StoneBridge Community Church
Senior Pastor Jon Saur
Storytime: Mark
Jesus often taught through parables. The term "parable" comes from the Greek and refers to "throwing alongside" one idea to make another idea clearer. In order to help his followers understand the Kingdom of God, Jesus "threw alongside" simple stories.
In January, we will be looking at Jesus' parables in the Gospel of Mark, in order to understand how Mark presents Jesus and how Jesus presented the Kingdom of God to his followers.
Mark 4:30-32 NRSV
SERMON OUTLINE:
I. Parables
II. What's the surprise?
III. Shrub vs. Tree
IV. Mark's Community and Scripture
V. Imperfect Solutions
VI. The Kingdom of God is like a shrub.
NEXT STEPS:
1) Find an organization like Samaritan Center or Tiny Treasures that seeks to help people locally.
2) Volunteer with that organization.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1) Why do you think Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a shrub?
2) Why do you think Matthew and Luke added that the mustard seed becomes a tree?
3) What imperfect solutions has God provided in your life?
4) What imperfect solutions has God provided through the church?
5) How does this parable help you see the Kingdom of God in your life?
We encourage you to use Facebook, Instagram, and other social media to share images, quotes, links, or what you've learned from this week's message and YouVersion message notes. Social media can also be a great way of inviting your friends to worship and special events.