OIA Mark 5.21-43

Observations

• Who: Jesus, great crowd, Jairus, little daughter, woman w/ chronic disease; disciples, some from Jairus’ house; Peter, James and John; mourners; father and mother
• Where: back on the West side of the lake, by the sea; walking to Jairus’ house; at Jairus’ house; in Jairus home
• When: just after healing the demoniac and traveling back over the Sea of Galilee; one day after the parables?
• What: huge crowd thronging Jesus; Jairus’ desperate request; woman responds to reports about Jesus by seeking secret healing; woman is healed, and has conversation with Jesus; disciples ridicule Jesus for asking who touched me; Jesus perceives power transmission; Jesus initiates personal conversation with woman; Jesus teaches about faith, the woman, and Jairus, and Peter James and John; Jesus restricts the group to see this miracle; Jesus questions mourners; raises the little girl; gets her a snack.
• Repeats: fall before Jesus; faith and believe; fear; daughter;
• Contrasts: dead/alive; chronically sick/restored; Jesus’ perception/disciples incredulity; mourners weep/laugh; crowds thronging/small groups witness miracles; fear/faith; sleeping/dead; laying as if dead/walking; overcome with amazement/ordered to remain silent; dead/eating; man of high social position/unclean woman.
• Connections: two more hopeless situations; falling at Jesus’ feet; begging; thronging crowds miss the point; explicit expressions of faith and definitions of what faith looks like in the kingdom; disciples miss the point; women has ears to hear; connections to clean/unclean
• Responses to Jesus:
• Jairus, in desperation, begs Jesus for help for his daughter; responds to Jesus’ command to not fear but believe; is overcome w/ amazement.
• Woman responds to what she has heard about Jesus; falls before Jesus, and tells her story, and receives shalom
• Disciples doubt Jesus
• Reporters say Jesus’ cannot help anymore; this is beyond hope.
• Mourners: laugh and ridicule
• The 3: come with Jesus, and are amazed by the healing
• Mother and father: amazed
• Little girl: got up and walked, and had a snack 

Interpretation

• These two stories continue Jesus’ demonstration of the kingdom following the kingdom parables. Jesus has, in the kingdom parables, described his kingdom theology, and in these four stories is demonstrating kingdom power.
• Each of these stories shows people in extreme need, in hopeless situations; in each case Jesus restores kingdom shalom into utterly chaotic and hopeless situations.
• A leader of the synagogue: a non-professional, a layman, responsible for taking care of the synagogue building and for planning weekly services. Most likely a respected member of the community, dependable, living a moral life, and perhaps witness to some of Jesus’ earlier visits to the synagogue. Into this man’s life, through no apparent fault of his own, comes a nightmare: his little daughter is dying. Those who study grief and life stress rate the loss of a child as perhaps the worst experience humans face. Hoping against all hope, this man begs Jesus for help. The word ‘implored’ is the same used of the leper begging Jesus, as well as in the demoniac story.
• The woman: it is worth following the narrative here to sense the despair and hopeless plight of this woman: 12 years…suffered much, spent all she had…grew worse…a gripping story of despair and hopelessness. Under Mosaic Law this woman was ceremonially unclean due to this issue of blood (cf Lev 15.19-27) and as such was excluded from the temple, and anyone who touched her was also unclean until undergoing purification rites: for 12 years she had endured this exclusion. Blood loss probably meant she was always exhausted, unable to be productive in her home and work context. (If you like bluegrass, here is a link to a song about this woman: http://new.music.yahoo.com/dry-branch-fire-squad/tracks/touch-the-hem-of-his-garment--1749383)
• This is one of the classic sandwich stories in Mark, A1-B-A2, where the middle story interprets the larger story: these stories are about faith, and its opposite, fear. The woman demonstrates Mark’s definition of discipleship: she hears, and having ears to hear, responds by seeking Jesus and secretly, and humbly, touching his clothes; Jesus calls her ‘daughter’: cf Jesus redefinition of family: those who do the will of God as has this woman by responding in faith to what she has heard. Jesus is so sensitized to human faith that he perceives her healing and not content with only physical healing, deals with the woman’s fear and isolation by blessing her face to face with his confirmation of her faith.
• It is fascination to note that many in the thronging crowd would have touched Jesus’ garments as well: but only this woman of faith connects with Jesus’ kingdom power for transformation. What is it, in our church, our home groups…that makes the difference between a transforming connection with Jesus, and just the casual encounter of the crowds?
• The story of the woman defines the story of Jairus, his daughter and wife, the three disciples chosen to see, and the other disciples who remain part of the thronging crowd: it is a story of faith vs. fear. Jairus has also met Mark’s definition of discipleship: he has eyes to see Jesus (yes, perhaps opened by his desperation, but at last he sees Jesus as his chance for salvation); Jairus demonstrates faith: he throws himself at Jesus’ feet begging for help; he sticks with Jesus during what must have been an interminable delay with the woman, and in the face of those who reported his daughter’s death, and so Jesus’ inability to help. Jairus trusts Jesus’ command to not fear, only believe: the proof: he sticks with Jesus, and sees his daughter raised from the dead, and is overcome with amazement at Jesus’ power to restore.
• All four of these stories – storm, demoniac, Jairus, Woman – end in a way that is curious: normal life: calm seas, sent back home to tell the story, sent off in peace – rest and wholeness, the OT calls this shalom, the girl is given a snack. We expect the kingdom to produce spectacular results; Jesus seems to see the kingdom restoring a sense of normalcy to lives disrupted by the chaos of sin and sickness. Perhaps here is a vision of a kingdom that starts as a growing seed, as a mustard seed: Jesus is willing to let transformation, and impact of his kingdom, happen over time. He does not call for CNN cameras and Oprah: he sends healed people back to a life of shalom, wholeness. How fitting, that most people have an inner sense of a normal life, of healthy relationships, and meaning: yet how often this expectation is thwarted by alienation and suffering. The kingdom offers shalom, normal life that is often inaccessible in our troubled world.

