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2024 3Q The Book of Mark Lesson 4

Parables
by Tim Jennings (announcements last page)

Why do you think Jesus taught in parables? Because He couldn’t come out and just explain things
plainly—why?
• Because the leaders would have used direct truth against Him, accused Him of denying the
Bible, of blasphemy—how could they do that?
• Because they had spun, couched, interpreted, presented the Bible in a lie, the lie of imposed
law, with rules and rule enforcement so that the people were blinded to the truth of how
reality actually works.
• The parables are intended to demonstrate reality, how things actually work, in contrast to the
rules-based system that doesn’t work.

And the parables, all of them, have one underlying theme—they all teach design law.

Through His parables, Jesus consistently exposed that God’s kingdom is not like the kingdoms of
this world, which make up rules and then enforce those rules by inflicted punishments. Jesus
revealed that God’s kingdom is the kingdom of reality, built upon laws that life operates upon. These
are constants that never change, like the laws of health, physics, and the moral laws. Jesus’ amazing
parables reveal that deviations from God’s design laws cause death – that death is not an infliction
from His Father. Further, His parables reveal that God is love and that He continually seeks to heal
all who trust Him, restoring them back to harmony with His design law for life.

Let’s review some of His parables highlighting the overarching theme of God’s design law. Then dig
into the specifics of the lesson.

The Lamp | Matthew 5:14–16

• If one lights a lamp and allows it to do what it does naturally, it shines and illuminates. What
kind of law is revealed in this parable? God’s truth and love will always shine out through
the lives of those who possess it, brightening the world around them. And if one tries to hide
the light, they are working against how reality operates.
• And Jesus is the ultimate Lamp—the living Word, the light which enlightens all men. He
came to earth at the source of truth and we are to receive Him and let the light of heavenly
truth we receive from Jesus shine through us!
The Speck and The Log | Matthew 7:1–5
• What is the natural result of a larger object in one’s eye? Greater visual obstruction. This
parable teaches the reality that falsehood, bias, error, and prejudice obstruct our ability to
discern, comprehend, and understand reality. The more lies we believe, the greater the
blindness. So if we want to be effective in helping others, we must first remove the

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 distortions from our own minds. What kind of law is being described here? Again: design
law, how reality works.
New Cloth on Old Garment | Matthew 9:16, 17
• What happens when new cloth is sewn onto an old garment? The new cloth tears the old
fabric. Why? Does a ruling authority inspect the garment and issue a decree that is enforced
by government agents, who tear a bigger hole? Or is it design law – how reality works? This
is the same lesson taught in the story of the new wine in old skins we reviewed in detail last
week. The good news about God – the gospel –as taught, lived out, and revealed in Jesus,
cannot be sewn onto the old garment of penal/legal religion.
The Divided Kingdom | Matthew 12:24–30
• A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand; why? For what reason? It is the natural result
of warring against oneself: the system collapses. What kind of law causes the collapse of a
kingdom at war against itself? God’s kingdom can never achieve its goals of healing hearts
and minds if we use the methods of the world – imposed law. We cannot use human
governments to achieve our godly goals. We are called to come out of the world and be
separate. This is what Jesus did. He taught us that His kingdom is NOT of this world. “The
kingdom of God is within you,” Jesus said.
The Sower | Matthew 13:1–23
• Why do the same species of seeds grow differently? Is it because God uses His power to
miraculously make the seeds grow differently? Or are the seeds equally healthy when planted
and receive equal amounts of sunlight and rain, but the soil in which the seeds are planted is
different? Which represents what? The hearts of people into which the seeds of truth are
planted; again, what kind of law is involved?
The Weeds Among the Wheat | Matthew 13:24–30
• Why do weeds grow in fields? Are they planted, or do they come up naturally? In Eden, in
the Earth as God made it, there were no weeds. But an enemy has sown the weeds into this
earth. And now, in this world of sin the weeds come up on their own because all the earth
groans under the weight of sin. What happens when you pull weeds growing next to wheat?
Does some of the wheat get pulled up? In the church, the unconverted grow up next to the
converted; if we try to root out the unconverted, we will also pull out of the church the
converted to whom the unconverted are connected. Thus, we are instructed to wait until the
harvest, the second coming, to separate the wheat and the tares. And what determines which
group one is placed into? Reality! Wheat is wheat, and weeds are weeds – they are separated
based on what they actually are. So too, in the end, those saved are those who have had their
hearts and minds set right with God (reborn), while the lost are those who have never had
their hearts changed, despite many of them claiming a legal right of salvation via the blood
payment of Jesus. What kind of law is involved?
The Mustard Seed | Matthew 13:31, 32
• What does a mustard seed do when it is planted in a garden, watered, and nurtured? It does
what it was designed to do; it grows and becomes a place of shade for others. The mustard
seed represents the gospel, which grows in the heart of those who accept it and brings forth
the fruits of a righteous character. Those who have a righteous character create atmospheres
of love, grace, and mercy, giving shade from the scorching heat of this world’s sin and
selfishness. What kind of law is involved?

