Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from Mark 4:1-9.
Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from Mark 4:1-9.
Lindsey: Welcome to the Midweek Checkup. My name is Lindsey Blair, and I’m joined by Bobby Gilles. This past Sunday, Pastor Jonah Sage preached from Mark Four, verses one through nine, in our series called Riddles of Redemption.
Bobby: Pastor Jonah said that the Kingdom of God is catholic, abundant, and potent. If you’ve forgotten or missed the sermon, it’s time for the Midweek Checkup.
Lindsey: Jonah preached on the parable of the farmer and the seeds. This parable takes up more space in Matthew, Mark, and Luke than any other story he tells. In these Gospels, this story always introduces Jesus's use of parables. The seed is CATHOLIC, which is a Latin word that means “everywhere,” as we say in the Nicene Creed.
Bobby: By implication, what does this say about how much seed there is?
Plenty to go around. it is catholic and abundant. You only throw seed like this if you know there's another handful in the bag. It’s also potent — this seed sprouts up everywhere it goes. Jesus says the seed in this story is the word of God. It is that announcement that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Lindsey: If I gave you a limitless supply of seed and told you it would grow everywhere no matter where you threw it, and you could never run out, what would you do? Would you go to a class on sowing seeds? Apparently, it doesn't matter much...the seed is potent! Would you go to a class on surveying to know the best place to sow seed? Apparently, the seed goes everywhere...it's catholic. Where do we take this seed? EVERYWHERE
Who do we announce it to? EVERYONE.
Bobby: He gives the story to you and me as a gentle, patient way of asking us, "HOW WILL YOU RESPOND.” Who do you know that fits the "help wanted" sign of the kingdom of God? Who do you know that is far from home and needs to know they're welcomed back?
Lindsey: Some seeds will sprout quickly. Some will take time. Sometimes, we need to throw that seed over and over and over again. But there is no seed like the Kingdom of God: catholic, abundant, potent. The invitation is not about our techniques, our words, or our strategies as much as it is about the power of the seed that is the word of God.
Bobby: This Sunday, we will continue our sermon series, Riddles Of Redemption. In Bible Fellowship, we’ll discuss Exodus seventeen, where the Israelites complain of thirst, and God gives Moses a startling way to get water. Join us and bring a friend.