 Application

• The kingdom of God has power to restore people from helpless chaos to normal life.
• Jesus’ kingdom is one of faith, a faith that centers on Jesus and his power.
• Faith and fear are opposites.

 

Discussion Prompts Mark 5.21-43

The Text: Mark 5.21-43, Page 10.27-12.9

• Read the text aloud to each other. Notice the story within a story and be thinking about how the story of the healed woman shapes the meaning of Jairus’ story.
• What impacted us from the sermon on this section?

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss everything we can learn about Jairus in the first few verses: his position, his need, his approach to Jesus…Why do you think Jesus agrees to go with Jairus?
• Discuss everything we can learn about this woman: her condition and situation, her secret approach to Jesus, her fear at Jesus’ seeking her. Why does Jesus have this public conversation with her? Why not just let the woman alone? How has the woman demonstrated faith? Why do you think Jesus calls her ‘daughter’?
• Discuss everything we can learn about the disciples, and the crowds: how does their experience of Jesus differ from that of Jairus and the woman? Why? Surely some of the people in the thronging crowd touched Jesus’ garments – why were they not healed? Why are the disciples so sarcastic?
• Finish discussing Jairus and his daughter and wife. What does Jesus want Jairus to learn from the woman’s story? Does Jairus demonstrate faith? How? How about Jairus’ daughter?

Application reflections

• Are any of us in situations like that of Jairus and this woman – we’ve exhausted all avenues of hope and help available to us and our culture? What does faith mean for us? How can we have faith in Jesus, and not be overcome by fear? Are there practical steps we can learn from Jairus, and the woman, about expressing faith in Jesus and his kingdom?
• What allows people to connect with Jesus’ transforming power? That is to be like Jairus and the woman, and not like the thronging crowds and the sarcastic disciples?
• Mark, in these four stories, presents the kingdom of God as a comprehensive solution to human helplessness and despair, to the failures of science and technology. Do you agree with this idea that the kingdom God is the ultimate solution for human well-being?

Community Building

• Brainstorm a way we can demonstrate faith in contrast to fear this Christmas season. 

