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Mark 4:1-33 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Okay, please go ahead and have a seat and join me in the gospel of Mark chapter 4.
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! It's hard to believe it's already 2014.
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If you've had your first denial experience yet, I've written the date 2014 and it just felt so weird to do it already.
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And you know this time of year, many people, maybe you, make New Year's resolutions.
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It's a common thing that happens and these resolutions are typically aimed at making us better versions of ourselves.
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And I was reminded this past week that people have come and gone from our church
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and one of their complaints was that the preaching here didn't make them feel good about themselves.
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And I was reminded that that's not really the point of why we preach.
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And the point of why we preach is to make much of Christ.
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And the gospel properly presented will make you feel rather little about yourself.
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Those things that you can do and accomplish on your own.
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If you really understand the measure of sin, you will see that your image-bearing ability has destroyed by it.
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That you were dead in that.
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And those of us who have now placed our faith in Christ have been made alive again,
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but we still are sick with sin.
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It's still something we carry around.
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It's a baggage.
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It drags us down at times.
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And so many New Year's resolutions are aimed at changing that part of us.
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What we really ought to be devoting ourselves to is becoming more like Christ.
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Depending more on the regenerative power of the Spirit to conform us into His image this year.
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And so I hope with me, that's your plan for 2014.
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That at the end of 2014, as we come to the first Sunday of 2015,
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you can look back and say, my life better reflects the gospel.
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I look more like Christ in 2015 than I did at the beginning of 2014.
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And that is the aim of Mark's gospel.
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He's trying to make much of Christ.
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In fact, he doesn't even mention that he's the one that wrote the gospel of Mark
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in an attempt to relegate who he is and exalt who Christ is.
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It's history and tradition that holds that Mark was the one that in fact wrote this gospel.
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And he's been driving us all along at this point to see who Jesus is.
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That He is in fact the Son of God.
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The Christ.
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The one who came to bring redemption to the church.
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To make us disciples of Jesus Christ.
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To make much of Him.
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And so as we look here at chapter 4, I'm going to do kind of an odd thing with it.
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I'm going to read to you verse 1-34 to set the context.
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And we're going to focus this morning on verses 10-12 to talk about why it was that Jesus spoke in parable.
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Before we read together, let me just remind you that last week,
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the stage that's set for us as he goes into this next set of teaching
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is that he has returned more than likely to Capernaum,
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which was kind of his home base in Galilee as he was ministering.
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And he encountered, sort of all at the same time, a crowd and his family and the scribes.
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And we talked a bit about this idea that C.S. Lewis put into play,
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which is more than likely taken from this text,
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that you cannot think of Christ as simply a good moral teacher
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because he doesn't leave that option open for you.
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But you either have to think of him as a liar, a lunatic,
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or as Lord, who he actually says that he is.
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And there's kind of a two-category system set up here by Mark
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that you're either going to be one who does not believe that Jesus is the Christ
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or one who does believe that he is the Christ.
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Jesus says in verse 35 of chapter 34,
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Here are my mothers and my brothers,
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for whoever does the will of God,
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he is my brother and sister and mother.
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Those who do the will of God are part of the family of God.
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And we saw that the will of God, the primary will of God,
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the place in which all other wills for your life are rooted
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is that we believe that Jesus is in fact the Christ, the Son of God.
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So that continues here for us as he steps away from Capernaum
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and goes back to the seashore as Capernaum was located
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along the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee.
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And so we'll begin reading in verse 1, chapter 4.
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Again he began to teach beside the sea.
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And a very large crowd gathered about him so that he got into a boat
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and sat in it on the sea.
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And the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.
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And he was teaching them many things and parables.
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And in his teaching he said to them,
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Listen.
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A sower went out to sow.
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And as he sowed, some seeds fell among the path.
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And the birds came and devoured it.
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Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil.
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And immediately it sprang up since it had no depth of soil.
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And when the sun rose, it was scorched.
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And since it had no root, it withered away.
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Other seed fell among thorns.
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And the thorns grew up and choked it.
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And it yielded no grain.
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And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain,
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growing up and increasing and yielding
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thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
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And he said,
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He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
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And when he was alone,
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those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
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And he said to them,
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To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God.
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But for those outside, everything is in parables.
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So that they may indeed see but not perceive.
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And may indeed hear but not understand.
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Lest they should turn and be forgiven.
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And he said to them,
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Do you not understand this parable?
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How then will you understand all the parables?
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The sower sows the word.
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And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown.
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When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
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And these are the ones sown on rocky ground.
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The ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy.
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And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while.
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Then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word,
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immediately they fall away.
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And others are the ones sown among thorns.
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They are those who hear the word,
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but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches
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and the desires for other things
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enter in and choke the word,
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and it proves unfruitful.
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But those that were sown on the good soil
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are the ones who hear the word
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and accept it and bear fruit
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thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
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And he said to them,
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Is the lamp brought in to be put under a basket
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or under a bed and not on a stand?
