Crumbs93

 

Crumbs 93

The Kingdom of God

Scripture Mark 4:26-34 NiV 26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” 30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” 33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Crumbs

The kingdom of God is often spoken of in hushed tones, rightly so Kingdom values are referred to with authority, rightly so. But when we hear the phrase and hear the Lord say it what picture comes to mind. For me it is almost geographical; the spiritual equivalent of a physical realm. But it is many faceted. Quite differently another way is to see it as the way God governs.

There are at least three things about the kingdom of God taught by our Lord . Verses 26 to29, The progress of the kingdom is inevitable and of itself. Verses 30 to 32. Little things count in the Kingdom and verses 33 to34 The , kingdom is beyond human comprehension, so much so that our Lord chooses to explain using parables.

In our Lord’s teaching there is a thread of inevitability. God’s will, will be done, whatever. Along side this is incomprehensibility , such a disturbance to the modern scientific mind. We are not told everything but must learn to live with unanswered questions.

In God’s rule is a caring for the smallest of details and out of that caring comes the greatest of consequences. This is both a challenge and an encouragement. The smallest kindness we perform and the most random thought is of concern to Him.

Our Lord chooses parables. The kingdom of God encompasses the furthest galaxy and the smallest sub-atomic particle. Our minds are not built to take all this in. The unseen spiritual, world is beyond our ken. So the Lord spoke to them in parableswhich led us to all the Saviour wants to know, all we need to know.

Questions

1. How should our Lord’s teaching about the kingdom change our attitudes ?

2. What should our approach be to questions that have no answer ?

3. What teaching methods can we learn from the Lord?