Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: Mark 4,26-29. Sexagesima

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Mark 4,26-29. Sexagesima

Mark 4,26-29 1424

Sexagesima 22

Rhabaus Maurus, Archbishop of Mainz, ✠ 856

Manche Masemola. Ga-Marishane, South Africa. Martyr 1928

4. Februar 2024

1. ℣ Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Yahweh?:

℟ Arise, cast us not off forever (Psalm 44,23).

О Jesus, You took pity on those whose flesh and blood You assumed in the fullness of time, and through Your bloody atonement You have restored for us the peace that we had broken and lost by our sins. Amen. (Pieper 128; English 75).

2. »And Jesus said: „The reign 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 arrived.“«

3. Many of Jesus’ parables have Old Testament connections, and His parable in Mark 4 has parallels in the Prophets Isaiah and Joel. Isaiah records Yahweh’s words: »For as the rain and snow descend from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it« (Isaiah 55,10-11). Joel records more somber words from Yahweh: »Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great« (Joel 3,13).

4. We live in a time of wide-spread wickedness. It seems like the days of Noah have returned where every intention of the thoughts of men and women are only evil continually (Genesis 6,5) and the earth is filled with violence (Genesis 6,11b). Vice and moral decay are the symptoms of a sickness and effects of a worse cause. When people cease to worship God, then the sinful effects cascade to afflict men and women. Spiritual degeneracy leads to physical degeneracy. Such is the utter corrupt, fallen nature of sinful men and women,

5. The state of the fallen world in 2024 is no better than the state of the world in Noah’s lifetime. The True God is rejected, sin abounds and virtues are threatened to be suffocated by the darkness of unrestrained vices. Truly, the world’s evil is great (Joel 3,13c), and we suffer for it and from it. »For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. Yahweh roars from Zion« (Joel 3,14b-16a). Yahweh’s judgment is nigh!

6. ℣ Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, (John 8,12)

℟ The Light no darkness can overcome, (John 1,5)

℣ Let Your light scatter the darkness (1. Corinthians 4,5)

℟ And illumine Your Church. (2. Corinthians 4,6)

7. To a world lost in the darkness of sin, God the Father sent His Son. God proclaims through the Prophet Joel: »Yahweh is a Refuge to His people, a Stronghold to the people of Israel« (Joel 3,16b). Of Him the Prophet Isaiah exhorts us to: »Incline your ear, and draw near to Yahweh; hear, that your soul may live; seek Yahweh while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way; let him return to Yahweh, that He may have compassion on him for He will abundantly pardon< (Isaiah 55,3a.6-7ac).

8. Jesus describes the reign of God as a man scatters seed on the ground, the seed germinates and grows, then when the grain is ripe the harvest occurs (Mark 4,26-29). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10,17), and this Word of God is Jesus Christ the Son of God. Jesus dwelt among us as the Light in the darkness; He is the New Noah who saves us from His Father’s wrath by bringing us into His Ark – the Church.

9. In this parable, Jesus teaches and assures us that God acts at the proper time and reaches His goal with regard to His people (Voelz 317). Jesus Himself fulfills what He taught in this parable: He is the Seed that is sown, dies and rises in a bountiful harvest. „The final judgment, the final harvest, … can be said to occur proleptically [is anticipated] and in principle at the cross in the Gospel of Mark. In Jesus Himself … we see an instantiation [embodiment] of the parable“ (Voelz 318). Jesus is the First-fruits of the harvest of believers who are gathered in, both now and in its fullness when Jesus returns on the last day. Seek Jesus and call upon Him; He will have compassion and abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55,6-7).

10. Let Your Word, O Lord, shine eternally

As the Lamp unto our feet;

That we receive it pure and clearly;

Help us enjoy its

Strength, advice and comfort in every need,

That in life and death we heed

And constantly trust in it. (Herr, für dein Wort sei hock gepreist elkg 200,5 2021 David Denicke 1659).

This is most certainly true.

11. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

12. Let us pray. Arm us, O Yahweh, with the whole armor of God, with the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, that we may be able to stand in the evil day and let our feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that, having done all, we may stand in the same, now and forever. Amen. (Sexagesima, Matinss Collect 2. The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.)

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Mark 4,26-29. Sexagesima

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