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The Leaven | Matthew 13:33, 34
• What is the lesson of leaven? How does leaven work? Is it that God inspects the flour and, if
the flour contains leaven, then God uses miraculous power to make it rise, but for those who
don’t use leaven, God refuses to perform the miracle so that their bread doesn’t rise? No – it
is a natural result of design law at work, how these various substances function in harmony
with the laws that God built life to operate upon. It is the kingdom of God’s reality.
Hidden Treasure | Matthew 13:44 – Pearl of Great Price | Matthew 13:45, 46
• What is the natural result when our hearts value something? And when we value that thing
more than anything else, what do we do? What law is being described? Is some external
force or threat being applied to force the person to pursue their treasure?
The Net | Matthew 13:47–50
• What determines which fish are kept and which are discarded? It is the condition of the fish
themselves – there is no jury, no prosecutor, no defense lawyer, no judge. It is all based on
the actual condition of the fish. So too, in the end of time, people will be separated by their
condition of heart: having accepted Jesus and been renewed in love – or rejected Jesus and
been hardened in selfishness. This is design law and not a penal/legal issue at all!
What Comes Out of the Mouth | Matthew 15:10–20
• Why is it that what goes into a person’s mouth does not determine his cleanliness, but rather
what comes out of his mouth? What kind of law is involved? Is the person who speaks evil
unclean because someone hears what they say, reports it to authorities, which causes a
judicial review and a legal ruling that declares them unclean? Or do the words and actions of
a person reveal the actual unclean nature of their character?
The Lost Sheep | Matthew 18:10–14
• This parable reveals the reality of God’s heart and attitude and shows how love works. Love
seeks without inducement, without payment, without counting the cost. “God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). The lost sheep did not have to do
anything to get the shepherd to come looking for it. Instead, “God demonstrates his own love
for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV84). God’s
action to save us is the natural action to take when love rules the heart. Again, the parable
teaches the reality that God is love and that His kingdom is the kingdom of love. No legal
process in a courtroom is necessary.
The Unforgiving Servant | Matthew 18:23–35
• What causes the servant with the great debt to ultimately be lost? The servant experienced
grace in having his debt forgiven – but that grace did not change his heart. That servant went
out and demanded payment from one who owed him a much smaller debt – and, yes, it was
his legal right to do so. In other words, the unforgiving servant followed what was legal.
Then why was he lost? Because salvation is not a legal issue; it is an issue of character.
Despite being legal in his actions, he remained selfish. The unforgiving servant did not
experience a change of heart despite the grace given him. Again, Jesus reveals how reality
works; God’s kingdom is not based on imposed law. Those who cling to that method, legal
rules, and have no heart change are like this lost servant – legally right but terminally selfish.
Laborers in the Vineyard | Matthew 20:1–16
• This is a great parable because it powerfully exposes the fallacy of imposed law – the lie of
penal (legal) salvation. The workers who worked one hour got the same pay as those who