Pray

The Freeing Effect of Jesus

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
November 29, 2009:
Mark 5:1-20

The Freeing Effect of Jesus
Pastor Lou Diaz
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OIA Mark 5.1-20

Observations

• Who: Jesus, disciples, people in other boats, man w/ unclean spirit, legion, herdsmen, city folks
• Where: In the boat, on the Sea of Galilee, the country of the Garasenes, the tombs, a steep bank, the sea, the city, the Decapolis
• When: directly after calming the storm, the day after telling the parables of the kingdom
• What: unusual conversation between Jesus and the man/unclean spirit; unclean spirit cast out; pig herd destroyed; man restored to sanity and normalcy; townspeople afraid, ask Jesus to leave; man asks to join Jesus but instead Jesus sends him home to tell his story.
• Repeats: beg
• Contrasts: life in the tomb/clothed and in right mind; concern for self-destructive man/concern for economic destruction; be with Jesus/go home and tell
• Connections: a hopeless situation; unclean spirit vanquished; people afraid; proclamation of the kingdom
• Responses to Jesus:
• Man runs and falls before Jesus and is transformed
• Legion bargains, and is obedient
• Townspeople beg Jesus to leave and Jesus grants their request
• Man: begs for healing, and to accompany Jesus; is obedient to Jesus’ direction 

Interpretation

• It is important to see this story, and all four of these miracle stories, as a continuing revelation of the kingdom that Jesus proclaims. These are not random stories thrown together by Mark in his effort to write Jesus’ story; rather they are carefully placed to explain the kingdom Jesus is proclaiming and demonstrating.
• “DECAP'OLIS (Gk. de-kap'o-lis; "ten cities"). A district containing ten cities in the NE part of Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee (Matt 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31). The cities were Scythopolis, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Gerasa, Dion, Canatha, Raphana, and Damascus. Damascus is the only one now entitled to the name of city. They were built originally by the followers of Alexander the Great and rebuilt by the Romans in 65 BC, by whom they had certain privileges conferred upon them. These were typical Greco-Roman cities with their forums, pagan temples, baths, theaters, hippodromes, and other accoutrements. They were a thorn in the side of the Jews because they introduced nonsupernaturalistic ideas and elements of non-Jewish life-style and architecture into Palestine during the Roman period. The excavations at Jerash (Gergesa, which see) especially illustrate the nature of these cities.” (from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright © 1988.)
• Jesus intentionally enters Decapolis. This particular visit is a quick in and out; but in the next couple of chapters Jesus will spend significant amounts of time in Gentile regions – Tyre, Sidon, Caesarea Philippi, and in chapter 7 back in Decapolis.
• Jesus encounters opposition on the trip to Decapolis, upon arrival, and from the locals. It is as if Jesus’ intention to invade this Gentile region with his proclamation of the kingdom evokes heightened opposition: from nature, from evil personified, and from local preoccupation with the things of this world.
• This man is an example of a life almost completely devoured by enslavement to evil; in fact the man lives a life in some ways worse than dead: alive, but in the tombs, abandoned by his society after exhausting all normal means of help; left to his living death. Scripture is silent on how this man reched this point of despair, beyond the ability of cultural solutions. But we can imagine a series of wrong choices leading to this extreme dissolution of self: substance abuse, courting the occult, persistent sexual depravity: whatever the circumstances this man has so given himself to multiple evil that he is now enslaved, yet with enough self-awareness to understand, and cling to his condition.
• This story offers a fascinating look at prayer: those who should not get what they ask for, do; and the man, who we would tend to think is entitled to have Jesus grant his request, is denied. There is more to answered prayer than our merit, or desire: there is Jesus’ kingdom agenda: proclaiming the mercy of God to a lost and Gentile region.
• One of the most dreadful contrasts in this story is the townspeople who, when shown a man restored to normal life from the hell of a living death, can think only of the economic risks of the kingdom of God. These people would rather have their pigs back than their friend! It is probably that Jesus allows the demons to destroy this economic asset as a way of confronting these people with their value system that finds pigs more important than people, wealth more important than restoration.
• Having said that, it is interesting to conjecture on Jesus’ designs in sending this man back to his friends to tell his story. Perhaps there is further healing and restoration for this healed man as he re-engages normal life, gets a job, establishes a ‘normal’ life. Perhaps the Lord has far more in mind for the region of Decapolis than only the restoration of this one person: perhaps this man is himself a mustard seed, a seed that will grow, first the blade, then the leaf….perhaps the emergence of the kingdom in unexpected ways that are totally dependent on the power inherent in the seed itself!
• A final thought in interpretation: a ‘normal’ life is what most of us expect: reasonable health and wealth, satisfying relationships, meaningful work….yet in our world today this level of ‘normalcy’ is in fact abnormal; the twisting result of sin is what we encounter instead of hoped for normalcy: divorce; sickness; mental illness; substance abuse: only in the kingdom, and by the power of the Lord, are we allowed to enjoy the blessings of a normal life!

