with a challenge from Jesus’ hearers to pay careful attention to what He is about to say- that goes for us as well! A spiritually alert heart and mind are needed to understand His teachings. The message of the parable for the Christian is clear – we must liberally sow the seed of the Gospel that others might hear and respond. Jesus tells us the responses will most definitely vary but that is not to be our concern. Our assignment is to sow generously and God will be responsible for the harvest:
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NIV)
The twelve and others around Jesus wanted to know why He spoke in parables. His answer constituting what some could classify as one of the “hard sayings” of Jesus. It requires consideration and reflection to be sure. Addressing the twelve and those who also desire more of His teaching, Jesus states that they will be granted access and further insight to the secrets of the kingdom of God. In contrast, those on the “outside” – those who persist in unbelief will get no further explanation. Those outside are not denied the possibility of belief, but if they persist in their unbelief, they will not receive more evidence or revelation.
Again, Jesus’ audiences were not denied the opportunity to believe in Him. But after they persistently closed their minds to His message, they were excluded from further understanding of it by His use of parables. Yet even the parables, which veiled the truth, were meant to provoke thought, enlighten, and ultimately reveal it. We see later in verses 24-25:
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Mark 4:24-25 (NIV)
Love the Word and you will get more satisfaction and understanding in Who God has revealed Himself to be. Refuse the Word and even the understanding you do have will be taken away. The secret of the kingdom is that God’s present plan for growing it is seed sowing. Later the kingdom will flourish like seeds that mature into fruit.
The fruitfulness of the Gospel depends on the hearer’s receptivity. Jesus begins to explain the parable by mildly chiding His disciples. If they did not understand this parable they would surely struggle understanding the others. One must first learn to add and subtract before learning calculus.
Jesus then proceeds to explain the four soils:
The soil of some hearts were hard. The Word comes to them and immediately, as soon as they hear it, Satan snatches it away. They are resistant and thus unresponsive. They suffer from what might be called “gospel deafness”. Like skeptics they dismiss the Word without giving it careful consideration. For whatever reason they are hardened to the gospel. The book closes when the service ends, and so do their ears and hearts.
The next soil is welcomed with joy but is not substantive enough to maintain the growth of the seed. Emotions will never carry you long – even the demons believe and tremble. These emotive responders may endure for a while and perhaps show signs of maturity, just as the plant sprouts quickly, grows well at first, and looks promising, however, these hearts are shallow and have no roots. When persecution or tribulation comes because of God’s Word they immediately fall away. Quickly green and quickly gone.
The soil of some hearts were distracted. These people received the Word better than the first two however, the distractions of this world – worry, wealth and craving for other things – cause the Word to be unfruitful by choking it out (verse 19). There is a partial commitment, which is, in reality, no commitment at all. The present life is more important to them than the life to come, and stuff is more important than the Savior. Think about the rich young ruler of Jesus’ day. Jesus tells us in John:
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NIV)
Those who continue on with Him are really His disciples therefore, those in this group show themselves to be false disciples. There is no real surrender to Christ as Lord. They find more pleasure in the created rather than the Creator. And all their worldly wealth proves to be a snare for them.
Lastly, we see that the soil of those hearts which are fruitful. This soil is noticeably different from the first three. It represents those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit. Tribulation and persecution do not deter them. Worries, wealth, personal desires, and sinful cravings do not distract them. Their hearing is active, not passive. They allow the Word to take root in their hearts and rejoice in its growth. A fruitless Christian is an oxymoron. John 15:5 states:
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NIV)
Believers must both hear the Word and apply the Word otherwise we simply “sit, soak and sour.” It is not merely to have head knowledge which only puffs up. It starts in the head then proceeds to the heart and finally goes out through the hands. Be greedy for the Word. Apply its Truths to your life. Go after it, grab hold of it, and do not let it go. Like a starving beggar who has found bread, seize it with all your might and cherish it.
It would do us well to remember that he kingdom of God is guaranteed to grow by the power of God until it encompasses people from every nation. Sometimes the work of the Lord can become frustrating and disappointing. We can work hard yet see little fruit. We shine the light of the Gospel and sow the seed of the Word, but not much happens. It seems almost futile and we begin to wonder why we should even continue. I remember receiving a note from a lady in a Bible Study I was once leading and she wrote of how she did not feel a part, how she did not “blend” so to speak with others, etc. and she was thinking of quitting and then she added: “But the Wednesday’s just kept coming.” That hit me like a load of bricks. I am not responsible for the results, but I am to be responsible for my faithfulness to His call.
