Today’s passage: Mark 4:21-34
Helpful thoughts:
- Four different parables today:
- 21-22 – The message of Jesus Christ is to be proclaimed like shining a light in a room. When that light shines, we should expect it to expose what we could not see without the light.
- 24-25 – The person who receives and believes the gospel message (Puts their faith in Christ) will “have” and receive “more” fruit. The one who will not receive Christ will lose whatever fruit they think they have.
- 26-29 – We don’t have to understand all of how God brings about the new birth and growth of His people. We don’t have to unlock the process ourselves to manufacture disciples on our own. We can just be obedient and keep proclaiming the truth.
- 30-32 – The people of Jesus’ day thought nothing good could come out of Nazareth, but something/someone massive did come. God has simply called on us to obey Him, you don’t have to be a PhD to be fruitful in your ministry.
Questions to consider:
- Who is it that shines, that causes to grow, that flourishes, etc.? Who is responsible for the growth of the Kingdom? What is our part? How does this take the pressure off of us while also encouraging us to get more involved?
- In what ways might our evaluation of a “successful” ministry keep us from thinking we could do anything useful? What do these parables say to that idea?
- What part of the church should rightly be compared to the size of the plant? Is it the building? The budget? The attendance? What is God producing? How might the other things we can look at be a distraction if we aren’t careful?