THE HARD SAYINGS OF JESUS Mark 4:11-12 Illustration: (PP - Take a look at this 15 second video.) That could be just a funny clip. Or that could Introduction: Open your Bible to the Gospel of Mark. be a parable. Jesus might have used something like (PP) Mark 4 (p. 993). We are in a summer series titled: this. Five little boys were in a tent. Each decided to The Hard Sayings of Jesus. Jesus said hard things. exit. One by one they tripped and fell over the lip at the He was not political. He was not looking for as many entry. Which one of the boys are you most like in life – votes as possible. In fact, Jesus often said what could the four who legitimately tripped, or the last one who cause people to walk away. I’m just going to jump right simply mimicked what he saw in the others? A parable in this morning with verse 1. “Again Jesus began to requires that you be involved. You have to engage. teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around You have to render a decision. him was so large that He got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along Verse 2 says that Jesus taught them many things by the shore at water’s edge.” I’ve always thought that parables, and in His teaching Jesus reveals 4 different was a crowd management decision. But . . . soil conditions. Verse 3 - “’Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, Illustration: Last week one early evening I was sitting some fell along the path and the birds came and on the shore of Flathead Lake and there were these ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did two fishermen in a boat out on the lake way out there not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because like 5 or 6 hundred yards away. And first of all, I can’t the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, hear very well. But I could hear every word they were the plants were scorched, and they withered saying like they were right in front of me. They were because they had no root. Other seed fell among talking about their wives – and it wasn’t good. I could thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so just picture their wives standing on the shore saying, that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on “We are right here. We can hear you.” It occurred to good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, me that Jesus getting in a boat and going out on the multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.’ lake may have been an acoustic decision. It’s important Then Jesus said, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him that you hear this. hear.’” Four different soil conditions. Let me ask, do you have ears to hear what Jesus is saying? Maybe Verse 2 – “He taught them many things by you agree with the disciples next move. parables.” Now what is a parable? The word parable literally means to throw truth alongside. Parables are Verse 10 – “When (Jesus) was alone, the Twelve and stories where the listener is engaged with truth. the others around Him asked Him about the parables.” (PP) Verse 11 – “He told them, ‘The It’s not a political kingdom. It’s a spiritual kingdom and I secret of the kingdom of God has been given to am its King and you can be part of it if you trust Me and you. But to those on the outside everything is said do the will of God. This new kingdom was being in parables so that, (quoting from Isaiah 6) ‘they may announced by Jesus and He used parables to be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever introduce it to people, which raises another question. hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” Now THAT is a hard (PP) 2. Why not stop using parables altogether? saying! I speak in parables so that they may be ever Why not just speak clearly? Why not say, “Look, here’s seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but the deal. My name is Jesus. I’m the Son of God. I’ve never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be come into the world to announce the new kingdom of forgiven. Wait a minute! It sounded like you said you God. I am its king. You can be part of this new kingdom don’t want outsiders to see or hear AND it’s because if you simply trust me and do God’s will.” Why not just you don’t want to forgive them. I thought that was the say it that way? Just skip all the veiled stories. The goal. I thought You wanted to forgive them. To me this answer is that Jesus used parables because of what is one of the hardest sayings of Jesus and it requires parables accomplish. Parables get the listener involved that we ask some hard questions. Let me pose three and parables reveal the condition of the listeners’ heart. of them just briefly. Parables both reveal the truth and hide it. Because Jesus is not going to give the truth to those who are (PP) 1. What is this secret of the kingdom of God? uninvolved. Jesus is not going to reveal the truth to Jesus said that the secret of the kingdom of God has those who see no need for it. He is going to conceal it been given to you (disciples). What is He talking from them. But for those who think they need the truth about? We have to get our heads around what was and who search for it, Jesus reveals the secret of the going on at the time. See, the crowds that followed kingdom of God. (We’ll come back to that in a minute.) Jesus weren’t just curious about Him. They were One more hard question . . . actually hoping He would deliver the nation of Israel from Roman oppression. Israel was really suffering at (PP) 3. Does Jesus want some people not to come the hands of the Romans and they hoped Jesus would to Him? That’s a valid question because it sure sounds be their future political king and put an end to all of that. like that when Jesus says, “that they may be ever They hoped He would defeat Rome. Instead, Jesus seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but called 12 ordinary men and founded a “new nation” – a never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be spiritual nation whose names were written in heaven. forgiven!” It sounds like Jesus doesn’t want some The way Jesus talked about this was to talk about The people to come