Are you ever displeased with your home / station / circumstances? It’s easy to be affected or effected by a desire for pleasure in our palace.
2 Corinthians 5 begins, “we know if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling, not made by hands, in the heavens“
When I grew up, my father was the pastor of many churches. His ministry meant that I lived in eight places in four states before I was 18 years old. I have been in seven places in the last 42 years, but that has included two states and a foreign country. That’s perhaps much more than most.
We have said, “home is where the Lord says.”
Certainly, when we think about earth and eternity, if we believe what we do, heaven is the place to be. But Look at the comparisons Paul uses:
Earthly Tent
we “live” in – exist, do life
we know it will end – be destroyed
we make our way
we groan
we are desiring the heavenly
Building From God
a fixed structure
not made with human hands
an eternal (aionios = age long) dwelling (oikia = home/house)
The Honest Truth is that sometimes we over focus on either of those. Sometimes we hold too tightly to earth or focus too much on our desire for eternity.
Notice the reminder and clarifier in v5 – We have been given the Holy Spirit, as a down payment. So, what we feel/experience of The Spirit in our lives is but a “foretaste of the divine”.
Because of sin, our destiny was destroyed. Death became our destination. But IN Christ, we are prepared for a new purpose, an eternal purpose. So, v6, we have confidence – always, know (oida)=appreciate / aware that when we are at home – endemeo = to BE at home. That word is though not a passive reality, but is in present active tense. We may not BE home, but we must actively BE AT home. We aren’t in our eternal dwelling, but we choose to be at home away from home.
v7 FOR / because – we need to live “because” or “for” lives… What is the “because”? We walk by faith, not by sight.
We have faith, fed by the Holy Spirit within us, knowing that the fullness of the promise is coming. This world is not my home, but I’m going to be at home, wherever God has placed me for the purpose he gives me.
I have faith in the future, but I live BY faith, FOR faith, IN faith, to the things I am here for.
Certainly, v8, we would prefer to be away from this broken, imperfect body. It’s just a tent, I can camp, but I don’t want to live there. We want to go home to be with the Lord. But “home” is where God says, so today, this moment, every moment…
v9…we make it our aim…
…wait, back up, whether home or away, present or absent…
we make it our aim – fun word there – philotimeomai = have as one’s ambition – My ambition is not to have heaven today… in Christ having heaven will take care of itself… that’s NOT my ambition today. My ambition, in every circumstance, every season, every location is to be pleasing to him
Know what pleases him
Know my purpose here
Know what’s important today
Home or Away – Pleasing – driven by a desire for the Lord’s Approval… that’s the only thing I can control.
That definer… “in vain” has been in my head the last few weeks. It’s the Greek word, kenon = vain, empty, empty-handed. That’s what Paul says in v1 – don’t receive it empty handed. Doesn’t mean we can EARN it, but we also can’t neglect it.
v2 at an acceptable time, I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.
Paul is quoting Isaiah 49:8 – “I will answer you in a time of favor and I will help you in the day of salvation. I will keep you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to make them possess the desolate inheritance.”
Then Paul says “See, now is the acceptable time… the day of salvation…”
Paul writes this 700 years after Isaiah wrote this promise.
Now – In Jesus – it is “the time” – YAY! So, everything is easy peezy, roses and cupcakes… Right? Nope – The Gospel Work is HARD
v4 As God’s ministers we commend ourselves – sunistemi = “commend, establish, stand near”
What does the servant of God, the minister of salvation by the Gospel “stand near”?
ANYTHING NECESSARY – Look at his list.
…Endurance, affliction, hardship, difficulties – wait… ok… I’ll try… maybe it won’t be too bad
…purity, knowledge, patience, kindness… in the midst of all of that, this might be the hardest part… HOW?
…By the Holy Spirit, “Sincere love… that word for sincere is anypokritos = without hypocrisy. It should go without saying that when hypocrisy enters the story, true agape goes out the door.
…by the Word of truth, by the power (dynamis) of God. Oh Yes, we need God’s dynamite.
…Through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left hand. Oh saint, do not make excuse for righteousness in one hand but selfishness in the other.
…through glory and dishonor… slander and good report… regarded as deceivers, yet true
…unknown yet recognized… dying, yet See, we live… disciplined yet not killed
…grieving, yet always (aei=constantly) Rejoicing
…as poor, yet enriching many – ploutizo=making rich. I may be poor, but I can make others rich.
v10 closes as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Point?
When I receive salvation by Grace through faith… I can’t earn it. It is from God, but I don’t come back to the Lord “empty-handed”.
