"God saw all the He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning- the sixth day."
-Genesis 1:31
In recent times it seems there has been a movement away from religion, specifically Christianity. People maintain the idea that science disproves the possibly of there being a god. They believe that science is able to adequately explain all that we see and observe so there is no room for belief in a god. In this new worldview, science is the only rational explanation for the world and everything in it.
If you've read my blog at all, you'll know that I disagree with that worldview. I do agree that science is able to help us explain many things, but it cannot explain everything. For example, science can explain why humans need to breathe but it cannot explain how life was breathed into the first human. Of course there are many theories as to how people came to be, such as the big bang and evolution, but I don't believe these theories are adequate.
While I could write extensively about things that science can't explain, I actually want to talk about the things that science can explain. Before I get into that, I want to describe why I was thinking about this subject in the first place. In the Bible, there are accounts that talk about miracles that Jesus performed. These miracles were events that happened that can only be explained by supernatural forces, in this instance, the power of God through Jesus Christ. Many people who believe in the scientific worldview claim that these miracles either never happened or were exaggerated accounts of ordinary events. In other words, they believe that nothing can happen that cannot be explained by science.
Again, I don't want to discuss whether or not these miracles really happened or not, although I do believe they did happen. Instead, I want to explore the idea that a scientific explanation nullifies the existence of God. The word "miracle" implies something that isn't ordinary. For example, when Jesus walked on water, we consider it a miracle because ordinarily, people cannot walk on water, they sink. However, what if the very things we consider ordinary are actually miraculous in nature?
To help explain my point, let me pose a question. If I gave you a pair for dice and asked you to roll them a hundred times, would you expect to get the same number every time? If you did happen to roll the same number a hundred times in a row, would you consider that ordinary or not? Of course you wouldn't find that ordinary! You would probably assume that I had altered the dice in some way as to make them roll the same number every time.
If we consider it extraordinary that the dice behaved the same way each time, why do we consider it ordinary that things in nature behave the same way every time? Is it more likely that when an apple falls, it falls at the same speed every time or that it falls at different speeds? Is it really ordinary that water boils at a specific temperature (100°C) every time? Is it not miraculous that if I apply a certain voltage through a certain resistance, I get the same amount of current every time?
My point is that maybe the very fact that we can explain things with science is a miracle in itself. Going back to the dice example, the fact that you rolled the same number each time led you to believe that the dice were designed in a certain way. You would not infer that the dice were random in nature. Similarly, when we see things around us behaving according to the laws of science, we should believe that there is someone who designed it that way. Maybe instead of science removing the need to believe in God, it actually requires it.
-Smart
Thanksgiving Topics 2017
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations."
-Psalm 100:4-5
I know I haven't written a blog post in a while but I do have two topics to write about (not including today's topic) in the the near future. In the spirit of Thanksgiving 2017, I wanted to share my Thanksgiving topics. I hope in this Thanksgiving season we remember the goodness of God and what He has done for each of us in the past year.
-Smart
-Psalm 100:4-5
I know I haven't written a blog post in a while but I do have two topics to write about (not including today's topic) in the the near future. In the spirit of Thanksgiving 2017, I wanted to share my Thanksgiving topics. I hope in this Thanksgiving season we remember the goodness of God and what He has done for each of us in the past year.
- I am thankful for God. Without His unending love and grace, I would not be able to have anything in this list. While it is nice to have things to be thankful for, I know I would have nothing without the source of all things. I am thankful that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins even when I was an enemy of God. No matter how many years go by, I am always amazed at the amazing grace of God.
- I am thankful for family. This year is the first full year I've lived completely on my own. While there are many things I enjoy about living on my own, I have realized the impact my family has had on my life. Much of who I am is due to my family influencing my life. I am especially grateful for the times I can travel back to Maryland and spend time with my family.
- I am thankful for friends. Since moving away from my hometown, I've had to make new friends. I have developed good relationships with people at my new church and workplace. I always enjoy having a nice lunch or dinner with my friends. I am also grateful for the friends back in Maryland, who encourage me through prayer and words of encouragement. I am also thankful that I can see them whenever I visit Maryland.
- I am thankful for my job. This is the first year I've worked full time for an entire year. While there have been many challenges, I have learned a lot about how to manage my career. Of course I am thankful for the money I get from my job, but I am also thankful for the relationships I have made. I know I still have much more to learn, but I am grateful for what my job has taught me so far.
- I am thankful for technology. I know this may seem broad, but I have come to appreciate technology because it allows me to communicate with family and friends who are no longer nearby. This year has given me a new appreciation for the ability to send a text message or email to someone who lives halfway across the country.
- I am thankful for music. While I was thinking about this list, I realized that music is a huge part of my life. I listen to music for a large portion of every day. I always have music playing in my car, my work, and my apartment. Music allows me to drown out my surroundings and focus at the task at hand. Music also helps me remember the goodness of God when I listen to the lyrics of the song.
