Passion Creek Church

In Mark 4, Jesus tells a series of parables back-to-back, and they all have to do with seeds. In one, the Kingdom is compared to a seed that’s planted and prepares the ground for a harvest. In the second, the Kingdom is compared to a tiny mustard seed that grows into an enormous tree. Both of these reveal important aspects of the Kingdom: the Kingdom will prepare the world for both justice and flourishing. Jesus tells these parables as reminders to his disciples and to us that the Kingdom is coming, and it will fulfill the longings for justice and renewal we all carry, but it won’t come the way we’re expecting it to. It will start small, look unimpressive to the world, and will be ignored by those around us. And yet, participating in this subversive Kingdom is how we join God in bringing justice and flourishing to the lost world around us.

The first parable recorded by the three gospel writers Matthew, Mark, and Luke is a parable about seeds. Jesus explains that like a seeds planted among different types of soil by a farmer, the words and teachings from Him are shared among different types of people. Some reject His words and teachings, some don’t allow it to take root, and others give up following the way of Jesus by giving into the worries of this age.

But there are a few who hear God’s word, receive it by applying it to their lives, and bear good fruit. These are the people who allow God’s word to confront and convict them, and who reorient their lives in response. In order to be these types of people, we must receive the seeds God generously wants to share with us, and learn to apply them to our daily lives.

One of Jesus’ favorite ways to teach about the Kingdom was through parables. Some of his most well-known stories are parables, and together they make up nearly one-third of all his teachings in the Gospels. And yet, parables are also among the most misunderstood.

Most of us assume Jesus used parables as simple illustrations to make spiritual truths clearer, or as moral lessons to show us how to live. But Jesus himself explained that parables serve a deeper purpose: they draw some people into the Kingdom, and they push others away from the Kingdom. Parables aren’t just moral tales, theology lessons, or simple illustrations. They are surprising, subversive stories that confront us with the reality of the Kingdom.

And just like our response to the parables, our response to the Kingdom is never neutral: we can resist and turn away, or be drawn in and transformed.

Paul had a sense of urgency when it came to sharing the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 5 and 6, he tells us that we will all appear before God one day and give an account of how we lived as witnesses. He also says that our job is to persuade people to believe in the gospel because “today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). But today, few of us live with this sense of urgency. Rather than fearing God and His judgement, we fear other people and their opinions. We also write people off as being unlikely to accept the gospel if we were to share, and most of the time, we simply forget to live our lives as witnesses. But witnessing is not an optional practice. Both Paul and Jesus teach us that to be a disciple is to be a witness. When we learn to examine our fears, our flesh, and our forgetfulness, and then bring them to God, we can become effective witnesses who lead others into the Kingdom through the practice of Invitation.

In Corinth, Paul faced a city with culture similar to ours. The highest values in Corinth were social status, success, and self-image. You were only accepted if you were able to present the most successful version of yourself to the rest of the world. But rather than boat in his accomplishments, successes, and brilliance, Paul did the opposite. He vulnerably demonstrated his weakness to those he shared the gospel with. By being honest about his sins, struggles, and his hope, Paul allowed the gospel to shine through his weaknesses. To learn from Paul means we must also be willing to share our weaknesses with those we witness to, choosing to be honest about ourselves and our lives. We can do this through the practice of conversation — simply talking honestly and intentionally with others about our hope in Jesus.

When Paul planted the church in Corinth, his method was simple — preach Christ and Him crucified. Paul was able to clearly and courageously call people to repent and align themselves with the true King, Jesus, and the church in Corinth was born. Our job as witnesses today is the same — preach Christ and Him crucified with courage and clarity.

And while courage comes with time, clarity takes effort. Most of us have an incomplete gospel story. We tend to emphasize one part over another, and often miss out on the depth and complexity of what salvation really is. To become effective witnesses who clearly and courageously preach the gospel, we must learn the full gospel story: Jesus has come to rule and reign over the world through His death and resurrection, and anyone can live in the Kingdom here on earth and into eternity if they repent from their sins and align themselves with Him.

As we begin our last practice together, the practice of Witness, we look to Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians. Writing to a church in the middle of a diverse and pagan culture, Paul encourages the church there to live their lives in such a way that their alignment with King Jesus is evident. Much like a strong aroma will either draw others in or push them away, Christians should remain so close to God, each other, and the lost that their lives draw those who are willing closer to God.

Like the church in Corinth, our Witness practice must start with our with-ness. We must remain so close to God that others find our lives appealing. We must remain so close to each other that we’re able to rely on each other for support. And we must remain so close to the lost that we actually have opportunities to draw them into communion with the God who created them.

n John 17, Jesus prays His final words before the cross—not just for His disciples, but for us. He asks the Father to keep us safe from the evil one, make us holy by His truth, and unify us in love. And in verse 23, we see the breathtaking truth of the gospel: the Father loves us with the same love He has for His perfect Son.

In a world that chases comfort and avoids pain, Jesus offers something deeper: joy that is born through sorrow, not apart from it. In John 16, Jesus prepares His disciples—not with easy answers, but with enduring hope. This Vision Sunday message explores the paradox of Christian hope: that even in our darkest seasons, God is shaping us through the pain and leading us toward resurrection joy.

Jesus warned us: if we truly abide in Him, the world won’t celebrate us—it will resist us. In this message from John 15, we explore four ways the world hated Jesus—and still hates His followers today: misunderstanding, misrepresentation, marginalization, and even martyrdom. But we’re not left alone in the resistance—Jesus gives us His Spirit to walk beside us through every fiery trial. Learn how to suffer faithfully, live joyfully, and pray dependently in a culture that misunderstands the way of Jesus.