I’m coming full of the reality of what it means to be a servant for the people who need the gospel. Take a minute and go read 1 Peter 1:6-8 as a companion
By the Grace of God
By the Power of God
For the Kingdom of God… until Kingdom comes… willing to “Stand Near” Hardship and Heartache, Suffering, Slander, or Suffering
“Standing Near” the Slipping Saint, The Sorrowful Sinner, in the Spirit’s Strength.
We come Sanctified and Surrendered as the Savior’s Servant, never empty-handed or “in vain” receiving and proclaiming the grace of God
The greatest moves of God in our lives can often be followed by the greatest challenges. Why is that? The challenges are often fed by shift in focus and fatigue that follow the great move, and the challenges then can be fueled by fear.
As I was thinking through this, a very real and personal feeling set in, “imposter syndrome”. When God is leading and God is working, while we trust him, he has success. But, we know that it isn’t us and we are fine with that… Yet as the “evil one” comes against us, we know it’s not us, yet he makes accusations, threats, and we are tired. Then we think, “they are going to find out that I’m not good at this.
1 Kings 18 tells the story of Elijah’s encounter with the prophets of Baal under the faulty lead of Ahab and Jezebel in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, after they split with Judah.
Remember, it hadn’t rained in three years as God was correcting them, calling them back to himself, for repentance to result in forgiveness.
18:1 says “go present yourself to Ahab, I will send rain.”
The only thing Elijah was responsible for was the message, and then God does the “God-stuff”.
But in v17 Ahab called Elijah, “the one RUINING Israel.”
Ahab called the false prophets to Mt. Carmel to “show” their power to the people. You know that story I’m sure… the false prophets prayed and did all they could to get Baal to consume their prepared altars of sacrifice. But nothing happened.
Then Elijah prayed, v36, Lord… today let it be known that you are God in ISrael, I am y our servant, and that at your word I have done all these things… 37 Answer me Lord… so that this people will know that YOU, The Lord are God… and have turned their hearts back…
Good Prayer… v38 then the fire fell… 39 the people saw it, fell face down and said, ‘the Lord He is God!’
Elijah had his eyes on God. Elijah was focused on what God wanted – Repentance as a result of this revelation. Elijah did nothing but what God said… and God took care of the “God-stuff”.
Rain came as the people turned to the Lord, but evil attacks and threatens. In spite of all God had done, 1 Kings 19:2 – Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah…
Here is our focus… v3 Then Elijah became afraid and ran for his life from Jezebel into Beersheba
He had shifted his focus, stopped turning to God, was alone, was tired, knew he wasn’t “good enough”, and was perhaps afraid that he was being “found out.”
Go back there to 18:46 … look he ran to Jezreel, which depending on the route was between 17 and 30 miles – I’m a runner and know how long that would take me… and outran Ahab’s chariot. That’s power of God. But now he’s running from the threat, he ran for his life, to Beersheba, that’s 100 miles more. Then he LEAVES his servant behind, he’s completely alone, and he goes “a days journey” into the wilderness. Now he’s hiding.
Well, then he prays… that’s good right? Well, he prays for death! I have had enough! Lord take my life.” Then he went to Sleep.
I’m glad the Lord doesn’t always answer every prayer.
I could spend a long time here, but let me just make some quick observational statements about dealing with this kind of fear.
You are NOT an imposter, you are a servant. The power is God’s, and so is the outcome
Keep your eyes and ears on the Lord. If he says “go”, then go. If he says “stay” then stay, and trust him.
Get Rest and Nourishment
An Angel touched him – told him to eat and drink
He went back to sleep
Then THE Angel of the Lord – that’s JESUS – woke him and had him eat again – Get up and eat for The Journey will be TOO much for you
Listen to and Follow God – Then on THAT Strength… he walked 40 Days and 40 Nights to Horeb the Mountain of God
Maybe we will look later at what happens next – but With God – Focused ON God, we can DO what God wants… and be ready for whatever is next.
Mark 4:26-34 – We’ve heard Jesus talk about four kinds of soil – Hard, Rocky, Thorny, and Good. Three of the four produce, but one produced nothing and one produced much fruit.
satan is at work and desires to steal seed before it ever has opportunity to germinate. Distress and persecution thwart growth of willing plants with no roots, they receive with joy, but too many things hinder deeper roots. Worries of this age and the deceitfulness of material things and misplaced desires choke out the seed sown among the thorny, weedy ground. Then there is good ground that produces good fruit. In all cases, there is work to be done that can give life and increase.
Do we see the revelation? Are we willing to do the work? We have to Pay Attention. To the level that we “take heed”, it will be measured out to us 4:24.
