Mark 4:10-13 Jesus is the Only Way to Behold God

The Introduction

Mark 4:10–13 (CSB)
¹⁰ When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables.

¹¹ He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables

¹² so that they may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back and be forgiven.”

¹³ Then he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand all of the parables?

The Word

1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (CSB) For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

The Devotion

All of the schooling, teaching, catechism, preaching, words, books in the world will not get you to understand God.

All of the intelligence, wisdom, resources, and know-how in the world will not get to know God.

All of the successes, failures, achievements, recognitions, and work will not get you to behold your God.

In order for you and I to see the kingdom of God and his righteousness, God must swap out our hearts, renew our minds, pour his Spirit within us, and make us his.

In order for anybody to seek God, we must be born again.

John 3:3 (CSB) Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

This work is indeed outside of us. In every sense of the word, it is not natural but supernatural. We are wholly dependent on God to see God and be with him forever.