The Purpose of Jesus' Parables

Pastor’s Pen,

Special thanks to those of you who were able to join our Zoom service last Sunday. Thanks to Barbara for setting it up, and to John for an excellent message on Romans one 1:18-32.

Hopefully we will be able to re-gather for worship in our sanctuary this Sunday, and if you haven't been with us in person recently, I would warmly welcome and encourage you to bring your mask and join us in a socially distanced service of worship, as we continue our study in the gospel of Mark.

One of the tragedies of our time is that multitudes of people gather in places of worship each Sunday to sing hymns and listen to sermons, yet many do not have a clue as to what God is doing during the time between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming. That is actually the point of these parables in Mark chapter 4.  They unveil one of God's “mysteries,” truth that was previously concealed, is now being revealed. 

Two weeks ago we examined the first and most foundational of all His parables, the Sower and the soils. Now Mark wraps up his record of Jesus teaching through parables, using a ‘sandwich’ form, highlighting the purpose of parabolic teaching in the opening and closing section, and in between, the “meat”—two more clarifying parables about the Lord's kingdom and its present form.

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We appreciate those who help sanitize our facilities for services each Saturday morning in preparation for Sunday worship as well as those who make it possible for us to ‘live-stream’ on Facebook at 10:45 each Sunday morning, and to post each Sunday’s message on our website (www.fccwylie.org) on Sunday afternoons. 

If you haven't come out to worship with us recently, we sure love to have you! We continue to hold our Sunday services with all safety protocols and pre-service sanitizing in place. No Sunday school yet, and the nursery is not available.  We will continue following the protocols as outlined by GA-18 guidance.  Face masks, social distancing, no physical contact. We use bulletins printed untouched by human hands, with songs, etc. printed therein, and pre-packaged communion elements. Offering plates are located at the rear, or giving can be done online at www.fccwylie.org.

If you still feel uncomfortable attending, feel free to join our live stream on Facebook, at 10:45 AM, which includes communion and the worship hymns. Or the message is available each Sunday afternoon on our website. (www.fccwylie.org)

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables                                                                                      Mark 4:21-34

• The light (Parabolic purpose: focus on method) (21-25)

• Hiding or disguising truth can actually magnify it
• The more you search or date for truth, the more you get
  
  
  
• When it comes to biblical truth, use it or lose it!

• The seed (Parabolic proclamation: Focus invisible reality, process)(26-29)

• Three stages in the process of seed sowing 
• Three stages in the process of seed growing
• The final stage: harvesting

• The tree (Parabolic appearance: outgrowth of the process) (30-32)

• The mustard seed
• The mustard tree
• The birds

• The point of this section (33, 34)

• Dig in the Word for hidden treasure
• When it comes to biblical truth, use it or lose it!
• Parables: The multitudes; disciples (and us) the ‘inside story’

PRAYER ITEMS

Rodney Love’s wife Beth—hospitalized ICU, with COVID and pneumonia, 

Jo’s nephew’s family—relocating to Houston

Shirley’s sister-in-law Stella Green Watson —radiation treatments

Jerry Bostick: wife passed, he is hospitalized with COVID 

RADIO THIS WEEKEND: With an incredibly difficult year, after a challenging 2020, how can we face the future? This weekend on Encouragement Live Dr. David Shibley, founder Global Advance, reminds us of the hope of the Gospel, and how hope can see us through these times!    

Encouragement Live can be heard Saturday at 7:05 PM central time on American Family Radio (www.afr.net) and on theworshipchannel.org.  Re-broadcast Sunday 9 pm on The Worship Channel.