As we read this last part, casual reading can give false understanding. This is not teaching lazy husbandry… i.e. toss out the seed and go to bed… don’t do anything until the harvest. No, I don’t think so. But it is teaching us to DO what we know and Trust God for his part.
Certainly over the centuries we have gotten educated on how to prepare and produce more effectively, but we still have to trust the Lord. Yet still, the soil needs to be prepared. Seeds need to be gathered. Seed needs to be scattered on the prepared ground – but it is Still God who makes it sprout, “though (we) don’t know how”. The soil produces a crop by itself, yes, but we can prepare it so there is greater opportunity.
Sprouts need to be nurtured and understood – “Blade… Head… Full Grain”. We need to know the health, know the development of the sprouts.
Then “as soon as” (euthus = straightway, early, immediately, just then) Are we paying attention? Are we ready when time is ripe? Are we on time with where the sprout is in the process? “as soon as” means we are in time with the development. When the crop is ready, we don’t have time to wait… it is ripe now.
Send for the sickle –
All of this long passage is talking about the business of God. We must be IN TUNE, ON TIME, With TOOLS, and TEND to the Master’s Business.
Some scripture referencing use of a sickle are “wrath” passages, refering to how God will one day make final judgment on the wicked who refuse his grace. Yet even those passages speak about the process and the urgency of timing.
Joel 3:13 says swing the sickle because harvest is Ripe… Come trample the Grapes because the winepress is full
The vats overflow because the wickedness is extreme. Yes it’s talking about judgment, but notice the process and timing.
Plant, nurture, trust the Lord, but In Tune, you don’t harvest the “blade”, or the “head”, or even the “full grain” that is not yet mature… but WHEN it’s ripe… swing the sickle
He says, “come”… you can’t stay at the house when the field is full of ripe fruit. When the ripe fruit is gathered, you can’t leave it, it has to be transformed into product. In every stage, if we don’t work at the business of the Master, the product is left unfinished.
Whether we are talking about grapes or wheat… or even sheep… they all have an expected outcome. Are we doing the work?
In TUNE
On Time
With Tools
Tend to the Master’s Business until he comes and says, “well done”.
Might not seem like much up front. He shifts in vv30-32 to talking about a little Mustard seed. It doesn’t seem like much, but it turns into a large plant in the garden. Leave the final size in his hands, do what we are commissioned to do.
Then John reminds us in v34 that Jesus would go into much more detail in private with his disciples. If we will Draw Close to the Lord, Ask the questions, we will hear answers, and prove we are disciples.
Oh the Kingdom Business – Thank you Lord for “foolishly” including us.
Read Mark 4:21-25 – we have been in this chapter for a couple of weeks now. Light, Lamps, and Lampstands are scripture images of importance.
If you haven’t read my last two posts here in Mark 4 – please go back and read them so this all fits together.
In Revelation 1:13 and 20 Jesus is seen walking among the lampstands and those lampstands are identified as the Church.
In Mark 4 Jesus has begun speaking in parables to large crowds to spark interest and to encourage those who wanted to know more to seek him out privately for fuller revelation.
Already in this passage, he has talked about casting seed, and for different kinds of soil encountered by the Sower. We have looked at that and made the observation that 3 of the 4 types of soil produced growth, but only one produced a good crop.
Jesus then explained it in more depth to those who came to him in private conversation seeking deeper truth.
Then he “abruptly” seems to change the metaphor from seeds to a lamp, in v21. is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? – NO he isn’t changing the subject, he is making an observation about the revelation. He is saying, “I’ve taught you something, what will you do with it?” Because in v26 he goes back to talking about the seed and harvest.
The question then is what do we do with light?
In Revelation 1:20 the church is seen as a Lampstand – lychnia. A GOLDEN lampstand, but still just a vessel for display of light. As a church, we have light, but we are not the source of light. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus talks about light, lamp, and lampstand, but let’s not get too far chasing a rabbit.
Jesus is saying, “I’m giving you revelation here about light from the lamp, what will you do with the revelation, will you shine it or ignore it?”
What do we do with light? It’s like when James talks about the Word of God being like a mirror and we need to do something with what we see, or will we walk away and forget? When you wake up in the morning, and look in the mirror, will we comb our hair, or just imagine we look like our best photo on the wall, and go away with bedhead?
The Holy Spirit gives us Light, he Reveals Jesus to us, and his work in the world. We can be lit by the revelation and become light – (Phos) as in Matthew 5, but we are not the source. We are not the Lamp, we are light from the Lamp (lychnos), and we are Lampstands (Lychnia) who just hold up and shine forth the light.
So, with this light about the work of Sower with Seed and the Soils, Jesus asks: “do you bring in a lamp and put it under a basket or under the bed?”