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 worked all day. What did those who worked all day think? What do you initially think when
you hear this story? What if we added to the story that those who worked all day were people
of color while those who worked only one hour were white – and they all got the same pay?
Is that fair? It is totally unfair if we have an imposed-law view, but if we have a design-law
view and understand how reality works, we immediately see just how fair God’s kingdom is.
The payment is eternal life; this is the reward. The field is the earth, where we work with
Jesus to save souls. Those who worked all day had salvation early in their lives and the
privilege of working with God and, therefore, coming to know Him and His truths more fully
and growing in character and skill in God’s methods. They applied His methods early in their
lives and became more skilled in laboring for Him and applying His principles, which means
they became more mature than those who worked only an hour. The thief on the cross came
at the last hour and got the same pay (eternal life), but he did not have a lifetime of growing
with God. But if one holds the human-law model, the penal lie, then this parable appears
unfair. This is why the Pharisees hated what Jesus taught!
The Two Sons | Matthew 21:28–32
• One son says he will work in his father’s field but then doesn’t; the other son says he will not
work in his father’s field but then does. What is the lesson? That actions speak louder than
words. It is what we ultimately do with our lives that matters, not what we initially say. How
many are being duped today because they go merely on the words people say and don’t look
at their actions? Lies are words; truth is how reality works. Thus, the parable is another
example of the application of design law revealing the truth in spite of the words spoken.
The Tenant Farmers | Matthew 21:33–45
• This parable reveals the actual condition of people’s hearts and the actions they take when
selfishness rules their hearts. They are lost in the end because they hardened their own hearts
despite all of the pleas from the landowner (God) to repent – no legal issue, no jury trials, but
the reality of their heart condition.
Marriage Feast or Great Banquet | Matthew 22:1–14
• Who was invited? Everyone. But who came? Those thought to be undeserving by the world –
in other words, those who couldn’t earn or merit a place by their own effort. And who
decided who actually attended? What is the lesson? Is this a legal process of recording the
bad deeds committed and then getting those records expunged by the application of some
payment? Or is it a process of accepting the invitation and partaking of the resources
provided – e.g., the clothing given, which represent the remedy of Christ’s righteousness that
heals us. Those without a robe are those who have not had their hearts transformed. Again,
Jesus teaches us reality, not legality.
The Ten Virgins | Matthew 25:1–13
• What makes the difference between the wise and foolish virgins? Why don’t lamps give light
without oil? Is it that God performs a miracle for those who have oil but refuses to perform a
miracle for those who don’t? Or is it how reality works – that lamps do not burn without
fuel? Can any human have the light of God’s character shine forth from their life without the
oil of the Holy Spirit in their hearts? We can have the Bible (lamp) without the oil (Spirit),
but we cannot have light (godly character) without the oil. So who decides who are the wise
and who are foolish? Who has the oil – and who doesn’t? What law is involved?
Ten Talents or Gold Coins | Matthew 25:14–30

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 • This parable beautifully describes the law of exertion! What happens if you don’t use the
talents you possess – if you don’t use it, you lose it. But if you apply yourself, you gain more
abilities. No jury, no presentation of evidence, no judge passing sentence – it is the reality of
the outcome of our choices.
The Good Samaritan | Luke 10:29–37
• In this parable, which person is right with God: the priest, Levite, or Samaritan? What
determined who was right with God? How many Sabbaths did the Samaritan keep? How
many sacrifices did he make at the temple? How much tithe did he pay? How many kosher
meals did he eat? Do you see what mattered was not a list of rules – but having God’s love in
the heart. What law is this?
The Rich Fool | Luke 12:13–21
• What is revealed? What determines his eternal end? It doesn’t matter how much wealth one
accrues, because wealth will not cure the heart from sin. What law is involved?
The Beaten Servant | Luke 12:47, 48
• The servant who knows his master’s will but doesn’t do it receives many stripes, but the
servant who doesn’t know his master’s will receives few stripes. Is this, as the penal/legal
adherents claim, proof positive that God’s law is imposed and functions like human law, with
God inflicting different amounts of punishment upon sinners? Not at all! Jesus did not say
that the servants were beaten by the master – only that they would receive differing amounts
of blows, or stripes or pain or suffering, depending on how much they actually knew. Jesus is
again describing how reality works – we actually experience differing amounts of guilt,
shame, regret, and sin-damage to our hearts and minds depending on how much truth we
know and choose to reject. It is simply how reality works and how I paraphrase it in The
Remedy: “The aide who understands the Master – his design, the problem being addressed,
and how to apply the Remedy – and either doesn’t heed his instructions or applies a false
remedy will suffer many blows: a guilty conscience, warped character, damaged reason,
broken relationships and ultimately, a destroyed soul. But the one who doesn’t know about
the Remedy or how to apply it and therefore doesn’t share it, or applies a false remedy will
suffer few blows – regret, disappointment, and grief.”
The Lost Coin | Luke 15:8–10
• As with the lost sheep, this parable reveals the heart of God to seek that which is lost. God
actively searches for His lost children because that’s what love naturally does. What is the
difference between the lost coin, sheep, and son?
o The lost coin didn’t know it was lost; the owner searched for it and found it in the
home.
o The lost sheep knew it was lost but didn’t know how to get home; the owner searched
for it, found it, and brought it home.
o The lost son knew he was lost and knew the way home; therefore, the father waited
for the son to make the choice to come home.
• In all three, what does the father/owner reveal about himself? What kind of law is involved?
The Prodigal Son | Luke 15:11–32
• Why did the father leave the son in dire straits? What would have happened had the father
continued to send money to this son? Why did the father accept him back – what were the
terms or condition? Did the father require a payment? Was a lawyer necessary to argue the

