The Unstoppable Kingdom
Mark 4:21-34
Good morning.
Jesus spoke many times about the Kingdom of God with parables to the religious leaders who would not believe in Him.
Luke 17:20 One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God isn't ushered in with visible signs.
Luke 17:21 You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is among you." NLT
Jesus very clearly told these religious leaders that the Kingdom of God was right there in their midst and they didn’t recognize it
Jesus is King of the Kingdom; so, if Jesus is present, it stands to reason that the Kingdom of God is present as well.
Since the Creation of the world, the evil one has used many people to try and destroy or to stop the Kingdom of God; but, the King and the Kingdom of God are unstoppable.
Today, the kingdom of God is visible as Jesus uses His body, the Church, a community of people who through faith in Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, serve Christ in the world.
Please open your Bibles to Mark 4 as we continue that study
Last week, we studied the Parable of the Sower. Jesus taught a parable about a farmer sowing seed on different kinds of soil.
This parable mentioned three things; the Sower, the Good Seed, and the soils.
In this parable we notice the seed (message) was the same in each instance; but, there are four different types of soil (hearts).
When we hear and believe God’s Good Word, we will allow Jesus to have first place within our lives and through the Holy Spirit’s ministry, we will be equipped to produce fruit.
This morning’s passage is a continuation of what Jesus taught His followers immediately after last week’s parable.
Today, Jesus will teach three different parables about the unstoppable Kingdom of God.
I. The Lamp of God.
Read Mark 4:21-23
Here Jesus gives another parable and He uses a common house-hold item, a lamp.
Warren Wiersbe said, “If the lamp was not lit, or if it was covered up, it did the home no good.”
This world is not only in a state of decay, it is also in darkness and so there are two applications for the lamp Jesus describes.
1. Jesus is not only the Lamb of God, Jesus is the Lamp of God who came to bring and reveal the light of God.
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. NKJV
Light brings life and exposes the darkness. Light also warms the place and helps people see things more clearly, as it aluminates.
gotquestions.org said, “ Jesus was claiming that He is the exclusive source of spiritual light. No other source of spiritual truth is available to mankind.”
Jesus really is the true light that came into the world and now He tells His followers they are lights unto the world as well!
2. Jesus called us as representatives to be a light to the world.
The same Jesus that said, “I am the light of the world” also said, “You are the light of the world”.
We know oil represents the Holy Spirit within scripture.
Zechariah 4:2 So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.
Zechariah 4:3 Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left."
Zechariah 4:4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?"
Zechariah 4:5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."
Zechariah 4:6 So he answered and said to me:"This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, 'Says the LORD of hosts. NKJV
In this vision, we see a picture of these Lampstands; but, instead of needing the priest to continually add oil to the lamps…
These Lampstands are directly connected to the olive trees and receive a direct source of olive oil to remain lit.
Today, because we are in Christ, we have the oil, i.e., the Holy Spirit, living within us; so we are directly connected to the source of oil to be able to remain as a light unto the world.
A Christian is only a “Light of the World” because of their relationship to Him who is the ultimate “Light of the World”.
We are not simply to receive the light from the Lord; we are to be the light to a lost and dark world.
3. The Lord lights up the darkness with His Word, His Spirit, and you!
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The light of the Messiah had literally come to them.
How important is the Bible to the Lord?
Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name; for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. NKJV
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. NKJV
In Matthew 5, Jesus clearly told His followers they are Salt and Light; He never challenges us to become Salt and Light, He simply said we are Salt and Light.
The issue is whether or not we are living a surrendered life to His Spirit causing us to have those characteristics; or, are we insisting on ruling our lives, therefore not resembling the Lord.
As Christ followers, He lives in and through us; which causes us to be Salt and the “Light of the World”
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." NKJV
Before our relationship with Christ, we also were in utter darkness. Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light NKJV
We have learned before that the moon is simply a reflection of the sun and actually does not provide light from itself.
And so, just like the moon, a Christian only gives light to a dark world because of its relationship to the Son.
Allow me to give you two insights:
a. Light exposes darkness.
Look at the life and ministry of Christ; His words and His deeds exposed the darkness.
Our lives should be so full of light that they expose darkness; but then…
b. Light shows a way out of darkness.
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, in order to go to heaven, “You must be born again”
As we live in this dark world, our lives and words should expose the darkness; but, that is not where it ends. We need to lead people out of their darkness and point them to new life in Christ
We live it and proclaim it! God did not save us to go and hide from the world; but, to shine as a light in the world for all to see.
