Kingdom Growth: Producing a harvest.

Mark 4:26-29 "...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...”

Context:

- this text follows the charge to "pay attention".

- it follows the "more given" or "taken away" verse.

What is the focus of this parable?

- growth and harvest.

- kingdom growth and harvest.

How is the growth of a farmer's produce still a mystery?

- we know a lot about the necessity of sun, rain, and good soil.

- we've observed the stages of seed to sprout to grain to ear.

- this wonderful and necessary process still takes place while we're sleeping.

- the force behind the growth is the creative power of God.

How is the growth of the kingdom of God still a mystery?

- do we know a lot about the necessities?

- have we observed the various stages?

- is this wonderful and necessary process taking place while we're sleeping?

- the force behind the growth is the creative power of God.

What are the three phases described here?

- sowing, growing, harvest.

Which phases require activity?

- sowing and harvest.

Can we make the kingdom grow?

- we can sow seed.

- we are called to be workers in the harvest.

1 Corinthians 3:6 "...I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth..."

2 Corinthians 9:10 "...He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness..."

Luke 10:2 "...And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest..."

Is this parable about evangelism? the spiritual growth of believers? the ongoing and ultimate purposes of God?

What is the harvest?

- is it the end result of kingdom seed working in human hearts - saving faith?

- is it the end of the age?

Revelation 14:15 "...And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe...”

Revelation 14:19 "...So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God..."

James 5:7 "...Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains..."