We understand how secrets work, and to what lengths people will go to keep some things secret. Before and during World War II, the German Military relied on the Enigma Machine—a system for protecting military communication that was very difficult to decipher.

Yesterday, Mark preached to us from Mark 4:1-34, explaining that these verses contain a secret to the kingdom of God. But it’s a different kind of secret: God is not trying to keep outsiders from discovering this secret. He wants the secret to be made known.

In this chapter, Jesus tells stories called parables. Parables are simple comparisons between two unlike things, usually between something that is familiar to us (like seeds) and something that isn’t (like the kingdom of God). Mark explained that there are four important things to keep in mind when you are reading parables:

1. Look for surprises or contrasts, especially at the end of the story. For instance, the parable of the sower would have been surprising to the original hearers because they didn’t expect that the kingdom of God can be rejected.
2. Look for a main point. Jesus is saying someting; what is it?
3. Don’t press the details, avoid allegorizing every details. Every analogy breaks down at some point, so don’t try to create an airtight one-to-one correspondence or every point of the parable.
4. Having heard, then respond with faith-filled obedience. The most important step. We must act on what we hear.

Keeping these lessons in mind, it’s not hard to see what these parables are about. The parable of the sower tells us that the kingdom of God advances slowly and meets with varied responses. We need to know how to measure success in the kingdom: not by first appearances, but by final fruitfulness. The parable of the growing seed tells us that Jesus will finish what he starts. While the kingdom of God is truly present now, there is much more to come. The parable of the mustard seed tells us that you can’t measure the kingdom based on what you see right now. We don’t be able to determine its true magnitude until the end.

So what is the secret of the kingdom. These parables taken together teach us that “In Jesus, the kingdom has come truly but not yet fully.” The kingdom of God is here (remember Mark 1:15), but it is not here the power and significance that it will one day have. There is more to come! Theologian George E. Ladd explains:

“This is the mystery of the Kingdom: Before the day of harvest, before the end of the age, God has entered into history in the person of Christ to work among men, to bring to them the life and blessings of His Kingdom. It comes humbly, unobtrustively. It comes to men as a Galilean carpenter went throughout the cities of Palestine preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, delivering men from their bondage to the Devil. It comes to men as his disciples went throughout Galilean villages with the same message. It comes to men today as disciples of Jesus still take the Gospel of the Kingdom into all the world. It comes quietly, humbly, without fire from heaven, without a blaze of glory, without a rending of the mountains or a cleaving of the skies. It comes like seed sown in the earth. It can be rejected by hard hearts, it can be choked out, its life may sometimes seem to wither and die. But it is the Kingdom of God. It brings the miracle of the divine life among men. It introduces them into the blessings of the divine rule. It is to them the supernatural work of God’s grace. And this same Kingdom, this same supernatural power of God will yet manifest itself at the end of the age, this time not quietly within the lives of those who receive it, but in power and great glory purging all sin and evil from the earth. Such is the Gospel of the Kingdom.” George Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom, p. 64.

So what do we do with this? How should it affect your week?

First, believe in Jesus and his kingdom! Even though it doesn’t always seem close at hand, it is closer than you think. For teens, I think could look like a lot of different things. Living like we are part of the kingdom means living like Jesus is the King. Ask your parents if your life is reflecting the kingdom of God. How can it better reflect the kingdom of God? What changes can you make this week to bring that about?

Second, join Jesus in sowing the word of the kingdom. Preach the gospel to unbelieving friends, relatives, neighbors, classmates. If you sow enough seed, sooner or later, there will be fruit.

Categories: Monday Matters, five15 blog