Truth Unveiled
Mark 4:10-11And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables.”
A simple truth is presented in today’s readings from the Gospel of Mark. It is this: not everyone gets it. The problem is not that people don’t have opportunity or exposure; the problem is that a lot of people just don’t understand. They don’t get it. The teachings from Jesus on love, forgiveness, grace, hope, eternity, and faith are unimaginable to many which is a sad reality and a fearful truth.
My question: Why don’t people get it? I have for many years believed that Scripture interprets itself. That means that the truth of one part is revealed in the collective truth of the whole. When we look at this passage in light of the whole of scripture, a wonderful insight emerges.
In chapter 4 of Mark, the parables are about God’s mighty works of grace in the lives of people. Consider the parable of the sowing of seed. Good soil vs. bad soil. Some people get it because their lives have been prepared to receive; others lose it because they have hardened their hearts to receive or something else seemingly more important gets in the way.
The reality is that truth is difficult at times to understand. It is difficult to understand why a friend suffers or a child dies. It is difficult to understand why some prosper and others struggle and remain poor. Life’s not fair, but truth is. We may not like it, but truth is always fair.
So what’s the point of this message? God in His wisdom reveals truth to those who seek Him. This is true of all who are seekers, but to those who have rejected him, who have hardened their hearts, this life-changing and life-sustaining truth remains veiled until that day when all things become clear.
Rejoice, my friends, because to you truth has come. Amen.
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