- I am thankful for Instagram. I joined Instagram in March of this year and it has changed my life. I am able to take a peek into the lives of my friends and they also can peek into mine. I really enjoy seeing what others are up to, especially those who live far away from me. While Instagram has mostly been a good thing, I have realized that it can take up a lot of my time if I am not careful. Despite being time-consuming, I am thankful to have Instagram.
- I am thankful for basketball. I usually play basketball twice a week and it has been a great way for me to stay healthy and find enjoyment. I can't really explain why I enjoy playing basketball so much but I can say that I love it. I am thankful that I have a place to play year-round and people to play with.
- I am thankful for Dallas. I have lived in Dallas for over a year now and I must admit that I really enjoy living here. Of course I miss my family and friends in Maryland but Dallas has been a great place to live. The food and weather here is incredible. I am grateful to have so many places to have good food whether it be by myself or with friends.
- I am thankful for church. I currently attend both a Methodist church and a small UBF ministry in Dallas. While it has been a bit weird going to a different church service every week, I have come to appreciate it. The Methodist church has been a good source for me to learn about the word of God through Biblical teaching. Dallas UBF has been a good time for me to study the Bible with a small group of people and grow together through fellowship. I hope that through our prayers, we can grow Dallas UBF.
-Smart
Can God be Both Sovereign and Good?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
-Romans 8:28
One big objection to the Christian faith is the question of how God can be both sovereign and good. The argument is that if God is sovereign and good, He would stop evil from occurring in the world. If God does exist, maybe He is sovereign but not good so He doesn't want to prevent evil. Or maybe He is good and wants to stop evil but He is not sovereign so He cannot. Either way, to those asking this question, it seems that God cannot be both sovereign and good if He allows suffering and pain in this world.
I've heard a lot about this subject and thought I'd share some of the conclusions I have come up with. First of all, if God is good but not sovereign, is He really God? One of the attributes of God is that He is all-powerful. Without this attribute He ceases to be God. Second, if God is sovereign but not good, by what measure can we determine He is evil? The concept of good and evil comes from the purpose for which something is created. We have an innate sense that pain and suffering are evil because God has instilled in us our purpose, which is to glorify and enjoy Him forever. How can we have this sense of good and evil if God had never created us for a purpose? If we want to state that God is sovereign but not good, we must give an answer for how we can say He is evil.
So if God has the ability to stop evil, why does evil exist? To be clear, God doesn't cause pain, He allows it. Pain and suffering are a result of a broken world stained by sin. Sin separates us from God, which in turn creates hurt in our world. So why does God allow evil? Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Thus, the greatest ethic in life is love. Everything we strive for in life is really a search for love. We experience pain and suffering because we reject the love God is extending to us.
For love to exist, free will must also exist. If God simply forced us to obey Him with His sovereign power, that would not be love but compliance. We would simply be like machines that are incapable of love because we would have no choice not to love. Perhaps God allows us to choose sin and experience pain because it gives us the capacity to truly love Him. If He stopped all pain and suffering by preventing us from sinning, we no longer would be able to love Him. If the ultimate ethic of love is to be achieved, free will must exist, and thus, the capacity for evil must exist.
While this may sound like God has no interest in preventing evil, we have to remember one more thing. The verse I quoted at the beginning of this verse claims that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." What does this mean? Both the good and the bad things that happen in a person's life can work together for their good. Every good storyteller knows that the most compelling stories are about people who were able to turn their struggles into their success. What may have seemed to cause hurt and pain in that person's life turned out to be for their good.
God is the ultimate weaver, able to turn both the good and bad in our lives for His perfect and pleasing will. While evil does exist in this world, God never allows it to destroy us. Maybe we need to trust that God will use every experience in our lives to bring us closer to Him. Pain and suffering are a reality in this world, but God has a purpose for everything. He is still sovereign and good. One day when we go to meet Him face to face He will wipe away every tear from our eyes as we gaze into His sovereignty and goodness.
-Smart
-Romans 8:28
One big objection to the Christian faith is the question of how God can be both sovereign and good. The argument is that if God is sovereign and good, He would stop evil from occurring in the world. If God does exist, maybe He is sovereign but not good so He doesn't want to prevent evil. Or maybe He is good and wants to stop evil but He is not sovereign so He cannot. Either way, to those asking this question, it seems that God cannot be both sovereign and good if He allows suffering and pain in this world.
I've heard a lot about this subject and thought I'd share some of the conclusions I have come up with. First of all, if God is good but not sovereign, is He really God? One of the attributes of God is that He is all-powerful. Without this attribute He ceases to be God. Second, if God is sovereign but not good, by what measure can we determine He is evil? The concept of good and evil comes from the purpose for which something is created. We have an innate sense that pain and suffering are evil because God has instilled in us our purpose, which is to glorify and enjoy Him forever. How can we have this sense of good and evil if God had never created us for a purpose? If we want to state that God is sovereign but not good, we must give an answer for how we can say He is evil.
