Jesus Prophesies about the Future IV

Mark 13:24-31.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 11, 2020.

In our passage today, Jesus instructs us about one of the cardinal doctrines that he gave to the Church.  He will come again, a Second Coming.

The idea of him leaving and then coming back had already been revealed to them.  John 14:1-3 says this,

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  (NKJV)

It is clear that Jesus has in mind a wedding analogy.  The description of what he says completely fits a young man preparing a place for his bride on his father’s property.  Jesus had warned them that he would be leaving them, but that it was for a purpose.  He would eventually return for his bride so that they could be together.

In our passage today, he promises his disciples that this coming again would be in “power and great glory,” in order to reward the saints and remove the wicked.  Of course, there is much more to it than that, but I do not want to stray from our focus on this passage.

So, in the setting of this passage, Jesus has told his disciples that there would be a period of time from his leaving until his coming back that would be a time of labor pains for the world, a time of sorrows.  It would be a time of the Gentiles in which God would send the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  This long period (almost 2,000 years now) would come to an end in a seven-year period of difficulty called the Great Tribulation, which we discussed over the last two weeks.  Mark 13:24 begins the third stage of this prophecy, the Second Coming of the Son of Man, which basically happens on a single day, but will have repercussive events.

Let’s go through the passage.

The Second Coming of Jesus

Jesus actually refers to this event as the coming of “the Son of Man.”  He is employing a phrase that can be a way of calling someone human, but when it is used in a prophetic passage about the end of the age, it is a clear reference to the Son of Man that is prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14.

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.   ¹⁴ And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Jesus is connecting his leaving and coming back to a character of ancient prophecy, the Son of Man who would come on the clouds and receive the kingdoms of the world from the Ancient of Days.  If you read the context of these verses from Daniel, you see that the Ancient of Days has overruled the attempt of multiple “beasts,” a metaphor for Gentile Empires, to rule the world.  Instead, the God of Creation gives the kingdoms of this world to a particular human who can ride the clouds of heaven and will share his kingdom with the saints of God, rather than the powerful of this world.  This is a strange and cryptic figure.  He is clearly human, “son of man,” and yet rides the clouds, something a heavenly being would do.

Now let us look at the wording of verse 24.  Jesus says that this coming would be “in those days,” and “after that tribulation.”  He is very clear about connecting the Great Tribulation directly to his Second Coming.  This is important because we do have to watch for the tendency of prophecy to conflate events separated by long periods of time.  However, the terminology that Jesus uses states that the Great Tribulation will have come to an end (“after”) and yet, the Second Coming will be in “those” days.  On top of this, Matthew 24 uses the word “immediately.”

In fact, the Second Coming of Jesus becomes the apex or capstone to the terrible days of the Great Tribulation.  To the wicked who have chosen to worship the beast and his kingdom, it will be the final blow of the wrath of God.  To the righteous who have chosen to wait for Jesus, it will be the beginning of the Utopian age of which mankind has often dreamed.  This is the same thing as shown in Revelation 19.  At the conclusion of the Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets, and Seven Bowls of Wrath, Jesus comes riding on the clouds of heaven with an army in tow.

Even at the worst time of all human history, God has a plan and has not forgotten us.  He will save humanity from itself, and from the fallen angels.  He has not abandoned us!  The Great Tribulation will be God’s last attempt to draw humans back from the abyss that we longingly push towards.

Jesus then describes some signs that would be seen in the heavens or sky.  The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars of heaven will fall.  This is then summarized as, “the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

I believe that there is a literal and metaphorical overlap happening here.  The book of Revelation also mentions the sun becoming black as sackcloth, the moon becoming like blood, and the stars of heaven falling to the earth.  Some of the devastation upon the earth is from things that are falling from the sky, whether they are asteroids, comets, or meteors is not specifically made clear.  Such events would put enough particulate in the atmosphere to obscure the light of the celestial objects.  Yet, there are cryptic references in the Old Testament to the day of the Lord’s coming that also seem to imply a supernatural reason for the lights to go out during what should be day time (Zechariah 14:6-7).  We can say that this is only metaphor, but then must deal with all the other places in the Old Testament that connects the darkening sun and blood-like moon to the Day of the Lord.  There will most likely be both natural and supernatural things going on.  Luke 21 tells us that men’s hearts will fail them for fear of the things coming upon the earth, when these things happen.