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For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest,
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nor is anything secret except to come to light.
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If anyone has ears to hear,
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let him hear.
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And he said to them,
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Pay attention to what you hear.
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With the measure you use,
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it will be measured to you,
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and still more will be added to you.
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For to the one who has,
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more will be given,
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and from the one who has not,
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even what he has will be taken away.
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And he said,
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The kingdom of God is as if a man
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should scatter seed on the ground.
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He sleeps and rises night and day,
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and the seed sprouts and grows.
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He knows not how.
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The earth produces by itself,
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first the blade,
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then the ear,
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then the full grain in the ear.
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But when the grain is ripe,
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at once he puts in the sickle,
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because the harvest has come.
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And he said,
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With what can we compare the kingdom of God,
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or what parable shall we use for it?
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It is like a grain of mustard seed,
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which, when sown on the ground,
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is the smallest of all the seeds on earth.
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Yet when it is sown,
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it grows up and becomes larger
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than all the garden plants,
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and puts out large branches
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so that the birds of the air
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can make nests in its shade.
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With many such parables,
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he spoke the word to them
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as they were able to hear it.
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He did not speak to them
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without a parable,
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but privately to his own disciples.
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He explained everything.
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Please join me in prayer.
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Father, we do thank you this morning
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for your word to us
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by your scriptures.
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And I pray, Father,
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by your spirit,
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as we boldly approach your throne,
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clothed in the righteousness of Christ,
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that you will have your way with us,
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that you will shape our hearts,
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that you will use our frailty
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in speaking and hearing
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and understanding
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to conform us to the image of your Son.
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Make us more like Him this morning.
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And we pray this in His name.
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Amen.
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Our religion is a religion of words.
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It is the way in which
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the power of God is communicated to us
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that the gospel itself,
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this gospel message,
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is the power of God
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unto salvation.
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Words give meaning and power
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and give birth to ideas.
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And it is this beautiful idea
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of the kingdom of God coming
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that Jesus has been presenting to us.
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You remember back in chapter 1,
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verse 15,
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He says,
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the time is fulfilled
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and the kingdom of God is at hand.
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Repent and believe in the gospel.
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And He does that so often
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in a very common way
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in the speaking of parables,
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which are short stories,
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allegorical in nature,
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and they're meant to teach
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a much greater truth.
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That's why Jesus spoke in this way
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was to teach something greater.
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So to draw your attention
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to Mark 4, 10-12,
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let's read it one more time.
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And when He was alone,
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those around Him with the twelve
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asked Him about the parables.
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And He said to them,
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To you has been given
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the secret of the kingdom of God,
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but for those outside,
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everything is in parables,
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so that they may indeed see
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but not perceive,
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and may indeed hear
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but not understand,
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lest they should turn
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and be forgiven.
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So they asked the question,
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Jesus,
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why is it
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that you speak
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in parables?
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We can see that
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in the parallel version
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of this story
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in Matthew 13.
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They say,
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why is it
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that you speak to them
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in parables?
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And the answer to that
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in the case
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that I'll build to you
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is that it was
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to veil the truth
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and to unveil
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or to reveal the truth.
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To make the truth
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very apparent to some
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and not to others.
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Now you recall,
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as you ponder that,
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you might think,
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well how narrow.
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Wouldn't Jesus have wanted
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everyone to respond?
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Wasn't that the point
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of Him coming?
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And preaching the gospel?
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We've said over and over again
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that the signs
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that He was doing
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was simply designed
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to validate the message.
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Isn't the message
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incredibly important?
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And yes,
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it certainly is.
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But recall
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that we've also talked
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about how very narrow
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Jesus was.
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He had an intended point
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and a purpose
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and a people
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that He was coming
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to redeem.
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This is why
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He spoke
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in parables.
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We've seen great crowds
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follow Him.
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And I have said to you
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repeatedly,
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that these people
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were not
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by and large
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regenerate.
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These people
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did not believe
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that He was
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who He says
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He is.
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We see in Acts 1,
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we see 120 gathered
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after His death.
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120 that were faithful
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to the cause of Christ
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that saw
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who He was,
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that He was
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the King
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of this coming
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Kingdom.
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So Jesus
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is constantly
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narrowing
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and narrowing
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and narrowing
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as He speaks.
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And so He uses
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the veil
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and His response
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to them,
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He quotes Isaiah
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chapter 6,
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verses 8-10.
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Isaiah 6,
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classic text.
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We all love
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to hear about
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the calling of Isaiah,
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His response
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to go.
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Verse 8,
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And I heard the voice
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of the Lord saying,
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Whom shall I send?
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And who will go
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for us?
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And then Isaiah responds,
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Here am I,
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send me.
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And then in verse 9,
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God says,
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Go and say to this people,
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Keep on hearing,
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but do not understand.
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Keep on seeing,
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but do not perceive.
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Make the heart
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of this people dull
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and their ears heavy
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and blind their eyes,
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lest they see
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with their eyes
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and hear with their ears
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and understand
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with their hearts
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and turn
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and be healed.
