Small Beginnings - Big Endings
Mark 4:26-34 (ESV)
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
1st The Kingdom starts small
Mark 4:26 (ESV)
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.
Luke 17:20-21 (ESV)
And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, Mark 4:30-31 (ESV)
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."
Acts 1:6 (ESV)
So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
2nd The Kingdom grows large
Mark 4:27-28 (ESV)
He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
Mark 4:32a+b (ESV)
yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches...
Revelation 11:15 (ESV)
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."
- 100 A.D. - 181 million people on earth, 500,000 born again Christians. Ratio of 360 to 1.
- 1000 A.D. - 270 million people on earth, 1 million born again Christians. Ratio 269 to 1.
- 1500 A.D. - 425 million people on earth, 5 million born again Christians. Ratio 84 to 1.
- 1900 - 1.6 billion people on earth, 40 million born again Christians. Ratio of 40 to 1.
- 1950 - 2.5 billion people on earth, 80 million born again Christians. Ratio of 30 to 1.
- 1980 - 4.5 billion people on earth, 275 million born again Christians. Ratio 15 to 1.
- 1990 - 5.2 billion people on earth, 500 million born again Christians. Ratio 9 to 1.
- Globally the church is growing by 80,000 people per day.
- 510 new churches are formed every day.
- In Africa Christianity will have grown from 143 million people in 1970 (38% of the continent’s population) to 630 million by 2020 (49.3% of the continent’s population).
- In Asia, Christianity is growing more than twice as fast as the general population, most through conversions. Asia has seen the number of Christians double from 1970 to 2010.
- Missionaries to the Islamic world say more Muslims have converted to Christianity in the last 14 years (since 9/11) than during the entire 14 centuries of Islamic history.
3rd The Kingdom blesses people
Mark 4:29 (ESV)
But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
Isaiah 58:11-12 (NIV)
...so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." Mark 4:32c (ESV)
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