Yet, the stars and falling stars is used metaphorically to refer to angels and rebel angels respectively.  Thus, Revelation 12:12 says, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth for the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”  That book pictures the rebel spiritual forces being pushed out of the heavens down onto the earth, as well as the Abyss (a prison for fallen angels) opening up to release others.  The earth becomes the ground for the Day of the Lord’s great judgment against Satan and his forces, and those who join in league with them.  The things happening in the natural become a symbol, or picture, of those things that are happening in the spirit realm.

It is interesting that all three Gospels use the phrase, “they will see” at the Second Coming of Jesus.  At the least, it implies that the disciples in front of him will not be on the earth at his Second Coming.  It may even imply that the Church has been raptured before this point.  However, those points are tenuous from this text.  The point is that following the celestial signs will be a celestial event in which the world sees the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and great glory (described in Zechariah 14, and Revelation 19).  This is one of the main points of contrast that we looked at last week.  The false christs and false prophets of the Great Tribulation will do powerful things in order to wow humanity.  However, their coming will be nothing compared to the coming of the Son of Man, the one who rides the clouds and vanquishes his foes.  Nevertheless, the deceptive character of Satan would lead us to believe that the Antichrist will appear to put down a group of diabolical leaders as an attempt to mimic this.  Satan’s empire always has innumerable groups of diabolical leaders from which to pit one against another by means of deception.

In contrast, what a day that will be when Jesus splits the sky!  Whether you have already passed from this life, have been raptured, or are still barely surviving here on the earth in that moment, what a glorious moment that will be!  After all the turmoil and rage of the Antichrist kingdom, decreeing and executing those who do not take its mark, God sends His Son, His Savior, from the heavens to save mankind.  He is faithful to the end, even when we are faithless.

Part of the appearing of the Son of Man will be the gathering of all of his elect.  The word “elect” can also be translated as “chosen.”  Just as we will soon turn in our ballots depicting who we are choosing in November’s election, so Jesus has chosen some to be his.  Our choosing will be important, but it pales in comparison to the real question, “Has Jesus chosen me?”

He has chosen those who would turn their back on their life of sin, pick up their cross, and follow him.  He has chosen those who would continue to live in faith of his coming, and his resurrection, even in the face of a world that ridicules and persecutes them for it.  He has chosen those who are not seduced by the antichrist spirit of this age, that powerful beastly spirit, that only seduces those who choose to follow their flesh over the top of the Holy Spirit.

We are told that the angels gather the elect, the chosen, from heaven and earth.  The righteous who have physically died throughout the ages will be gathered from the heavens to come back with Christ, and those on the earth who have refused the beast kingdom, and survived the Great Tribulation, will also be gathered to Jesus.  They are to share in his reward of taking hold of the kingdoms of this world.  Amen; even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Following his description of the Second Coming, Jesus gives a parable to emphasize how closely connected the Second Coming is to the Great Tribulation.  Whether a fig tree or any other tree, the sprouting of green leaves in the spring testifies to the nearness of summer.  This lesson in the natural is intended to encourage us in the spiritual. 

Some make a big deal regarding the fig tree representing Israel.  Though the nation of Israel is an important prophetic sign, it is not exactly what Jesus is meaning here.  He makes it clear by saying “when you see these things happening, know that it is near” (Matthew says “all these things”).  It is not seeing the beginning of these things (The Time of Sorrows, which we now know lasts almost 2,000 years), but the seeing of all of these things.  Clearly, this means everything mentioned up to the Second Coming.  The events of the Great Tribulation will make it clear that his coming is near.  Jesus wanted us to know that, when it all goes down, it will happen quickly and people should not despair.  Neither should believers give up their hope in his coming, and begin to follow after the temptations of sin, especially joining the beast-kingdom via the mark.

Verse 30 is often pointed to by critics of Jesus and the Bible as proof that Jesus was a false prophet.  They assume that Jesus is pointing to his disciples and telling them that they and their generation will not pass away until all of these things happen.  Even some who claim to be Christians will waffle on this point, saying that Jesus thought it would happen in a generation, but was mistaken (i.e. everything he said is true, but he was mistaken on the timing).  I do not believe Jesus was talking about his generation.  The context is about those who see all of these things.  It is that generation that will not pass away before all things he spoke would be fulfilled, not the generation that sees some of them.  The nearness is to those who see them all, which is, more than likely, less than 3 ½ years.

Jesus finishes this section with a statement about how dependable and trustworthy these prophecies are.  They are more dependable than the continued existence of the earth and the heavens.  In light of God’s revealed intent to recreate the heavens and the earth in the future, this makes perfect sense. 

It is not the amount of hydrogen fuel in our sun that is the clock on how long humanity has on this earth.  It is the end of the times of the Gentiles, the beginning of the Great Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Jesus that helps us to know how much time we have left.

