I turn again to that text I read
in the beginning, Mark chapter 4. Mark chapter 4. The title of this message is
simply the parable of the mustard seed. The parable of the mustard
seed found in Mark chapter 4 down through verse 32. Mark chapter
4 verse 30 down through verse 32. Now hold your place there,
and then listen just a moment. The old preacher of the past,
Charles Spurgeon, said of this parable, It is a great little
parable, and it has a world of teaching in it, and its meanings
are as great as a great grand tree. As a tree would have many
different branches and branches off branches and branches and
branches and not only the top part, but what about the bottom
part? The part we don't see. And this is the way this parable
is. It has a vast, great meaning as all the Word of God does. So much. It's inexhaustible. Oh, the riches of Christ Jesus
that's revealed through the Word of the Lord. The parable of the
mustard seed. Notice verse 31. It is like a
grain, the kingdom of God. What kind of comparison would
you make? It's like a grain of mustard seed. When it's sown
in the earth, it's less than all the seeds that be in the
earth. But when it is sown, it groweth
up, becomes a greater than all the herbs. shooteth out great
branches, so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow
of it." Now the gospel is here in this verse. The Lord Jesus
Christ is here in this verse. Now our Lord, just a word here
about this mustard seed, about how he uses it in reference to
faith. Our Lord two other times makes
comparison to true saving faith as a little small mustard seed. He says in Matthew 17, don't
turn, let me just read it to you. If you have faith, have
faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain,
remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove, and nothing
shall be impossible unto you, Faith. True, saving, God-given
faith. Again, that scripture we read
in Luke 17. Let me just quote it for you.
If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to
this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the roots, and be thou
planted in the sea, and it would obey you. No wonder the Apostle
said, Lord, increase our faith. I want that faith that believes
God. It's called in Scripture in Titus
1.1, the faith of God's elect that acknowledges the truth. This faith also is called in
Scripture, precious, precious faith that is obtained with the
blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just a word about this
saving faith. We know this, it's the gift of
God. It's the gift of God. He gives this faith to whom He
will. No wonder it is called precious. Oh, if you're a believer,
resting in the Lord Jesus Christ, I tell you, you're a blessed
person. Something else we know about this true saving faith,
it has a very small beginning, but it doesn't stay small. It
does increase. It does grow as we grow in appreciation,
as we grow in knowledge of who He is. The more we know of Him,
the more we believe Him, the more we love Him, the more we
trust Him. Saving faith does grow. Lord, increase our faith. Increase our faith. Now listen
to me carefully. It is not the greatness of our
faith He said the faith, if you had just the faith as a grain
of mustard seed, it's not the greatness of our faith, but the
greatness of our God and Savior, the object of our faith that
gives power and merit to this saving faith. Now listen to me,
it is not faith in our faith. It is not faith in our faith.
