Jesus reveals the Kingdom of God by revealing His heart but only those who remain as disciples through trials and ultimately the cross and are willing to renounce their expectations can receive the radical novelty of the Kingdom.
What it takes to REMAIN and PERSEVERE
Cenacle 1-28-21
Mark 4:10-12 (at the end of the Parable of the Sower)
As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve disciples, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything comes in parables, 12 so that “while seeing they may see, and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear, and not understand, otherwise they might return and it would be forgiven them.”
His followers remain when the crowd leaves.
Ø They ask questions…
Ø To them, the mystery is granted: the heart of God & His plans.
§ Mystery cannot be grasped by natural human ability:
§ “hidden from the wise and the learned”
§ The mystery not only is beyond human expectations,
· But contrary to them.
· The Kingdom is established in a hidden, unexpected way- through suffering and the Cross.
v Is. 6:9. Context: God warns Isaiah that His message will be resisted.
v God will not block their eyes and ears… they will block themselves to avoid hearing what they do not like. The implications of Jesus’ words are painful.
There were only a few from the large crowd who were willing to REMAIN and GO DEEP with Jesus. It is to these who received the MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
While Jesus was on earth, the multitudes followed Him out of curiosity or to receive something they wanted from Him, but few remained and persevered with Him allowing His teachings to penetrate their hearts and bring them to repentance and conversion.