August 30, 2009
Jesus’ first coming was the fulfillment of God’s promise. In His day, some thought this promise would bring about political restoration; they did not understand that the promise centered upon Christ’s atoning work. Alistair Begg assures us that God will build His kingdom, despite attempts to thwart it, as people are convicted, forgiven, and changed by the Spirit of God.
26And he said, c“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; dhe knows not how. 28The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once ehe puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30fAnd he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31It is like ga grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32yet 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.”
33hWith many such parables he spoke ithe word to them, jas they were able to hear it. 34He did not speak to them kwithout a parable, but lprivately to his own disciples he mexplained everything.
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