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March 12 - Mark 4 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends, it's shown here. It's Tuesday, it is the 12th of
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  March, and we are past the halfway mark through Lent, and
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  we are moving ever closer toward that fateful day on that hill
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  and Calvary. I wonder how you're going.
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  I hope that you're taking some time or being able to carve out
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  some time in your busy schedule to just reflect on the enormity
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  of this journey as we walk toward that hill with Jesus as
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  we prepare ourselves for the enormity of what's about to
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  happen. Some of you probably still
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  giving up some things and good on you if that's you.
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  And even if you haven't given up anything for Lent, it is still
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  such an important time to to centre ourselves in this story.
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  And what better way to do that than by reading through this
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  gospel together each day? And today we have another day
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  where we just we just cover so much ground each day, the way
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  Mark does in his gospel. We have got parables and then we
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  have got Jesus showing his power over the natural elements.
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  It is an enormous reading, not by volume but by impact.
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  Today, as we read this, let's just go back.
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  Holy Spirit just evoke in us a sense of awe being in the
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  presence of Jesus as we hear His words, as we walk with Him, as
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  we witness what He does. May His presence make your
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  presence in our life be so palpable that it would blow our
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  little minds. How exciting.
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  How friends, do you want to do it?
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  Do you? Yeah, me too.
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  Let us read together Mark Chapter 4.
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  Once again, Jesus began teaching by the Lakeshore.
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  A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a
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  boat. Then he sat in the boat while
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  all the people remained on the shore.
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  He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables,
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  such as this one. Listen, A farmer went out to
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  plant some seed as he scattered it across his field.
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  Some of the seed fell in a footpath and the birds came and
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  ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil
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  with underlying rock. The seeds 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 as
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  many as had been planted then, he said.
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  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, but I use
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  parables for everything I say to outsiders, so that the
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  Scriptures might be fulfilled. When they see what I do, they
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  will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they
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  will not understand. Otherwise they will turn to me
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  and be forgiven. Then Jesus said to them, if you
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  can't understand the meaning of this parable, how will you
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  understand all the other parables?
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  The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others.
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  The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who
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  hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it
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  away. The seed on the rocky soil
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  represents those who hear the message and immediately receive
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  it with joy. But since they don't have deep
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  roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they
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  have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
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  The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who
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  hear God's word. But all too quickly the message
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  is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth,
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  and the desire for other things. So no fruit is produced, and the
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  seed that fell on good soil represents those here and accept
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  God's word and produce a harvest of 3060 or even 100 times as
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  much as had been planted. Then Jesus asked them, would
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  anyone lighten lamp and then put it under a basket or under a
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  bed? Of course not.
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  A lamp is placed on a stand where its light will shine, for
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  everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the
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  open and every secret will be brought to light.
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  Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.
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  Then, he added. Pay close attention to what you
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  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
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  listening, even what little understanding they have will be
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  taken away from them. Jesus also said the Kingdom of
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  God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground
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  night and day. While he is asleep or awake.
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  The seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it
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  happens. The earth produces the crop on
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  its own. First a leaf blade pushes
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  through, then the heads of wheat are formed and finally the grain
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  ripens. And as soon as the grain is
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  ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle for
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  the harvest. Time has come, Jesus said.
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  How can I describe the Kingdom of God?
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  What story should I use to illustrate it?
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  It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground.
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  It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of
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  all garden plants. It grows long branches and birds
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  can make nests in its shade. Jesus used many similar stories
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  in 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 here, 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 were 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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  Jesus, as we listen to your teaching, we hear so clearly
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  that you tell us that your ways and the lessons that you want us
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  to learn are so foreign to what this world will tell us that we
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  just cannot wrap our heads around it.
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  And it's only your gift of understanding that can help us
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  see your truth. Holy Spirit, we pray that you
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  would grow in us and understanding of you and your
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  mission and your Kingdom priorities help that become the
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  lens through which we see the world.
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  Shape us so that we can be unified in purpose with your
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  will. Yeah, we love you Lord, and we
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  wanna see your Kingdom be your reality around us.
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  Give us an understanding, and thank you that you don't only
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  give us that gift of understanding, but you stand
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  before us in your power and your Majesty that rules over
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  everything. Even even the wind and the waves
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  obey you. So we just submit ourselves to
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  you, your wisdom, your might, and your rule.
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  Let me pray all of this in your name.
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  I'm in.