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Kingdom Seeds

Mark 4:26-32

1. the word is going out

• 26 And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
• In this- Jesus is basically describing himself- that he is the man who is scattering the seed on the ground- Jesus is the one who is going out and spreading the word, but also its US who spread
• The kingdom of God is a kingdom of WORDS- The WORDS of Jesus must go forth
• I realize I sound like a broken record- but WORDS matter- yes, we DO but we must SPEAK
• Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
• The kingdom of God is going out with the word and reaching those in the world with the WORD
• And this word is going out- with you or without you- God is raising up and will raise up those who will speak for God and behalf of God the truths of the Kingdom of Heaven-
• There is more word now than ever, books, radio, tv, internet, movies, its everywhere- but its not ENOUGH- The word needs to continue to be scattered- how many people still need JESUS?
  Many People- I still know many hurting people who need to know my savior
• Video of black Friday- desperate people who need stuff to fill the void in their life- need WORD

·   Romans 10:13-14 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

·   The sharing of God’s word is the most important thing that we do as Christians- scattering that seed- sending it out- spreading it wherever it may land and hoping that it may take root

• What does it mean to you?
• Are you putting out the word? are you sharing the word with a lost and dying world?
• The Bible is to prepare you- but it is also for you to share what YOU know to be true!
• Share scripture on social media. Share scripture on your bumper. Share scripture with people you meet and know
• I have become so much more confident in sharing scripture as a pastor- I wish I would have been more confident before, didn’t wait until now- People expect pastors to share it
• You can share scripture with everyone if it comes from a position of love and care- say to them- “you know, the bible says” and then connect to whatever you’re talking about
• Either for encouragement or interjection

·   Psalm 96:3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

·   Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

·   Isaiah 12:4 And in that day you will say: “Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.

• Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

1. God is doing the work

• 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
• In the parable- the man who scatters the seed- does what he needs to do- day in, day out,
• spread the seed and then watch what the seed does- but he doesn’t know how it works it just works- God takes his word and it begins to grow in the ground as it goes forth
• Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
• This is a principle that will never change- God’s word, being the seed- will always produce fruit. Always. There is no stopping it.
• But its not what WE do that makes it grow- its what GOD does that makes it happen-
• 1 Corinthians 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

• Only the Holy Spirit can do the work. You can’t force what God does with his word- He does it
• Its hard to remember that- you’ve got to let the seed fill the need and take its time
• Why does it work that way? I don’t know- it just does
• Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
• That’s how it works- God does what he does with his word and we sit back and watch him do it
• What’s it mean to you?
• Are you trusting God with the outcomes, not yourself?
• I struggle with this- wanting to push God’s agenda forward with what my plans are- and struggle in the waiting for what he’s doing in HIS time not MY Time
• But here’s the truth- if its in HIS WORD- It WILL Come to pass- there is no way that it wont!
• Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
• God’s pleasure comes from watching us apply his word to our lives and seeing fruit
• 1 Corinthians 3:5- 8 READ
• God gave the increase- If you apply the word of God to your life and your situation- you will always see God’s provision in it. You can’t outrun it- it always happens
• There’s so much spiritual fruit in this truth- its even how some are saved and some are not- we can’t explain it- only God can explain it- it’s the Holy Spirit’s work
• John 3:7-8 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
• But we must remain steadfast in what God is doing- we can’t put it on ourselves- we must trust God
• Hebrews 3:6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end

1. God provides the harvesters

• 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
• Seed time and harvest are important- God needs people to help him harvest, but God is ultimately the one who does the harvesting
• The kingdom of God is always about planting, waiting, and harvesting.
• Jesus said
• Luke 10:2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
• God needs harvesters for the Kingdom- people who are committed to seeing the world change
• Its not just that the word goes out- its that it CHANGES peoples lives when it comes in their life
• John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
• Knowing God is the best thing that could ever happen in someone’s life!
• Galatians 4:8-9 READ THIS WORLD IS BEGGARLY ELEMENTS!

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• Have you signed up to be a harvester?
• If you don’t see this word as beggarly elements- you’ll never be concerned with the LOST
• John 4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
• Now is the time for harvest! We are living in dark days! A time when people need Jesus more than ever
• We have the most and are the most desperate depressed people that have ever lived!
• Jesus needs you to help with the harvest! He needs you to be on the front line for him
• Have you ever had the experience of leading another person to Christ or being instrumental in leading them? Bringing them to church and seeing the impact that it has on their life?
• There is truly nothing more satisfying than seeing someone come to Christ and have their life changed

1. Don’t judge something small

• Mark 4:30-32 READ
• This is specifically speaking of the church- how it started small with 12 but it would GROW
• And we saw it- at Pentecost- the church grew by thousands and now we are over a billion!
• Its difficult when we see things that are small and seem to not have any growth
• But God doesn’t see things that way- things that are of GOD that start small will always grow!
• We mustn’t lose the ability of the wonder of the small things that God has asked us to do
• No matter how small- if its of God- it will grow- it will take root and it will PRODUCE
• 2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.
• Sometimes we grow weary in doing good because we feel as though it isn’t having an impact- don’t! God is growing it- slowly but surely and it will come to full fruition if it is of HIM
• Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
• That’s how you don’t lose heart in the midst of waiting for something to grow! CONSIDER HIM
• 1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
• That’s a word to hold on to! If its of God and you’re suffering for doing good- PRAISE HIM
• What does it mean to you?
• Don’t lose heart if what you’re doing is small! God is bringing the growth
• 2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
• Are you discounting small?
• Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
• 1 cor 5:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
• Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

1. It will accomplish its purpose

• so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
• This picture here is a picture of the church and kingdom grown to where she should be and doing her work
• The birds of the air are the people and they find a place of rest under the shade of the mustard
• God has grown his global church- And I know there are naysayers that say it is shrinking, but its growing the places where it is being most persecuted- there is a culling in US, but growth!
• Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
• God needs us, but he doesn’t need you specifically- he will always raise up someone to do it
• Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
• Ephesians 2:20-22 READ

• Are you inviting in as many as you can into the shade?
• If every Christian was concerned with the lost- every church in America would have a seating problem- but they don’t 1. Afraid 2. Concerned with their own comfort 3. Ashamed of their life
• Live your life in such a way that people would want to follow you to church and be with you
• Be concerned with the Kingdom of God and the growth of the Kingdom!
• Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
• Kingdom living is living under the protection and love of the Lord in his Kingdom and its great
• There are many people who are hurting who need the love of our Savior and its up to us to spread the seed!
• We must! We must gather as many as we can into the shadow of the almighty
• Story of a man with a cold window and a garage- “if only I could become a bird”