So if God has the ability to stop evil, why does evil exist? To be clear, God doesn't cause pain, He allows it. Pain and suffering are a result of a broken world stained by sin. Sin separates us from God, which in turn creates hurt in our world. So why does God allow evil? Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Thus, the greatest ethic in life is love. Everything we strive for in life is really a search for love. We experience pain and suffering because we reject the love God is extending to us.
For love to exist, free will must also exist. If God simply forced us to obey Him with His sovereign power, that would not be love but compliance. We would simply be like machines that are incapable of love because we would have no choice not to love. Perhaps God allows us to choose sin and experience pain because it gives us the capacity to truly love Him. If He stopped all pain and suffering by preventing us from sinning, we no longer would be able to love Him. If the ultimate ethic of love is to be achieved, free will must exist, and thus, the capacity for evil must exist.
While this may sound like God has no interest in preventing evil, we have to remember one more thing. The verse I quoted at the beginning of this verse claims that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." What does this mean? Both the good and the bad things that happen in a person's life can work together for their good. Every good storyteller knows that the most compelling stories are about people who were able to turn their struggles into their success. What may have seemed to cause hurt and pain in that person's life turned out to be for their good.
God is the ultimate weaver, able to turn both the good and bad in our lives for His perfect and pleasing will. While evil does exist in this world, God never allows it to destroy us. Maybe we need to trust that God will use every experience in our lives to bring us closer to Him. Pain and suffering are a reality in this world, but God has a purpose for everything. He is still sovereign and good. One day when we go to meet Him face to face He will wipe away every tear from our eyes as we gaze into His sovereignty and goodness.
-Smart
Cultivating the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:26-34)
When I was in middle school, I took part in a science fair. I chose to study how different soils affect water erosion. Water erosion, for those who don’t know, is when running water diminishes the presence of soil. For my experiment I had three “soils”, plain top soil, rocky soil, and grassy soil. I put these soils into a container similar to a roasting tray, and then poured a fixed amount of water over each soil. Can anyone guess which soil eroded the least? The most? As you can imagine, the soil with the grass planted in it eroded the least while the plain top soil eroded the most. I thought about this science fair experiment after we heard the previous message about the different types of soil that represent our hearts.
In today’s passage, we see that Jesus continues using the analogy of a seed. Why did Jesus choose a seed for His parables? Those who were present with Jesus would easily be able to understand and relate to planting a seed. Farming was and still is a necessary thing needed for a society to flourish. Thus, not only would those with Jesus understand the parable, but we too can understand. The growth of a seed is also a natural comparison to spiritual growth, something we will understand today through this message.
The key verse I chose for this passage is Mark 4:30-32. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. A mustard seed is a very small and insignificant thing until it grows. In the same way, the kingdom of God may seem small and insignificant until it grows. The kingdom of God is planted in our lives when we accept Jesus Christ, but we must cultivate its growth to see the fullness of its power in our lives. Today, I want to talk about cultivating the kingdom of God (Pray).
During my science fair project, the most interesting part to me wasn’t the erosion. The most interesting part to me was the growing of the grass for the “grassy soil”. Before that time, I had never planted anything in my life. I had seen my mother work in her garden and would help from time to time (cough), but I had never seen anything grow from a seed to a plant. Planting the grass for my science fair was the first and last thing I ever grew from start to finish.
One thing I learned from that experience is that you have to constantly take care of something for it to grow. I had to water the grass every day and make sure it had proper nutrition. You cannot simply plant the seeds and then leave it alone. The same is true for the kingdom of God. Let’s look at verses 30 and 31. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. The kingdom of God is like a seed that is planted. However, left on its own, that seed will not grow. It needs someone to take care of it every single day. Thus, the first key to cultivating the kingdom of God is consistency.
The funny thing about consistency is that we all know it to be an important attribute but are so resistant to it. Want proof? Think about the last time you tried to start dieting or exercising. If you are like most people, you got really excited at first, thinking about how great you would feel once you lost weight. That first day you probably ate nothing but kale and ran five miles on the treadmill. Maybe even the second day you did the same thing. However, if you’re anything like me, you probably gave up after a few weeks.
The thing about exercise and dieting is that consistency is more important than intensity. Nowadays there are so many advertisements claiming that they can help you lose weight fast, but we all know that isn’t true. You can’t just eat a ton of kale or run five miles and expect to lose twenty pounds. Increased intensity doesn’t compensate for decreased consistency. The only way to truly lose weight and get more in shape is to consistency exercise and eat well.