Application

• Like the possessed man, we sometimes find ourselves so tied up with our sin that we are unable to break free and are even ambivalent about wanting to be free. In unhealthy relationships we call this codependency; we can become codependent on residual evil. We need to beg Jesus for release, for a return to sanity, and proper behavior.
• We who have a rational, scientific worldview have technological solutions for all of life’s ills. Yet we face persistent problems, both personally and societally, that are immune to all human solution. Only the kingdom of God is able to deliver on its promise of restoration.
• Kingdom values may be dangerous to our financial wellbeing. The question for us: what do we value more: our investments, or transformed lives? The way we treat the least – immigrants, low price employees – may reveal more to us about our real values that we would like to know.

Discussion Prompts Mark 5.1-20

The Text: Mark 5.1-20, page 9.23-10.27

• Read the text aloud to each other. This is the second of four stories that demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God in hopeless situations, and follows directly from Jesus’ kingdom theology found in the kingdom parables. It is helpful to view these stories and events as part of an unfolding understanding of the kingdom of God.
• What impacted us from Lou’s sermon on the great storm?

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss some observations from this text. In particular note both the story’s location and the contrasts described in this story.
• What words describe the unclean man’s condition? What is the relationship between the man and Legion? What steps had people taken to deal with the man? What do we do in our culture with people like this?
• Discuss the interaction between Jesus, the man, and Legion. Who is talking when? Why does the man beg Jesus not to send the demons away? Why does Jesus grant this request?
• What is Legion’s request? Why does Jesus grant this request? Why the pigs and their destruction?
• Why are the townspeople afraid? Why do they beg Jesus to leave their region? Why does Jesus grant their request?
• Discuss all the reasons the healed man begs Jesus to be allowed to come with Jesus? Why do you think Jesus denies this request? Why does Jesus send the man back home to tell the story of Jesus’ mercy?
• Application reflections
• Have we ever been in contact with someone like this possessed man? Or does anyone feel themselves to be in a similar situation of hopeless enslavement to destructive forces and desires? What does it mean to us practically that Jesus demonstrates the power to return us to a state of normalcy – clothed and in our right minds?
• Spend some time reflecting on the contrast between Jesus’ focus – on restoring the helplessly enslaved man – and that of the townspeople – obsessed with wealth and blinded to human suffering and Jesus’ transformational power to restore. Can we identify ways that we, living in perhaps the most wealth-obsessed culture on the globe today, share the callousness of the townspeople? What are specific things we might do together as a group to help us overcome this obsession?
• What new insights do we gain about the kingdom Jesus is proclaiming and demonstrating by Jesus’ decision to enlist this man as a partner in proclaiming the good news? Why is it significant that this commissioning occurs in Decapolis, a gentile region?
• What are ways we can tell of Jesus mercy to us among our friends and family?

Community Building

• Discuss one group activity you might do before Christmas to act out some aspect of this story.

Pray

 

The Calming Effect of Jesus

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
November 22, 2009:
Mark 4:35-41

The Calming Effect of Jesus
Pastor Lou Diaz
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The Kingdom Parables of Jesus

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
November 15, 2009:
Mark 4:1-34

The Kingdom Parables of Jesus
Pastor Lou Diaz
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OIA Chapter 4.35-41, Page 9.11-23

