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March 17 - Mark 4 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends, it's Sean here. It's Tuesday, it's the 17th of
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  March and you have joined me on an awesome day.
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  Today's the day. We continue to read through Mark
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  and boy, today is Parables and miracles.
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  Parables and miracles. Well, to be more precise, 4
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  parables and a phenomenal miracle.
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  This is Jesus in the thick of His ministry as we hear Him
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  teaching and proving that He is more powerful than the elements
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  themselves. How fantastic, Holy Spirit, open
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  up our hearts to see Jesus anew, to see you afresh, and to be
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  arrested by all that you have to show us and teach us.
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  All right, friends, let's do it. Let's read together.
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  Mark chapter 4. Once again, Jesus began teaching
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  by the Lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered
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  around him, so he got into a boat.
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  Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the
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  shore. He taught them by telling
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  stories in the form of parables such as this one.
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  Listen. A farmer went out to plant some
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  seed. As he scattered it across his
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  field, some of the seed fell on a footpath and the birds came
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  and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil
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  with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly
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  because the soil was shallow, but the plant soon wilted under
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  the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died.
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  Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the
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  tender plants, so they produced no grain.
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  Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted,
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  grew and produced a crop. That was 3060 and even 100 times
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  as much as had been planted then.
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  He said anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.
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  Later, when Jesus was alone with the 12 disciples and with the
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  others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables
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  meant. He replied, You are permitted to
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  understand the secret of the Kingdom of God.
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  But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders so
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  that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.
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  When they see what I do, they will learn nothing.
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  When they hear what I say, they will not understand.
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  Otherwise they will turn to me and be forgiven.
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  Then Jesus said to them, If you can't understand the meaning of
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  this parable, how will you understand all the other
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  parables? The farmer plants seed by taking
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  God's Word to others. The seed that fell on the
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  footpath represents those who hear the message only to have
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  Satan come at once and take it away.
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  The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the
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  message and immediately receive it with joy.
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  But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long.
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  They fall the way as soon as they have problems or are
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  persecuted for believing God's Word.
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  The seed that falls among the thorns represents others who
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  hear God's Word, but all too quickly the message is crowded
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  out by the warriors of this life, the lure of wealth and the
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  desire for other things. So no fruit is produced.
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  And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear
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  and accept God's Word and produce a harvest of 3060 or
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  even 100 times as much as had been planted.
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  Then Jesus asked them, would anyone light a lamp and then put
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  it under a basket or under a bed?
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  Of course not. A lamp is placed on a stand
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  where it's light will shine. For everything that is hidden
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  will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will
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  be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should
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  listen and understand. Then, he added, pay close
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  attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more
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  understanding you will be given, and you will receive even more.
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  To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding
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  will be given, but for those who are not listening, even what
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  little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
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  Jesus also said the Kingdom of God is like a farmer who
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  scatters seeds on the ground night and day.
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  While he's asleep or awake. The seed sprouts and grows, but
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  he does not understand how it happens.
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  The earth produces the crops on its own.
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  First the leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat
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  are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
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  And as soon as the grain is ready, the Father comes and
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  harvests it with a sickle for the harvest.
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  Time has come, Jesus said. How can I describe the Kingdom
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  of God? What story should I use to
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  illustrate it? It's like a mustard seed planted
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  in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,
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  but it becomes the largest of all plants.
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  It grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its
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  shade. Jesus used many similar stories
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  and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could
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  understand. In fact, in his public ministry,
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  he never taught without using parables.
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  But afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained
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  everything to them. As evening came, Jesus said to
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  his disciples, Let's cross to the other side of the lake.
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  So they took Jesus in the boat and started out leaving the
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  crowds behind, although other boats followed.
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  But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into
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  the boat, and it began to fill with water.
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  Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a
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  cushion. The disciples woke him up
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  shouting, Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?
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  When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
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  Silence, be still. Suddenly the wind stopped and
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  there was a great calm. Then he asked them, Why are you
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  afraid? Do you still have no faith?
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  The disciples were absolutely terrified.
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  Who is this man? They asked each other.
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  Even the wind and waves obey him.
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  Oh Jesus, you are incredible. Yes, even the wind and the waves
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  obey you because you are the creating God, the Master of
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  everything. And you have given us this gift
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  of faith that grows in our hearts that draws US ever nearer
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  to you. Lord, I pray that as you spoke
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  in this chapter that we would not hide that, that we would put
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  this life changing faith on a stand and like a lamp it would
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  shine through us to bring your Kingdom to the world in which we
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  live. May your game changing love and
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  presence be so evident in US and the way that we live.
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  You are incredible and we love you and we just invite you
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  deeper and deeper into our life to mould us to be your people of
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  this new covenant that you've brought.
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  I'm going to pray this in your wonderful and incredible name,
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  Jesus, Amen.