Kingdom Stories | Mark 4:21-34
Jesus came to this earth to preach the gospel and tell stories. His stories were illustrations and descriptions of the Kingdom of God. The first century Jew was looking for a King and a Kingdom. They lived under the tyranny of the Roman Empire, and they longed for a King and Kingdom like they had before in Jerusalem. They were looking for a King to return them back to their glory days of strength, solidarity, prosperity, and expansion. So, when Jesus comes on the scene and announces that the Kingdom of God has come near and is at hand, and performs miracles, the people were excited. But what Jesus teaches about the Kingdom was not what they expected and seemed pretty confusing. Instead of giving a definition of His Kingdom, He is going to describe it through earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Jesus has just taught that the Kingdom comes like a farmer that scatters seed; many will reject but some will receive the gospel. The power is not in the soil but in the seed. The seed is a story about Jesus. Jesus continues teaching about the Kingdom through parables. In these parables, we see an upside-down Kingdom that it is not about what you get but what you use, it is not what you do but Who you work for, and it is not just what you see but how you see it.