Two Seed Parables

Meditations of the Gospel of Mark

August 14, 2020

Two Seed Parables

Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?

Mark 4:30

Read: Mark 4: 26-34

Jesus concluded the first parable with, “As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:29 NIV) This is a direct quote of Joel 3:13. The prophet Joel’s book is about the coming Day of the Lord, which today we refer to as the Second Coming of Jesus in Final Victory. This will be the time when God’s people will be vindicated for their faith. Jesus uses the reference here to affirm that God’s promised moment is coming. He also includes a clarification. The Jews expected that Israel would be vindicated on the Day of the Lord and their enemies condemned. Jesus is saying when judgement comes it will be different than that, but come it will.

The second parable begins with Jesus saying, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God?” This very similar to Isaiah 40:18, “To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?” Isaiah 40 provides a fresh vision of God’s nature to provide assurance God is able to fulfill His promise to vindicate and restore Israel. Jesus used this familiar passage to introduce a parable that gives the assurance that although his announcement of God’s New Creation may seem small in the grand scheme of things, nevertheless, God will use Jesus to establish His Kingdom on earth.

My Takeaway: I think God wants me to rest in the sure knowledge that Jesus is coming again to establish his never-ending Kingdom on earth. But, not just rest. Others also need to hear the Good News.

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!

Romans 10:14-15

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.