We can’t expect the kingdom of God to grow in our lives in a day. Even if we read the entire Bible and fast for a week, the kingdom of God will not reach its full potential. We have to read the Bible every day, pray every day, and worship every day. The kingdom of God is not a single step but a journey with God. I would encourage you to look at your life and see if you are building your faith every day. If not, ask yourself what you can do to grow the kingdom of God each and every day.
A few months ago we studied the book of Daniel. I think Daniel is a great example of someone who lived with consistency. Daniel was taken as a captive in Babylon to serve the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. There were many trials in Daniel’s life that tested his faith in God. The most famous event in Daniel’s life was when he was thrown into the lion’s den. Nebuchadnezzar’s advisers despised Daniel and wanted to find something that would remove Daniel from the king’s service. They came up with a plan to trick the king into writing a decree that would send anyone who worshipped other gods to be thrown into the lion’s den.
What was Daniel’s response to this decree? Did he stop worshipping God? Let’s read Daniel 6:10. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel prayed to God and gave thanks to God. Did you notice something in this verse? It says that Daniel gave thanks to his God “just as he had done before”. This implies that Daniel prayed three times a day without fail. In fact, think about how the advisers came up with this deception. They must have seen Daniel praying three times a day to God, every single day. That’s how they knew their plan would work.
Daniel’s life was not marked by a single event but a consistent life of prayer. During our bible studies in the book of Daniel we talked about “one day faith”. One day faith is faith that we have in the ordinary things of life. One day faith is reading the bible when we wake up, praying on the way to work, or worshipping before we go to bed. Faith doesn’t have to be a grand event. Just like a small mustard seed, if we cultivate our faith with consistency, it will grow. So focus on your one day faith, and see what God can do with your faith one day.
The next part to cultivating the kingdom of God is destiny. Let’s read verse 32. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Have you ever seen a mustard seed? I never seen one in real life, but from pictures on google I saw that it is about the size of a large grain of pepper. You could probably hold a thousand of them in your hand at one time. Have you ever seen a mustard tree? How many of those do you think you could hold in your hand?
A farmer never values a seed based on what it is but on what it is destined to become. He doesn’t look at the tiny seed and just see a seed- he sees a tree. If a farmer never considered the final result of the seed, why would he ever bother to get seeds? The farmer’s motivation to take care of the seed is the destiny of the seed. He is able to consistently cultivate the seed because he knows the seed will ultimately become a tree that will bear fruit for him and his family.
To further illustrate this point, think about the last advertisement you saw for a weight loss product. Do you know what you can expect to see without fail? A before and after picture. Notice that these advertisements never show you the person struggling during their weight loss journey. Can you imagine seeing one of these ads with a before and day after before picture? Would you ever buy that product? Marketing teams know that people are driven by results, not by process.
Earlier we said that the first key to cultivating the kingdom of God is consistency. Destiny is what motivates consistency. Without a clear view of our destiny, it is nearly impossible to have consistency. People who are successful at weight loss programs are those who can focus on the end result. Once you lose sight of your destiny, you easily lose motivation and passion for the kingdom of God.
Philippians 3:12-14 says: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Paul knew that the secret to live a Godly life was to strain toward what is ahead and press on toward the goal. He focused on his heavenly destiny rather than his earthly problems.
Even Jesus focused on His destiny while here on this earth. Hebrews 12:1-2. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Jesus focused on the joy set before Him to endure the cross. We too must focus on our destiny in order to live out our purpose and cultivate the kingdom of God.
So what is our destiny? Our ultimate destiny is to become like Christ. Philippians 3:20-21. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Ultimately we desire to experience the fullness of the kingdom of God, where God reigns in His glory, love and power. If we focus on our destiny to be like Christ, it will enable us to experience more of the kingdom of God in our lives.
So far we’ve covered two points: consistency and destiny. However, since I’m a believer in three point messages, I meditated on the passage some more to come up with a third point. I thought more about why Jesus chose to use a seed to compare with the kingdom of God. Maybe it’s because a seed is easily overlooked? Easily undervalued? Easily lost? Why would Jesus choose something so small to represent the kingdom of God?
To answer this question, I thought about why God made seeds small. Then it dawned on me- perhaps the seed is small so it is easily planted. Think about it: a farmer is able to sow a seed because it is small. A farmer cannot sow a mustard tree. Can you imagine how ridiculous it would be for a farmer to try to plant a huge mustard tree? There’s no way he could transport it. Maybe God compares the kingdom of God to a seed because the kingdom of God is meant to be reproducible.
A tree’s main purpose is to bear fruit, but its secondary purpose is to reproduce. Let’s read verse 32. “Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” When the seed grows into a tree, birds are able to perch on the branches. The seed’s purpose was never to serve itself, but to give life to everything around it. Once a seed becomes a tree, it produces more seeds that can be sown in other places.
