There are times where we have read a passage in the Bible many many times and we glance across the same lessons. It is always a good reminder to revisit some of these things to make sure that we remember them. But every so often, you have the look on your face that just says "Yes I know this already". Then out of many of those times, you stumble across something that you've missed and often times it is to do with the bigger picture. Yesterday was once such a day.
It's the familiar passage of Mark 4, the parable of the sower. We all have been through this before: the seed is the word of God and depending on which soil the seed falls upon represents the responses of people towards God's word. End of story. What was more interesting is that Jesus used the analogy of the seed in the two parables after that which sounds like he is describing the same thing but highlighting different characteristics of it. So in the parable of the seed growing highlights that once the word has been planted it is God who causes the person who receives the word to grow and mature. The next one highlights that even though this word seem so insignificant (like the mustard seed) when it has reached maturation, it is exceeding grand.
So what are the three characteristics about the word of God from Mark 4? One, people will respond differently to it. Two, God grows and matures the person who has received the word and will bear fruit, not the person who sows it. Three, God's word may not look like much but the end result is so much more compared to what we see it on the outside or expect it to be. It's like saying don't be discouraged by the responses you get preaching the word because it is expected to have different results. It is also saying don't worry, God will make people grow in faith and finally be encouraged of what full maturation of the word looks like, which describes the kingdom of God.
It's nice to be able to step back a bit and see the bigger picture.
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I am on the verge of making another big purchase. Must learn to eat grass. On the plus side, I will be venturing into funkier playing styles.
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My Glorified Photo Frame case can't come fast enough.
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I have passed judgment on Toast Bar and its kaya revolution. There are a few things that I know I am right and this is definitely one of them.
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hi juwen!=D
sorry i haven't been here for a while. The Wife and i attended nie-nie's wedding dinner last saturday, and we met a lot of old friends from taman sea cf - wei soon (dr. pang now!), hoong ern, shannon, joseph leong, chris oh, my cousins (of course), just to name a few. oh, and puan julie was there too!
thought you might want to know, if you don't already, since many of these are mutual friends. =) so here i am, catching up on the blog posts you've written since i last visited here!
and to thank you for the content of this particular post - i really appreciate the insights you've shared here about the parable of the sower.
i was teaching my youth fellowship from the book of Ruth last sunday. you know, ruth is such an amazing story - how this outsider, this woman (in a men's world) from Moab (in a Jewish world), became a major player in the history of Israel, an ancestor of David and by extension, the Christ! it really shows us that God has a plan for every person, regardless of gender, race, or anything else; more than that, it shows us that every person can have a part in His Big Plan if they so choose.
but the youth were so distracted, chatting amongst themselves, cracking jokes, that i was really unsure if many of them got it. i'm sure some of them saw it as just an irrelevant ancient story that had nothing to do with them.
and that's why i'm so encouraged by your reminder that God's Word is expected to elicit different results in different people, and also that the end result of spiritual maturity in these kids' lives - although it seems so far away right now - will be exceeding grand, when the day comes.
thanks for this encouragement and refreshment as i begin another new week of ministry! =)
Hey Sieh Jin,
I'm surprised that you actually have taken the time to go through all the my archived posts since the last time you read my blog. Great to hear that you are doing good!
Yes I do remember most of them and I'm sure that they are all doing well too. I actually didn't know that nie-nie was getting married until photos started streaming in on Facebook. That's how out of touch I have become.
It's good to hear that my little two cents of thought has encouraged you in the youth ministry. I suppose that while the idea that God's word elicits different responses can be liberating when doing ministry, it does not do away with teaching without fervour. I think that there is always a line between doing all you can in ministry and letting God do the rest. Knowing where that line is, is another question altogether.
Keeping you in prayer for ministry!