Marcos 4

Marcos 4

Thielicke - “One day, perhaps, when we look back from God’s throne on the last day we shall say with amazement and surprise, ‘If I had ever dreamed when I stood at the graves of my loved ones and everything seemed to be ended; if I had ever dreamed when I saw the specter of atomic war creeping upon us; if I had ever dreamed when I faced the meaningless fate of an endless imprisonment or a malignant disease; if I had ever dreamed that God was only carrying out his design and plan through all these woes, that in the midst of my cares and troubles and despair his harvest was ripening, and that every thing was pressing on toward his last kingly day—if I had know this I would have been more calm and confident; yes, then I would have been more cheerful and far more tranquil and composed” (The Waiting Father) James Brooks - The end emphasis and perhaps primary focus of the parable is the assurance of the harvest. The harvest almost certainly represents the judgment at the end of the age. Even so the concern is not the condemnation of the wicked (cf. Joel 3:13) but the manifestation of the righteous. Jesus by telling the story—and Mark by recording it—encouraged disciples who were experiencing rejection of their message and frustration at their lack of understanding of God’s mysterious purposes that God’s kingdom would surely come. (NAC - Mk) (Bold added) Bruce Barton - This verse has a tone of warning, echoing Joel 3:13, "Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe" (NIV). Joel prophesied about God's coming and the final judgment of the world. While some see Jesus' words as referring to evangelism, and others to spiritual growth in individual believers, it seems most likely that this pictures the mysterious coming of God's kingdom. Jesus came and sowed the seed, as did his followers after him. The Word takes root and grows in individuals, and the church grows throughout the ages. (Life Application Commentary) Note that the Life Application Study Bible notes actually counter the notes by Barton in his Life Application Commentary - God promises that his harvest will be magnificent and prolific-the best fruit ever grown. Your witness may be weak and your efforts may seem to influence so few, but the Word of God is a powerful growth agent. Keep your eyes on the great harvest to come and don't let bad soil or weeds discourage you from faithful service and witness. INTERPRETATION - Hiebert - Some view the parable as giving a picture of the kingdom as a whole, from the time of Christ’s sowing until the eschatological harvest. According to this view, Jesus recognized that His sowing had not yet produced a harvest, but a sowing was being accomplished in His disciples which He confidently trusted God would bring to its future fruitful consummation. This view seems in keeping with the broad scope of the parabolic teaching during this day. Others see in the parable a picture of the work of the gospel in the life of an individual. The development of spiritual character follows a slow but orderly process and cannot be forced prematurely by human means. Then the harvest is viewed as denoting the ingathering of the results of evangelistic endeavors (cf. John 4:35–36). The duty of the Christian worker is to sow the seed and wisely conserve the God-wrought results, while allowing the Word of God to do its work in the individual according to the laws of development which God has established in human nature. I like J C Ryle's application of Jesus teaching on the harvest - God deals with His work of grace exactly in the same way. He never removes His people from this world till they are ripe and ready. He never takes them away till their work is done. They never die at the wrong time, however mysterious their deaths appear sometimes to man. INTERPRETATION - The parable may have three applications. Some see a picture of evangelism, others of spiritual growth in a believer. The last view, that of the mysterious growth of the kingdom of God between the initial sowing of Christ and His apostles, and the final manifestation of the Kingdom with Christ as the Harvester, seems to suit the context. Whatever view is taken, (all have elements of truth) this parable is a very encouraging one. The psalmist's words are suited to the ideas it expresses: "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him" (Ps 126:5, 6). (What the Bible teaches – Matthew and Mark) INTERPRETATION - Grassmick - Some interpreters view this parable as a picture of evangelism. Some take it as depicting spiritual growth in a believer. Others see it as a picture of the coming of God’s kingdom by the mysterious, sovereign work of God. Its emphasis is on growth under God’s initiative in the interim phase between the proclamation by Jesus (the lowly Sower) and