That's faith in self. You can have great faith in an
idol, but that would be useless. That would be like Isaiah said,
they pray unto a God that cannot save, an idol God. But true faith,
the true faith of God's elect, the faith that's given of God
as a grain of mustard seed, That true faith is born of the Word
of God, given of God, and this true faith that looks to the
saving object of faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, is truly effectual
and saving faith. Lord, give me that faith. Lord, increase our faith. You remember this scripture in
Hebrews 11, verse 6, without faith, it is impossible to please
God. The man without faith, true saving
faith, is a man without salvation. And a man without Christ. He's
a man, it is a person without forgiveness of sin. Without forgiveness
of sin. Now, again, he speaks to us in
this parable. In verse 30 and 31 of Mark chapter
4. And I remind you, a parable is
an earthly story that presents a spiritual truth. An earthly story. that presents
and tells us of the great spiritual truth. The three preceding parables
that we read and studied in Mark chapter 4 reveal unto us the
work of grace in the heart, that seed sown in the heart. But now
in this parable we learn about the work of grace established
in the world, in this life. The beginnings of Christ's church
and His kingdom in this world had a very small beginning. But
look how it has flourished in this day. Our Lord said in Matthew
16 unto Peter, upon this rock, upon Christ, the Christ of God,
I will build my church and the gates of hell, the gates of hell,
the power of demon spirits, nothing can stop my church. Nothing can prevail against God's
work. If God who has begun a work,
What will happen to it? He'll complete it. He'll finish
it. He said on Calvary's tree, it
is done, it is finished. God's purpose cannot be defeated. The purpose of this parable,
I believe, is to assure us of the certain growth, blessedness,
and the prosperity of the Lord's church among men in this life
until He returns and takes us unto Himself. Isaiah 53 10, we
read these words, the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in
His hand. Everything that God puts His
hand to by His purpose and His grace and His pleasure, it will
prosper. It says in Isaiah 42, verse 4,
He says, I cannot fail. Our God, the God that is revealed
in Holy Scripture, is not frustrated, defeated, or a failure. He is
almighty, victorious, and exalted, and ruling, and reigning, in
sovereign might, dominion, and power over all things, heaven,
earth, and under the earth, in all things. Now this message
has three points. Here's the first one. The Lord's
visible church, I use that word on purpose, visible church, had
a very small beginning. Like a grain of mustard seed
which is sown in the earth is less than all the seeds in the
earth. You remember the prophecy from
Zechariah chapter 4? And our Lord said, despise not
the day of Small things? Like faith in the heart, the
church of the Lord Jesus Christ in this world had a very meager,
small beginning. Did it not? There came a man
sent from God whose name was John. Who is John? He's out there. They called him a wild man. Some
called him a bug eater. He couldn't even afford a decent
pair of clothes. He has a girdle of camel's hair
and leather and he's out there in the wilderness eating off
the locust tree and wild honey and yet he's a man with God's
message. Sin of God. And his message was
very simple. His message was one fold, singular. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the Lord Jesus Christ. He said of Him, He must increase. I must decrease. Behold the Lamb
of God. John had but one message to give
witness. He said, I'm not the light. I'm
sent to bear witness of the light. Here's a renegade man, a prophet,
son of God, one man, one voice. John, who sent you? God Almighty
with God's message. You see, it had a very meager,
small beginning. Who is John? Remember, they ask
you, who are you? Where'd you come from? Who sent
you? Secondly, Here's something else,
the Lord Jesus, when He came on the scene, He was manifested,
God Almighty, in the flesh, but had a very small, meager beginning. He came as an infant born of
a woman, born under the law to redeem them that were under the
law. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us, John says. And we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth." Here's the ancient of days that Daniel talked about
became an infant of a day old. Think about it. He who inhabits
eternity inhabited a body of an infant, born of a woman, born
under the law. Oh, what a small, insignificant
beginning of God's visible church here. among men. We read of this
prophecy concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Isaiah
53. He shall grow up before him as
a tender plant. as a root out of dry ground.
He hath no form, no comeliness. When we shall see him, there
is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected
of man, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hid,
as it were, our faces from him. He was despised, and we esteemed
him not." Oh, what a small beginning, a Jewish man from Nazareth. of Galilee. They didn't know
who this man was. He came into his own, and his
own rejected him. They didn't receive him. Oh,
what a small, meager beginning! But I tell you what, God's going
to cause it to grow and prosper. Not only was John one man, a
small beginning, with a ministry with one message, pointing centers
to Christ. And when the Lord Jesus Christ
came, had nowhere to lay his head. He was born in a cow stable. There was no room for Him anywhere. They rejected Him, away with
Him. And yet this is God's Savior,
God's Christ. When we talk about the apostles,
boy, what a small beginning. What a small beginning. Appointed
apostles were unlearned, untrained fishermen for the most part.