William Carey (1761-1834), the father of the modern missionary movement, labored in India seven years before seeing his first convert. He shared the Gospel for more than 40 years, but the fruit of his labor was minimal. Still he could say, “The future is as bright as the promises of God” and “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”
Likewise, Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) labored in Burma for seven years before seeing his first convert. He would die disappointed that his labors for the Gospel yielded so little fruit. Yet, like Carey, he was faithful to the end and could voice these words: “In spite of sorrow, loss, and pain, our course be onward still; we sow on Burma’s barren plain, we reap on Zion’s hill.”
Read: Robert Morgan’s On This Day – Judson – February 6 (6).
Read: Donna Evans Bible Bits – A Disciple is Not Above His Teacher (7).
Scripture tells us:
5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV)
“And we will never stop being the boldface brave who show up when it would be easier to give up, who go do hard & holy things when it would be easier to just go do happy things, who do not quit when we don’t know how to keep going on. You can hear it about this time of September, breathing warm courage into our exhausted places: ‘Just Call to Me, I guarantee I will answer you. I will make you strong & brave.’ (Psalms 138:3). Be Brave. Hold out your Light to hold back the flood of dark. Be Brave. Your bravery wins a thousand battles you can’t see because your bravery strengthens a thousand others to win their battles too. Be Brave. And do not pray for the hard thing to go away. But pray for a bravery to come that’s bigger than the hard thing.” Ann Voskamp
These saints from the past and present are cheering us on inspiring us to press on by a little lamp, a bunch of seeds, and one small mustard seed.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
A Lamp On A Stand
The light of Jesus will not be hidden. The theme of this parable and the two which follow it is how God’s kingdom emerges and grows. Mark brings these parables together to reinforce the main parable of the soils. These stories drive home the need for the response of faith to God’s revealed Word.
Jesus begins this set of parables with a commonsense illustration about a lamp. However, a literal translation of the key phrase in verse 21 is “Comes the lamp…” This is a reference to Jesus Himself, who has “come as a light into the world” (John 12:46). He is “the light of men” (John 1:4), “the true light” (John 1:9), and the “light of the world” (John 8:12). How then are we to respond to this extraordinary Lamp – this very good news?
Jesus (the Lamp) or for that matter any lamp (light) is not brought to be put under a bowl or under a bed. The very idea is ridiculous. Rather a lamp is put up high on a stand in the open to give out its light. Likewise, God has sent this Lamp (Jesus) to bring light to a dark world. He has come to reveal truth, enlighten minds and conquer the darkness! The light may be, for the most part, hidden at the moment. However, eventually the whole world will see the glory of this light. That which is hidden will be made manifest. The resurrection of the crucified King assures this revelation. The second coming of the glorified King will establish it. The world may try to hide Jesus, ignore Jesus and continue to “spit” on Jesus (so to speak) but it will fail miserably in their attempts to snuff out the Light. Remember, Jesus tells us that whatever anyone does to His followers or to His Church (His body) they are doing it to Him – just like he said to Paul when He called him out of the darkness:
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. Acts 9:3-5 (NIV)
Jesus tells us to really listen up – to pay attention to His Words. It is important that those who are privy to hear Truth make good use of it meaning we not only pay attention to hear but we are also faithful to heed. What follows in verse 24 is again a reminder to listen up coupled with a critically important theological principle in the form of a proverb:
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Mark 4:24-25 (NIV)
If our hearing is receptive to the Word we will receive it back and even more. Meaning, respond to God’s Truth and more Truth will follow. In radical contrast, for the one who rejects the Word, even what he has will be taken away. Refuse Jesus and the Word, and you lose the little you may once have had. This is a critical spiritual principle that Jesus is warning us of here. How we respond to Him and to His Word revealed is of the utmost importance. Never take for granted what He is pouring into you!
