At the beginning God expressed Himself. That personal expression, that Word, was with God, and was God, and He existed with God from the beginning. All creation took place through Him, and none took place without Him. In Him appeared life, and this life was the light of mankind. The light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out. --John 1:1-5 (Phillips)
I'll never understand those people who wear sunshades at night. Is their sense of style so powerful that they must project a cool image even at the risk of stumbling over obstacles in their path? I'm always suspicious that they are trying to hide something that their eyes might reveal, namely bloodshot eyes that would show how tired they were, or maybe dilated pupils that would reveal that they were under the influence of some mood altering substance.
Shades do have a purpose during the day. They might help us see more clearly when looking at the direction of the sun, the brightest natural object on Earth. They help reduce glare and focus more clearly on the thing which holds our attention.
When Jesus was on earth, He was the center of attention wherever He went. Jesus said in John 18:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life." Those who followed Him were bathed in that light, but may not have fully appreciated the light because of His brightness. Therefore He gave them "spiritual sunshades" in the form of Parables. When understood in their proper context, parables will reduce the glare of misunderstanding and help bring His message into clearer focus. At the very least, they were intended to help avoid pitfalls and stumbling blocks in their spiritual path. For those who did not follow the light so closely, who lived in darkness, the "spiritual sunshades" blinded them further, so that they fell prey to the pitfalls and stumbled over the stumbling blocks. I think this is why Jesus said in Mark 4:11-12, when the disciples asked Him about the parables, He said, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that 'they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven'."
Mark continues this theme in chapter 4, verses 21 through 23:
And He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." --Mark 4:21-23
As we delve further into our expository study of the book of Mark, we come to three pivotal parables that Jesus shared with His disciples about sowing seeds and reaping spiritual fruit. It was broken down to them in ways they could understand, but when told to the Pharisees, they could not stop Him from introducing a New Covenant (holding fast to the Old Covenant as they were) because His words were about simple farming practices--sowing seeds, the germination and growth of those seeds, and reaping the harvest. When taken literally, His words were harmless. When seen through spiritual eyes, however, His words were powerful and profound.
Sowing the Word
And He said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." --Mark 4:24-25
A lot of people misinterpret this passage, and use it to promote a prosperity gospel. The more you give in the form of money and possessions, they say, the more money and possessions you will get back. This is not what He was saying at all. Look at these same words in Matthew 13.
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to you in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear. --Matthew 13:11-13
This is spiritual form of the adage, "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer," but it is not speaking of monetary wealth. It is focused on spiritual truth. The more spiritual truth you have, the more you will get; but if you allow lies and deception to rule over you, even the tiniest bits of truth you may have acquired over time will be plowed under. In essence, the Pharisees were burying the light that they did have under traditions and misinformation.
Do not be deceived by the lies that the world throws at you. Instead, accumulate biblical truth and apply it to your life, so that truth can be multiplied in you. "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38).
Seeds will grow--Promise!
And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." --Mark 4:26-29
Farmers in that day probably did not know how seeds germinated and grew. Science has advanced over the last 2000 plus years such that grade school kids are now taught that a seed, properly cared for, will break open and divide, sending roots downward and green stems upward. Flower seeds will produce flowers, wheat seeds will produce wheat, and bean seeds will produce beans. It really is miraculous, if you think about it.
The cycle of seed germination cannot be rushed. It will happen in the time that God ordained at the creation of the world. In the same way, baby Christians do not become mature in Christ overnight. They must be fed, first with the "milk of the word" then with "meat" (see 1 Peter 2:2, 1 Corinthians 3:2). They must be discipled and taught so that they can eventually feed themselves. Only then can they be expected to be ready to feed and grow others in the faith.
Another thing to remember is that God is in charge. We are told to sow good seed. Whether it takes root, we cannot tell. How long it will take to bear fruit, God knows. What joy we experience when we share the word of God with someone, then watch them grow and bear fruit and share the gospel with others. However, we are to remain faithful, and keep sowing, even if we do not see the results we want to see.
There's a tree in that seed
And He said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." --Mark 4:30-32
Your voice can change the world. We have recently heard a lot of messages about politics, because Election Day in the United States is next Tuesday. We may think our one vote is insignificant, but the message we have been barraged with over the last two months is that our vote matters. In the same way, you sharing your faith matters. Who can tell whether the person you share your story with might one day become a great pastor or author, influencing hundreds and even thousands for the Lord.
On a more personal level, this underscores what Jesus was saying about the light. You know you are called to be a light to the world, but it may seem that the world has buried you and hidden your light. Do not be discouraged. We have already seen where Jesus said "Nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light." On one level, this may refer to our secret sins being brought to light on Judgment Day. On the other hand, couldn't it also apply to a single, solitary light faithfully shining, by God's power breaking through and shining for all to see?
In Joseph Haydn's oratorio "The Creation", there is a moment where the composer was trying to make a point. The soloist sings very quietly the text from Genesis 1, setting the tone of overwhelming darkness. "In the beginning," he sings, "God made heaven and earth; and the earth was without form and void." The orchestra eases in, again very quietly, as the soloist continues. "And darkness was upon the face of the deep." The chorus adds their voices, pianissimo, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said Let there be light. And. There. Was." The chorus takes a collective breath, and the orchestra pauses, just before the loudest possible dynamic while still sounding musical, the chorus and orchestra emphasize the word together: "LIGHT!!!"
The stark contrast of dynamics (softest, then loudest) in Haydn's piece was meant to emphasize that where once there was utter, overwhelming darkness, now there is light--a light that cannot be hidden, cannot be contained, cannot be ignored. The only way you can not be profoundly moved by this piece of music is not to hear it. In the same way, the only way you can not experience the overwhelming Light of the World named Jesus is to turn your back, wear blinders, and bury yourself in utter darkness.
It is only by the Providence of God that you are given a chance to see this Light, to hear this Word, to know this Salvation. Mark concludes this section on parables with a summation. "With many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to His own disciples He explained everything." (Mark 4:33-34)
I pray that God will open your eyes to see, your ears to hear, and your heart to respond to this message. "For it is by grace you are saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves--it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8-9) If you harden your heart, God will set you in utter darkness. The "spiritual shades" He provided to the chosen disciples to help them focus on Him will make you stumble and fall to the point you will find yourself in a place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
No comments:
Post a Comment