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 legal right of the son to return? Is there any judicial process at all – or is the only requirement
a change of heart in the son? Why did the older son get upset? What did the older son value?
What law is involved?
The Rich Man and Lazarus | Luke 16:19–31
• A simple lesson of reality: If people won’t accept truth when it is presented then miracles,
including someone coming back from the dead, won’t change them. This was proven true
when, shortly thereafter, a man named Lazarus came back from the dead but the religious
leaders were not converted.

In all of these parables, Jesus revealed that the kingdom of God is based upon the laws that our
Creator built into the fabric of reality – and that these are an expression of His character of love.
Jesus never taught penal/legal theology! God’s law originates in His being, and emanates from Him.
All creation is sustained by Him. It is Satan’s lie that God’s law functions like human law: imposed
rules that require imposed punishments.
At this time in Earth’s history, God is calling for His people to come out of the confusing systems of
religiosity based on imposed rules and inflicted punishments. So reject the penal/legal lie and
worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and fountains of water.

SUNDAY/MONDAY

The lesson focuses on the parable of the sower and how the seed falls on the four different types of
soil.

First paragraph from Monday’s lesson,

• Jesus interprets the parable by identifying the items external to the story that a number of the
details in the story stand for. The interpretation indicates that the story is a loose allegory
with references to the real world, not necessarily a reference for every single detail. (Adult
SS Guide 3rd Q 2024, The Book of Mark p. 32).

Why does Jesus use allegory from the real world? Because God is the Creator, the God of reality, how
things actually work. God is not the god of fantasy, falsehood, myth, fable, lies, so Jesus is constantly
drawing out attention back to reality and away from mythical, made-up, false, fantasy ways of
understanding things. And imposed law with imposed punishments are made up, fantasy, not reality,
like the made up rules of all sport events—human governments make up rules and convince everyone
that this is the way reality works and they justify it by the lie that this is how God runs His universe.

The final message to the world is to call people back to Creator worship and reject the imposed law
dictator penal legal theologies.

The four soils are:

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 • The path
• The rocky soil
• Among the thorns and weeds
• Fertile soil

What do the different soils represent? My paraphrase of Jesus interpretation:

• So Jesus said to them: "Don't you understand that this illustration demonstrates that God's
kingdom operates upon natural law — design protocols for life? If you don't understand this,
you will misunderstand all my illustrations. The farmer plants the words of truth into the hearts
of people. Some people have hearts that are hard and callous, like a road, and they don't
respond to the truth when it is presented. They hear the truth, but they don't consider it
seriously: Satan distracts them with some temptation or problem, and the truth is forgotten.
Other people have hearts like gravel–shifting and unstable: they respond with excitement to
every new idea, but nothing takes root. And since the truth doesn't take root in their hearts, they
only stay involved briefly. As soon as the truth requires some sacrifice or actual work on their
part, they quit and move on to their next emotional fix. There are other people, who have
minds like soil filled with weeds and thorns. They hear the truth, but the thorns of worry and
fear, or the weeds of seeking healing of heart in fame, fortune, or other earthly desires choke
out truth and love, and make their hearts desolate. But there are those whose hearts are like
fertile soil. They hear the truth, comprehend it, love it, embrace it, nurture it, choose it, and
build on it; and it heals, transforms and renews them, causing them to produce fruits of
righteousness even more than a hundred times what was planted in them." (Mark 4:13-20
REM).