I had to laugh at that image and think, there are some churches where the only fire in then is when they hide the lamp under the bed, catch “on fire” but they are burned up. Their only “fire” is on their tails as they run out. That made me laugh and then made me tear up a bit.
Will we hide the light of revelation here? NO! Let’s take the truth that Christ is revealing… put it on our stand, read, learn, adjust to what we see, and let it SHINE, change us, transform us.
Then v23 – if anyone has ears to hear… let him Listen
v24 – and he said to them PAY ATTENTION to what you hear
Pay Attention is the word blepo = beware, careful, consider – and is in the present active imperative – So Jesus is saying this is IMPORTANT, and needs to be done RIGHT NOW. Young Literal says take heed. NIV – carefully consider
This is important – what is the light being given? Be Careful, Pay Attention and Adjust to it!
If you are outside on a stormy night, in complete darkness, trying to get home, and lightning flashes and in that split second you see you are dangerously close to a Cliff… you need to Take Heed, and Give Care, Pay Attention to your Steps.
If we receive instruction, what will we do with the light?
Then here Jesus speaks of Conditional Results to How we respond to the Light… v24 by the measureyou use it will be measured to you. What do we do with the instruction we have will determine the proportion of results. Then v25 whoever has, more will be given, whoever does not have, what he has will be taken.
Well, that doesn’t seem fair. Oh yes, it is. When you put this with the revelation regarding sowing, seeds, and soil, I cannot help but process this in a couple of way. If I have lots of seed, and lots of land, then just cast away and let the 4 soils do whatever they will… BUT… if we have limited land and limited resources, then develop the land you have to it’s fullest and use the resources in the best way possible for harvest.
“Pay Attention”, Jesus says. If we do the most with the light, with the resource, and see the result… God will enlarge our measure of responsibility. But if we hide the light, fail to use the resources, fail to develop the land, then he will invest his resources elsewhere…
And then notice the beginning of v26 and I’ll pick up there next week…
Mark 4:11 – Jesus has just told the parable of the Sower, the Seeds, and the Soil… and The Twelve and other serious disciples come to him alone for instruction. They asked and he answered – the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you. To whom? It’s given to those who seek it, who come close, who ask for answers.
Why are there “secrets”? The word mysterion – isn’t like a “who done it” mystery, but something that has been hidden and now is revealed. Why hide it? Well, partly because we are “children” and our understanding is limited. Then parents don’t always tell children everything, you stay with what matters and in proper timing can be understood.
The scriptures tell us parts of the story of God and Man, but there is a decidedly Israeli perspective because they were the “chosen” people of God. God was doing something through them, though, for ALL of mankind. In heaven will be an innumerable multitude from EVERY people, but God was using the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to produce the line through which Jesus would come for all, for any who would believe.
Secrets are also mysteries because God so chooses, and he is Sovereign and thus not required to tell, to reveal, everything.
Yet – if we will come, if we will listen, then mysteries can be revealed
The Sower sows a Seed, and we who have come, have understood, want to join in the revelation of the mystery.
Even the awful reality of the cross was advanced because the mystery was hidden. 1 Corinthians 2:7–9 (CSB) — 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.
If God didn’t keep parts of the plan a mystery, the cross doesn’t happen, our sins are not redeemed. He didn’t force the unjust killing of Christ, but used the unjust action to bring justification for all who receive. v9 God has prepared these things…
Mark 4:12 then Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10 – the first instruction to Isaiah. The idea there is not that men’s hearts were hardened without reason, but as a result of their OWN act of hardening, So God further moved them down their self-chosen path.
But if we will come to him, come as these in Mark, alone, with ears to listen, and ask, he answers.
And Jesus begins to explain the parable, but says in v13 don’t you understand this?Who then will you understand all the parables?
This is the basic stuff, Jesus is saying, let’s start at the basic, the secret is the sower sows the word… and there are different kinds of soil and response.
Different Types of Soil – Hard, Shallow, Unfruitful, and Good
Let’s go there for a minute
Hard Ground – the Path. Nothing gets in, predators steal the seed, it is open to the predatory purloinment by the personification of evil.
Shallow Soil – Rocky Ground – it is receptive, receives with joy – but have no depth to grow, no roots to sustain survival, open game for distress and persecution
Thorny soil – there is plenty of soil there because the thorny weeds are growing. But those weeds have taken over the soil, consume the nutrients and nothing is left for the seed. It grows, but it doesn’t produce fruit. The deceitfulness of the age steals the opportunity for production. Sounds like it’s alive, but distracted from its purpose because the weeds run rampant
Seeds Sown on Good Ground – they hear, welcome, produce fruit
If we are going to sow with The Sower – we have good seed, but what are we doing about the soil? What do we do with this conundrum?