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Part of Isaiah's
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very ministry
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was to preach
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the coming of the kingdom
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of God
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to a people
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who would not hear it.
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It's prophesied right here
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that this would be the case.
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And in fact,
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in the parallel version
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of the story we have before us
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in Mark chapter 4,
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in verse 14
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of chapter 13 of Matthew,
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right before Matthew records
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his quotation of Isaiah,
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chapter 6,
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it's recorded,
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indeed,
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in their case,
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those who are outside
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of this understanding,
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the prophecy of Isaiah
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is fulfilled.
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That it is,
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in fact,
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fulfilled in this day
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of Jesus
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that says,
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and then he quotes
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from Isaiah chapter 6.
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This is a prophecy
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that people,
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some would understand,
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and that some would not,
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which is why he spoke
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in parables,
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to veil the truth.
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Paul gives us
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a little bit of insight
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into this
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in 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
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In verse 8,
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he writes,
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none of the rulers
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of this age
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understood this.
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He's talking about
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the secret,
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hidden wisdom of God
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in verse 7.
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None of the rulers
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of this age
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understood this,
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for if they had,
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they would not have
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crucified the Lord of glory.
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If they had understood
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who Jesus was,
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they wouldn't have
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put him to death.
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And it was necessary
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that he be put to death
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so that the remission
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of sins might extend
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and expand to all
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of mankind.
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And then he quotes
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also from Isaiah
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chapter 64,
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verse 4,
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but as it is written,
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what no eye has seen,
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nor ear heard,
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nor the heart of man
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imagined,
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what God has prepared
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for those
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who love Him.
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Paul goes on to write
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in verse 10
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of chapter 2,
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that these are things
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that have been revealed
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to those who are in Christ
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by the Spirit of God.
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Verse 11,
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for who knows
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a person's thoughts
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except the Spirit
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of that person
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which is in him.
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So also no one
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comprehends the thoughts
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of God
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except the Spirit
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of God.
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And so Paul for us
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kind of brings
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these two ideas together
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that this was something
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that must happen,
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that some would not believe
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in order that
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the redemptive purposes
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of Christ
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might be completed
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so that we can believe
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by the power
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of His Spirit.
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Now it's interesting
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as Jesus is talking
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to this group of people,
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because it's those
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around Him
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with the twelve
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if you'll notice
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in chapter 4,
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verse 10.
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So not just the apostles
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but some others
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that were gathered
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with Him
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who have been given
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the secret
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of the kingdom
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of God.
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It's important
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that we note
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that they didn't
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still seem
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to quite get it.
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There was some
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understanding
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bearing in their hearts,
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but yet,
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if you look
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in verse 33
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of chapter 4,
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with many such parables
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He spoke the word
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to them
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as they were able
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to hear it.
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He did not speak
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to them without a parable,
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but privately
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to His own disciples
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He explained everything.
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Explanation was necessary
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for them.
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And look later
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in chapter 4,
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verse 40 and 41.
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After Jesus calms
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the storm,
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He says to them,
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Why are you afraid?
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Have you still
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no faith?
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And they were filled
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with great fear
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and said to one another,
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Who then is this
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that even the wind
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and the sea
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obey Him?
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They still
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didn't quite grasp
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who Jesus was.
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The light was coming
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to bear in their hearts,
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but they still had yet
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to entirely wrap
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their mind around it.
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And let that be
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an encouragement
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to us this morning
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as we are about
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to launch into a study
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of a number of parables
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which can be confounding
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at times.
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We'll take a break
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from that,
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go back to some narrative,
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and we're going to
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pick right back up
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into many more parables
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in the Gospel of Mark.
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And they're difficult
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to understand at times.
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By the Spirit
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and the Scriptures,
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we come to understand
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what it is they mean
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as we have a greater degree
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of revelation
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than these disciples
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would have had.
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But let it encourage you
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that you don't have
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to quite get it all
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to have the Spirit of God
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working in you
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and bringing to bear
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the truth.
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So he taught him parables
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to veil the truth.
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But he also taught him
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parables to reveal the truth.
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Here in chapter 4,
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this is not the first account
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we see of him speaking
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in parables.
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In fact,
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his response
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to the Pharisees,
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the scribes
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that challenged him
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back at the end
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of chapter 3
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were parables.
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This idea of a strong man
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being in his house
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and to plunder his house.
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You must come in
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and bind the strong man.
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He was speaking of
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who he is,
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that he is in fact God
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and he has the power
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to bind Satan
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and therefore come
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and take from the kingdom
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of Satan
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those who are his.
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It's also not the first time
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that parables are used generally.
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Jesus isn't the first
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to use parables
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to teach truth in this way.
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Back in 2 Samuel,
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chapter 12
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in the Old Testament,
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God brings David
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to conviction
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of his sin
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with Bathsheba
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and Uriah
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through the prophet Nathan
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through a parable.