Consistency and destiny are two factors that help us cultivate the kingdom of God in our own lives, while reproducibility is cultivating the kingdom of God in other’s lives. Our goal should never just be to serve ourselves but to serve others. Jesus didn’t teach His disciples just so that they would grow spiritually, but so that they would reproduce their faith in others. The growth of the kingdom of God was never meant to stop with us, but to overflow into the lives of those around us.
Even’s Jesus’ mission was to reproduce His ministry in others. John 12:24 says “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Jesus was talking about Himself and how His death would ultimately produce seeds of life in those who accept Him. John 14:12 says “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” Jesus’ ministry was always meant to produce disciples that would produce more disciples.
Our lives should also be focused on reproducibility. Timothy Keller once said that the church is meant to be a unique organization that is outwardly focused rather than inwardly focused. Most businesses focus on how they can increase their profits, political power, and societal influence. However, Jesus calls the church to focus on reaching those outside of the church, not to just build itself. We should ask ourselves if our lives are being reproduced in anyone around us, and if not, who you can minister to.
The kingdom of God needs to be cultivated in our lives. The kingdom of God is not something that will grow without us working at it. Consistency, destiny, and reproducibility are three components necessary to cultivating the kingdom of God. To be honest, these are three things that I struggle with a lot. I am not very consistent in pursing God because I am always distracted by things around me. One day faith is hard to me to have on a consistent basis. It’s difficult for me to focus on my destiny when life’s problems are so real in front of me. It’s hard to look past the struggles of my work and see the destiny God has called me to. Finally, I struggle to reproduce a life of faith in others. I get so comfortable doing my own thing that I neglect sowing seeds in those around me.
The good news is that there’s one more point to my message, even though I do like having three points. Let’s read verses 26-29. 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—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” I originally did not expect to have this portion of Mark 4 in my sermon, but as I thought about the passage I realized there is a very important message in these verses. Yes, we should do everything we can to grow the kingdom of God based on consistency, destiny and reproducibility, but the growth of the kingdom of God is ultimately up to God’s mercy. Verse 27 says that the seed keeps growing even though the farmer doesn’t understand how. He can do everything in his power to prepare an environment for the seed to grow, but he cannot actually make the seed grow.
In the same way, consistency, destiny and reproducibility are things we can focus on to prepare an environment for the kingdom of God to grow, but we can’t actually make it grow. The only thing that will truly make the kingdom of God grow is the Spirit of God given to us in His mercy. Just as the farmer may not fully understand the mechanism in which the seed grows, we may not fully understand the mercy of God. However, God gave us His one and only Son to spare us from the eternal punishment for our sins. This is the greatest mercy that anyone could ever show us.
In light of today’s passage, may we live with consistency, focus on destiny, and aim for reproducibility all in view of God’s mercy. Let’s read the key verses, 30-32. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
-Smart
In today’s passage, we see that Jesus continues using the analogy of a seed. Why did Jesus choose a seed for His parables? Those who were present with Jesus would easily be able to understand and relate to planting a seed. Farming was and still is a necessary thing needed for a society to flourish. Thus, not only would those with Jesus understand the parable, but we too can understand. The growth of a seed is also a natural comparison to spiritual growth, something we will understand today through this message.
The key verse I chose for this passage is Mark 4:30-32. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. A mustard seed is a very small and insignificant thing until it grows. In the same way, the kingdom of God may seem small and insignificant until it grows. The kingdom of God is planted in our lives when we accept Jesus Christ, but we must cultivate its growth to see the fullness of its power in our lives. Today, I want to talk about cultivating the kingdom of God (Pray).
During my science fair project, the most interesting part to me wasn’t the erosion. The most interesting part to me was the growing of the grass for the “grassy soil”. Before that time, I had never planted anything in my life. I had seen my mother work in her garden and would help from time to time (cough), but I had never seen anything grow from a seed to a plant. Planting the grass for my science fair was the first and last thing I ever grew from start to finish.
One thing I learned from that experience is that you have to constantly take care of something for it to grow. I had to water the grass every day and make sure it had proper nutrition. You cannot simply plant the seeds and then leave it alone. The same is true for the kingdom of God. Let’s look at verses 30 and 31. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. The kingdom of God is like a seed that is planted. However, left on its own, that seed will not grow. It needs someone to take care of it every single day. Thus, the first key to cultivating the kingdom of God is consistency.
The funny thing about consistency is that we all know it to be an important attribute but are so resistant to it. Want proof? Think about the last time you tried to start dieting or exercising. If you are like most people, you got really excited at first, thinking about how great you would feel once you lost weight. That first day you probably ate nothing but kale and ran five miles on the treadmill. Maybe even the second day you did the same thing. However, if you’re anything like me, you probably gave up after a few weeks.
The thing about exercise and dieting is that consistency is more important than intensity. Nowadays there are so many advertisements claiming that they can help you lose weight fast, but we all know that isn’t true. You can’t just eat a ton of kale or run five miles and expect to lose twenty pounds. Increased intensity doesn’t compensate for decreased consistency. The only way to truly lose weight and get more in shape is to consistency exercise and eat well.
