January 15th, 2012 Book of Mark Wk11-Expecting the Miraculous

We continue in the book of Mark with Chapter 4 and expecting the miraculous.

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here: 

The Gospel of Mark: Expecting the Miraculous

January 15th, 2012  by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passage: Mark 4:26-32

Review…(Mark 1:1-4:20)

A framework for understanding Mark: The book of Mark puts on display how Jesus brings more of heaven to earth and invites his followers to experience the same as they learn a new (kingdom) way of life from the Master and respond with regular repentance (turning to God) and belief (taking action).

New (Mark 4:26-32)

What do these parables teach about the Kingdom of God?

Both of these illustrate that when the kingdom of God breaks into our life it is nothing short of ______________.

Are you ______________ the miraculous?

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. ²⁷ He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. ²⁸ The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹ But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”                                                    Mark 4:26-29

Like farming, the Kingdom of God is full of miraculous ____________.

The key phrase in this parable is “he knows not how.”

That phrase is loaded with ___________, _______, and surprise.

He loves to make our life feel like the miraculous surprise of the farmer: in awe of what is ____________ happening.

If the kingdom is breaking in to your life like God _________ for you, then you will have the sense: “I know not how.” 

If you are not in awe of the miracles God is doing in your life, then let Jesus encourage you today that he wants you to know him in that way; where you can be regularly ___________ at his power, so that you don’t just dream about a life of great things happening but actually experience a life of miraculous surprises that you didn’t really think was possible.

And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? ³¹ It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, ³² yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”                                              Mark 4:30-32

The mustard seed was a symbol of smallness, and _______________.

And that’s how many people viewed Jesus and his ministry; his kingdom is not a ____________ one.

The Kingdom that he brings begins small in obscurity but won’t remain that way for ever.  It will blossom one day into a fullness and prominence so that all the __________ of the earth take refuge there.

And to see the kingdom come in _____ life is not like the typical way of this world either.

For many people, the invitation to discipleship is very _____________.

But in due time the kingdom will grow up to flourish in your life (in you and through you) to a significance and ____________ that no one, including yourself, thought possible.

Taking it home…. Are you expecting the miraculous?  

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