We are not called to retreat and hide from the world in some commune somewhere; we are called to light this place up!
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
As a Christian, we should point the world to the One is should be credited for the good that comes out of you.
The Holy Spirit indwells us for several purposes but ultimately He indwells us to glorify Christ. Once surrendered to the Holy Spirit then you are able to be Salt and Light to a lost world.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." NKJV
Again Jesus said, “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear”
Those who would not accept Jesus’ message were expecting an earthly kingdom from Messiah; they did not recognize the Lamp who had come and would not accept Jesus and His Kingdom.
The people who would not receive Jesus, couldn’t see the very thing the prophets had spoken about years earlier.
The light of Jesus’ Kingdom shined forth every time He exercised His power to make broken lives whole;
It shined forth every time Jesus made the lame to walk and the blind to see and even when He healed the lepers.
The light of Jesus’ Kingdom was hidden and secret because of their expectations and rebellion against the King.
II. Pay attention to the message.
Read Mark 4:24-25
Here Jesus challenges His listeners to put His teaching into action…to be doers of the word, not hearers only.
Notice, “Take heed what you hear”. Jesus is telling His followers they have a responsibility discerning what kind of teaching they are choosing to listen to.
It is so important to be learning and to be taught the whole counsel of God’s Word; as Christ followers, we should desire the solid food of the Word, not simply the milk.
Any good diet includes wholesome food; we cannot be healthy by always eating sweets.
The way for growth within the life of a believer is to apply the Word of God to my life, to trust the Word of God, to obey the Word of God, and to apply it to my relationships.
Every time we apply the truth about the King and His Kingdom to our lives, we will grow.
Then Jesus also gives a warning: the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
To reject the Word of God is to reject the Lamp of God, which leads to even greater darkness.
Jesus was calling His followers to be a light; but, no one can be a light unto the world without first being fed the Word of God.
More will be given…David Guzik said, “Jesus reminds us that spiritual growth follows momentum, positive or negative.
“When we have the godly habits of receiving the word and living it, more is built on to that. When we lose those godly habits, they are extremely difficult to get back.” (Guzik)
III. The growing seed.
Read Mark 4:26-29
We must remember from last week’s parable; we cannot make the Seed grow, because the Lord gives the increase.
Our part of growing the Kingdom is to stay surrendered to the Holy Spirit, continue feeding on the pure Word of God, and continue to share the Good News with those who need to hear it.
Galatians 6:9 let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. NKJV
When we are submersed in the Word of God, we end up sharing it, sometimes without even knowing that we have shared it.
Last week, we learned that God’s Word is the good Seed and here, Jesus said the Seed works even happens when we are sleeping
When we are faithful to spread the Word of God; the Lord Himself will work through us and accomplish His will.
Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. NKJV
Even though it is a mystery how the Lord grows His kingdom; we are blessed to be in a partnership with the Lord to grow it.
A.T. Robertson said, “The secret of growth is in the seed, not in the soil nor in the weather nor in the cultivating. These all help, but the seed spontaneously works according to its own nature.”
Have you ever felt like no one was listening when you share the Gospel?
Do you ever feel like no one wants Jesus?
Jesus clearly says that even when we do not recognize how He is working through us; He is and He will, accomplish the task He has called us to do, if we will do our part.
So, What is our part? First, we receive the free gift of salvation;
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV
…and then we surrender to the Leading of His Holy Spirit.
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. NKJV
…and finally we immerse ourselves in the Word of God so we can be ready to share with others; sometimes without even knowing we are sharing.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. NKJV
IV. The mustard seed.
Read Mark 4:30-34
Jesus is saying the Kingdom of God here on earth is something specific; it is a seed that is planted and it grows.
The mustard seed is symbolic of something small and insignificant; in Jewish culture the mustard seed was seen as the smallest unit of measure.
In this parable, we hear a warning and an encouragement.
First the encouragement; the Lord will take very small things and grow them because of who He is.
Jesus began with the twelve Disciples and then there were over one hundred waiting in the upper room after His crucifixion.
After that, Peter preached a sermon after Pentecost and 3000 souls were added that day.
Today, nearly 2000 years later, think about how many people have placed their faith in Christ since the Resurrection of Jesus.
When Jesus works in the soil of people’s hearts; fruit is produced and growth happens!