Only sow seed ON Good Ground? maybe
Be ground Inspectors? maybe
Be ground Preparers? maybe
Perhaps we need to be doing ALL of those things
Interestingly – the Isaiah 6:9-10 quote, I don’t believe is saying “don’t tell”, but it is both a bit of “reverse psychology” and a statement of the reality. Not All WILL come, but in Isaiah’s life, God has just revealed himself to Isaiah. Isaiah sought God in the tragedy of Uzziah’s death, and he saw God’s Holiness. That revelation revealed his own unholiness, and he cried out for cleansing and the Lord forgave and cleansed him.
From that cleansed position… Isaiah hears God say, who will I send, who will go for us? And Isaiah throws up his hand and says, “Send ME! Pick Me Lord, Use me Lord!”
The Secret is the Sower has Seed to Sow, and He invites us into the work if we will hear and desire to join him, prepare the field, cast the seed, and move toward the harvest.
Now that you know, are you in? are you joining The Sower, and sowing the word?
In Mark 4 Jesus got into a boat on the Sea of Galilee with a large crowd around him and taught many things in parables…
The parable listed there is the “Sower who went out to Sow”
What was Jesus doing that day, and every time he taught the large crowds? v4 he sowed, some seed…
He is then telling them what he was doing. In that parable he talks about different kinds of soil, differing circumstances regarding the reception of the seed.
some fell along the path – that is hard ground, no reception, birds stole it
other on rocky ground – not much soil – it grew quickly, but had no roots and died easily – it was scorched and… withered away
other fell among the thorns… but didn’t produce fruit because it got choked out
still other fell on good ground – it grew up, produced fruit of increase
Then Jesus says, Let anyone who has ears to hear, listen
The story has four different receptions of the same seed sowed. Only one of them does not become a plant. Only one is stolen and never germinates and roots, the one on hard ground. The other three all sprout, but have different results
I won’t spend a long time here now, but let’s think as sowers of seed, let’s observe:
some would say… “the path is the path… it’s hard… not our fault.” Others would say, “Or, I could break up the ground and make it useful. The question is do we want to work at that effort
Regarding the “Rocky Ground”, some would say, “Wow, look at that plant that came up so quickly – Let’s Celebrate.” but then “Wait, where di that plant go?” – I’ve got to tend to the rocks and bring in more soil, if I want that little plant to survive
Regarding the “Thorny Ground”– again this is about tending the ground. There is work to be done. Though rocks can be easily recognized and removed, the thorns are plants with roots. If I remove them too aggressively, I might remove young spouts as well. I might not even notice the thorns… but there is my plant, yet without fruit? Hmm, I need to do some work here. I need to understand the situation
Then the Good Soil – and all of its fruitfulness, that’s the result of the work having been already done before, and continued to be done during the process.
I’m going to be doing a lot of looking at this passage this year… but what first had my attention that drew me to the passage in the first place was in v10, when he was alone, those around him with the Twelve asked him about the parable… He answered them…
Our desire to know and to learn, to grow and develop must take us ALONE with the Lord – Ask, Listen, Learn, Do. v9 let anyone who has ears to hear LISTEN
If we have ears… are they ears that want to Listen? That word is in the Present, Active, Imperative – that means, right now, actively, I MUST take heed. And in this case, those with ears and a desire to take heed, ASKED – “Explain this Lord”.
As you start a new year, do we get alone with God? I will break this down some more later… but let me start right here with the simple… WHEN we Get Alone with God, Daily –
P. R. A. Y.
This is simple but doesn’t get old
P – Pray – “Lord, you are God, I am Not. Thank You, Speak to Me, Teach Me, and I will LISTEN
R – Read – open the passage you have to read – Read looking for God to Reveal Jesus, Give direction, Show you want you need to know…
A – Apply – You asked God, he has shown you something – what is he saying to me? Write it down, make sure that what you heard is true in regards to all of the full revelation of God in scripture. Then…
Y – YES – Say “Yes, Lord” – Now, make an Action Plan to align yourself to the truth. Tell someone you trust and be accountable. Ask them “I believe God is saying this, is this true, will you pray for me and ask me tomorrow, next week, next month if I am doing what God said.
How must time should I spend Pastor? Depending on the time of day, your time with the Lord, the depth of your knowledge, that measure will change. But set some “alone time goals” that are achievable and grow from there. It might be a short time in the morning and then more time later. Let it grow naturally, but more toward consistent, growing time, and the increase will come
Pastor Goforth 