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Listen to this.
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2 Samuel 12
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beginning in verse 1.
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And the Lord sent Nathan
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to David.
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He came to him
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and said to him,
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there were two men
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in a certain city,
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the one rich
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and the other poor.
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The rich man
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had very many flocks
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and herds,
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but the poor man
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had nothing
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but one little ewe lamb
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which he had bought.
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And he brought it up
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and it grew up with him
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and with his children.
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He used to eat of his morsel
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and drink from his cup
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and lie in his arms
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and it was like a daughter to him.
18:12
Now there came a traveler
18:13
to the rich man
18:14
and he was unwilling
18:14
to take one of his own
18:15
flock or herd
18:16
to prepare for the guest
18:17
who had come to him,
18:18
but he took the poor man's lamb
18:20
and prepared it for the man
18:21
who had come to him.
18:23
Then David's anger
18:24
was greatly kindled
18:25
against the man
18:26
in the story.
18:27
And he said to Nathan,
18:28
as the Lord lives,
18:29
the man who has done this
18:31
deserves to die
18:32
and he shall restore
18:33
the lamb for full
18:34
because he did this thing
18:35
and because he had no pity.
18:38
Nathan said to David,
18:40
you are the man.
18:43
This was how God,
18:45
by the prophet Nathan
18:46
and the enlightening
18:47
of the Spirit,
18:49
convicted David
18:50
of his great sin.
18:51
And then we see
18:52
so many laments
18:53
in the Psalms
18:53
and repentance
18:54
for what he had done.
18:57
So, Jesus spoke in parables.
18:59
God had used parables before.
19:01
Jesus speaks in parables
19:02
both to veil
19:03
and to reveal the truth.
19:06
And he sets up for us
19:07
again another dichotomy,
19:09
two groups of people
19:12
that everyone in this world
19:13
falls into.
19:14
You fall into one of these
19:15
two categories.
19:18
And here it's stated
19:19
in verse 11,
19:20
to you,
19:21
this is one group,
19:22
to you has been given
19:23
the secret of the kingdom of God.
19:25
And another group
19:26
are those who are outside.
19:28
This morning,
19:30
you're in one of those
19:31
two places.
19:32
Everyone in this earth
19:33
is in one of those two places.
19:34
Has been given the secret
19:35
of the kingdom of God
19:35
or is outside.
19:39
And so we have to ask
19:39
the question,
19:40
what then is the secret
19:42
of the kingdom of God?
19:44
We should know this.
19:45
If we want to find
19:46
where we are,
19:47
categorically speaking,
19:48
in one of these two groups,
19:49
are we those
19:50
who have been given
19:51
the secret of the kingdom of God
19:52
or those who are outside?
19:55
Do we have the key
19:56
that unlocks the parables?
19:58
Or should they be
19:59
confounding to us?
20:00
Should we never understand
20:01
what is meant
20:02
by all of these parables
20:03
about the coming kingdom?
20:06
The secret
20:06
of the kingdom of God
20:08
is the person,
20:10
Jesus Christ.
20:13
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1,
20:15
verse 30,
20:16
And because of God,
20:18
you are in Christ Jesus,
20:20
who became to us
20:22
wisdom from God,
20:24
righteousness,
20:25
righteousness,
20:26
and sanctification,
20:27
and redemption.
20:30
So those who have been given
20:33
the secret of the kingdom of God
20:34
are those who believe
20:35
that Jesus is who He says
20:38
that He is,
20:39
that He is the Christ.
20:41
And the others,
20:42
those who are outside,
20:43
are those who do not.
20:46
Turn with me to the parallel version
20:47
of this text.
20:50
Matthew chapter 13.
20:51
Matthew chapter 13.
21:10
We see a more expanded version
21:12
of the account beginning in verse 10.
21:13
Then the disciples came
21:15
and said to Him,
21:16
Why do you speak to them
21:17
in parables?
21:18
There's the question.
21:18
Why do you speak to them
21:19
in parables?
21:20
And He answered them,
21:21
To you it has been given
21:22
to know the secrets
21:23
of the kingdom of heaven,
21:24
but to them it has not been given.
21:26
There's our two categories.
21:28
Then verse 12.
21:30
For to the one who has,
21:32
more will be given,
21:33
and he will have an abundance.
21:35
But from the one who has not,
21:37
even what he has
21:38
will be taken away.
21:40
This is why I speak to them
21:41
in parables.
21:42
Because seeing they do not see,
21:44
and hearing they do not hear,
21:45
nor do they understand.
21:46
Now verse 12 is interesting
21:49
because in Mark chapter 4,
21:52
it's recorded in a different spot.
21:54
In Mark chapter 4,
21:55
it's in verse 25.
21:58
As he concludes
21:59
the lamp under a basket parable
22:02
as it's headed
22:03
in probably most of our Bibles.
22:06
It's recorded in a different place
22:08
and we'll look more
22:08
at why that is
22:10
in the coming weeks.