Matthew was a publican. The Lord called them by His power,
made them new creatures in Christ Jesus, made them to be fishers
of men. Mighty apostles sent out to preach
the gospel of God. You remember back in Mark chapter
3? Turn over there. Mark chapter 3 verse 14. You
see? Despise not the day of small things. It looks like a small,
insignificant beginning. But oh, I tell you, look how
it's going to grow. You remember our Lord said of
His 12 that He ordained in Mark chapter 3 verse 14. He ordained
12 that they should be with Him, that He might send them forth
to preach, to have power to heal sicknesses, to cast out demon
spirits. Oh, I tell you, small beginning.
Small beginning. But he did cause it to grow.
He did cause it to grow. The Lord of Glory. Talk about
his death. Talk about his death. The Lord of Glory died between
two thieves as a convicted felon, despised by the religious of
his day. They hated him. They went out
and took counsel how they might destroy him. Rejected by his
own people, he came unto his own, and his own received him
not. When Pilate brought him forth and presented him before
the crowd, before the religious crowd, and remember what he said?
He said, Behold your king. Remember what they said? Away
with him. Crucify him. We have no king
but Caesar. In the eyes of ungodly men, there
he is, nailed to that tree, beaten, beaten and hated, bleeding, dying,
fested, swollen. Doesn't look like a king, does
he? Looks like a small, insignificant death. Meaningless death. Another
Jew put to death. In the eyes of ungodly men, nothing
could have been less likely to be successful and victorious.
Nothing more despised of men and offensive. Yet this was God's
way. substitution, salvation, God's
way, God's work, God's kingdom, God's church. God forbid we should
glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Had a very
small beginning, but look how it has grown. Despise not the
day of small things. Here's the second point. The
visible church once planted by the death, the coming, the doing,
and the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ, the visible church, God-delect,
the establishing of His kingdom once planted in the earth, has
grown into a great kingdom. Look at verse 32 in our text.
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater, greater
than all the herbs, shooteth out great branches, so that the
fowls of the air, the birds of the air, They come and they lodge,
they build their nest in this tree, under the refuge of this
tree, under the shadow of this tree. Now I want you to turn
and mark this scripture in your Bible. Turn to John chapter 12
and look at this here. In reference to the death of
the Lord Jesus Christ, do you ever notice this? I know you
have. In John chapter 12 verse 23. Jesus answered them, saying,
The hour is come," this is John 12, 23, "...that the Son of Man
should be glorified. Truly, truly, I say unto you."
Now here he's talking about his death. The hour has come. that the Son of Man should be
glorified. We see the glory of His love, His mercy, His grace,
His forgiveness. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
except the corn of wheat fall into the ground, and it dies,
it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth
much fruit. And He's talking about His death.
Through His death, we have much fruit. We have much in the way
of forgiveness and redemption. and salvation through His dying
for His covenant people. Although the church of the Lord
Jesus had a very small beginning, just like a mustard seed, now
has grown and flourished beyond all human expectation. At first, twelve disciples and
one of them defected. Then after the Lord's resurrection,
120 disciples we read in the first chapter of the book of
Acts when they were huddled together in that room after the Lord had
ascended and told them to go preach the gospel. Here's 120
men and women huddled together in this room, scared to death. Yet it's the Lord's beginning.