However, there is a more excellent way.  Don’t tell yourself that you can get ready if it appears that it is getting worse, or closer.  You only deceive yourself and harden your flesh against the Spirit of God.  Put your faith in Jesus today, and live with the Blessed Hope of His return in your heart every day.  That way, you no longer have to worry about how much time is left because you are always ready; semper paratus!

How is it You Do Not Understand?

Mark 8:11-21.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, December 08, 2019.

In this passage, we will look at two examples of unbelief, or lack of faith in Jesus.  One will come from religious people who refuse to follow Christ, and the other will come from those who have made the decision to follow Christ, but are not doing such a good job in learning from Him.

Maybe that is you today and maybe it is not.  However, we can all learn from today’s lesson.  It is not enough to settle for the fact that we made a decision to follow Jesus.  We must actually do it, and following Jesus will test us all in many difficult ways. 

Yet, let’s give praise to God because, even though following Jesus is extremely hard on our flesh, he promises supernatural help to those who put their trust in him.  Let’s look at our passage.

The Pharisees seek a sign

In verses 11- 13, we have a portion of Scripture in which Jesus is challenged to give the Pharisees a sign.  However, it starts out with their questioning of him.  We are told that they are arguing with him.  This argument would involve discussions of why they reject him as a true teacher.  However, they are not really interested in hearing his side of the argument.  Instead, they seek for him to give a sign from heaven in order to prove his credentials.

It is not clear in the context what exactly they had in mind.  It also begs the question.  What is wrong with all the other signs that Jesus is giving?  He is healing the sick, casting out demons from the possessed, and feeding thousands of people with a small amount of bread.  Perhaps, it is more the aspect of giving a sign on demand and with a clear supernatural source that they are testing.

It is also possible that they have a particular sign in mind, such as the prophet Elijah who called down fire from heaven to show which God was the real God (and which prophets were the true prophets).  This is a clear biblical episode within the Old Testament that gives a precedent for settling if a person really is from God.  That might sound like a very good test.  However, the book of Revelation chapter 13 warns us that the end times False Prophet will perform powerful signs, even making fire come down from heaven in the sight of the people.

Ultimately, their line of reasoning is that they won’t believe unless Jesus does something that they will accept upon their demand.  This is the heart of unbelief.  It refuses to receive the multitude of signs that God is giving every day, trying to get our attention.  It makes up all manner of tests that God should jump through in order to prove himself to me.  In fact, it dishonors God by requiring Him to jump to our whims and tests, and every unique person would have very different ideas on what that should be.  They are not interested in believing.  They are only interested in proving that their unbelief is right.

We are then told that Jesus sighed deeply in his spirit.  This is the second time that Mark describes Jesus in such a way.  This word has the same root as the previous one, but has a preposition added to intensify the word.  The first context was when the crowd brought the deaf man to Jesus and begged him to heal him (chapter 7).  There the grief of Jesus seems to be more about the effect of sin upon mankind in general and this man in particular.  However, here his grief is much deeper, and is connected to the unbelief and hard-heartedness of the religious leaders who should be the ones who are leading people to him.  It is a heavy weight to work yourself to the brink of death trying to help someone who then still questions your motives and rejects you.

It is here that we should note something.  Sin is a heavy weight upon the heart of God.  However, obstinate resistance in the face of His great mercy is heavier by far.  He will deal with our sins, but He cannot make our hearts believe.

We are then told that Jesus basically rejects their request.  Yet, he does so by first asking a question and then making a statement.

The question is about their motives.  “Why does this generation seek a sign?”  It is more than an exasperation because of their unbelief.  It really does emphasize the origin of the question.  They would believe that they ask a sign because they are strong believers in God and they do not want to be taken astray by a deceiver teaching falsehood. 

The truth is far darker though.  In the parallel account of Matthew 16, Jesus states that it is a wicked and adulterous generation that seeks a sign.  The problem is that God is giving signs all the time in every generation.  Sure, some generations have received some spectacular signs that we haven’t.  The problem is that they are never good enough for the wicked and adulterous heart.  It will not listen or see God’s signs for what they are, and it will continually up the ante in things God must do to prove himself.  God has no problem helping our unbelief when it is out of weakness, but He will not coddle our unbelief when it is out of rebellious rejection and adulterous desires.

Thus, Jesus states that no sign will be given to them.  It is interesting that, in Matthew 16, Jesus adds the phrase, “but the sign of Jonah.”  The point of the previous statement is not that there will be zero signs, but that they will not get any signs that they are seeking.  They are not going to get their way and tell God how to prove Himself.