Observations

• Who: Jesus, disciples, the crowd, people in the other boats
• Where: In the boat, on the sea of Galilee: sailing from west to east, from the Galilee side of the lake to the Decapolis side of the
• When: directly after telling the parables, that evening
• What: Jesus gives instructions and the disciples obey; other boats come along; a great windstorm; Jesus sleeps during the storm; disciples awaken Jesus and question his concern for them; Jesus rebuked the storm, and it became calm; Jesus questions their lack of faith and fear; the disciples were terrified and question Jesus’ identity
• Repeats: asleep, fear; two questions
• Contrasts: crowd/in the boat; great storm/great calm; scared sailors/sleeping Jesus; fear/faith;
• Contrasts: great storm/great calm; demoniac’s lifestyle/sitting clothed in right mind; Jairus’ panic/amazement at healed daughter; dead girl/walking and eating;
• Connections: faith (paralytic and friends specifically; all who have obeyed Jesus more inclusively); sleep – the seed grows while the sower sleeps; rebuke 2x to unclean spirits; authority
• Responses to Jesus:
• Wake him up
• Doubt Jesus’ care
• Terror
• Question his identity 

Interpretation

• This story begins a section of four stories that directly follow the parables of the kingdom; you might consider these as a continuation of the parables: the parables describe Jesus kingdom theology; these four stories demonstrate kingdom power.
• There are key common themes in this section: faith/fear; hopeless/restored; failed human technology/efficacious spiritual power; out of control/calm, and others
• The men in this boat were professional fishermen years of experience and good technology; they were better equipped to meet this crisis than most people would be; their assessment of their situation is that it is hopeless: we are going to die.
• The disciples were doing the right thing, just what Jesus told them to do, and they get into a life-threatening situation with the result that they experience Jesus’ power and authority in a way that terrifies them. We sometimes have the idea that if we are doing the right thing, we are promised a smooth path; Mark refutes this idea by showing here, and in other stories, and following Jesus may in fact lead to real risk, conflict, and self-doubt. This is a significant discipleship learning theme in the pages to come, and begins to prepare the reader for the ultimate shock: Jesus will be killed, and those who follow him will meet the same fate!
• This is the first time the disciples have spoken since they found Jesus alone praying; in many ways their question is the question of the entire gospel: Who then is this! The disciples ask this question here, and this section ends with the people from Jesus home town asking a very similar question.
• Jesus seems willing to provoke, or at least allow, an extreme crisis to come into his disciples lives; as a result they are forced to confront their own fearful faithlessness, and their limited understanding of Jesus identity and power. Jesus seems to value this type of experience, even see is as fundamental to following him.
• When Jesus allows, or provokes, such a crisis, people tend to respond like the disciples: don’t you care about me? This story pushes us to a new understanding of what Jesus’ care means.
• Fear is contrasted with faith: not what we might expect!
• This story takes place while Jesus is on his way to a Gentile region where he will restore a man from a living death, and send this man as his first missionary. This may well be an illustration of the macro-conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of evil: the enemy would like to keep Jesus out of the Gentile region. Jesus sleeps while this conflict rages (c/c the sleeping sower in the parable of the growing seed); the disciples are caught in the conflict and fear first their own death, and then Jesus! Following Jesus is more that an inner peace, and a happy life: it is partnership in the battle between God and the enemy; and consequences are real.

 Application

• Jesus has the power to control the wind and the waves with a word. Have we experienced that kind of power in our relationship? How did we respond?
• How do we react to the idea that Jesus may lead us into crisis situations as a way to awaken spiritual development, to increase our dependence on him?
• Have we experienced this type of opposition in following Jesus?
• How are faith and fear contrasted?

Discussion Prompts Mark 4.35-41

Community Building

• How are we doing on an externally focused activity? A couple of new ones seem to be developing: Habitat for Humanity is planning to build some homes here in Chico; and we may have opportunity to partner with an organization that does after school programs. More to come…

The Text: Mark 4.35-41, page 9.11-23

• This story begins a new section in Mark; before you read this section aloud to each other, take a couple of minutes to scan up to 6.6a, or page 12.21
• What impacted us from Lou’s second sermon on responsiveness and kingdom dynamics? 