His disciples and the ultimate manifestation of the kingdom by Jesus (the mighty Harvester). The third view is preferred in light of the overall context of the kingdom parables. (Bible Knowledge Commentary) LOOKING FORWARD - God promises that his harvest will be magnificent and prolific-the best fruit ever grown. Our witness may be weak and our efforts may seem to influence so few, but the Word of God is a powerful growth agent. We should keep our eyes on the great harvest to come and not let bad soil or weeds discourage us from faithful service and witness. Wait for Harvest-Time - Crops go through three stages: green, ripe, rotten. Harvest is effective only at one stage. Likewise, intervention, at the right time, can produce a rich spiritual harvest. —Marshall Shelley in Leadership Don't Come Out Empty-Handed - The world has more winnable people than ever before... but it is possible to come out of a ripe field empty-handed. —Donal McGavran Tony Evans - Over time, a crop was produced that was ready for the harvesters (Mk 4:28-29). Similarly, the disciple of Jesus Christ who faithfully proclaims God’s Word can have confidence that it will accomplish its work (see Isa 55:10-11). The Word has life within itself, so God will ensure growth and harvest as people respond to his Word when it is rightly explained. (Tony Evans Bible Commentary, The: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda) THOUGHT - an outline on Mark 4:26-29 RELEASE THE WORD (Mark 4:26-27a) REST IN THE POWER OF THE WORD (Mark 4:27b-28) REAP THE HARVEST OF THE WORD (Mark 4:29) What is the harvest? Souls into which you have sowed! Paul gives us a preview in 1 Th 2:19-20+ - CONTEXT - He is addressing believers in Thessalonica in whom he had sown the Gospel seed and they were born again. "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy." WHAT IS PAUL SAYING? In essence he is saying the believers he played a role in God saving will in some way be his reward for all eternity. SO LET ME ASK YOU -- DO YOU HAVE AN ETERNAL INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO? THE STOCK MARKET HAS BEEN ROCKING AND ROLLING RECENTLY, BUT THIS PORTFOLIO WILL REAP DIVIDENDS FOR ETERNITY (cf Jesus' promise in Mt 6:20-21+)? SO LET ME ASK YOU AGAIN... (1) ARE YOU PRAYING (OR GIVING) FOR THE MISSIONARIES AS THEY SOW IN THE FOREIGN FIELDS? IF YOU ARE YOU WILL REAP AN ETERNAL HARVEST OF SOULS JUST AS IF YOU HAD SOWN THE SEED IN AFRICA OR THE MIDDLE EAST OR INDIA OR CHINA! (2) ARE YOU SOWING SEED IN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE - SCHOOL, WORKPLACE, FAMILY, NEIGHBORHOOD? IT MAY NOT APPEAR TO BEAR FRUIT TODAY, BUT IN ETERNITY YOU WILL SEE THAT YOUR SOWING WAS PART OF GOD'S PROCESS OF BRINGING SOULS TO SALVATION. AND THEY WILL BY YOUR "HOPE AND CROWN OF EXULTATION" THROUGHOUT ETERNITY!!! (cf Jesus' words to His first disciples and applicable to all disciples through the ages in Jn 15:16 "I appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain," YOUR FRUIT WILL REMAIN!!!) THAT'S AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY THAT IS NOT RISKY OR SPECULATIVE!!! J VERNON MCGEE's comment on 1 Thes 2:19-20 -- McGee sums up this last section by asking "is anyone going to be in heaven who will come up to you and thank you for having a part in giving out the Word of God? Have you given your support to missions? If you have, someone you have never known, someone from the other side of the earth, may come up to you and thank you for your support of missions. He will thank you for being interested in getting out the Word of God because the Word reached him and enabled him to be saved. That, my friend, is going to be part of the reward that we will get in heaven. We need to recognize that. It is a wonderful hope to look forward to the time when Christ Jesus takes the church out of this world. It is even more joyous to know that someone who trusted Christ because of your witness will go along with you to meet the Lord! If Paul were speaking to us today he might say something like this "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Gal 6:10+) Today is your "opportunity of a lifetime!" May our Father in Heaven grant you amazing grace by His Spirit to be energized and motivated to intercede for peoples you have never seen but will one day see in the presence of the Lamb Who Alone is Worthy (1 Th 2:19-20+). Amen. Related Resources: Praying for People from Every Tribe, Tongue, People and Nation https://joshuaproject.net/ Bookmark the site and/or download the Joshua Project APP today. http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/ Sermon by Michael Andrus on Luke 16:1-9 Money–Godly Ways of Giving It: A Bad Man's Good Example (Excerpt - "I am not a wealthy man by most standards, but I do have a global investment portfolio.") J C