The sign of Jonah is telling us to recall the story.  Jonah was thrown into the sea to drown and yet he was swallowed by a great fish.  I believe that Jonah was dying in the belly of the fish and prayed to God (his prayer is recorded in Jonah chapter 2.  God had mercy on him.  We know of the miracle that the fish vomited Jonah upon the beach.  However, it is also very likely that God literally gave life back to Jonah’s dead body.  The image is that Jonah goes into the depths of Sheol (the grave) and is brought back up again alive by God.  In the same way, Jesus will be put to death and brought back from it alive.  They would receive the greatest sign of all and it would definitely be from heaven.  If God jumped through their hoops, it would not help them believe.  They would only find another reason not to believe.  Their request is denied.

At this point Jesus leaves them and heads to the other side of the lake.

Jesus warns against the yeast of the Pharisees

As they cross the lake in a boat, Jesus still seems to be bothered by his run in with the Pharisees.  While they are on the water, he warns them to avoid the yeast of the Pharisees and the Herodians (Matthew adds “the Sadducees”).  The yeast is being used as an analogy that we will deal with later.

The disciples miss his point, and think that he is talking about bread and natural yeast.  They had only brought 1 loaf of bread and thus would need to buy some on the other side.  They think that Jesus is warning them not to eat raised bread from the Pharisees, and that he is rebuking them for putting them in this situation by not bringing enough bread.

Jesus wasn’t rebuking them.  He was trying to warn them about the Pharisees.  However, now he does rebuke them for being slow to understand what he means.  He then proceeds to examine their slow understanding with nine questions that are given rapid fire without time to respond, and that center on their lack of good reasoning.  We all know that this is a tense situation where they know they are in trouble for not learning and making the connections that they should.  Why would they think they are in trouble for not bringing enough bread when Jesus has proven that he can feed thousands with only a few loaves?  He clearly cannot be concerned that they only have one loaf.  God expects us to pay attention in our life, but also to the recorded experiences of the Scriptures.  He has given us plenty of information upon which to make a rational decision.

Jesus then points out several parts of the human body, that we use to take in evidence, and asks them if there is a problem with them.  The first has to do with their reasoning skills.  In English we would call it being thick-skulled.  Are you thick-skulled?  Is my teaching not penetrating through to the gray matter underneath?

The second part is the heart.  Are you hard-hearted?  It would be sad to have a soft enough heart to follow Jesus, but then be hard towards what he is trying to teach you.

The third part is the eye.  Are you dim-eyed?  They are seeing the things that Jesus is doing, but they aren’t making the connections to what it means.  It is as if they are not actually seeing.

The fourth is the ears.  Are you hard of hearing?  The teachings of Jesus are going into their ears, but somehow the signal is not making it to the mind.

Or perhaps the problem is in the mind itself.  Do you not remember?  This is the fifth part.  Are you becoming senile and forgetful?  Didn’t he just feed the 4,000 with seven loaves, and prior to that, 5,000 with 5 loaves?  Of course, he had.  So, where is the problem?

Here we see that being a disciple of Jesus is no ward against unbelief.  It is sad to see those who do not believe and will not follow Christ.  However, there is a certain level of unbelief even among those who choose to follow Christ.  We must all learn to see this in ourselves and wrestle with it.  May we be careful about the condition of our hearts, eyes, ears, and memory in this day and age.  Everything in this world is designed to dull your spiritual senses so that you will be those who see, but don’t see, and hear, but don’t hear.

The yeast was not natural yeast, but an analogy.  Mark leaves it hanging.  What is it?  In Matthew 16, we are told that the yeast is the teaching of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians.  Of course, their warped teaching comes from the sin and unbelief that is in their heart.

The Apostle Paul uses yeast as an analogy for sin in 1 Corinthians 5:6. He warns the Corinthian church that a little sin, within a person or a group, will spread throughout the whole group and affect it just like yeast does to bread.  This is why it is so important to be aggressive with our own sin, and that churches must lovingly deal with members who are outwardly sinning without repentance.  If we do not deal with it then we will send the message to all watching that it is not important.  When our standards are lax and the definition of sin is relaxed, or completely redefined, the morals and self-control of the average believer will suffer.  Are we not seeing this in our own country, and in our own churches?

However, not all sinners want to teach others.  Thus, the warning is about false teachers who come offering you their teaching, but their hearts are full of sin.  Their teaching is corrupted by the yeast of sin in their heart and lives.  A corrupt teacher may say some things that are right, but there will always be that amount of yeast that corrupts and affects the whole.  Throughout the history of the Church, we see the rise of many corrupt teachers.  Whole groups of teachers have embraced corruption upon corruption over time, to the point that they neither preach the true Gospel of Christ, nor help people spiritually.

