Mark 4:26–29 (NKJV): 26 And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
As I have already spoken about the specifics of the kingdom, It would certainly be negligent if I did not speak about the kingdom itself. The theme of the kingdom is used one hundred sixty times in the New Testament, and three hundred ninety one times in the entire Bible. Obviously an important theme that seems to be overlooked by many. I can remember a class in Bibe college, where we were discussing systematic theology. One of the branches of this system taught that the kingdom parables were about Israel, and not the church. So it isn't surprising to me, that many teachers today brought up under that theological position, see these parables as unimportant to the church. However, without inserting any particular theological understanding into these parables, we would not naturally come to that conclusion. The kingdom of God is for all people, Jew and gentile alike. Everything that Jesus taught pertains to those in the faith and are realized in the here and now. The kingdom parables are no different. God's kingdom is not some future glory and realization, but as Jesus taught this parable, it is developing on the earth right now in real time. when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He said:
"Our Father who is in heaven, holy is your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, in earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daiky bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others theirs, and lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever."
We are here to enhance the kingdom of God and point others to it, in Christ alone. When this kingdom is fulfilled, God will close its gates and all will be inside that will come in, and will be fulfilled when the last person is saved. In the mean time, we have much to do, so let us be busy in this kingdom work.