Mark 4:26-34 (NRSV)
Read Mark 4:26-34 on biblegateway.com
Verse 26He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, Verse 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. Verse 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. Verse 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."
Verse 30He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? Verse 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; Verse 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
Verse 33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; Verse 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
Devotion
It's true, the church doesn't seem to have the political or cultural influence it once did, but Jesus says that kind of influence is not how his Kingdom comes about anyway. The Kingdom is more organic—like a seed growing, changing.
But we tend to desire more control than that. We may be tempted to hold up things like religion (doctrine, creeds, etc.) over relationships. May I suggest the following? Our job, as the church and as God’s people, is not to:
*make people believe everything we believe
*tell people what they do and don’t need to do to be saved
*judge anyone (only God can do that)
*convert anyone (only the Holy Spirit can do that).
Our job is to introduce people to the person of Jesus Christ. Christ has promised that when he is held up, he will draw people to himself (John 12:32). Holding up Christ crucified is the "Miracle-Gro" that truly transforms.
Prayer
Savior, help us make you famous—not religion or doctrine or creeds—but you, and you alone. Amen.