22:11
But here we see it's added
22:12
to this account.
22:13
For to the one who has,
22:15
more will be given,
22:16
and he who will have an abundance.
22:17
But from the one who has not,
22:18
even what he has
22:19
will be taken away.
22:21
What is he talking about?
22:24
Has what?
22:26
What is it that we are to have
22:27
in order to receive more?
22:29
An abundance of more.
22:31
And what is it that someone
22:33
doesn't have,
22:34
and even what they have
22:35
is taken away?
22:36
And what I would say to you
22:38
is that thing that Jesus
22:40
is referring to here
22:41
is faith.
22:44
For the one who has faith,
22:46
the one who believes
22:48
that Jesus is the Christ,
22:51
will be given more faith,
22:53
an abundance of faith,
22:54
saving faith
22:55
that will persevere to the end
22:58
when all the things
22:59
that we hope in
23:00
will become a reality.
23:01
The ability to see
23:03
the kingdom of God
23:04
coming to bear,
23:05
to experience it
23:06
to be true
23:07
in our own hearts.
23:09
But for the one
23:10
who does not have faith,
23:12
even what he has.
23:13
Now, remember who he's
23:15
speaking to primarily
23:17
in these settings.
23:19
These would have been Jews.
23:21
Those who had
23:22
the promises of God,
23:24
who had what is called
23:25
now our modern Old Testament.
23:27
They had all of this teaching.
23:29
They had Moses.
23:31
And the prophets
23:31
who spoke of the Christ.
23:33
And yet, even this,
23:35
this understanding
23:36
that they have
23:36
is taken away.
23:39
I can remind you
23:40
in Ephesians 2,
23:42
verse 8, it says,
23:44
For by grace you have been saved
23:45
through faith.
23:47
And that this is not your own doing,
23:48
it is the gift of God.
23:50
We need the Spirit of God
23:52
to work in our hearts
23:54
to bring about faith in God.
23:57
And these are the people
23:58
who believe,
23:59
who can understand,
24:02
who are given
24:03
the secrets
24:04
of the kingdom.
24:07
Now, the rest of the text
24:09
in Matthew chapter 13,
24:10
we see a longer quotation
24:12
of Isaiah chapter 6.
24:15
Indeed, in their case,
24:16
the promise of Isaiah
24:17
is fulfilled
24:17
that says,
24:19
you will indeed hear
24:19
but never understand.
24:20
You will indeed see
24:21
but never perceive.
24:22
For this people's heart
24:23
has grown dull
24:24
and with their ears
24:25
they can barely hear
24:25
and their eyes
24:26
have closed.
24:28
Lest they should see
24:29
with their eyes
24:29
and hear with their ears
24:30
and understand with their heart
24:31
and turn
24:32
and I would heal them.
24:34
And then verse 16,
24:34
but blessed are your eyes
24:36
for they see
24:37
and your ears
24:38
for they hear
24:39
for truly I say to you
24:41
many prophets
24:42
and righteous people
24:43
long to see what you see
24:44
and did not see it
24:46
and to hear what you hear
24:47
and did not hear it.
24:50
They longed to see
24:52
the Christ.
24:54
They knew that in some way
24:56
the promises of God
24:57
would be fulfilled.
24:58
They had some hint
24:59
of this Messiah
25:01
and what he was going
25:02
to look like
25:03
as they prophesied
25:04
about him
25:04
but they did not
25:06
get to behold him.
25:08
They longed to hear
25:10
this coming message
25:12
of the kingdom of God.
25:13
The gospel preached
25:15
in its entirety
25:16
in the personal work
25:18
of Christ
25:18
and yet they did
25:19
not hear it.
25:23
How blessed are we
25:24
to be ones
25:25
who have received
25:25
the secrets
25:26
of the kingdom.
25:28
We have received Christ.
25:29
We have seen
25:31
and heard
25:32
this great truth.
25:35
There are many Jews
25:37
today
25:38
strict adherents
25:39
to
25:40
Old Testament
25:42
apostate Judaism
25:44
that are still longing
25:46
and looking
25:46
for the Messiah.
25:49
And they do so
25:50
with an unclear understanding
25:51
of who the Messiah is.
25:55
I found an article
25:55
by a rabbi
25:57
I'm sure I should quote
25:58
but I forgot to write down
25:59
his name
26:00
and I lost the article.
26:02
And he gave four reasons
26:03
why Jesus Christ
26:04
is not the Messiah.
26:07
It is predicted
26:08
in Ezekiel chapter 37
26:09
that he would
26:10
build the third temple.
26:12
This is yet to happen.
26:14
Isaiah chapter 43
26:15
that he would gather
26:16
all Jews
26:17
back to the land
26:18
of Israel.
26:20
Isaiah chapter 2
26:22
verse 4
26:22
that he would usher
26:23
in an era
26:24
of world peace
26:25
and end all hatred,
26:26
oppression,
26:27
suffering,
26:28
and disease.
