07: The Parable of the Lamp and the Growing seed (Mark 4:21 – 34)

Jesus explains the nature of the Kingdom of God in parables: how the kingdom law is revealed and how it grows and matures.

πŸ‘‰ Read Mark 4:21 - 34

Verses 21 – 25 give us three understandings of how the Kingdom of God is revealed. 1) Jesus reveals the kingdom's secret to the (             ), and God uses them as a lamp to shine the world (vv. 21 – 23). 2) However, they must heed to live out their knowledge of the Kingdom. Or, they will be (           ) even more (v24). 3) If they observe what they heard, they will be given more (             ) of the Kingdom (v25)

Disciples, judged (measured), knowledge.

A constitution and related laws are to be announced and enforced for a kingdom to be established and to stand. So is the Kingdom of God. 

It is God’s will that He wants to proclaim the law through chosen people. If you are given the gospel, you are responsible for sharing it with others. It is God’s plan when He lit a light in your heart. 

Instead of judging others with the knowledge of God, you should live according to that knowledge. Then, God will reveal the more of His kingdom to you. 

These are the characteristics of God’s revelation. God uses his chosen people to reveal the truth. You are to live out the truth rather than judging others. If you walk in the truth, you will be given more about the truth.



(26 – 29) This parable talks about the principle of kingdom growth. It grows even though the (              ) does not know how. By itself, the (           ) produces a crop. 

Farmer (minister or kingdom worker), soil (heart)

The parable emphasizes that the seed grows without much help from the farmer. “He goes to sleep and gets up” “though he does not know how.” It is God who makes a ministry bear fruits, though ministers don’t know how to. 

“by itself”: Its Greek word was ‘automatically.’ When the heart responds correctly, it will grow.

Here, we can find two principles of ministry. Proclaim and teach the word faithfully and pray for the work of the Holy Spirit. 



(30 – 32) The Kingdom of God is like a (                 ). Even though it is the (              ) of all seeds, it grows as the (                  ) of all garden plants. 

Mustad seed, smallest, greatest

This is one of the critical natures of the Kingdom. We often get discouraged by our small ministry size or the unnoticeable change in our lives. 

We should hope for the vision of the great Kingdom in the future instead of being discouraged.

Because the present shape is small and we don't know how it grows, we should not decide the ministry's direction based on visible results. Instead, we should focus more on the Word of God.



(33 – 34) He did not speak to them without a (             ). But (             ) He explained (              ) to His own disciples.

Parable, privately, everything

This verse closes the parable section in chapter 4.





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