Podcasts about scripture: mark 4:26-4:34

Rev. Dr. Larry Hayward preaches on the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Scripture passage is Mark 4:26-34.

3rd Sunday after Pentecost Based on Mark 4:26-34 Rev. Scott Johnson

God's Kingdom grows unexpectedly and from the humblest beginnings.

As Christians, we are citizens of a better country, and serve a greater King. Through faith in Jesus, we are part of something magnificent. Don't take that for granted.

All Our Sermons

White Flag Calvary

The Harvest of Faith

The Harvest of Faith

The Harvest of Faith

Midland Evangelical Free Church Sermon Audio Midland, MI

Midland Evangelical Free Church Sermon Audio Midland, MI

Sermons and bible teachings from North Street Church, Taunton, UK. Find out more at www.northstreetchurch.org

God has a proclivity to using little things to accomplish God’s plan. Little things make big contributions to a successful outcome. If you feel like a little thing, give your life to God and watch out.

God has a proclivity to using little things to accomplish God’s plan. Little things make big contributions to a successful outcome. If you feel like a little thing, give your life to God and watch out.

This podcast includes daily prayer, reflections and sermons from Central Presbyterian Church leadership and special guests. We are part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville, KY.

Connecting People to God in Christ

In his parables, Jesus takes ordinary things--like lost coins, dinner parties, and misbehaving children--and he uses them in stories to help his listeners perceive their familiar reality in a whole new way. Parables were Christ's way of helping people meet God, and t see their life with God "again, for the first time." Patrick Hunnicutt preaches from Mark 4:26-34.

This podcast includes daily prayer, reflections and sermons from Central Presbyterian Church leadership and special guests. We are part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville, KY.

The growth of the kingdom is like a mustard seed...

What seeds are you planting?

Better Body #4

Better Body #4

Mark 4:26-34

Mark 4:26-34

Sunday Morning Worship Service

Christ Church, Bayston Hill (UK)

I’m going to talk today about faith and faithfulness, and how God can take small amounts of each and grow something beautiful. About 6 years ago, I was going through a period of great doubt, great enough that I was wondering if I could remain a priest or not. Nothing particular had triggered this, I was just questioning and wondering, and I really didn’t know if I was going to find faith again. I felt like a had to know for sure, with certainty, and I could never find certainty. Fortunately, I did remain faithful during this time, kinda had to, and so even amidst personal doubts, I was faithful in my role as a priest, faithful in prayer, preaching, teaching, worshipping, celebrating Eucharist. Faithfulness to our life and the ways of Jesus sustained me when my faith seemed gone. Then, about 5 years ago, my faith returned, or rather, I chose to have faith again. I loved the story of Jesus, and even though I couldn’t have certainty, I didn’t want to give that story up. I didn’t want to give up God becoming one of us. I didn’t want to give up Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I didn’t want to give up the Kingdom of God and all of our lives joined together, with God in Christ. So, I chose to believe even with all of my doubts and uncertainties. That small amount of faith and that faithfulness was enough for God to grow even greater faith and within me. After that period of doubt and believing again, I found a faith greater and deeper than ever I had before. As most of y’all know, about three weeks ago, my dad died, and in the last three weeks, that faith has not only sustained me, but also given me joy. When Dad died, I’d been preparing for it for a while, emotionally, so when the time finally came, I was largely joyful for him…no more pneumonia, no more struggling with diabetes, no more strife. Also, in my view of life with Jesus, he’s not looking down on us. We’re there with him, already together. So, for Dad’s sake, I was truly joyful. Then, not long after that, I started alternating between sadness, shock, joy for Dad, and everywhere in between. Sometimes I’m joyful for him and talk to him, sometimes, I cry because I want my dad back. The sadness and grief is to be expected for anyone who loves and loses their dad. The joy part? Not everyone has that. I didn’t used to have that. I believed in life with God after death. Actually, I had been taught it, I was supposed to believe it, but it didn’t hold the meaning and the joy years ago that it does for me now, but years ago, I had a seed of faith, and it has grown such that I truly can be joyful for Dad’s life with God continuing on in Jesus. Such is life in God’s Kingdom, where God takes our faith and our faithfulness, even if we have just a little, and God grows something great out of them. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed which grows into a large plant. God can take small amounts of faithfulness and grow something wonderful out of them. Kristin was away over the end of last week with Brenda Harris to the Kids Hope USA director training in Dallas. The boys were with my mom, and I had Ellie, who had not been away from Kristin overnight until Wednesday and Thursday night last week. For those who had been following the Ellie with Daddy, no Mommy saga on Facebook, the final score was Ellie 84, Daddy79. It was a great couple of days to spend with our baby girl. But I digress. Kristin and Brenda were at the Kids Hope USA training to direct our program with Kids Hope USA which partners with churches and schools to facilitate mentoring in elementary schools. Through Kristin and Brenda, Kids Hope is providing training for members of St. Mark’s so that we can be mentors for kids at Linnie Roberts Elementary School. We’ve got 8 mentors so far who will be trained and supported by Brenda and Kristin, and then spend an hour a week with one child at Linnie Roberts over the next school year. That shouldn’t really make much of a difference, should it? One hour a week. Then again, the Kingdom of God is like a tiny seek which grows into a huge plant; it sprouts and grows, we don’t know how. The following is a story from Kids Hope about a child for whom this one hour with a mentor who believed in him grew into something great. SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME... Only a few weeks into his first year of school, and already Tommy had a reputation. His unruly behavior had cleared the classroom, more than once. His teacher was at a loss. His mom was worried. School leaders had already given up on the Kindergartener. But then hope... a gift named Rhonda. When Rhonda, Tommy's KIDS HOPE mentor, went to meet him for the first time, school staff hesitated: "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Rhonda was. She met Tommy's wide eyes with a smile, and began pouring herself into the little boy's life. Together they played, learned and listened. They created an incentive chart, helping Tommy and his teacher begin to recognize the good in the five year old. Soon, the angry outbursts stopped. Tommy's behavior changed so drastically, it changed the minds of those around him. Where they once saw only a disciplinary problem, they now saw a delightful boy with a brilliant mind, a soft heart and a bright future. Tommy, once on a fast track to an alternative school is now thriving in his traditional classroom. Once labeled as "trouble" is now valued as a child... all because he found hope in someone who believed in him. (http://www.kidshopeusa.org/Why/Stories/) Again, an hour a week, doesn’t seem like it would work, but Kingdom of God is like a tiny seek which grows into a huge plant; it sprouts and grows, we don’t know how. God can take what faithfulness we have, and grow it into something wonderful. God can take what faith we have and grow it into something wonderful. If you’re struggling with doubt, then remain faithful, and let your faith be enough for now, and ask God to make it to grow. God can take the seed of faith and grow it into something great, more joyful, and more life-giving than we may imagine. Look at what work you can do for the Kingdom of God, and let what work you can do for God’s Kingdom be enough for now, and expect it to bear fruit. If all you can give for the growth of God’s Kingdom is an hour / week, that’s enough for God. God can use that seed to grow a lot more in your life and in the lives of those for whom you give that hour. Kingdom of God does not happen all at once. It grows from a tiny seed into a great plant. Whatever faith and faithfulness we have is enough for now. Ask for God to make it grow. Amen.

Central UMC, Florence SC

I’m going to talk today about faith and faithfulness, and how God can take small amounts of each and grow something beautiful. About 6 years ago, I was going through a period of great doubt, great enough that I was wondering if I could remain a priest or not. Nothing particular had triggered this, I was just questioning and wondering, and I really didn’t know if I was going to find faith again. I felt like a had to know for sure, with certainty, and I could never find certainty. Fortunately, I did remain faithful during this time, kinda had to, and so even amidst personal doubts, I was faithful in my role as a priest, faithful in prayer, preaching, teaching, worshipping, celebrating Eucharist. Faithfulness to our life and the ways of Jesus sustained me when my faith seemed gone. Then, about 5 years ago, my faith returned, or rather, I chose to have faith again. I loved the story of Jesus, and even though I couldn’t have certainty, I didn’t want to give that story up. I didn’t want to give up God becoming one of us. I didn’t want to give up Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I didn’t want to give up the Kingdom of God and all of our lives joined together, with God in Christ. So, I chose to believe even with all of my doubts and uncertainties. That small amount of faith and that faithfulness was enough for God to grow even greater faith and within me. After that period of doubt and believing again, I found a faith greater and deeper than ever I had before. As most of y’all know, about three weeks ago, my dad died, and in the last three weeks, that faith has not only sustained me, but also given me joy. When Dad died, I’d been preparing for it for a while, emotionally, so when the time finally came, I was largely joyful for him…no more pneumonia, no more struggling with diabetes, no more strife. Also, in my view of life with Jesus, he’s not looking down on us. We’re there with him, already together. So, for Dad’s sake, I was truly joyful. Then, not long after that, I started alternating between sadness, shock, joy for Dad, and everywhere in between. Sometimes I’m joyful for him and talk to him, sometimes, I cry because I want my dad back. The sadness and grief is to be expected for anyone who loves and loses their dad. The joy part? Not everyone has that. I didn’t used to have that. I believed in life with God after death. Actually, I had been taught it, I was supposed to believe it, but it didn’t hold the meaning and the joy years ago that it does for me now, but years ago, I had a seed of faith, and it has grown such that I truly can be joyful for Dad’s life with God continuing on in Jesus. Such is life in God’s Kingdom, where God takes our faith and our faithfulness, even if we have just a little, and God grows something great out of them. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed which grows into a large plant. God can take small amounts of faithfulness and grow something wonderful out of them. Kristin was away over the end of last week with Brenda Harris to the Kids Hope USA director training in Dallas. The boys were with my mom, and I had Ellie, who had not been away from Kristin overnight until Wednesday and Thursday night last week. For those who had been following the Ellie with Daddy, no Mommy saga on Facebook, the final score was Ellie 84, Daddy79. It was a great couple of days to spend with our baby girl. But I digress. Kristin and Brenda were at the Kids Hope USA training to direct our program with Kids Hope USA which partners with churches and schools to facilitate mentoring in elementary schools. Through Kristin and Brenda, Kids Hope is providing training for members of St. Mark’s so that we can be mentors for kids at Linnie Roberts Elementary School. We’ve got 8 mentors so far who will be trained and supported by Brenda and Kristin, and then spend an hour a week with one child at Linnie Roberts over the next school year. That shouldn’t really make much of a difference, should it? One hour a week. Then again, the Kingdom of God is like a tiny seek which grows into a huge plant; it sprouts and grows, we don’t know how. The following is a story from Kids Hope about a child for whom this one hour with a mentor who believed in him grew into something great. SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME... Only a few weeks into his first year of school, and already Tommy had a reputation. His unruly behavior had cleared the classroom, more than once. His teacher was at a loss. His mom was worried. School leaders had already given up on the Kindergartener. But then hope... a gift named Rhonda. When Rhonda, Tommy's KIDS HOPE mentor, went to meet him for the first time, school staff hesitated: "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Rhonda was. She met Tommy's wide eyes with a smile, and began pouring herself into the little boy's life. Together they played, learned and listened. They created an incentive chart, helping Tommy and his teacher begin to recognize the good in the five year old. Soon, the angry outbursts stopped. Tommy's behavior changed so drastically, it changed the minds of those around him. Where they once saw only a disciplinary problem, they now saw a delightful boy with a brilliant mind, a soft heart and a bright future. Tommy, once on a fast track to an alternative school is now thriving in his traditional classroom. Once labeled as "trouble" is now valued as a child... all because he found hope in someone who believed in him. (http://www.kidshopeusa.org/Why/Stories/) Again, an hour a week, doesn’t seem like it would work, but Kingdom of God is like a tiny seek which grows into a huge plant; it sprouts and grows, we don’t know how. God can take what faithfulness we have, and grow it into something wonderful. God can take what faith we have and grow it into something wonderful. If you’re struggling with doubt, then remain faithful, and let your faith be enough for now, and ask God to make it to grow. God can take the seed of faith and grow it into something great, more joyful, and more life-giving than we may imagine. Look at what work you can do for the Kingdom of God, and let what work you can do for God’s Kingdom be enough for now, and expect it to bear fruit. If all you can give for the growth of God’s Kingdom is an hour / week, that’s enough for God. God can use that seed to grow a lot more in your life and in the lives of those for whom you give that hour. Kingdom of God does not happen all at once. It grows from a tiny seed into a great plant. Whatever faith and faithfulness we have is enough for now. Ask for God to make it grow. Amen.

God works through small insignificant acts of life. God is at work in the world The attitude of the believer should always be hopefulness Don’t stand in God’s way. Always be on the side of hope, peace, love, healing and faith

God works through small insignificant acts of life. God is at work in the world The attitude of the believer should always be hopefulness Don’t stand in God’s way. Always be on the side of hope, peace, love, healing and faith

The Kingdom of God starts small, but God makes it big!