AMAZING LIGHT
Opening Prayer
Thank You, Jesus, for Your amazing light that You have brought into my life. Shine on me.
Read Mark 4:21–34
A Lamp on a Stand
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. 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.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, 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. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
New International Version (NIV)
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Reflect
Is it easy for you to shine the light of Jesus?In the beginning God created light (Genesis 1:3). Then God gave us Jesus on earth – the light of the world. God reveals Him gradually, first to this crowd, then to that healed individual, then to those who “get” the message of the parables. The light mustn’t be hidden. That’s why it’s so important for those listening to Jesus to see the light and respond appropriately. Jesus’ parables point people to God, to Himself, to the light – and to the response for which God is longing.
The “spreading of the light” and the “growth of the crop” are God’s doing (27,28). However hard we work at sharing the good news with our friends, families, and communities, the results are not up to us – we can’t make kingdom growth happen. And however puny our efforts might seem, we can never tell what God will make of them (31,32). We need to be ready to be amazed.
I’d love to know what other parables Jesus told the listening crowd, wouldn’t you (33)?
Apply
Think about which of the three “Apply” questions from yesterday you can best answer, then do so in Jesus’ presence.
Closing prayer
My God, I trust You. Help me to be faithful to shine Your light and I will trust You to be faithful to bring transformation.
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