26:30
Zechariah 14.9
26:32
that he would spread
26:33
universal knowledge
26:34
of the God of Israel
26:35
which will unite humanity
26:36
as one.
26:38
And this is the Messiah
26:39
that they are waiting for.
26:42
They're waiting for
26:43
a Messiah to come
26:44
that will accomplish this
26:46
in the here and now.
26:47
And until they can see
26:48
that happen
26:48
they are not willing
26:49
to believe
26:50
that Jesus was the Christ.
26:52
But yet,
26:52
Jesus is in fact
26:54
accomplishing
26:54
all these things.
26:55
And they will finally
26:57
and fully
26:57
be accomplished.
27:00
The kingdom of God
27:01
is at hand.
27:03
He reigns even now
27:05
doing this very work.
27:09
But in this way,
27:10
in the fulfillment
27:11
of these prophecies,
27:13
Jesus has veiled truth
27:15
and revealed truth.
27:18
Just think of the way
27:19
that Jesus came
27:20
into this world.
27:21
He fulfilled prophecy
27:22
in the way He came.
27:23
But He came not
27:24
as the king they expected.
27:26
As they focused in
27:28
on these particular
27:29
prophecies of the Messiah.
27:30
Not as the one
27:31
who would ride in
27:32
on a horse,
27:33
a valiant steed
27:34
that would be like Saul,
27:35
a head taller
27:36
than everyone else
27:36
and would come
27:37
and conquer Rome
27:38
and restore things.
27:40
But He came instead
27:41
as a humble baby.
27:42
Veiled.
27:44
Born to a humble,
27:45
young,
27:46
teenage girl
27:47
in a stable,
27:49
in a very obscure
27:50
part of the world.
27:52
This Jesus
27:54
that is said
27:55
to be from Nazareth
27:57
and we have to qualify
27:58
that it's Nazareth
27:58
of Galilee
27:59
because no one knew
28:00
where Nazareth was.
28:02
Talk about the county
28:04
that it was located in
28:04
so you could get
28:05
where it was
28:06
on a map.
28:08
He came in obscure,
28:09
humble,
28:10
the son of a carpenter
28:11
and He served the world
28:13
in humility.
28:15
They missed this
28:16
because Jesus
28:17
veiled that truth
28:20
in order to reveal
28:22
that truth
28:23
to some of us
28:24
lowly,
28:26
lowly people.
28:29
Last night I was playing
28:30
with the boys
28:30
on the floor
28:31
and they got a bunch
28:34
of Hot Wheels
28:35
monster trucks
28:36
for Christmas
28:36
which is a very cool thing
28:38
that Hot Wheels
28:39
has done
28:40
for boys everywhere.
28:43
And Judah,
28:45
there's eight of them
28:46
and Judah had carefully
28:47
lined them up,
28:48
neat little rows
28:49
all facing the same direction
28:50
and didn't want
28:51
that game messed with.
28:52
He had his little trucks
28:54
lined up
28:54
and he was just laying
28:55
on the floor like this
28:55
looking at them.
28:57
And so I was laying
28:58
on the floor with him
28:59
and we were talking
28:59
about their color
29:00
and counting them
29:01
trying to redeem
29:02
whatever the game was
29:03
for some future knowledge
29:05
and I counted them
29:07
to eight
29:08
and Caveman said,
29:10
he was sitting
29:11
cross-legged next to us
29:12
and said,
29:13
no daddy,
29:13
there are seven.
29:15
I said,
29:15
Caveman,
29:16
your dad's a good counter,
29:17
there are eight.
29:18
And he said,
29:19
no,
29:20
there are seven.
29:21
And I went,
29:21
okay,
29:22
watch.
29:22
And I counted them again.
29:23
I put my finger
29:23
on each one,
29:24
counted them,
29:25
eight.
29:26
Here's the evidence,
29:27
look,
29:27
one,
29:27
two,
29:27
three,
29:27
four,
29:28
five,
29:28
six,
29:28
seven,
29:29
eight.
29:29
And he kind of gave me
29:30
this look when I got to eight
29:31
like,
29:31
I think he's got me.
29:33
But he refused to believe
29:34
that there were eight.
29:35
I took his finger,
29:36
made him,
29:36
I held his finger
29:37
and I touched each one
29:38
to convince him
29:40
that there were eight
29:42
and he got sad
29:43
that he was wrong
29:44
that there were eight
29:46
and not seven.
29:47
And so what he wanted to do
29:49
was take one away
29:50
so there would be seven
29:51
in the pile.
29:54
And so I had to distract Judah
29:55
so he wouldn't get mad
29:56
that we messed up his line of trucks
29:57
and took one.
29:58
So we had seven left
30:00
in the pile.
30:02
And is this not,
30:03
this made me think,
30:03
is this not
30:04
what the world does
30:05
with Jesus Christ?
30:08
There's so much evidence
30:10
on the table.
30:11
It would seem
30:13
that we should
30:13
by human terms
30:16
be able to convince somebody
30:17
that Jesus is the Christ.