You have believed in Christ, that is a wonderful thing!  However, you must continue believing, watching, praying, and paying attention to the Word, your life, and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.  Without these things, we will end up in the same place as those who refused to follow Christ at all.  What a tragedy to make the right choice to join God’s people, but to only do so in the natural.  Sin infected their whole life, their teaching, and the way they lived.  It will do so to ours as well if we do not go to battle against it by the help of the Holy Spirit. 

May he give us the help we need to see what he is teaching and to learn the paths of righteousness from him.

Don't Understand Audio

More Parables II

Mark 4:30-41.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, July 14, 2019.

Today we will continue in Mark 4 looking at another parable that Jesus told.  In it we will see that Jesus knew that his Church would become a large thing and that the devil would take advantage of that to hide his servants among the branches.  Ultimately God is in control and he is not afraid of the things that we fear.

We must learn to pray and to trust his final decisions regarding the difficulties allowed in our life and in his Church.  God always has a way through for us that leads to him and his glory.

The parable of the Mustard Seed

In this parable, Jesus employs the planted seed metaphor again.  We are also told that this is a picture of the “Kingdom of God.”  This parable is also in Matthew and Luke.  In Matthew 13 we told that this is a picture of the “Kingdom of Heaven.”  I only point this out because some try to force a technical difference upon these phrases.  However, at least in this case, it is extremely stretched to think that Jesus means anything other than that these phrases are basically synonymous.  Though the Kingdom of Heaven includes the spirit realm and the earthly realm, the parables are generally focused on the earthly realm. 

This parable is short and makes a clear and simple message that is basically about the size of the plant that grows from the seed.  Since the plant represents the whole Church (geographically and chronologically), the seed here represents the deposit of the Gospel into the earth.  What looks like the smallest of seeds grows into a plant that is larger than the other garden plants.  Historically, we can see that this is very true.  The Church began as a small group compared to the other religions of the world, but grows to become a very large concern, even to the point that there are over 2 billion people today who have some connection to Christianity.

Some point to this parable as an illustration of Jesus being in error.  They state that the mustard seed is not the smallest seed on the earth.  However, in the context, Jesus is talking about seeds that a 1^st century Judean would be sowing in their garden.  In fact, the term “on earth” is literally upon the earth and is used in the same way that we would call dirt “earth.”  Matthew doesn’t even use the phrase, “upon the earth.”  There it says of the seed, “which a man took and sowed in his field.”  Jesus is not claiming that the mustard seed is the smallest seed of all the seeds upon the entire planet.  He is not at an International Botany Convention presenting his scientific research on the mustard seed.  When we are intellectually honest with what Jesus is saying, it is clear that he means the mustard seed was smaller than the seeds they would have been planting in Israel at that point in time.  People who make this objection are being bull-headed and attempt to force the words of Jesus to mean something other than what he intended.

Another area people like to pick on is the size of the mustard plant.  They will say that a mustard plant doesn’t get big enough for birds to nest.  However, some mustard plants can get up to 12 feet tall.  The point Jesus makes is not that all mustard seeds will end up big enough that birds will build nests in them.  The main point that it will be larger than the other plants who started with bigger seeds.  Also, that this particular mustard plan will be large enough that birds would nest in it.  The emphasis is its largeness, not that all mustard plants have bird nests.  Thus, the Kingdom of God, or the Church, starts out small, but ends up being larger than the other plants (religions).

In light of the parable of the sower, we must deal with the phrase, “birds of the air.”  There it had a sinister interpretation, and it pointed to the work of Satan and his evil spirits to remove God’s Word from our life.  Though there does not seem to be a need for a sinister interpretation in this parable (due to the fact that it emphasizes the large size of the plant), it makes sense in light of the countless other places where Christ warns that Satan would sow tares among his field, false teachers and prophets would arise, and that deception would be prevalent especially in the last days.  Thus, the Church would become so big that false spirits and leaders would be set up in particular branches without being ran away.

Verses 33-34 tell us that Jesus told many such parables to the crowds, and yet explained the meaning to his disciples later, when they were alone.

To sum up, the parable of the sower emphasizes the importance of the condition of our heart and mind when we hear the word of God.  The parable of the Lamp under a Bushel emphasizes the purpose that God has in giving light, and our responsibility in receiving it.  The parable of the Growing Seed emphasizes that God’s plan is inevitable.  His Word will build the Kingdom of God, until it is ready to be harvested, and then God will harvest it.  Likewise, the mustard seed emphasizes that the Church would become quite large.