And notice how it grows. on that day of Pentecost, as
the apostles stood and preached the gospel, the gospel of the
Lord Jesus. He said, Peter preached unto
them, This same Jesus whom you crucified, God hath made Him
both Lord and Christ. And they were pricked in the
heart, and God added three thousand to the body of believers that
day. They were granted faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance toward God, and three thousand
sinners were converted. Oh, I tell you, it grows through
the preaching of the gospel. A few days later, remember, there
were 5,000 more added. You see, he adds to his church
as he sees fit. The church grew so rapidly that
nothing can account for it but the almighty work of the sovereign
God who brings dead men to life by the power of the gospel. No
wonder Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the
power power of God unto salvation to everyone who will believe
it, who will hear it, who will embrace it. We read in Acts chapter
12 verse 24, when James was killed, the brother of John, he was beheaded. And all the disciples were persecuted. And the church was under great
severe persecution. Yet we read in the scripture
in Acts 12, 24, But the word of God grew and multiplied. It's growing like a great tree. When all the redeemed from all
ages stand before His throne in the last day, dressed in beauty,
not their own, but in His beauty and His righteousness, the church
of the firstborn, whose names are written in the book of life,
whose names are written in that book, who stand before Him justified,
glorified, and clothed in His righteousness, we read of them
in Revelation chapter 5. Don't turn, let me just quote
it to you. I beheld and heard the voice of many angels round
about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders, and the number
of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands and
thousands, saying, singing with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb
that was slain to receive all riches, honor, glory, blessings,
and power both now and forever." You see how it grows? Twelve
men to 120 men. to 3,000 to 5,000. And then we see as we studied
all through the book of Acts how the apostles went preaching
everywhere and the Lord added daily to the church such as should
be saved. And in that last day there is
a great multitude that no man can number, redeemed with the
blood of the Lord Jesus who sang unto Him who loved us and washed
us from our sin in His own blood. Despise not the day of small
things, my friends. Thirdly is this, and lastly is
this. The last thing that is described
here is the Lord and his people. Did you see that in the text?
Turn back over there to Mark 4. Chapter 4 verse 32. And when it is sown, it groweth
up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and shooteth out
branches, so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow
of it. Now, there's a description of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and there's a description of the Lord's people.
Do you see it? Let me point it out to you. In
Luke 13, 18, don't turn, but where this parable is given there,
it said, It's like a grain of mustard seed which a man took
and cast into his garden, and it grew and waxed great in the
fowls of the air. It waxed like a great tree. And
the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. Now the Lord
Jesus Christ, whenever I think of a tree, especially when I
think about a great tree, I think about the Lord Jesus Christ who
is called the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life. In Genesis
chapter 3, verse 24. In Psalm 1, turn over there,
let's read this together. In Psalm 1, He's called the tree
that's planted by the rivers of water. Who is this blessed
man that we read about here in Psalm 1? It is the tree, the
tree of life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 1, verse 1, Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in
his law doth he meditate day and night, and he shall be like
a tree. Now this is the description of
the Lord Jesus Christ and those in him. He shall be like a tree,
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in
his season. His leaf also shall not wither,
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Now I want you to turn
to another scripture. You find the book of Proverbs.
The book of Proverbs. And you find Proverbs chapter
3. Here's another description of the Lord Jesus Christ and
his people in him. While you're turning to Proverbs
chapter 3, We'll begin reading at verse 13, but let me quote
this to you in Jeremiah 23, verse 5 and 6. Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch,
capital B-R-A-N-C-H, A-N-C-H, and a king shall reign and prosper
and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his
days Judas shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. And
this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord, our righteousness. Now you got Proverbs chapter
3, look at verse 13. Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom. Now when you're reading through
the book of Hebrews and you run into this word wisdom, it's wisdom
personified. And I mean by that, Christ is
our wisdom. He is. In Him are hid all the
wisdom. He is the wisdom of God. He is
the treasure of God. In Him are hid all the the treasures
of wisdom and righteousness in him. Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise
of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof
than fine gold. She is more precious, that is,
wisdom. Christ is more precious than
rubies, and all things that can't desire are not to be compared
unto her. Length of days is in her hand. And in her left hand, riches
and honor. You see, this is describing Christ, our wisdom. Her ways
are the ways of pleasantness, and all of her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life. She is a tree of life to them
that lay hold upon her. Happy is everyone that retaineth
her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth by Christ.
By understanding hath He established the heavens. He is that great
tree, my friend. Believers are called, turn to
Isaiah. Isaiah 61. Turn over there and
read this. Isaiah 61. Blessed is the man. You find
Isaiah 61 verse 3. Let me quote this to you. Blessed
is the man that trusteth in the Lord. whose hope is in the Lord,
for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth
out her roots by the river, and shall not see when the heat cometh,
but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the
year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding her fruit."