The parable contains other lessons however—consider the seed—the seed contains the life force, but it
must be planted where it can grow, and then the type of seed planted brings forth the fruit of that seed.

Human hearts can have a variety of “seeds” planted in them and can bring forth different types of fruit.
Jesus is planting the seeds of God’s kingdom, the seeds of truth, love, freedom, righteousness, mercy,
grace and all the noble virtues. But Satan plants his seed into human hearts, the seeds of lies, fear,
selfishness, jealousy, envy, prejudice, bigotry, hatred and all villainy.

And there is another Bible symbolic reference to this planting of Satan’s seed into the hearts of people
who claim to be followers of Jesus—can you think of it?

Revelation 17:

• One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show
you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the
earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of
her adulteries.” (Revelation 17:1-2 NIV84, emphasis mine).

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In Scripture a woman symbolically represents the church—a pure woman represents the true church,
those who have accepted the “seed” of Jesus, truth, love, freedom, grace into their hearts and brought
forth the fruits of righteousness.

But an adulterous woman is a married woman who is intimate with someone other than her husband.
Thus, this adulterous woman represents Christians who claim to be loyal to Jesus, but who have taken
into their hearts the “seed” of Satan’s kingdom; they believe the lies about God; they believe God’s
law functions like human law; they believe God uses power to inflict punishment upon His creatures;
they actually think justice is through imposed law and law enforcement. And they sell themselves to
the governments and merchants of the earth in the legal promotion of their false system of beliefs and
coercion of consciences of others. The seeds of Satan take root in their hearts and they bring forth the
fruit of a beastly character and are marked as such.

TUESDAY

Read Mark 4:10-12:

• When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He
told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the
outside everything is said in parables so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (Mark
4:10-12 NIV84).

What does this mean? Is Jesus saying He doesn’t want people to come to salvation so He teaches in
parables to prevent them from knowing the truth?

Absolutely not! In fact, it is just the opposite. Jesus is the light to lighten all men—the light shines in
the darkness but the darkness has not understood it. Jesus reveals reality—in action, in conduct, in
parables, illustrations and all that Jesus revealed demonstrates God’s laws are design laws and they are
the basis of life, health, and happiness and they all reveal that God is love and God is not the source of
inflicted pain, suffering, and death.

Thus, by action, by deed, by speech, by presentation, Jesus shines light. But at the very same time,
how reality works, every person is free to accept or reject the truth, and they are changed by their
freewill choices. When they prefer the lies, prefer the legal system to the truth, then they close
themselves off from salvation.

As a T-shirt I have says, “I can explain it to you; I can’t understand it for you!”

Jesus can reveal truth, but Jesus cannot decide for a person how they respond to the truth. Jesus
doesn’t decide what they choose to believe.

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If they choose to believe the truth that Jesus reveals, then they come to Him in trust and receive His
forgiveness and are reborn and enter a state of forgiveness, but if they reject the truth and cling to the
lies, they remain in a state of unforgiveness, fearful, sinful, corrupt—while Jesus remains forgiving.

This leads us to understand other Bible passages, for instance, how do you harmonize this apparent
contradiction?

• Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born
again.” (John 3:3 NIV84, emphasis mine).
• Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this
testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest
said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son
of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will
see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds
of heaven.” (Matthew 26:62-62 NIV84, emphasis mine)
• Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him
(Revelation 1:7 NIV84, emphasis mine).

How do these texts fit with what Jesus said about the parables, seeing but not seeing, hearing but not
hearing?

To see the kingdom of God as Jesus describes to Nicodemus means to understand, comprehend,
realize, see it for what it is—the kingdom of truth, love, and freedom with our Creator God of love. It
does not mean to see physical elements of God’s kingdom like thrones, angels, cities.