Let us remember that Jesus was not contemplating nature and coming up with spiritual knowledge.  He is operating the other direction.  It is his knowledge of spiritual truth that allows him to pick out illustrations from the world around him.  We must be careful of taking these or other natural analogies and attempting to press them into further truths that the Bible does not reveal.  Truth opens our eyes to the world around us.  However, trying to discover new truth by studying nature leads to countless false ideas and false religions of our own making.

Jesus calms the storm

At verse 35, Mark turns back to the narrative of events that Jesus and his disciples encountered.  The next situation starts out with a simple task.  They are clearly on the edge of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus instructs his disciples to take them to the other side via a boat.  At least 4 of the disciples had extensive experience boating on this sea, so this is not hard thing.  In comparison, Christ gives us a very simple thing to do.  Quit living life for self, pick up your cross, and follow him.  Essentially, we trust him as the way to peace with God and we share that message with those we encounter.  Simple.  These are not difficult things in and of themselves.

However, the disciples encounter difficulty along the way of accomplishing the simple task.  A storm rises up and begins to swamp the boat.  It is clearly worse than any they have seen before and are unable to bail or, at least, keep up with the water coming into the boat.  They sense it is going to sink and they with it.  It is unlikely that they would be able to swim to shore in such a turbulent storm.  It is amazing how even simple things can quickly be complicated by difficulties.  Raising your children for the Lord is a simple thing, but the difficulties we encounter from our culture and from within our own children can sometimes make us feel like we are going under and have failed.  Our mind knows that God allows difficulty, but our heart continually says, “Surely, if God was in it, there would be little difficulty.”  However, without difficulty, we would not be aware that God is truly with us, and we would not become likely him, overcoming adversity.

The difficulty of the storm and their impending death causes the disciples to question whether Jesus cares about them.  Doubt rises in their hearts.  Jesus is sleeping in the stern of the boat.  Why does he not care that we are perishing?  We often judge God’s actions, or more precisely his lack of action, as if he were us.  Things in life often become difficult and threatening.  However, Scripture is abundantly clear on this point.  God cares about us more than we can imagine. He has provided everything that we need, and, when we were without help and hopeless, while we were yet sinners, he stepped in and died in our place in a cruel and horrible death.  The disciples had not seen Jesus on the cross at this point, but we have.  How can we doubt his love when he has shown us by the cross just how much he loves us?  Yes, he cares for you.  Even though it appears that he is doing nothing, or is asleep in the back seat.

Jesus wakes up and rebukes the storm.  “Peace, be still!”  At that point, the winds stopped and it says there was a “great calm.”  He didn’t just turn the storm down enough that they could make it.  He commanded the wind to completely stop and suddenly it was Lake Place, or for our neck of the woods, Lake Serene.

Notice that Jesus had a question for his disciples.  For every question that we have for God in this life, we should remember that he has questions of his own, and we are far less prepared to answer his than he is ours.  Why are you so fearful?  How is it you have no faith?  If I really am a child of God, so loved by him that he would come and die on the cross for me, then what do I have to fear?  Clearly the answer is nothing.  For us, death on a cross or death on the seas are horrible things that we would seek to avoid at all costs.  However, for God these are not problems.   He can “fix” them in a second.  So, if he allows them to continue, he must have a reason.  God’s plans are different than our because even death cannot stop the purpose of the God of the Resurrection.  He can immediately end our difficulty and sometimes does, as we cry out to him in prayer.  Other times, when we cry out to God, he brings just enough relief to help us through the difficulty.  However, sometimes the difficulty, even the death, may be his plan.

Thus, Jesus shows us the way on the night in which he was betrayed and handed over to be executed.  He prayed, “Father, if possible, may this cup pass from me.  Nevertheless, your will be done.”  God knows our fears and has purposed to help us in life as we pray to him.  Yet, sometimes there are things that he will not remove, not because he doesn’t love us, but precisely because he does love us.

The powerful display of speaking to nature and it responding shocks the disciples.  Please…it would shock us today.  Our scientists have enough trouble telling us what the weather is going to do today, much less control it.  Sure, there are projects around the world that seek to use directed energy to affect weather, but such things are child’s play compared to what Jesus did and can still do.  It was pure, raw, and undeniably the power of the Creator.  He spoke, “Let there be peace, and there was peace.”  The disciples went from questioning if Jesus cared for them to questioning just who this guy was.  The answer to that question is that he is the Son of God who has all power and authority over heaven and earth.  If you are on the side of such a being, what have you to fear?  Nothing.  What is there not to trust?  Nothing.  May God strengthen our faith and may all our fears be cast at the feet of the one who is greater than even death itself.