We can’t expect the kingdom of God to grow in our lives in a day. Even if we read the entire Bible and fast for a week, the kingdom of God will not reach its full potential. We have to read the Bible every day, pray every day, and worship every day. The kingdom of God is not a single step but a journey with God. I would encourage you to look at your life and see if you are building your faith every day. If not, ask yourself what you can do to grow the kingdom of God each and every day.
A few months ago we studied the book of Daniel. I think Daniel is a great example of someone who lived with consistency. Daniel was taken as a captive in Babylon to serve the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. There were many trials in Daniel’s life that tested his faith in God. The most famous event in Daniel’s life was when he was thrown into the lion’s den. Nebuchadnezzar’s advisers despised Daniel and wanted to find something that would remove Daniel from the king’s service. They came up with a plan to trick the king into writing a decree that would send anyone who worshipped other gods to be thrown into the lion’s den.
What was Daniel’s response to this decree? Did he stop worshipping God? Let’s read Daniel 6:10. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel prayed to God and gave thanks to God. Did you notice something in this verse? It says that Daniel gave thanks to his God “just as he had done before”. This implies that Daniel prayed three times a day without fail. In fact, think about how the advisers came up with this deception. They must have seen Daniel praying three times a day to God, every single day. That’s how they knew their plan would work.
Daniel’s life was not marked by a single event but a consistent life of prayer. During our bible studies in the book of Daniel we talked about “one day faith”. One day faith is faith that we have in the ordinary things of life. One day faith is reading the bible when we wake up, praying on the way to work, or worshipping before we go to bed. Faith doesn’t have to be a grand event. Just like a small mustard seed, if we cultivate our faith with consistency, it will grow. So focus on your one day faith, and see what God can do with your faith one day.
The next part to cultivating the kingdom of God is destiny. Let’s read verse 32. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Have you ever seen a mustard seed? I never seen one in real life, but from pictures on google I saw that it is about the size of a large grain of pepper. You could probably hold a thousand of them in your hand at one time. Have you ever seen a mustard tree? How many of those do you think you could hold in your hand?
A farmer never values a seed based on what it is but on what it is destined to become. He doesn’t look at the tiny seed and just see a seed- he sees a tree. If a farmer never considered the final result of the seed, why would he ever bother to get seeds? The farmer’s motivation to take care of the seed is the destiny of the seed. He is able to consistently cultivate the seed because he knows the seed will ultimately become a tree that will bear fruit for him and his family.
To further illustrate this point, think about the last advertisement you saw for a weight loss product. Do you know what you can expect to see without fail? A before and after picture. Notice that these advertisements never show you the person struggling during their weight loss journey. Can you imagine seeing one of these ads with a before and day after before picture? Would you ever buy that product? Marketing teams know that people are driven by results, not by process.
Earlier we said that the first key to cultivating the kingdom of God is consistency. Destiny is what motivates consistency. Without a clear view of our destiny, it is nearly impossible to have consistency. People who are successful at weight loss programs are those who can focus on the end result. Once you lose sight of your destiny, you easily lose motivation and passion for the kingdom of God.
Philippians 3:12-14 says: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Paul knew that the secret to live a Godly life was to strain toward what is ahead and press on toward the goal. He focused on his heavenly destiny rather than his earthly problems.
Even Jesus focused on His destiny while here on this earth. Hebrews 12:1-2. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Jesus focused on the joy set before Him to endure the cross. We too must focus on our destiny in order to live out our purpose and cultivate the kingdom of God.
So what is our destiny? Our ultimate destiny is to become like Christ. Philippians 3:20-21. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Ultimately we desire to experience the fullness of the kingdom of God, where God reigns in His glory, love and power. If we focus on our destiny to be like Christ, it will enable us to experience more of the kingdom of God in our lives.
So far we’ve covered two points: consistency and destiny. However, since I’m a believer in three point messages, I meditated on the passage some more to come up with a third point. I thought more about why Jesus chose to use a seed to compare with the kingdom of God. Maybe it’s because a seed is easily overlooked? Easily undervalued? Easily lost? Why would Jesus choose something so small to represent the kingdom of God?
To answer this question, I thought about why God made seeds small. Then it dawned on me- perhaps the seed is small so it is easily planted. Think about it: a farmer is able to sow a seed because it is small. A farmer cannot sow a mustard tree. Can you imagine how ridiculous it would be for a farmer to try to plant a huge mustard tree? There’s no way he could transport it. Maybe God compares the kingdom of God to a seed because the kingdom of God is meant to be reproducible.
A tree’s main purpose is to bear fruit, but its secondary purpose is to reproduce. Let’s read verse 32. “Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” When the seed grows into a tree, birds are able to perch on the branches. The seed’s purpose was never to serve itself, but to give life to everything around it. Once a seed becomes a tree, it produces more seeds that can be sown in other places.