30:18
Particularly the Jews.
30:20
Right?
30:21
Those who were actually
30:21
waiting for the Messiah
30:23
just want to show them
30:24
the Scriptures
30:25
and point to the One,
30:27
to Jesus Christ,
30:27
to magnify Him
30:28
and that they would get that.
30:32
But they can't
30:33
until the Spirit works
30:34
a work in their life.
30:36
They can't.
30:37
It's impossible.
30:39
These are things
30:40
that are revealed to us
30:42
by the Spirit.
30:44
Now I know that sometimes
30:45
that causes a little bit
30:46
of an anxiety
30:47
because we really,
30:48
really, really want to believe
30:49
that our God is this
30:50
great, big, benevolent God
30:52
and loves the world.
30:54
And you know what?
30:55
He does.
30:56
He does.
30:58
The fact that He has redeemed
30:59
even one of us
31:00
is a great expression
31:01
of His love.
31:02
Not to mention
31:03
untold millions.
31:06
Millions.
31:07
Billions.
31:07
I don't know.
31:08
An unmeasurable number.
31:10
A multitude,
31:11
the Scriptures say,
31:12
will be in heaven
31:12
praising our God.
31:14
Right?
31:15
None of us
31:16
deserve this.
31:18
When you begin to feel
31:20
in some way
31:21
that as God
31:22
is calling people
31:23
to Himself,
31:24
that He's being unfair,
31:26
that it's not right,
31:27
how could a loving God
31:29
exclude people
31:29
from the kingdom?
31:30
How could He veil truth
31:31
to some
31:32
and reveal it to others?
31:33
This makes no sense to me.
31:35
Stop making
31:36
so much
31:37
of man.
31:38
We are a created thing.
31:41
Right?
31:41
Humble yourself
31:42
under the Creator
31:43
who is working out
31:44
His redemptive purposes
31:45
in this way.
31:45
Who is expressing
31:46
His very being to us
31:48
in this manner.
31:49
What should this kind
31:50
of truth do for us?
31:52
Those of us
31:52
who are part of this,
31:54
who have been given
31:54
the secret
31:55
of the kingdom of God,
31:56
it should cause us
31:57
to praise Him.
31:59
Because we did
32:00
nothing of our own
32:01
to know this thing.
32:03
Right?
32:03
I cannot boast
32:05
in any way
32:06
that I have deciphered
32:07
magically the parables.
32:10
Right?
32:10
We say to you,
32:11
I have found the key.
32:12
I have deciphered it.
32:13
I know now
32:14
what the kingdom of God
32:15
is all about.
32:15
I can't.
32:16
It has been revealed to me
32:17
by the Spirit of God.
32:20
I was dead.
32:21
I was cut off
32:23
because of my sinfulness.
32:25
God made me alive
32:27
together with Him.
32:30
Right?
32:30
This should be the joy
32:31
of our hearts.
32:32
That He has accomplished
32:34
this for us.
32:37
And I will tell you
32:37
that there are many
32:38
harsh reactions
32:40
to the doctrines
32:41
that we teach,
32:42
but there are harsh reactions
32:44
to things that should not
32:45
be a reality.
32:47
That those of us
32:48
who believe that God
32:49
is sovereign in all things,
32:51
that calls those
32:52
whom He intends to call
32:53
and doesn't those
32:54
whom He doesn't,
32:54
would make us cold
32:56
and callous
32:57
to the Gospel.
32:58
This should not be true
32:59
of us.
32:59
This truth
33:01
is the great motivation
33:02
to share your faith.
33:03
That God is working
33:04
in people's lives.
33:06
That He is going into them
33:07
and changing their hearts.
33:09
No amount of logic.
33:10
I consider myself
33:11
a fairly logical person.
33:12
No degree of logic
33:13
on my part
33:14
can convince somebody
33:15
to come to Christ.
33:16
But the Spirit
33:17
can do it
33:17
with the simple words
33:19
of a fool.
33:20
That is an incredible
33:21
reality.
33:23
This should be true of us.
33:25
Let me show you
33:25
this context.
33:26
Let me just broaden
33:27
your eyes
33:28
and your mind
33:29
a little bit.
33:30
We see this insertion
33:31
in Mark 4.
33:36
Talking about
33:37
those who have been
33:38
given the secret
33:38
of the kingdom
33:39
were found in one
33:39
of these two categories.
33:40
We believe that Jesus
33:41
is the Christ
33:42
or we do not.
33:44
But what is He saying
33:45
in this context here
33:46
at the beginning
33:47
of chapter 4?
33:50
There should be
33:52
some outworking
33:54
of our faith.
33:56
We can't just be
33:58
counted in the crowd
33:59
that follows Jesus around.
34:02
But that we must
34:02
actually be devoted
34:04
to Him.
34:05
There must be
34:06
some degree
34:07
of sacrifice
34:09
and pursuit
34:10
of who He is.