The Parable Of The Growing Seed
This is Mark’s only unique parable. It is the second parable by our Lord crafted about sowing seeds. Jesus’ first focus was on the necessity of sowing and the receptivity of the soils in The Parable Of The Sower. In this parable His focus is on the innate power of the seed. The Word of God has within it the power of its own success and triumph. Let the Word loose and watch it work. (Bread and Butter; Scripture in bills; stating from memory Scripture to impact hearts, etc.) Don’t be deluded about this – Scripture is powerful.
This parable is instructive concerning the nature of the kingdom in a comprehensive sense noting the kingdom’s sowing (verse 26), growing (verses 27-28), and harvesting (verse 29). From beginning to end the sovereignty of Christ and the power of the Word stand forth in absolute authority.
Interestingly, the man who sows in not important, rather it is the seed that is important. The man is passive because the power of the seed to sprout and grow does not come from him. The seed has within itself the power of its own generation it is not contingent or dependent upon human activity – the seed of the Gospel prospers and grows by itself. Plant the Word in a receptive heart and off it goes! Once it is sown, a process is set in motion that cannot and will not be stopped, even though its growth is a total mystery to us. James tells us:
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21 (NIV)
Lastly in verses 28-29, there is a certainty to the growth of the seed. The Greek rendering is “Automate” literally meaning “Automatically the earth bears fruit”. Once the process has begun it is destined to be completed – blade, ear, grain and harvest. The process is not spectacular but it is certain. God begins the good work and carries it on to completion. Paul tells us:
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV)
God did not design His kingdom to come like a lightening bolt or a tidal wave which both comes and disappears quickly. No, God planted it in the coming of a Galilean peasant, a homeless man from Nazareth, Who gathered about Him a bunch of nobodies. The ways of God are mysterious indeed, but He will be successful.
The “sickle” is often a symbol of the arrival of the kingdom of God and the judgment that will accompany it. Revelation 14:15 states:
15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Revelation 14:15 (NIV)
The Parable Of The Mustard Seed
In this parable Jesus helps us see exactly where the kingdom of God is headed. The mustard seed was renowned in Palestine because it was the smallest of all the seeds sown. Jesus wants us to draw an analogy between the mustard bush’s microscopic beginning and its very large mature state – it starts small then explodes in growth. It produces something out of proportion to itself. Likewise, God’s kingdom starts small then expands and grows for all to see.
Unlike His first coming, when Christ returns, all the world will see as He surpasses all the earth’s kingdoms in power, glory, and majesty. This is such an encouraging Word for those who think they labor in vain, who endure rejection and persecution, and who may even experience martyrdom. The birds mentioned perhaps represent the nations coming into the kingdom to “perch in its shade”. Indeed, there is a surprising growth to God’s kingdom and all the nations will enter and enjoy it! This is a parable of growth and of grace, of joy and of celebration.
Jesus spoke in parables so they would understand the nature of the kingdom and the central role both He and the Word would play in it. At least 39 parables are found in the Gospels. He chose this teaching method purposely knowing its end results.
Parables would either enlighten or obscure depending upon one’s ability to hear and respond. For the tenth time in Chapter Four, the importance of hearing and heeding is noted. Everything was explained to those in close communion and connection to Jesus – it still remains so. Draw close to Jesus and you will get more of Him and His Father; draw back from Jesus and you lose both Him and the Father.
Jesus Calms The Storm
Lastly in Chapter Four we discover Jesus’ authority over the wind and the sea which demonstrate His identity as God and as the One we can trust. Psalms 107:23-32 states:
23 Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24 They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. 28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. 32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. Psalm 107:23-32 (NIV)
These verses point to the inescapable Truth for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see. Jesus is the God of Psalms 107 who “stilled the storm to a murmur, and the waves of the sea were hushed”. Our passage in Mark is the first of a series of historical accounts that bear witness to Jesus’ power as a miracle worker. He has authority over nature, over demons, over sickness and over death.
The story is laden with “irrelevant details” marking it even more as an eyewitness account of Peter. Fictional stories contain details that move the narrative or to convey a message but eyewitnesses record many details simply because they remember them. Such details include that other boats were around the boat Jesus and His disciples were in; and that Jesus was in the boat asleep on a cushion. These sorts of details do nothing to advance the plot or to develop the characters. Vincent Taylor, the prominent twentieth-century biblical scholar, said that these details were “so unnecessary to the story” and therefore have the marks of “genuine reminiscence”. Mark’s account of this incident is marked by accuracy and detail. No doubt we have the reminiscences of Peter the eyewitness authority behind Mark’s Gospel.
