Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-13
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON,
HOW THE KINGDOM GROWS
Golden Text: The earth shall be full of
the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters
cover the sea.-Isaiah 11:9
TaeSDp NFarI, .Ot 81
Lesson, Mark 4:21-34.

the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters
cover the Sea.-Isaiah 11:9
Lesson, Mark 4.21-34.
CID And he said unto them. Is the lamp
brought to be put under the hushel or
under the bed, and not to be put on the
stand? 60 For there is nothing hid, save
that it should be manifested; neither was
anything made secret, but that it should
come to light. (23) If any man hath ears
to hear, let him hear. i24) And he said
unto them, Take heed what we hear: with
what measure We mete it shall be meas
ured unto you; and more shall be given
unto you. (25) For he tnat hath, to him
shall be given: and he that hath not from
him shall be taken away even that which
he hath
$3.50 And he said. So is the kingdom of
Cod as II a man should cast seed should
upon the earth; (27) and should sleep and
rise night and day. and the seed spring
up and grow, he knoweth not how (28)
The earth beareth fruit of herself; first
grain in the ear. (29) But when the fruit
is ripe. straightway he putteth forth the
sickle, because the harvest is come.
800 And he said. How shall we liken
shall we set it forth? (31) 1t is like
grain of mustard seed, which, when it is
sown upon the earth, though it be less
than all the seeds that are upon the
earth, (32) yet when it is sown, groweth
up, and becometh greater than all the
herbs, and ,putteth out great branches;
SO that the birds OF the heaven can lodge
under the shadow thereof
$3.50 And with many such parallels
spake he the word unto them, as they
were, able TO hear it; (34) and without a
parable Spake he not unto them; but pri-
Yatelly to his own disciples he expounded
all things.
Before we take up the consideration of
the growth of the kingdom it might be
well for us to think something of the
meaning of the kingdom. What do we
mean by the kingdom of God. or the king
dom of heaven? The best working def
milton, or description. of 1t is, that it is
the rule of God. Wherever the will of
God is obeyed, whether in a human life
or in a community, there the kingdom of
as the rule of God is obeyed, in that
measure has the kingdom of God come.
With this in mind, we can understand
how Jesus could speak of 1t as already
present, as coming, and as yet to come,
The kingdom comes as the shining of
light. Many of the sayings which Mark
here quotes are reported by Matthew and
Luke as being used in other connections.
Read Matt. Sis and Luke :33. on the
lamp under bushel; and Matt 7:2 and
Luke 6:S8 on having measured to US ac-
cording as we mete out to others Jesus
doubtless used these sayings on more
than one occasion. just as we frequently
use popular sayings. He has been teach
ing his disciples that to them was being
given knowledge of the truth Of the
kingdom, and he uses this saying about
the lamp or candle, to show them that
they were to pass these truths on to
others,
In what he says here about our receiv-
ing III proportion as we appropriate and
give out, he is seeking to impress upon
their minds that the best way for them to
be rich in the things of the kingdom is for
them to make the largest use of these
principles in their own lives. Whatever we
do not use. we lose.
The kingdom grows as a seed grows. ST.
lently and without observation. Some
times we get discouraged because we
do not see It growing, or because we do
not understand just how it grows. 1t
would be just as wise for US to worry be-
cause we cannot see the seed grow from
blade to full corn in the ear, or because
we cannot understand how 1t grows. A
man never saw plant growing, but he
can see that it has grown. So he just
cuitivates the soil and sows the seed. and
expects nature to do the rest. SO we
must fulfill the conditions of spiritual
growth. and expect God to take care Of
the growth as naturally as the seed
grows. Let us read our Bibles, and pray,
and do the will Of God as we understand
1T, and not worry as to just how he makes
us Christians, or how he is to make the
world Christian. He will take care of
that.
The kingdom grows from small begin
ningS to great proportions. The disciples
were in danger of thinking that not much
could come of Jesus ministry, because it
was making such an Insignificant begin
ming; but as the tiniest seed starts a
growth which attains the proportions of
tree. so he would have them understand
that the small beginnings of the kingdom
was no indication of it's full development
What tremendous proportions it has at
tanned. The whole world is under it's
sheltering influence
The development of the kingdom is
growth, rather than a conquest The
plant grows by taking up out of the soil
those clements which it can build into it's
tissue; SO the kingdom grows by taking
out of the human soil in which 1t is root
ed only those men and women who re-
spond to its vital touch and who can be
assimilated to it's life