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More Parables I

Mark 4:21-29.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, July 07, 2019.

Today we will look at two more parables that follow on the heels of the Parable of the soils.  Both of them continue with metaphors regarding God’s Word in our life and how important it is for us to receive it, believe it, and live it out.

The parable of the Lamp under the Basket

Verses 21-25 change the metaphor from seed planted in soil to a lamp made to shine light.  Although we are not given a detailed explanation of this parable, Jesus makes several comments to enhance what he is saying.  The key is to recognize that, though the metaphor has changed, we are still talking about the purpose for the Word of God in our life.

Let’s look at the elements of this new parable and compare it to the parable of the soils.  If we were to break down the parable of the soils in light of this parable we would note that the seed corresponds to the oil in the lamp.  It is the Word of God coming into our life.  Though the oil is not mentioned, the word for lamp here refers to an oil burning lamp that would have a wick.  The purpose of shining light is mentioned and therefore implies the presence of oil in the lamp.  Sometimes you will hear people say that oil always represents the Holy Spirit.  However, the connection between the Spirit of God and His Word is inseparable, though distinct.

Next, the Lamp as a container corresponds to the soil, and is the individual who hears the Word of God.  We are sent the Word of God in order for it to do something within us and our life.

Lastly, the fruitfulness of the seed corresponds to the unhidden light of the lamp, and is the transformative effect of the Word upon the individual’s life.

The parable of the Lamp under the Basket is all about the purpose of God’s Word.  The only reason to put a lamp under a basket or bed is because you are not using it.  It cannot be lit because it would catch the basket and bed on fire.  Normally people have lamps because they intend to use them.  There would be a particular place, a lamp stand, where you would put the lamp and then light it when you need it to illuminate the room.  The point Jesus is making is this.  God made us to be a lamp through which His Word could bring light to the world that isn’t listening to Him.

Verse 22 gives a principle that is intended to explain, but sometimes misleads people.  “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.”  On its own, this phrase serves as a kind of cautionary proverb that warns us about our private or secret lives.  Be careful how you live in secret because it will eventually become public knowledge.  However, in this context it relates to the Word of God coming into our life so that we can be a light to the world.  Thus, the point is not so much about a hidden life of sin, but about keeping God’s Word hidden and not shining it out to the world.  Up until Jesus, the Gospel regarding the salvation of mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, had been kept hidden.  Yes, God slowly and progressively revealed the Gospel throughout the Old Testament, but it really is in a cryptic and hidden form.  With the ascension of Jesus into heaven, the Church would become the light of God to the world.  It was not time to keep the Gospel hidden.  Our whole purpose is to let God’s Word transform us so that we will illuminate the dark world around us.  Will we cooperate with God in this purpose?

It is not enough for the lamp to be filled with oil.  We can hear the whole Bible seven times and yet it must be ignited.  This represents what we talked about in the parable of the soils.  We must understand the Word, believe that it is true and for our life, we must live it out, and we must hold onto it and the fruit it produces in our life.  Faith in God’s Word is the ignition point that begins to produce light.  This ignition first transforms us internally.  Then it produces an external transformation, which also leads to proclaiming the Gospel.  In fact, in Matthew 5:16 Jesus adds this regarding these lamps.  , “Let  your light so shine before men that they may see  your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Notice that the light is first and foremost our good works.  Remember, good works done by and for our own merit are filthy rags, but good works done by the Holy Spirit and for Jesus are truly a light to this world.  Sharing the Gospel with people is only one good work of many that represents the light.  Let’s first live the Word, so that we have earned the right to share the Gospel.

In verse 24 Jesus remarks that we should take care of the Word of God that we receive.  The emphasis is on hearing because most people were not readers, nor had a copy of the Scriptures.  If they were to receive God’s Word then they would have to go where it was being read, or happen upon someone who knew it and was sharing it.  Literally Jesus tells them to understand or perceive what they hear.  Don’t let it just come in one ear and out the other.   To the degree that you understand God’s Word and shine it out to the world around you, is the degree that God will give you more Word to understand.  In fact, if the lamp refuses to let the oil be ignited then God will quit sending it oil.  In fact, just as the parable of the soils had many obstacles to our faith in God’s Word so, those same obstacles stand in the way of us shining the Light of God’s Word to the world.  Just as the seed that did not grow to fruit was lost to the soil so, the oil that is not used to illuminate will be lost.  Yes, we are dealing with metaphors here and so, we should not become lost in the details of the metaphors, but instead focus on the spiritual truth they reveal.