34:11
Let me just show you.
34:12
He talks about
34:13
the parable
34:13
of the sower.
34:15
The good soil.
34:17
Verse 8.
34:19
The good soil
34:20
produced grain
34:22
growing up
34:23
and increasing
34:24
and yielding
34:26
thirtyfold
34:27
and sixtyfold
34:28
and a hundredfold.
34:30
Later in His explanation
34:31
of that
34:32
in verse 20
34:33
He uses the term
34:34
fruit.
34:36
This good soil
34:38
bears
34:38
fruit.
34:40
He talks about
34:41
lamps
34:42
not being intended
34:43
to be hidden
34:43
but to shine.
34:45
He's speaking
34:46
in the negative
34:46
but in the positive.
34:47
Lamps shine.
34:49
Lamps give
34:50
light.
34:51
I think some of our
34:53
lamps are turned down
34:54
so low
34:55
that they barely
34:56
flicker.
34:57
There's a little flame
34:58
which gives little
34:59
to no light
34:59
in this world
35:00
but lamps
35:01
are meant
35:02
to light
35:03
a room.
35:06
We see the parable
35:07
of the seed growing.
35:08
It does in fact
35:09
sprout
35:10
and grow.
35:13
And the parable
35:14
of the mustard seed
35:15
grows up
35:16
and becomes
35:17
larger
35:17
than all
35:18
the garden plants.
35:19
You see
35:21
that there must
35:22
be some
35:22
outworking
35:23
of our faith
35:25
and here is
35:25
what we see
35:26
Jesus teaching
35:28
to us
35:28
in the parables
35:29
that we're going
35:29
to cover
35:30
in the coming
35:31
weeks.
35:33
You want to know
35:34
which category
35:34
you lie in
35:36
as one who's been
35:37
given the secrets
35:38
of the kingdom
35:38
of God?
35:38
One who has
35:39
actually recognized
35:40
believed in your
35:41
heart that Jesus
35:42
is the Christ?
35:43
There will be
35:43
evidence in your
35:44
life of that
35:45
reality.
35:45
You will
35:47
knowing
35:48
that Jesus
35:49
brought this
35:49
truth to bear
35:50
in you
35:50
desire
35:51
to share
35:52
that truth
35:52
and see it
35:53
come to bear
35:54
in others.
35:57
We as a church
35:58
must be
36:00
theological.
36:01
We are really
36:02
wasting our time
36:03
if we're not.
36:04
If we don't
36:04
come together
36:05
and root
36:06
through
36:07
and parse
36:08
out
36:08
and figure out
36:09
all of the
36:10
deep things
36:11
of God
36:11
that he has
36:11
to say to us
36:12
in our scriptures
36:12
why are we
36:13
getting together?
36:14
But we also
36:16
must be
36:16
missional.
36:18
This should be
36:19
a great motivation
36:20
to us getting
36:21
out and going
36:22
and sharing
36:23
and moving
36:24
and healing.
36:26
Bringing redemption
36:27
to this world
36:27
as we come to
36:28
better understand
36:29
our own redemption.
36:31
These two things
36:32
must carry
36:33
together.
36:34
If Christ Family
36:35
Church errs
36:36
in 2013
36:37
we err
36:38
to being theological.
36:40
We err
36:41
to being theological.
36:41
And that does not
36:42
mean that we should
36:43
stop being theological.
36:43
and start being
36:45
more missional.
36:45
That just means
36:46
that we should
36:46
continue to be theological.
36:48
Find better ways
36:49
to be theological.
36:50
Press deeper
36:51
into the things
36:51
of God
36:52
so that we'll
36:52
be more missional.
36:55
So that's my
36:55
challenge to you
36:56
this morning.
36:57
Which category
36:58
do you lie in?
37:01
If you don't
37:02
think that you've
37:02
ever come
37:03
to really understand
37:04
that Jesus
37:05
is the Christ
37:06
that can change
37:06
this morning.
37:08
Ask that God
37:09
would do a work
37:09
in your heart.
37:10
Respond in faith
37:11
to the gospel
37:12
call to repent
37:13
and believe.
37:15
If you find
37:16
yourself in this
37:17
category
37:17
I can guarantee
37:18
that all of us
37:20
need to work
37:21
out our faith
37:22
in a greater degree
37:23
as we drag
37:24
along the baggage
37:24
of the sickness
37:25
of sin.
37:26
We're all being
37:27
made more
37:28
perfect.
37:29
We're all being
37:30
moved in a
37:31
further Christward
37:32
direction.
37:34
I've been accused
37:35
of being an idealist
37:36
and I think that
37:36
anybody who's a Christian
37:37
who's not an idealist
37:38
is pitiful.
37:40
It's shameful.
37:41
We're supposed
37:41
to be like Christ
37:43
who is ideal.
37:45
Keep pressing
37:46
to that high goal
37:47
of being like
37:49
Him
37:50
in 2014.
37:52
Let's pray together.
37:53
Let's pray together.