to Him. But that does not square with Kingdom of God. I am establishing a new kingdom. the rest of Scripture. And the preponderance of Scripture sets the rule. (PP) Ezekiel 33:11 – “As surely your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no understanding, and if you call out for insight (Do pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that you hear the searching in that?) and cry aloud for they turn from their ways and live.” (PP) II Peter 3:9 understanding, and if you look for it as for silver is another. “The Lord is patient with you, not and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to will understand the fear of the Lord and find the repentance.” God wants everyone to come to knowledge of God.” A humble heart is a searching repentance. So we have to dismiss the idea that He heart. does not want some people to come to Him. (PP) A proud heart, on the other hand, is not a Then how are we to understand this hard saying of searching heart. A proud heart says I don’t need Jesus? The key is in understanding that this hard anything. “Why would I need God? Why would I need saying is a quote from Isaiah chapter 6. In that context “religion?” Scripture says God opposes the proud. Isaiah (having seen the Lord) is volunteering to go and When you are proud you are not seeking, not looking, give the message to that nations and the Lord is saying not searching. You are not really even fully human. To to Isaiah, “Go ahead a broadcast the message, go be human is to be curious – to inquire – like little ahead and scatter the seed, but I’m telling you children asking why – how come – (animals do not (because of the soil – because of the condition of their inquire – animals do not seek to understand why) only hearts) many will reject it.” Jesus is saying the same humans seek understanding. To be fully human is to thing in Mark 4. My parables do not cause a hardened seek and to search. But the proud heart stops seeking heart. Rather, (PP) My parables always match the the knowledge of God – stops searching for meaning. posture of the heart. Don’t miss that. What is the They think they already know it and have decided they posture of your heart today? What is the posture of the are not going there. heart of your neighbor or that person you know in Missoula? See, we are always revealing whether we As pastors this week we were discussing just a have a humble heart or a proud heart. fascinating verse – (PP) Proverbs 25:2. Take a look at this as we start to bring this in for a landing. “It is the (PP) A humble heart is a searching heart. A humble glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a heart recognizes its desperate need for the knowledge matter is the glory of kings.” Now look at that of God. Where is God? Where can I go be with Him? carefully. You kind of have to just let that sit on you for How can I find Him? That’s a humble heart. Listen to a moment. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. It Proverbs 2:1-5. “My son, if you accept my words is the glory of kings (humans) to search out a matter. and store up my commands within you, turning How in the world is it the glory of God to conceal a matter? Because truth is always to be treasured. The new as if it was just written. A humble heart is a truths of God are to be treasured. It is the glory of God searching heart and God is pleased to reveal His truth. to conceal (to treasure). And then it says, it is the glory of humans to search things out. To be fully human is to Jesus’ parables, God’s truth always matches the search things out. For the one who is not searching, posture of the heart. Jesus used parables both to there is no revelation. So it goes like this . . . (PP) He reveal the truth and hide it. For the humble searching conceals. (PP) I search. And here is the marvelous heart, He reveals the treasured truth of the kingdom of result. (PP) He reveals. Here I am. Psalm 9:10 – “For God. For the proud indifferent heart Jesus’ parables You, O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who arrive and it goes down like this: ever seeing but never searches for You.” perceiving, ever hearing but never understanding, otherwise they would turn and He would forgive them. Illustration: Most of you know that a couple weeks ago I told my story of beginning to transition away from So the great question for each of us today is this: (PP) my role as Lead Pastor and into a new season of my How can I develop or foster a humble heart? How can I life. This is unfamiliar territory for me. The only role I avoid the shipwreck brought about by my own pride? have known is Lead Pastor. I confess that this is How do I keep the soil of my heart pure and not different. This week my early morning quiet times have weedy? The answer is Jesus. (PP) Keep your focus on amounted to, “O Lord I need You. I need You to reveal Jesus. Yourself to me.” Friday morning in Psalm 33 was a time in God’s Word like I have not had in years. It was See in Jesus your own desperate need. Think about as if God lifted the veil. It was not this HD view into the this. God looked at the world and saw such desperate future. It was this almost overwhelming sense of His need in each one on the planet that He sacrificed His presence in the present. And what was shocking was only Son – sent Him to die on a cross for our sin in so much joy. Unceasing joy. To know He is my King order to establish a new kingdom with Jesus as its and He will keep leading me forward. I didn’t want to King. Do you want to be part of that kingdom? God is move. no longer concealing the secret of the kingdom. He is broadcasting – scattering the truth of Jesus – and 3 out Illustration: I was speaking with an older believer of 4 times that truth is falling on unprepared soil, recently – a true lover of Christ. This man is in the late unsearching hearts. But 1 out 4 times it is revealed to autumn of his life. Having read through the Bible scores those who are humble in heart and are searching for of times, he told me of so many new treasures he is truth. finding in the book of Galatians. It struck me that the letter was not an old rerun for him. It was fresh and