The wicked in the end will see Jesus sitting on His throne surrounded by angels, in brilliant glory.
They will see the physical realities of God’s kingdom and Jesus our Savior exalted and lifted up. But
they will still not see the kingdom of God because they remain blind by the lies of Satan. They will not
see our God of love, our sacrificial Savior who has only pitying tenderness in His heart and grief for
the loss of all whose who are hardened against Him. No, they see the lies they have believed. They see
a dictator, a punishing god, a wrathful being, a being who makes up rules and who they believe is
coming to use power to torture them. Thus the beg for the mountains to fall on them and hide them.
They physically see but they still do not see, they do not comprehend, because only those who have
been reborn to know the truth can actually see the kingdom of God.

This is my paraphrase of Mark 4:10-12,

• Later, when he was alone, the Twelve Ambassadors and others devoted to his cause asked him
about his parables. He told them, "The truth about God's kingdom of love, which to many
seems mysterious, has been revealed to you, because your hearts are open to the truth, but
those whose hearts are not open to truth, I speak in parables, so even 'though they see with their
eyes, their minds do not comprehend; and though they hear with their ears, they do not
understand the meaning. If they did understand, then they would turn to me in trust, and I
would heal them!' " (Mark 4:10-12 REM).
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WEDNESDAY

Read Mark 4:24-25:

• “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be
measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have,
even what he has will be taken from him.” (Mark 4:24-25 NIV84).

Read last paragraph,

• In many locations in the world, fresh produce is sold in open markets. Sellers typically have a
device for measuring the product they are selling. It is a common practice of such sellers to add
just a bit more to a sale to help the buyer feel he or she is being treated fairly. Jesus picks up on
how good sellers treat buyers to make a point about openness to the truth. If one is open and
follows the light, he or she will get even more. But if he or she rejects the light, even what they
had before will be taken away. (Adult SS Guide 3rd Q 2024, The Book of Mark p. 34).

What do you think? The lesson has introduce an interpretation, with all good intentions, to Jesus’
parable, that of a market and local customs. What do you think?

Is Jesus referring to markets and measuring baskets, which are arbitrary, made up, measurement
devices? And the lesson suggests arbitrary customs or choices to give more than what was purchased
to make people feel better about their purchase—is Jesus describing God rewarding people who do
what He wants so they will feel good?

Or is Jesus describing how reality works, the law of exertion, what you choose to do in governance of
yourself in how you think, how you treat others, determines the kind of person you become and thus
your attitude toward others becomes what you reap?

This paragraph shows the deep insidiousness of the Roman imposed law lie into Christianity. I have no
doubt that the lesson authors have the absolute best intentions—they so much want people to know
Jesus and be saved. Yet, when we hold to lies about God’s law, we innocently, yet consistently,
misrepresent God and interfere with the plan of salvation, delay the advancement of the gospel.

Here is how I paraphrased it:

• Pay attention and understand the way God's kingdom works: Behavior has consequences. The
standard you use to judge others reveals the actual condition of your own heart, thus your
condemnation of others is really condemnation of yourself. Whoever accepts and holds God's
love and truth in their heart will receive more; but whoever refuses God's love and truth,
whatever had been poured out upon them will be eventually taken back." (Mark 4:24-25 REM)

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THURSDAY

Read the first paragraph,

• Most of the Gospel of Mark has parallels in either Matthew or Luke or both. But that is not the
case with this parable. It is unique to Mark. The focus of this brief parable is the growing
process. Jesus indicates that this is how the kingdom of God works. Humans have a part to
play, but the real growth is the work of God. It is not an endless process. The story comes to an
abrupt end with the maturation of the grain. Just so, the return of Christ a second time will
suddenly bring an end to our world’s history. (Adult SS Guide 3rd Q 2024, The Book of Mark
p. 35).

What brings about the harvest? What determines when the farmer decide to harvest? Is it an arbitrary
decision by the farmer or is it determined by when the crop is ripe?

So, when will Jesus return? When the crop is ripe—and what is the crop? And what does it mean for it
to be ripe?