Discussion Questions:

• Make a few observations on this story: who, what, when, where, contrasts, connections…
• How do the disciples get into this situation? How bad is the storm – what words describe the severity of the storm? Discuss the fact that at least some of the disciples were professional fisherman – they had the experience and equipment to meet this crisis.
• Why is Jesus asleep?
• Spend some time discussing the disciples fear: what do the fear, and why. Why is their fear of Jesus even greater than their fear of the storm? Are faith and fear really opposites? 

Application reflections

• Have we been, or are we now, in a situation that seems hopeless, beyond our resources? Can we identify with the disciples’ idea that Jesus may not care about us? What do we discoverer about ourselves, and Jesus, by encountering life’s great storms?
• Have we ever been terrified by Jesus? How? Why?
• Jesus seems to lead the disciples into this crisis – they are doing exactly what he asked of them: going to the other side. How does Jesus’ seeming willingness to bring us to crisis situations, beyond our control, impact our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus?
• How do we answer the disciples’ question: Who then is this?

Pray

The Parable of Jesus

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
November 8, 2009:
Mark 4:1-34

The Parable of Jesus
Pastor Lou Diaz
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Discussion Prompts Mark 4.1-34 Part 1

Community Building

• Continue to brainstorm about externally focused activities you might try for Thanksgiving and Christmas season: follow up on your Love Chico involvement, invite international students to your holiday celebrations, volunteer at Jesus Center or Torres Shelter, Christmas gifts to foster home children…….

The Text: Mark 4.1-34, page 7.12-9.11

• Ask someone who enjoys reading aloud to read these verses.
• What impacted us from Lou’s sermon on this parable?

Discussion Questions:

• Make some basic observations: who, what, where, repeated words and themes, contrasts, definitions….
• Pass out the sower worksheet and explain that we will discuss these parables in two sessions: this one devoted only to the parable of the sower; and next week focusing on the other stories and parables.
• Discuss the questions on the worksheet and any other insights that really strike you.
• Make a one sentence summary of the central point of this parable. 

Application reflections:

• What was it in you that prompted you to respond when Jesus planted his word in you heart and mind?
• How are you doing in terms of fruitfulness? Is there something hindering you?
• Reflect on the idea from this parable that Jesus initiates change in our life: his word causes us to respond. How can we best cooperate with the transformational impact of this word? 

Pray

Discussion Promts 4.1-34 part 2

Community Building

• Choose externally focused activity and calendar your plans to carry out this plan. Pleas share your plan with the other MYM leaders so we can pray for each other’s group activity.

The Text: Mark 4.1-34, page 7.12-9.11

• Ask someone who enjoys reading aloud to read these verses.
• What impacted us from Lou’s second sermon on this parable, focusing on responsiveness? 

Discussion Questions:

• Review your discussion from last week about the parable of the sower and explanation.
• Pass out the secret worksheet and discuss the questions on the worksheet and any other insights that really strikes you.
• Take plenty of time to wrestle with this section!
• Discuss a one-sentence summary for this section.
• Discuss how this summary expands your understanding of the parable of the sower.
• What is the main point of the parable of the growing seed? Of the mustard seed?

Application reflections

• How are you doing on your responsiveness to Jesus? Which of the responsiveness indicators describes your experience: having, and getting more? Of not having, and losing ground?
• How is it a comfort and encouragement that the kingdom grows on its own?
• How might your externally focused activity be like the mustard seed? Or the growing seed? 

Pray

 

 

Sower Worksheet

“Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold...The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Sower?
Seed?
Soils?
Path:
Rocky:
Thorny:
Fruitful:
The kingdom of God in the parable of the sower:

Secret Worksheet

And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

“Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

What is the secret of the kingdom?

Why is a lamp brought in?

Why measure carefully?

How do these sayings re-define the parable of the sower?