Consistency and destiny are two factors that help us cultivate the kingdom of God in our own lives, while reproducibility is cultivating the kingdom of God in other’s lives. Our goal should never just be to serve ourselves but to serve others. Jesus didn’t teach His disciples just so that they would grow spiritually, but so that they would reproduce their faith in others. The growth of the kingdom of God was never meant to stop with us, but to overflow into the lives of those around us.
Even’s Jesus’ mission was to reproduce His ministry in others. John 12:24 says “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Jesus was talking about Himself and how His death would ultimately produce seeds of life in those who accept Him. John 14:12 says “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” Jesus’ ministry was always meant to produce disciples that would produce more disciples.
Our lives should also be focused on reproducibility. Timothy Keller once said that the church is meant to be a unique organization that is outwardly focused rather than inwardly focused. Most businesses focus on how they can increase their profits, political power, and societal influence. However, Jesus calls the church to focus on reaching those outside of the church, not to just build itself. We should ask ourselves if our lives are being reproduced in anyone around us, and if not, who you can minister to.
The kingdom of God needs to be cultivated in our lives. The kingdom of God is not something that will grow without us working at it. Consistency, destiny, and reproducibility are three components necessary to cultivating the kingdom of God. To be honest, these are three things that I struggle with a lot. I am not very consistent in pursing God because I am always distracted by things around me. One day faith is hard to me to have on a consistent basis. It’s difficult for me to focus on my destiny when life’s problems are so real in front of me. It’s hard to look past the struggles of my work and see the destiny God has called me to. Finally, I struggle to reproduce a life of faith in others. I get so comfortable doing my own thing that I neglect sowing seeds in those around me.
The good news is that there’s one more point to my message, even though I do like having three points. Let’s read verses 26-29. 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—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” I originally did not expect to have this portion of Mark 4 in my sermon, but as I thought about the passage I realized there is a very important message in these verses. Yes, we should do everything we can to grow the kingdom of God based on consistency, destiny and reproducibility, but the growth of the kingdom of God is ultimately up to God’s mercy. Verse 27 says that the seed keeps growing even though the farmer doesn’t understand how. He can do everything in his power to prepare an environment for the seed to grow, but he cannot actually make the seed grow.
In the same way, consistency, destiny and reproducibility are things we can focus on to prepare an environment for the kingdom of God to grow, but we can’t actually make it grow. The only thing that will truly make the kingdom of God grow is the Spirit of God given to us in His mercy. Just as the farmer may not fully understand the mechanism in which the seed grows, we may not fully understand the mercy of God. However, God gave us His one and only Son to spare us from the eternal punishment for our sins. This is the greatest mercy that anyone could ever show us.
In light of today’s passage, may we live with consistency, focus on destiny, and aim for reproducibility all in view of God’s mercy. Let’s read the key verses, 30-32. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
-Smart
Appreciation
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
-1 Peter 3:15
As you many already know, I normally take inspiration for my blog posts from my experiences in everyday life. Today I was taking a shower and started to think about appreciation. More specifically, I thought about the fact that there are things that some people can appreciate while other people cannot. For example, I have little appreciation for painting. My father really enjoyed going to art museums to admire the paintings and other artwork on display. On the other hand, I found little to no enjoyment whenever my dad took me along with him to these museums.
While in the shower today, I thought about why I couldn't appreciate the same things my dad seemed to appreciate a lot. We were both looking at the same pieces of art, yet only one of us was able to appreciate and enjoy it. I realized that the answer was quite simple: my dad likes to paint. He has been painting for quite a while, whereas I have no interest in painting whatsoever. He was able to understand what made a painting special and what made a painting mundane.
I thought about the experiences I've had in life where some people have been able to appreciate something while others could not. Watching the Super Bowl is one experience that I've noticed there is a clear divide between people who were engaged in the game and those who were not. It was mostly the guys who would be watching the game and cheering for a certain team, while the girls would be off to the side talking with each other. The guys were able to appreciate the game because they understood what was going on. The girls simply saw a game where they didn't understand much of the rules or strategy, so there wasn't much for them to appreciate.
I recently spoke with one of my coworkers that I had become friends with over the course of the past couple months. We went to a sushi place and started talking about different things like work and video games. At one point in the conversation, he had started talking about religion, specifically Christianity. This was intriguing to me, because he had told me before that he was an atheist. I asked him what he thought the main message of Christianity is, to which he replied something along the lines of "Jesus comes down and say 'come believe in Me or you will go to hell'."
I remember when he said that, I thought how different his understanding of Christianity was than my own. To my friend, the main message of the Bible is that Jesus is trying to get people to believe in Him, and Him only. While this isn't necessarily false, it's not the whole picture. I explained to him that yes, Jesus does proclaim to be the only way to eternal life, but this is because we have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Jesus came down to save us for our good out of His love. I tried my best to explain this to my coworker, but it was clear we both had a different view of the subject.