None of us deserves the Word of God.  It really is His gracious mercy to us.  God is faithful to send His Word to those who do not deserve it.  Yet, this does not diminish the secondary truth that He will hold us accountable for the Word that we have received.  This connection between using and receiving ultimately catches up with us.  Over the long-term, how we appropriate the Word of God will affect how much more we receive.

The parable of the Growing Seed

The next parable is in verses 26-29.  We are back to the first metaphor of the seed being the Word of God.  However, here we are told that the “Kingdom of God” can be understood by this metaphor as well.  The soil can be seen as an individual, but here it is seen as a corporate thing involving all who believe. In the first century, the Kingdom of God was on the move through the new Church that Christ was building.  The people of God would take the Gospel to the ends of the earth and increase the Kingdom of God on earth, one person at a time.   Thus, the soil really represents the world as a whole.  Those who responded faithfully to the Gospel are good soil and those who do not are not good ground.

In this parable, Jesus mentions that the sower doesn’t understand how the growth occurs.  He just knows it works to sow the seed.  Similarly, we are God’s messengers through our lives and our speech.  We don’t understand completely how that works, and why one person believes and another doesn’t.  Nor do we know why one waits longer, but finally believes.  However, there are two things involved: the work of the Holy Spirit in their heart, and the response of the heart and mind of the hearer.  Will they let the birds, rocks, and thorns ruin the word in their life?  These mysteries of salvation cannot be solved.  Yet, we know that we are commanded to sow God’s Word and that it will powerfully save those who believe.

The parable ends with the emphasis that the field will be harvested when the grain has ripened.  God will not let it be lost or rot.  Yet, this metaphor is more complicated than it looks when it comes to harvesting.

In some ways, we see the idea of harvesting used to point to the act of bringing a person into the Kingdom of God.  The harvester is that servant of God who helps them to make that last step of stepping into the family of God and connecting to their brothers and sisters in the Lord.  I believe this is what Jesus meant in John 4.  In John 4:35 Jesus told his disciples, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!..”  And then in verse 38 he told them, ““I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”  Jesus is clearly speaking about their work of preaching the Gospel and baptizing those who believe.  They would be harvesting those whose faith was ready to be reaped.

The apostle Paul also picks up this metaphor in 1 Corinthians 3, where he also adds the concept of the one who waters the seed.  A person is brought to salvation by the working together of those who put the word in their heart, those who come along and water that seed by continually reminding them and encouraging them, and then those who harvest them by helping them to step out in faith.  Some may object to this metaphor because cutting down grain sounds bad metaphorically.  However, those who come into the family of Christ are being separated from the world in which they have grown and are connecting to a new spiritual and life-giving source.  So, even though the analogy breaks down in some ways, it is still an apt and valuable picture.

We could also see the harvest individually in regards to the end of our life in this body.  When a believer comes to their death, their whole life has been completely lived.  The seed of God’s Word is as mature as it is going to be and they are taken into God’s barn.  The reaping here is done by God Himself as He brings us to Himself.

Yet, we noticed that the parable emphasizes the Kingdom of God as a whole, and therefore, the harvesting should be seen that way as well.  The Bible speaks of a separation, or harvest, at the end of the age (the age of the Church spreading the Gospel).  In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a similar parable about the Kingdom of Heaven and a harvest at the end of the age.  Matthew 13:39, “The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.”  This harvest has good fruit and bad fruit that must be separated.  God only intends to keep that fruit which comes from the Word He has sown, not that fruit which comes from other “words.” 

Revelation 14 also emphasizes this fact, but describes it in the terms of two different harvests.  The first harvest is described as a grain harvest.  It is the harvesting of the people of God.  The second harvest is described as a grape harvest.  It is the harvesting of the wicked.  They will be gathered together and tossed into the winepress.  This imagery is that of the wrath of God coming upon the whole earth for its rebellion against God.  Ultimately, the book of Revelation reveals that God is bringing us to a new heavens and a new earth in which nothing wicked will be allowed to enter.

May God help us to see the importance of both sides of this.  We must proclaim the Gospel to people and speak it as much as we can.  Whether we are planting seeds, watering them, or harvesting new believers, is not our concern.  Rather, our concern is that we are faithful at doing our part.  However, we must also be a transformed person.  We must believe God’s Word and cooperate with its transforming power, so that the world can see the fruit of God’s Word.  Yes, none of us do this without error.  However, we have an advocate with the Father.  If we will be faithful to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, repent of our falling short, and stir up our faith in God’s Word, then He will shine his light through us into the world!

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