God orchestrates an event in the lives of the apostles to increase their faith in the One they should already trust, Who loves them with an everlasting love. This account points to the One Who is the sovereign and all-powerful. Six things stand out for our consideration and edification:
God is working in the circumstances of our lives. Not accidentally Jesus leads His guys right into the storm. He sets the circumstances up perfectly then calmly goes to sleep in the stern when everything turns upside down. Don’t we feel that way sometimes? Everything in our lives goes topsy-turvy and it feels like Jesus is asleep! Hurricane winds come upon the water so strongly that even these seasoned fishermen were at their wits end and fearful of their lives. Of course, this did not catch God off guard. No “surprise” in our lives catches Him off guard either. These become divinely ordained moments whereby God is working in the everyday circumstances of our life to reveal Who He is, who we are, and Who we need! No doubt, trials and tribulations, difficulties and desperate moments are when God does His greatest work in our lives. When He brings us to the end of ourselves, we are driven to Him alone as Savior and Rescuer.
The humanity and the Deity of Jesus. Both Jesus’ humanity and Deity are on display in this story. Worn out in His human frame, He is soundly asleep in the stern on a cushion. He had had an exhausting day and He kept on sleeping right through the incredible storm which frightened the seasoned fishermen to death. Jesus sleeps in perfect peace knowing nothing is out of His control.
We panic when we lose faith in the One we should trust. We see the normal human reaction of the disciples when they are faced with a crisis they cannot control. Instead of a spiritual response we might expect from those who had been with Jesus, we see a terrified panic – “We’re going to drown!” They begin to question His love and concern for them. Frustrated by what appears to be indifference to their plight and facing a desperate situation they have no hope of handling themselves, they lash out in a rude outburst rather than exhibiting faith in the One Who has proven Himself trustworthy. How often we look just like the disciples – “Don’t you care Lord?” “You seem so far away.” “Do you even love me?” “Why are you letting this happen to me Lord?” And on and on we go with the questions. It pains me greatly to see myself so clearly in this. He has proven Himself faithful over and over in my life yet so often when caught by surprise and squeezed in the wine press of affliction I so often fuss, fume and fail rather than demonstrate faith.
“God is too wise to err, too good to be unkind; leave off doubting Him, and begin to trust Him, for in so doing, you will put a crown on His head.” Charles H. Spurgeon
Jesus has all authority over nature because He is God. The winds and the waves halt at His rebuke by a simple “Quiet! Be Still!” The wording actually means “be still and stay still” – much like you would say to a small child. The Master speaks and the wind and the waves cease. Hurricane force winds are stopped by His word. Only God could do this and now the disciples are even more terrified asking each other “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey Him!”
Trials and difficulties come for the benefit of our faith. Jesus now turns from addressing the storm to addressing His guys expressing a mild rebuke: “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?” This was a golden teaching moment but they came up wanting. In the eye of the storm, rather than trusting Him, the disciples accuse Jesus of forsaking them. Unfortunately, this will not be the last time Jesus must point out their lack of faith. Until they see the resurrected Christ and fully understand what He did for them on the cross, they are going to struggle. We, in contrast, have no excuse on this side of the cross. We know Jesus is all-powerful and all-knowing. We know He has taken care of all our sin. We know He rose from the dead. We know He can be trusted no matter what. Trails and difficulties are divine appointments to strengthen our faith and conform us into the image of Jesus through His power. As He proves Himself faithful we know He will continue to be faithful still.
“God is God, and since He is God, He is worthy of my worship and my service. I will find rest nowhere else but in His will, and that will is necessarily infinitely, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.” Elisabeth Elliot
The identity of Jesus is an issue we all must settle. The story ends with the terrified disciples asking a question we each must face – “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” The presence of God is far more frightening than the most destructive forces of nature. One can take your life the other can claim your soul. Despite all the miracles they had been privy to see the disciples were still unsure just Who Jesus is. This circumstance gave them an opportunity and a challenge to understand and settle the identity of Christ. It is adequate to draw the conclusion that He is the Christ, the Son of God. The evidence is most overwhelming.
These are Beth’s personal notes, due to this fact sources are not often stated.