PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM

Passage: Mark 4:26-34

Key verse: 26

NIV

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.(A) A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”(B)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed(C)

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,(D) or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(E) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(F) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

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ESV

The Parable of the Seed Growing

26 And he said, (A)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; (B)he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once (C)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 (D)And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like (E)a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 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.”

33 (F)With many such parables he spoke (G)the word to them, (H)as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them (I)without a parable, but (J)privately to his own disciples he (K)explained everything.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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1. The parable of the seed that grows (26-29)

Jesus taught about the kingdom of God in parables. The kingdom of God is hidden in men's hearts like a seed in the earth. It is exposed when it grows and changes men and societies. When Jesus comes again, it will be fully exposed. We cannot make a seed grow. We plant it and water it, but it grows of itself, because there is life in the seed itself. When we receive the gospel, this seed of the word is planted in our hearts. It sprouts and grows and produces in us the good fruit of Jesus' character. Jesus within transforms life.

2. The parable of the mustard seed (3

-34)

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. Its beginning is small, but it grows to be very big. One person who loves Jesus and obeys God's word is such a seed. If the kingdom is in one man, then the whole campus can change; if the seed of the kingdom is in one man, the whole nation can be changed.

Prayer: Lord, may your kingdom come and your will be done in me and in my land.

One Word: The seed is growing