Even among believers, I see a difference of appreciation for God, the Bible, and Christianity as a whole. I notice this sometimes during praise, where some people seem very connected to God through the music, and others just seem disengaged. I also see this in terms of reading the Bible, where some will treasure their time in the Word while others will find it to be a chore.
I think there are three "stages" that people can be in that changes their appreciation: ignorance, knowledge, and experience. Those who are ignorant and not stupid, as the term "ignorant" tends to imply, they just don't know much about something. For example, I can't appreciate paintings very much because I am ignorant about the process. Those who are knowledgeable are able to understand something, but may not have tried it themselves. The guys watching the Super Bowl are more knowledgeable about football than the girls, so they had a greater appreciation for it. Finally, those with experience have the greatest appreciation of all. My coworker had knowledge about God, but he hasn't experienced the transforming power of knowing God as I have in my life.
Many of us can get stuck in the "knowledge" phase in our spiritual walk with God. To be honest, this is where I often find myself. I don't have the same appreciation for the Word of God as those who have experienced it's power in their lives. We can never learn to enjoy our spiritual journey unless we actively seek to experience God in our lives. Simply knowing about Him or His Word is not enough to change our appreciation of Him. I pray that we all ask ourselves "what can I do today to experience God and increase my appreciation of Him?"
-Smart
-1 Peter 3:15
As you many already know, I normally take inspiration for my blog posts from my experiences in everyday life. Today I was taking a shower and started to think about appreciation. More specifically, I thought about the fact that there are things that some people can appreciate while other people cannot. For example, I have little appreciation for painting. My father really enjoyed going to art museums to admire the paintings and other artwork on display. On the other hand, I found little to no enjoyment whenever my dad took me along with him to these museums.
While in the shower today, I thought about why I couldn't appreciate the same things my dad seemed to appreciate a lot. We were both looking at the same pieces of art, yet only one of us was able to appreciate and enjoy it. I realized that the answer was quite simple: my dad likes to paint. He has been painting for quite a while, whereas I have no interest in painting whatsoever. He was able to understand what made a painting special and what made a painting mundane.
I thought about the experiences I've had in life where some people have been able to appreciate something while others could not. Watching the Super Bowl is one experience that I've noticed there is a clear divide between people who were engaged in the game and those who were not. It was mostly the guys who would be watching the game and cheering for a certain team, while the girls would be off to the side talking with each other. The guys were able to appreciate the game because they understood what was going on. The girls simply saw a game where they didn't understand much of the rules or strategy, so there wasn't much for them to appreciate.
I recently spoke with one of my coworkers that I had become friends with over the course of the past couple months. We went to a sushi place and started talking about different things like work and video games. At one point in the conversation, he had started talking about religion, specifically Christianity. This was intriguing to me, because he had told me before that he was an atheist. I asked him what he thought the main message of Christianity is, to which he replied something along the lines of "Jesus comes down and say 'come believe in Me or you will go to hell'."
I remember when he said that, I thought how different his understanding of Christianity was than my own. To my friend, the main message of the Bible is that Jesus is trying to get people to believe in Him, and Him only. While this isn't necessarily false, it's not the whole picture. I explained to him that yes, Jesus does proclaim to be the only way to eternal life, but this is because we have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Jesus came down to save us for our good out of His love. I tried my best to explain this to my coworker, but it was clear we both had a different view of the subject.
Even among believers, I see a difference of appreciation for God, the Bible, and Christianity as a whole. I notice this sometimes during praise, where some people seem very connected to God through the music, and others just seem disengaged. I also see this in terms of reading the Bible, where some will treasure their time in the Word while others will find it to be a chore.
I think there are three "stages" that people can be in that changes their appreciation: ignorance, knowledge, and experience. Those who are ignorant and not stupid, as the term "ignorant" tends to imply, they just don't know much about something. For example, I can't appreciate paintings very much because I am ignorant about the process. Those who are knowledgeable are able to understand something, but may not have tried it themselves. The guys watching the Super Bowl are more knowledgeable about football than the girls, so they had a greater appreciation for it. Finally, those with experience have the greatest appreciation of all. My coworker had knowledge about God, but he hasn't experienced the transforming power of knowing God as I have in my life.
Many of us can get stuck in the "knowledge" phase in our spiritual walk with God. To be honest, this is where I often find myself. I don't have the same appreciation for the Word of God as those who have experienced it's power in their lives. We can never learn to enjoy our spiritual journey unless we actively seek to experience God in our lives. Simply knowing about Him or His Word is not enough to change our appreciation of Him. I pray that we all ask ourselves "what can I do today to experience God and increase my appreciation of Him?"
-Smart
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