Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Mark 4:26-29 "26 And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come." In this parable (unique to Mark), Jesus illustrates the mysterious, autonomous, and certain growth of the Kingdom of God. While the Parable of the Sower emphasizes the human heart’s response, this one highlights the inherent power of the Word and God’s sovereign work in spiritual development. The Process of Growth Jesus pictures a farmer who scatters seed and then resumes ordinary life; sleeping and rising night and day. Mysterious Agency : “The seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how” (v. 27). The farmer sows but does not cause or fully understand t...

Mark 4:21-25 "21 And He said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? 22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24 And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath." Jesus continues teaching His disciples with two brief sayings; The Lamp and The Measure. These emphasize the believer’s responsibility to share received truth and the principle that receptivity shapes spiritual growth. The Parable of the Lamp (vv. 21–23) Jesus poses a rhetorical question: Would anyone light a lamp only to hide it under a basket or bed? Of course not. A lamp belongs on a stand to give light t...

Mark 4:10-20 "10 And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. 11 And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And He said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for t...

Mark 4:1-9 "1 And He began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto Him a great multitude, so that He entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And He taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in His doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And He said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Je...

Mark 3:31-35 "31 There came then His brethren and His mother, and, standing without, sent unto Him, calling Him. 32 And the multitude sat about Him, and they said unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for Thee. 33 And He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brethren? 34 And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother." Yesterday we saw the warning of the unforgivable sin; attributing the Holy Spirit’s work to Satan, which rejects God’s will. Today’s verses give the positive counterpart: the family of God is formed by embracing the Holy Spirit’s work through Jesus, that is, by doing God’s will. Those who reject the Spirit remain outside with the skeptical scribes and relatives; those who accept Him are brought inside as brothers and sisters in Christ. Mark 3:31-35 resolves the tension begun in verses 20-2...

Mark 3:20-30 "20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 And when His friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on Him: for they said, He is beside Himself. 22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils. 23 And He called them unto Him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy...