Mark 4:30

Mark 4:30 says, And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?  Jesus asked what He could compare the kingdom of God to.  Verse thirty-one adds, It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: When we think of the kingdom of God, we may often attempt to describe its grandeur, but Jesus compared it to a mustard seed.  I believe our emphasis should not be on heaven and how great it will be, but on spreading the seed of the gospel.  Verse thirty-two continues, But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. Jesus said the mustard seed was the smallest seed when planted, but that it grew into the largest of herbs. The gospel of Christ is a small, simple to understand truth, but when it is planted and accepted in the life of an individual, it should grow to be more important than anything else.  Verse thirty-three says, And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.  We are told that Jesus spoke to people in parables as they were able to hear them.  I don't believe that Jesus was attempting to hide the truth, but that in order to understand His teachings people had to put their faith in Him and allow the truth to be revealed to them by God.  We will never understand God's word until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  For too many people, the gospel and all of God's word will never be more than a story, no different than any other ancient story, but as Christians, the gospel has taken root and should grow daily as we study God's Word.  Verse thirty-five adds, But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.  We are told that Jesus did not speak without speaking in parables, and that when He was alone with the disciples, He expounded His teachings to them.  We need to gather together in worshipping God, but we also need time alone with God so that as we study God's word, the Holy Spirit can expound it to us.