How God's Kingdom Grows

Rev. Richard A. Bolland

Mark 4:26-36
(July 6, 2003 Sermon Transcript)

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        He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain... This is the text.

        Dear friends in Christ, I think there seems to be some confusion among God’s people about how God’s kingdom grows. Many think that they can make the kingdom grow by doing the right things or saying certain things in certain ways. But frankly, that’s not so.

        In fact, we find from this text, exactly how God’s kingdom grows. And Jesus, in this text, records straightaway the meaning of what it means to grow the kingdom of God. And the bottom line is, He does it! People have a role in it, but He makes it grow, and He makes it happen.

        He graciously permits His people to share that precious seed, as we explained to the children, to scatter the word of God among the people with whom we rub shoulders and among whom we live. And then, God takes it from there.

        Let it be known that it is God who calls, gathers, enlightens, and preserves the entire Christian church on earth. He is the one who gives us the faith, and He is the one who strengthens and nourishes the faith that we have.

        Now, quite frankly, the confusion that exists in Christianity is that people think that they can make the kingdom grow. But it isn’t so. Indeed, a lot of people think that the Christian church should be sold like McDonald’s sells hamburgers. That in fact we just have to market it right. We just have to have the right sociological studies done, and then speak to the felt needs of people. But that simply isn’t the gospel!

        Now, it’s good and right to meet people’s needs. But is not, I repeat, it is not the Gospel!

        Sometimes when we have this happening, we see a lot of good things happening, but sometimes for the wrong reasons. If, in fact, you have a lot of divorced people in your congregation, well then, maybe you need a support group for divorced people. And so you meet that felt need. Or perhaps, if you have people that want to have child care during worship services, then in fact we hire babysitters. And so people come and they have that felt need met!

        Then, if we have people that think they need a place to work out physically, well then, we need to build a weight room and a gymnasium and have people have a place to work out. And then if that doesn’t work out, some people like to eat breakfast out on Sunday morning. You know, instead of going to Bible Study! Consequently, what we need to do is build a restaurant, right here in the church, so people don’t have to leave.

        And what’s more... well, you get the idea. The list could go on and on. If we want to worship in ways where the music seems to more closely approximate what’s popular in our popular culture, well then, by all means, let’s set up a praise band, put the drum set up front and have at it!

        Now all of these things can be good and fine and well in their own proper way. But, let me assure you that just because we do all these things, it does not mean that we are providing people with their greatest felt need, which is the knowing of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. To be preserved from sin and death and the power of hell over us that sin places us in. So we need to remember that we need to put the first thing the first thing! That is, the word, and the sacraments of God, which are the means of grace. And those means of grace are the only things that can help people know who Jesus Christ is.

        Now, to be sure, the quality of our parking lots, and how nicely we keep our bathrooms are important. But they are not the Gospel!

        The Gospel is, specifically, the good news of Jesus Christ, who comes and lives the righteous life that we cannot live, and who suffers for our sins, for the sins, indeed, of the whole world. And who dies, as divine man/God, dies so that we might live, who takes the punishment of our eternal hell on His own shoulders, and who rises from death so that we might live as well.

        Some Christians also believe that you make the kingdom of God grow by fighting for civil rights and by seeking social justice. Now I’ve gotta tell you, I’m all in favor of making sure that people have civil rights, and that there is social justice. But neither of those things is, in fact, the Gospel.

        To be absolutely certain, there are many mainstream Christian denominations who have traded off the good news of Jesus Christ for a false gospel of good works under the nice mantle of civil rights and social justice. I can tell you that back in the 70’s, and indeed in the 60’s, there were times when people began to say to one another that, in fact, what we need is a "liberation theology". Maybe you even remember the term. That, in fact, it became tied in with Marxist/Leninist thought, and the Christian church in many respects became that which aided and abetted the revolutionary causes and violence throughout the world! Because, after all, "social justice was the gospel", they said. But it wasn’t so.

        Indeed, we find quite the opposite. Some have said, "Preach the gospel! If necessary, use words!" Well, that’s cute! And it might even be somewhat wise, because certainly words of the gospel should not be separated from one’s actions. But if all we do is be nice to people, they will go to hell! If all we do is be nice to people, and never speak the precious message of the words of the gospel of Jesus Christ, they will not know Him. Indeed, I would suggest to you that if all we do is be nice to people, to seek their civil rights, to seek social justice, as good as those things are, then Christianity has become like every other false religion on the face of the earth. And we have become a religion of nothing but good works.

        The gospel is words! The gospel is the word of God!

        This precious scripture that we have been given, to share with people and to give to people who do not know Christ! As badly as people at times need civil rights and social justice, they need freedom from the bondage of sin vastly worse. They need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

        And indeed, some Christians today believe that we should emphasize those things which all Christians hold in common, indeed which all religions have in common, and de-emphasize the differences. One might point out that this has, in fact, spawned an entire movement in our American culture. For the last thirty years or so the entire inter-denominational movement has come upon us, and there isn’t a town you can’t drive through anymore that doesn’t have one inter-denominational church or another marking the side of the road. And when you go to them, yes, the gospel of Christ is preached in many, but not all, and we find, in fact, that the Christian faith has been boiled down into five, or ten, or fifteen basic fundamental teachings, and the rest is left up to whatever anybody wants to believe.

        Well, let me tell you that there is no accountability there. There is no accountability for what is being taught, for everyone is an island unto himself, and that is the last thing that the church of Christ was ever meant to be.

        Indeed, we might point out that, in fact, there is a false notion about the teachings of Christ, that all you need to believe is just the basics, and everything else you can believe as you wish. But that isn’t so.