Now, Isaiah 61 verse 3. Verse 3, notice it's describing
the Lord's redemption to His covenant people in Isaiah 61.3,
"...to appoint unto them that morn in Zion, to give unto them
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees
of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
Now stay right there in that same chapter and look straight
up the column To Isaiah 60 verse 21, thy people also shall be
all righteous. They shall inherit the land,
the branch of my planting, the work of my hand, that I may be
glorified. Now look at verse 22. And he
said, a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a
strong nation. I the Lord will hasten it in
his time. Believers are called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the Lord. The last point is this,
the Lord's people are also described here in this text. Did you see
it? It says in the text, the fowls of the air may lodge under
the shadow of it, that is, of this great tree. Who are the
fowls of the air that lodge in this tree, that build their nest
in this, and they build their nest in this tree, this great
tree? It's believers. Believers. These birds, are of the air are
typical of believer drawn into the Lord himself to find shelter
and safe refuge in the time of storm. It is where they lodge,
it is where they abide, it is where they may remain steadfast
in Christ, and it's where they build their nest. It's where
they camp under the shadow of His grace, under the shadow of
His love, under the shadow of His peace and mercy in Christ
Jesus. Now don't turn to this, let me
just read it to you. Isaiah 32 talking about believers
finding refuge. A man shall be a hiding place
from the wind, and that's the God-man, the Lord Jesus. A cover
from the tempest, rivers of water in a dry place, as a shadow of
a great rock in a weary land. He is that shade where we find
rest. He said, come unto me and I'll
give you rest. The Lord Jesus Christ, and where
His gospel is preached, is where the saints gather to sing praise
unto His name, worthy as the Lamb that was slain, to receive
all honor and power. They sing a new song, it's recorded
in Revelation 5 verse 9, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book,
to open the seals thereof, for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed
us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred, tongue, people,
and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests,
and we shall reign on the earth. You see, it's where they gather
to hear of their Lord in Christ Jesus. In Psalm 98, verse 1,
here's what believers sing, O sing unto the Lord a new song, for
he hath done marvelous things, his right hand and his holy arm
hath gotten him to victory. Birds sing. Whenever I hear a
bird singing, what do you think about? I have a bird feeder out
back of my place, several bird feeders. I love to feed the birds.
But I love not only to feed the birds, I love to hear them sing.
I think about this when they sing, they are singing praises
unto their creator. Thank you Lord for providing
all things. You see they gather unto this
great tree. They find refuge and comfort
and shelter in this tree. It is where they gather to hear
the gospel of God's grace proclaimed in Christ Jesus. It's where they
gather to feed upon Him, for Christ is the bread of life.
He said, come unto Me and you'll never hunger. Come unto Me and
you'll never thirst. Now, I want you to read this
one other scripture with me. I'm almost through, but I want
you to find this in your Bible and mark it. You've been to Isaiah
this morning. Right before Isaiah is a song
of Solomon. Beautiful love story of Christ
and His church. Song of Solomon chapter 2 verse
1. Christ, that tree is symbolic
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And those birds that rest in
that tree and find refuge and comfort and shelter and food
in that tree. It's a picture of believers finding
everything in Christ. In Song of Solomon chapter 2
verse 1, it reads like this, I am the rose of Sharon and the
lily of the valleys. As the lily among the thorns,
so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree, now who is
that apple tree? Christ. Among the trees of the
woods, so was my beloved among the suns. I sat down under his
shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me into the banqueting
house, and his banner over me was love. He stayed me with wagons
and comforted me with apples, for I am sick with love." That's
the word there, I'm sick with love. I'm in love with him. His
left hand is under my head, his right hand doth he embrace me.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the rose, by the
hind, of the field, that you stir not up, nor wake my love
till he please. The voice of my beloved, behold,
he cometh leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hill. He
is that apple tree, and we find refuge and comfort in the Lord
Jesus Christ. So he grows, shooteth out great
branches. He said, I am the vine, you are
the branches, so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the
shadow of it and find great, great comfort.