Little Is Much If God Is In It

LITTLE IS MUCH IF GOD IS IN IT

MARK 4:30-32

THE GOSPEL OF MARK HAS ONLY FOUR PARABLES, COMPARED TO 15-IN MATTHEW AND 19-IN LUKE. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN HAS NONE. THREE OF THE PARABLES IN MARK ARE FOUND IN THE FOURTH CHAPTER, AND THEY ARE ALL RELATED TO SOWING SEED.

AFTER THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER IN THE FIRST PART OF THE CHAPTER, COMES THAT OF THE SEED GROWING SECRETLY.

THE THIRD PARABLE IS OF THE MUSTARD SEED, AND THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON TODAY.

THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT US TO NOTICE ABOUT THE MUSTARD SEED IS THAT IT IS LOST IN THE SOIL. (V 31) “WHEN IT IS SOWN IN THE EARTH”.

NOW ALL OF US KNOW THAT SEEDS CANNOT GROW UNLESS THEY ARE SOWN. THEY CAN BE LEFT ON A SHELF INDEFINITELY AND NEVER SPROUT.

ONLY WHEN THEY ARE PLACED IN THE WARM, MOIST GROUND DO THEY GERMINATE.

IT IS THE SAME WAY WITH THE WORD OF GOD. THE BIBLE MAY LIE ON THE LIVING ROOM TABLE FOR MONTHS AND NEVER BE READ. WHERE DOES YOUR BIBLE STAY? DO YOU PICK IT UP DURING THE WEEK?

JUST HOW OFTEN DO YOU PICK UP YOUR BIBLE AND READ THE WORD OF GOD? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO SOW SEEDS OF SALVATION, IF YOU ARE NEVER IN THE WORD OF GOD?

DO YOU EVEN ATTEMPT TO SOW THESE SEEDS? DO YOU FAIL TO SOW BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID SOMEONE WILL ASK A QUESTION THAT YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER?

YOU MUST GET INTO GODS WORD. YOU MUST DO IT EVERY DAY. YOU MUST PREPARE YOURSELF, TO BE A SOWER OF THE WORD. THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO BE IN THE WORD.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU FOUR WAYS THAT CHRISTIAN SOWING IS TO BE DONE.

FIRST, IT IS TO BE DONE IN TEARS—PSALM 126:5 “THEY THAT SOW IN TEARS, SHALL REAP IN JOY”.

DO YOU GRIEVE IN YOUR HEART FOR THE LOST? DO YOU HAVE COMPASSION FOR THEM? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE LOVED ONES THAT ARE LOST?

DO YOU EVER SHED TEARS FOR THEM? DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SHOW YOUR EMOTION WHEN IT COMES TO SOMEONE’S ETERNAL SECURITY. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER LAID DOWN AT NIGHT AND CRIED YOURSELF TO SLEEP OVER SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE?

WE NEED TO CRY MORE OFTEN AT THE STATE OF THE HUMAN SOUL. ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE THAT WE ARE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN SOWING THE SEEDS OF SALVATION. WE WILL REAP IN JOY WHEN THE SEEDS SPROUT AND THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS THEM HOME TO CHRIST.

SECONDLY, SEEDS ARE TO BE SOWN BESIDE ALL WATERS—ISAIAH 32:20 “BLESSED ARE YE THAT SOW BESIDE ALL WATERS.” NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I BELIEVE THAT THIS MEANS WE ARE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH WHOMEVER WE COME INTO CONTACT WITH. WE ARE NOT TO BE SELECTIVE IN WHO WE WISH TO SEE WON TO CHRIST.

WE CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE THE FAMILY WE ARE BORN INTO, MUCH LESS WHO WILL BE BORN INTO IT WITH US. SO WHY SHOULD WE TRY TO CHOOSE WHO WILL BE OUR BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST?

DON’T MANY CHURCHES TRY TO DO THIS THOUGH? HOW MANY STORIES HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE COMING INTO A CHURCH AND NOT BEING WELCOMED BECAUSE THEY LOOK DIFFERENT?

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TURNED AWAY, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT LIKE US? WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD. NOW DOES THAT MEAN, WE WILL TAKE IT TO THIS SECTION OVER HERE, AND AVOID THIS SECTION, BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT?

ABSOLUTELY NOT, THE WORLD MEANS JUST THAT. FOLKS IT MEANS EVERYBODY. NOW I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THIS MORNING. THERE IS ONLY ONE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHRISTIAN AND THE NON-CHRISTIAN.

ONE IS A LOST SINNER. THE OTHER IS A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE. GOD DOES NOT LOOK AT WHAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE. WHY DO WE? THE ONLY CONCERN THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ABOUT SOMEONE IS THEIR WELL BEING. PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.

WE SHOULD NOT CONCERN OURSELVES ABOUT THE WAY SOMEONE LOOKS.

THIRDLY, CHRISTIAN SOWING IS TO BE DONE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS—HOSEA 10:12 “SOW TO YOURSELVES IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, REAP IN MERCY, BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND, FOR IT IS TIME TO SEEK THE LORD, TILL HE COME AND RAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS UPON YOU”.

SERVE OR SOW, FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. DON’T SERVE GOD FOR WHAT YOU CAN GET OUT OF IT. WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE NOT CHRISTIANS FOR OUR OWN GAIN. WE ARE CHRISTIANS TO SERVE GOD. WE DO OUR BEST SERVICE BY SERVING OTHERS.

WE HONOR GOD, WHEN WE SACRIFICE OF OURSELVES IN SERVICE TO OTHERS. AND WE ARE NOT TO BRAG ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE. WHAT WE DO IN SECRET, GOD THE FATHER WILL REWARD IN PUBLIC.