November 27, 2016
Scripture:
Scripture:
Ministry:
Read Roman 4:24 & 25, and Romans 5:1 & 2. This is the work that was accomplished on the cross for us. We are able to come into His presence this morning. What an honour! We will be in glory with Him forever: What a hope!
Hymn 358 - Tell me the story of Jesus
Prayer
We’ve been having the theme, “When Jesus was here He…,” and today we’re not going to have a story about Jesus, but rather a story that Jesus told. The Bible calls them parables, and they often talked about the Kingdom of God. Jesus used everyday objects and situations in His parables, and there are several about sowing a reaping; we’ll look at one of those.
Mark 4:26-29
What is the Kingdom of God? John three tells us that we must be born again to see it, but what is it exactly? A kingdom is a place that someone rules over, and the Kingdom of God is the kingdom that God rules over.
Jesus illustrates the kingdom here with a man throwing seed into the ground. When I plant a seed, I make a hole in the soil, put the seed in, and cover it back up. When you’re planting a whole field, you would use a machine that can plant several rows at once. In Bible times, a sower would have a bag of seed over his shoulder, and he would take a handful and cast it out over the ground in order to plant it. That’s what this man was doing.
When you plant a seed, you water it and look at it every day. At first nothing seems to be changing, but under the ground that seed is growing a root. When you plant it, it seems like just a dry, dead, flake. However, with some moisture, light, and warmth, that seed will grow a plant.
Jesus said that He was like a seed, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Jesus died, was buried in a tomb, rose again, and many have found the fruit of salvation through Him. In his first epistle, Peter also calls the word of God seed.
This man went to sleep and got up each day, and every day he looked to see if his seed was growing. Finally, it sprouted. These verses tell us that there are three stages to the growing process: the blade (the plant leaves), the ear (like a piece of corn), and the full corn (the mature fruit). After these are complete, the corn can be harvested.
This planting of the seed is like the Word of God coming into our hearts. The Bible says that whosoever believes in Jesus will not perish. That’s where our growth starts, and just as a baby grows, so those that know the Lord as Saviour will grow. You’ll start to see the fruit of the Spirit in their lives; that’s the seed of the Word working in them. There are many things that we have to learn along the way, but finally God’s harvest will come, and He will take all true believers to Heaven.
So how are we growing and developing? We need moisture, light, and warmth to grow. Getting out to meeting is good, too; it’s like putting fertilizer on your plants!
Colossians 3: 18-25
God created men and women after animals, but in His highest creation He developed an organization. Humans have relationships, authority, and responsibility. This is the way God created it, and it is taught for our blessing and good. It is a pattern that depicts a higher pattern. We went through this in Ephesians. Problems and difficult situations arise, so it is important to understand God’s order.
The first relationship is in Genesis between the first man and woman. We are given instructions for marriage. It’s a picture of Christ and the church. No one can change the picture even when they break the rules. The enemy will bring conflict. Our first relationship of importance should be with God. The second should be your spouse. Third would be your children, and the fourth should be your employer. The Lord should come before any other relationship in your life. When work goes above any other relationship problems begin to arise.
In each relationship here one has more authority than the other. It doesn’t mean that one is less or below the other. Although the Lord is superior to every one else. We first see that the wife is to be submissive to the husband; and he, in turn, is to love her. This is so important. Things can go wrong even with the Lord’s people. It is possible to be attracted to one to whom you are not married. These instructions are warnings to us. The wife is to be submissive as is fit in the Lord. And else where we read that the husband is to love her as Christ loved the church. This relationship should be one of the most wonderful or awful in the world. Marriage is a 60/60 deal: they pick up slack for each other.
The next is between a child and his parents. This applies to adults too because we are children of God. A parent is to teach a child to be obedient without provoking them. You can fall off the end on both sides if you’re not careful. You could spoil them, or provoke them. We really need to be before the Lord in wisdom so we don’t discourage our children. If they are complaining that something isn’t fair maybe we need to do some explaining.
These verses are often quoted for a selfish reasons, and the grace and love are overlooked. God has created this order, and it should be observed.
Hymn 290 - Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him
Prayer