Miracle Grow For The Kingdom Series

Introduction:

A. Let’s begin with a question: How many of you like to garden?

1. Let’s ask a follow-up question: How many of you consider yourselves good gardeners?

2. There is a difference between liking to garden and being good at it, right?

3. I don’t consider myself a gardener, but let me share with you something that someone wrote about gardening called “Things I Have Learned from Gardening.”

a. I have learned that nothing ever looks like it does on the seed packet.

b. I have learned that whichever garden tool you want is always at the back of the shed.

c. I have learned that the only way to ensure rain, is to give the garden a good soaking.

d. I have learned that the only place you can get grass to grow is where you don’t want it to grow, like in the cracks between the patio paving stones.

e. I have learned that when weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it’s not a weed.

B. Last week, we had the privilege of exploring Jesus’ Parable of the Sower and the explanation that Jesus gave about the parable.

1. The parable is a wonderful illustration about sowing the seed of God’s Word and the importance of the condition of the soil of our hearts.

2. One thing we know for sure is that God wants His Word to be sown and He wants people to open their hearts and allow the life of God to grow in us and through us.

3. God wants His kingdom to grow in each individual’s life, and to grow in the number of churches, and to grow in the number of people in churches.

C. Have any of you ever bought the gardening fertilizer called “Miracle Grow”?

1. I have and it’s actually a pretty good product – although the name of the product may be a little boastful or overstated. “Miracle? Not really!”

2. Today I want us to talk about “Miracle Grow for the Kingdom.”

a. It’s not a product we can go buy at the store, rather it has to do with the principles and the power of God.

3. Here in Mark 4, after Mark shared Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, he shared several of Jesus’ other parables that discuss how the kingdom of God grows.

4. Today I want us to explore these parables and adopt and apply Jesus’ principles into our lives so that God’s kingdom can grow in our midst and grow through our efforts.

I. The first “Miracle Grow” principle is: Let It Shine.

A. Mark wrote: 21 He also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.” (Mk. 4:21-23)

1. Jesus presents us with such a simple truth – a light is supposed to shine.

2. We all like the children’s song based on this text, right?

a. “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

b. “Hide it under a bushel…NO! I’m gonna let it shine.”

3. A light under a bushel does no good unless you are small enough to get under the bushel and need a light to read.

4. We hang lights from the ceiling or put them on a stand or table so the light can reach the room.

5. We all understand that lamps are not to be hidden, but are to be seen and are to allow us to see.

B. In the parable of the sower, we noticed that the good soil produced a big harvest.

1. God wants us to be good soil that produces a lot of harvest, and that harvest consists of good character and good works.

2. Our good character and good works are supposed to shine like a light in the darkness.

3. We are supposed to strut our character or good works to bring praise to ourselves, but to point to God and bring Him glory.

4. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: 14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-16)