        God does not speak in multiple choice truth! God does not speak as though you may believe as you wish. For when the scriptures speak clearly, as they most frequently do, then the church must speak absolutely clearly as well. Whether it be about baptism, or whether it be about the Lord’s Supper, or whether it be about how people come to faith.

        It is not the de-emphasizing of our differences that is the gospel, but rather, it is the speaking of the pure, unadulterated gospel, in all of its teachings, which will bring people to grace through faith in Christ.

        Indeed, it’s gotten so bad sometimes that the word "denomination" itself is said to be bad! And "doctrine" itself, which just means "teaching", is also said to be bad.

        But God has not taught us with bad information. He has taught us with the truth. It is not without coincidence that Jesus called Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The unity of the church is the unity which is described in the Holy Scriptures. That St. Paul writes in I Corinthians 1:10 that you may be called to complete unity of mind and thought, so that we settle not for that which is second best.

        This thinking has infected our own synod. In fact, it has infected Christian congregations everywhere. Now, the Pastor, who, either in the sermon or in Bible class, teaches God’s word rightly is said to have "his own opinion". To which he is welcome! But anybody else can have their own opinion.

        Some have said, "Well, the only difference between us is the way we interpret God’s word!" Well, this is a gross misunderstanding of the nature of the scriptures themselves! There aren’t multiple interpretations, there is only one! And that interpretation is God’s interpretation, thank you very much! And the only reason for studying God’s word is to uncover that interpretation which is God’s. Not to sit around in a group and say, "Well, I think it means this," or "I think it means that", and "This means this over here, and maybe it means that over there"!

        God does not speak in multiple choice, and there is one and only one meaning.

        In contrast, listen to the words of this gospel! How does God’s kingdom grow? Christ says, "God makes it grow!" Not men. It isn’t done by marketing. It isn’t done by sociological studies. It isn’t done by establishing civil rights and seeking social justice. It isn’t done by de-emphasizing differences among people and emphasizing those things which are in common. It is done by God.

        Men are involved. We get to sow the seed. For some amazing and graceful reason, God, in His eternal wisdom, has permitted the likes of you and me to have the privilege of disseminating the seed of the word to the world! And if you’ll notice in the parables about the seed, of which there are many, you might discover that we do this rather indiscriminately. Indeed, in the parable of the sower and the seed, what do we find? We do not find the sowers of the seed going out looking for the best soil to plant it on. Not at all. The seed is cast among the stony soil. It is cast on the path. It is cast on the good soil. It is cast on the rocky soil. It is cast everywhere. Everywhere! Without discrimination!

        And that is the great privilege that we have. It is a high honor! It is the highest calling that we have, regardless of what your vocation in life is that God has given you! That casting of the word can take place where we work, in our neighborhoods and in our friendships. And ought to! It can take place where we recreate. It can take place in whatever community organizations in which we are involved. In any venue where God places us, it is a sacred venue for the disseminating of that precious seed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the words of the gospel. Combined and given witness to with our action.

        But not only the actions. Only those who know God’s word can share it! I know, you’re sitting out there going, "well, duh"! Well, it’s true. God has given you a special, special gift. He has given you faith! It was given you the day of your baptism. And it has been grown and nourished through the power of His word ever since. That fertile soil of your faith, which God called into being, is watered as we come forward to the Lord’s Table and to receive there His very body and blood. Not a representation, not a picture, not a symbol. We receive Christ Himself.

        If you don’t believe that, you should not come to this altar. For the scriptures have said, Whoever comes to the Lord’s Supper not discerning the body of Christ will fall under the judgment of God.

        Dear friends, the highest honor we have is oftentimes ignored. We find it inconvenient to share the gospel of Christ. We find it, what shall we say, and object of fear! Being terrified that someone might tell us they’re not interested! Well, people told Jesus they weren’t interested! People walked away from Jesus, in droves from time to time, as well as they came to Him. If Jesus wasn’t afraid of rejection, why should we be? We are called to be witnesses.

        Part of thing we fear in rejection is this! We think we ought to see the results! Well I would suggest to you that you read this text. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel of the head.

        All we are responsible for is the dissemination of God’s word. Whether or not it takes root is a combination of two things. Number one, man, by God, has been given free will to reject Him. Man, my God, has been given the opportunity to tell God to go take a hike. In fact, that is the very essence of human free will. Notice that I did not say that man in his free will can accept Christ, or make a decision for Christ, for he cannot. St. Paul tells us in the scriptures again and again and again that we are dead, blind, enemies of God, without faith. It is God who calls us to life. If it were any other way, then salvation is not solely of grace.

        God gives us faith. And He gives us the ability to speak in that faith. And He alone, He alone, is the one who calls faith to life and makes the seed grow. We are the sowers, not the growers.

        That seed carries its own power.

        This morning when I showed that seed to the children, don’t you think that it’s absolutely amazing that there’s something in there that works? It looks as dead as a doorbell, that little hunk of seed! And yet, with soil and sunshine and water, all things which God provides, the seed grows, and life finds a way.

         Well, we need to remember that what we sow, these precious words, are powerful! Indeed, we read (in Romans 10:14) that series of wonderful questions. "How can those who do not know believe? They believe when they hear the message", the scriptures say. The message changes hearts of stone into faithful hearts.

        It is God who produces faith, and it is God who produces the good works that proceed from faith. It is grace and it is grace again. Salvation from sin and death and hell is what God works, and not at all what man accomplishes.

        And so, it is really all so very simple. It is also all so very gracious, and so very graceful. It is also very amazing that God has loved us enough, not only to call us to faith, and to give us faith and to nourish that faith, and to preserve that faith. But also to share that faith. To cast the seed and to sit back and watch God work.

        God grant us all that we would know that the Spirit speaks when we speak His word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.