Do you ever look at yourself and think, “Wow Look at what the Lord has done in my life; I have new desires I have new life in Christ?”
After salvation, we know the truth, we have the love of Christ, and we cannot even imagine life without Jesus ever again.
Because the Lord is Almighty, He can grow His Kingdom from small beginnings and the Kingdom will be unstoppable.
Next the warning; the mustard plant in this parable seems to have grown to an abnormally large tree.
David Guzik said, “Some regard this as a beautiful picture of the church growing so large that it provides refuge for all of the world.
“But this mustard seed plant has grown into a monstrosity, and it harbors birds — who in the parables are emissaries of Satan, according to the foundational parable of the soils.” (Guzik)
Like we heard last week; Matthew 13:19 explains that the birds of the air represent the evil one, so we can conclude the birds of the air in this parable represent the evil one as well.
In Daniel 4 and Ezekiel 17, the tree represents the power of the world which shows how the enemy opposes the work of the kingdom by planting counterfeits among the people of God.
Wiersbe said, “Some of the growth will give opportunity for Satan to get in and go to work!
In the modern church there are so many growth strategies that teach people how to attract more people to come to church.
I want to emphasize that there is nothing wrong with being a big church, if the growth of that church happened by the inspiration and movement of the Holy Spirit.
But we are told in…Acts 2:47 the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. NKJV
These birds resting in this abnormally large Mustard Tree, symbolize man-made growth becoming a nesting place for evil.
I have often said that the method of getting the Gospel to the world can change; but, the message of the Gospel can never change, because neither biblical history nor God, changes.
If church growth becomes more important than Biblical doctrine or Biblical discipleship, it is carnal, satanic, and not of the Lord.
Our growth needs to come from the Lord because false church growth can cause us to compromise and accept false doctrine.
Henry Ironside said, “The professing church of God became a power to be reckoned with among the nations, but its branches sheltered all kinds of false professors and evil teachers.
The birds of the air represent the hosts of evil, and these lodge in the branches of the mustard tree.
It is a most graphic picture of what Christendom became throughout the course of centuries when the false church seemed to dominate the world.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. NKJV
Remember, the kingdom of God began by the seed being spread and only one fourth of the seed grew into plants producing fruit.
Re-read Mark 4:33-34
We already learned that parables use an earthly story to communicate a heavenly meaning; a parable is a teaching from something known to something unknown.
Jesus' parables used things which were familiar to the crowds in order to illustrate a Kingdom truth and provoke spiritual hunger.
The messages we find in scripture from Jesus convey deep and central truths which deal with major Kingdom issues, revealing the status of a man’s heart.
But, in His Grace, Jesus also used parables so that the hearts of those rejecting would not be hardened even further…
…because to whom much is given, much will be required!
V. Practical Application.
The Lord is Sovereign and Almighty; so, when He promises something will happen, it will happen.
So in one sense the Kingdom of God has already come when Jesus was physically here; but, ultimately Jesus is coming back and the fulfillment of God’s kingdom will be realized then.
Until Jesus comes back; He has left His body, the Church here as a witness and a Light to this dark world.
He has also left His Spirit within believers here, as a down payment and guarantee that He is coming back for us.
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become citizens of heaven, children of God, and subjects of the King of Kings.
What an honor and privilege it is to know the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have been enlightened by the Spirit of God and then we have been told that we are the light of the world.
Over and over again in our passage, Jesus used the word hear. We must spiritually hear Jesus, hear His Word, and hear what His kingdom is really all about.
But we do not just hear His Word; we are to use His Word, act upon His Word, trust in His Word, obey His Word, and apply His Word to our life and our relationships.
Every time we apply the truth about the King and His Kingdom to our lives we will personal grow and then produce more fruit.
When we hear and believe God’s Word, we will allow Jesus to have first place within our lives and through the Holy Spirit’s ministry, we will be equipped for whatever He calls us to do.
Jesus wants us to be amazed at His Word and realize the Word of God is truth; it has all we need for life and godliness, and everything the Lord has promised in His Word, will happen.
Jesus is the LAMP given to this dark world. As a follower of Christ; I get to live in the light of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
And because I am in Christ, the Holy Spirit desires to make Jesus known through me; He invites me to co-labor with Him.
The Kingdom of God is unstoppable and this magnificent Jesus has granted us the privilege of being a part of His Kingdom!
