The Gospel of Mark - Following the Master VI
Mark 4:21-41
John Ryan
02/11/2007

Mark 4:21-25 -
21 Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, ... After teaching the disciples that God is the one who saves and He is the one who pays the cost for our becoming a disciple, He gives them a powerful picture of their role in the process of others becoming a disciple.

We are like a lamp. We are not the source of light - we simply carry the light. And, if we place the power of the gospel under wraps. That is if our words and actions don't speak of the greatness of Jesus in our lives - we will find ourselves with fewer and fewer opportunities to be a light. A lamp under something goes out. We won't lose our relationship, but we can temporarily lose the power to be effective lamps. This is the meaning of 24-25. When we know the word and receive the word and don't live the word, we become books where truths are forgotten. We don't become living testimonies of the Word alive in us.

Mark 4:26-29 - 27 ... the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.
Kingdom life - it is the foundational building block for every disciple that Jesus uses to begin to describe the life they have been brought into. What is the common denominator of every follower of Christ? It is not maturity, or commitment, giving, big bibles with marker highlights, the right kind of coffee, or the right kind of politics - it begins here - there is a life unique to all who call themselves Christ followers and it is called Kingdom life. What does it look like? Jesus begins to describe here.
1) Kingdom of God implies - there is a king and it is not you.
* Jesus is the King and he will have no other rulers before Him in His kingdom.
*The cost to be in the kingdom is Christ's - His life.
*The cost just because you are in the kingdom - your life. Slowly or quickly, God will remove all other kings. - Common Denominator!
2) Kingdom of God here depicts the life lived out in the kingdom.
* This could represent man's involvement in advancing the kingdom like Jesus will describe to his disciples in Acts 1:8 (man is the sower here) or it can be God's advancement of the kingdom through His work (God is the sower). Both interpretations leave questions.
Here is what we can take from both...
1. Even after man does his part, how things really grow is a mystery.
2. Disciples will grow over time and growth is ultimately God's doing.
3. The end result is fruit is produced for His glory and His purpose - not just for you.

Mark 4:30-32 - 30 "With what can we compare the kingdom of God," ...
In Jewish thinking, its small size was proverbial since it was the smallest of all the seeds sown in the field. It took 725-760 mustard seeds to weigh a gram (28 grams equal one ounce). The mustard shrub is an annual plant which, growing from seed, becomes the largest of all garden in Palestine, reaching a height of 10-12 feet in a few weeks.

This parable is more commonly thought to represent the big picture of the Kingdom. The small insignificant beginning of Christ in a dirty manger to the glorious end of His complete reign of all mankind is a good picture of the great contrast of little seed to greatest plant. The birds most likely represent the Gentiles being brought into the Kingdom because this same description appears in Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:6.

Mark 4:33-34 - 34 but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Jesus knew the vast misunderstanding of the populace about the Kingdom. Only to those He chose did He reveal Himself to or speak plainly to. (Mark 4:11-12)

Mark 4:35-41 - 35 On that day, when evening had come, ...
After the end of a long day of teaching, Jesus decides to cross the lake with His disciples. Why? To escape the crowd, to rest, to begin a new area of ministry, we are not sure. However, others followed. Interesting phrase in vs. 36 - "they took him with them in the boat just as he was." What does this mean? It has ruminated in my mind for some time now. Was he really dirty from the day? Was he simply returning to the boat where the day began (vs. 1)? Was he tired, and they took him exhausted to the boat?

First, Jesus is real and lived a real life we can relate to on this earth. He was tired and spent from the day of teaching and being with the massive crowds. He was just like us in many ways. He got tired, worn, spent, and needed to be alone. Second, the disciples saw Jesus as he really was. No make-up, no masks, no suit, no time in the green room to freshen up, no hiding of his stuff, - "just as he was." He did not hide who He was or how He was doing. He was transparent, authentic, and vulnerable before these guys. He let them "take him".

Who are you transparent before? Who are you truly authentic before? Who are you vulnerable before? That is who do you not only let see how you are but do something about it? Last thought - did Jesus act this way because He trusted these men? - Probably not! He trusts His father.

37 And a great windstorm arose, Called laelaps in the Gk., a wind that is suddenly whirled about upwards and downwards, and is said to be a storm, or tempest of wind with rain; it was a sort of a tornado like storm or water spout. It was awesome and deadly on the water.

The boat was filling and they believed they were in the process of dying "we are perishing". Those who were fisherman had surely seen the wreckage of many a boat after storms like this one. Why was He asleep - he was tired! In addition, He knew His death would not come by drowning. His death was destined to for a cross. They wake their "teacher" (rabbi) and rebuke Him - we about to die - do you even CARE!?

JESUS' Reaction -
1) He says nothing to the disciples - yet!
2) He rebukes (pronounces judgment) on the storm (wind and sea separately). To the sea "peace" (be calm and quiet). To the wind "be still" - close the mouth, muted. Amazingly everything stops. For the wind to stop could have been coincidence for the water to stop in a lake after being that stirred was impossible.
3) Addressing the disciples - the question comes - why are you "afraid" - terrified. The answer - you have NO faith. Bottom line - they did not trust Jesus and the result was they were terrified and moved to not trust Jesus by the storm.

Disciples Reaction -
1) "They were filled" (overflowed) with "great fear" (overwhelming amazement). The storm terrified them because they did not trust Jesus. Jesus' stilling of the storm amazed them - awed them.
2) They truly had to question who this was. Maybe they knew He was the Messiah - but they had no idea who the Messiah was - GOD!

For Us - The whole day Jesus was teaching the disciples about the Kingdom. God is in charge, God saves, we are lights and to be obedient, but God is in charge of this Kingdom.
1) The Cost to enter the Kingdom - Jesus' life.
2) The cost to receive God's goodness in the Kingdom - God's grace.
3) The cost to you simply living in the Kingdom - your life.
Would the disciples simple accept these teachings or really trust that Jesus had the words of life and held their life?

The truths for us:
1) To enter the Kingdom costs us nothing,
2) To grow in the kingdom is by God's grace,
3) to reside in the Kingdom will cost you everything.

The purpose of Christ coming was to destroy the works of the enemy and establish God's kingdom in this world and your heart. He will not allow the enemy to rule any part of you. For the disciples - the storm was a test.
For us - a storm, a trial, whatever comes that causes you to have to trust will show you:
1) who Christ is as your rabbi - GOD and
2) where you as a follower as it showed the disciples. They were beginning to believe His words held life, but they weren't sure He held theirs. They discovered He did. Have you discovered He holds yours? He does! He holds your eternity, your forgiveness, your growth, your family, your life!