Summarize Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of God:

OIA Chapter 4.1-34, Page 7.12-9.11

Observations:

• Who: Jesus, crowds, disciples
• What: teaching, parables, questions, explanations, exhortations; a secret;
• Where: in a boat, alone with disciples, public, private
• Repeats: parable, seed, sow, hear, word, soil/ground 11x, secret 2x, Listen! 4x
• Contrasts: fruitful/unfruitful; secret/known; hear/understand; get more/loose all; inside/outside; hidden/revealed; small/big;
• Connections: Jesus is focal point of system; responsiveness to Jesus is essential; responses to Jesus and the kingdom he proclaims continue to be mixed

Interpretation:

• These kingdom parables are central to understanding Mark’s presentation of the kingdom; they explain the variety of responses to Jesus so far in the book, and form the framework for understanding the rest of the book. And a clear understanding of the secret of the kingdom is essential for understanding Mark’s presentation of discipleship: responsiveness and proximity to Jesus: the disciples never do quite get in right even up to the conclusion of Mark’s narrative; but they do stick with Jesus, and keep asking questions, even if they are the wrong questions; I think this is Mark’s definition of following Jesus: stay in his presence no matter what, and keep responding: this is what Mark calls faith.
• The sower story explains Jesus activity of spreading the word of God, and the variety of ways people respond. Jesus takes initiative; the word contains the power to reveal the heart of the hearers. This story is more than a parable with only one meaning, but less than a allegory; often people get sidetracked wanting to talk about how to change the soils, but this is not the emphasis of the story; rather the emphasis is on Jesus’ initiative to preach the word everywhere, to all kinds of people, and see how people respond to the word; this is exactly what Jesus has done so far in Mark: proclaimed the good news of the kingdom: the time is now, the kingdom is at hand, repent and believe the gospel. And we’ve seen a variety of responses: the crowds, needy people, disciples, religious leaders. I’m not suggesting we force these into one of the four soils; but the soils do explain why people respond so differently to Jesus: in some cases there is demonic intervention; in others a shallowness that precludes fruitfulness; in other preoccupation with self-interest; in others, amazing fruitfulness.
• Having decoded the sower and explanation, it is time to decode the secret of the kingdom, the purpose for speaking in parables, and the logarithmic consequences of positive and negative response to the word, the gospel. Answering the questions Jesus asks is a good way to help people grasp these essential dynamics of the kingdom
•  How does one receive the secret of the kingdom? It is given, by Jesus
•  How will one understand? Ask Jesus
•  Why are things hidden? To be revealed
•  Does God intend people to miss the point? No, he intends for them to follow, ask, knock, seek…
•  What is it that some have, and some do not? Responsiveness to Jesus, faith
•  Why do those who have get more, others lose what they have? You are either responding positively to Jesus in a dynamic process where you grow, learn live out…or in the case of negative response, you increasingly lose the ability to see and hear God
• This have/lose dynamic describes what has happened to the scribes and Pharisees and Herodians: they have consistently and persistently rejected Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom: his claim to have authority to forgive sin, his rejection of their understanding of purity as it applies to social intercourse – he welcomes sinners instead of rejecting them; he places relationship over ritual: fasting; he believes religious observance is God doing a favor for us, and not vice versa: Sabbath is for man…
• As the religious have rejected Jesus, their spiritual insight has been taken away to the point that they are engaged in a murder conspiracy, and when they see the fruit of the kingdom right before their eyes and ears, the mistake it for demonic power: what they once had has been taken away.
• By contrast those who ask, who respond, are given more: specifically the explanation of the parable, an explanation of kingdom dynamic, and two more parables that explain the kingdom!
• Secret: MYSTERY: musterion NT:3466, primarily that which is known to the mustes, "the initiated" (from mueo, "to initiate into the mysteries"; cf. Phil 4:12, mueomai, "I have learned the secret," RV). In the NT it denotes, not the mysterious (as with the Eng. word), but that which, being outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by divine revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His Spirit. In the ordinary sense a "mystery" implies knowledge withheld; its Scriptural significance is truth revealed. Hence the terms especially associated with the subject are "made known," "manifested," "revealed," "preached," "understand," "dispensation." The definition given above may be (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Applications:

• How have you personally experienced the dynamic of responsiveness in your journey of faith in following Jesus?
• How might you respond to someone who insists that large scale evangelistic campaigns are the main way the kingdom of God expands?
• Give examples of how you have seen and experienced the mustard seed principle.
• What might it mean that the kingdom of God will grow, even if we are asleep?

 

The Four Responses of Jesus

Evangelical Free Church of Chico
November 1, 2009:
Mark 3:7-35

The Four Responses of Jesus
Pastor Lou Diaz
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