In the book Christ’s Object Lessons the author has a chapter on this parable and at the end of the
chapter writes:

• “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance.” Galatians 5:22, 23. This fruit can never perish, but will produce after its kind a
harvest unto eternal life. (Christ’s Object Lessons 68.1).

“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is
come.” Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.
When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will
come to claim them as His own. (Christ’s Object Lessons 69.1, emphasis mine).

It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His
glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the
last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.
(Christ’s Object Lessons 69.2, emphasis mine).

What does it mean to have the character of Christ perfectly reproduced in His people? If we have the
human law model it is all about performance, but if we have the design law model it is about love and
trust. That our hearts have been transformed to love and trust Jesus perfectly, maturely, so that we will
not betray Him by choosing another to be intimate with, that we will stay faithful, like Job, and we
will say of God what is right. This can only happen through the truth of who God is, by returning to
worship Him as Creator, which means rejecting all the imposed law, penal legal ideas that infects
Christianity and prevents people from truly trusting God.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NEW PODCAST LAUNCH JULY 23—Designed4More: We are excited to announce the launch
of our new podcast, Designed 4 More—which is a joint effort of Come and Reason Ministries and
Honey Lake Clinic. Our first show will be released Tuesday July 23, and we will release a new show
every Tuesday thereafter. The focus is God’s design for the four domains of our lives, body, mind,
spirit, and relationships and how we can only thrive in harmony with His design laws for life. We
will explore a wide variety of topics and subjects, physical, mental, spiritual, relational,
organizational etc. all seeking to understand how to apply God’s designs to our real-world, real-life
decisions and actions. If you have topics or questions you would like to see a show on, you can
email your question or topic to [email protected]

LIGHT FROM THE SANCTUARY PRESENTATION: Several weeks ago I presented our
understanding of the Sanctuary message from the design law reality, God’s plan to heal and cleanse
us so we are ready to meet Him when He comes. We have this video along with the power point
slides available online and have sent out an email this week with the promotion and link. We are
asking you to forward it with your recommendation or encouragement to all of your Adventist
family and friends. Ask them to view it and see if this isn’t the first presentation that actually makes
sense on this subject. https://comeandreason.com/light-from-the-sanctuary/

A NEW CHILDREN’s BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE: Biblical Concepts Made Easy, by

Stephanie Land. It is a fun book with puzzles that teaches children the truth about God, His design
laws, and answers difficult questions regarding moral decision making and why suffering happens.
These are available for you and your family and to share. We will ship them at no cost to any US
Postal address. They will also be for sale on Amazon as an individual book and we will have them
for sale at bulk discount pricing on our website for schools and church groups to purchase and give
to their youth. Please get a copy and share with your youth pastor or leader and give them the contact
information where they can order on our website.

NEW IN SOUTH AFRICA: Our Cosmic Conflict Over God’s Character Bible Study Guide is now
available in Afrikaans. You can download the pdf from our website under the languages tab, or if
you are in South Africa and want a print copy email Jacques at [email protected]

Our new magazine The Lie That Deceived Angels, Infects Christianity, and Delays the Second
Coming of Christ is now available in South Africa. If you would like a hard copy please email
[email protected]

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The Job Pamphlet is now available in Afrikaans available on the Come
and Reason website under the languages tab. Should anybody in South
Africa want to order a physical copy they can contact Jacques van den
Heever at [email protected]

Also we are excited to announce that we created a Telegram

support/discussion/prayer group and should anybody would like to join
they are welcome. The link is: https://t.me/+dwEVCIVrXoM1MDc0

New Bookmark: Friends with Jesus is now available. If you have a US Postal address and would
like some to share, just email your requests to [email protected] and we will send
them at no cost.

MAGAZINE: The Lie that Deceived Angels, Infects Christianity, and Delays the Second
Coming of Christ, is now available! https://comeandreason.com/lie-that-deceived-angels/

Billboards are now available on our website!

You can find them all at https://comeandreason.com/?s=billboards

Pamphlet: The Book of Job and the Last Days: A Cosmic Overview—7 Truths to Prepare for
Christ’s Return is now available. You can order your FREE copies at https://comeandreason-
com.3dcartstores.com/The-Book-of-Job-and-the-Last-Days-A-Cosmic-Overview_p_56.html

Remedy app: The Remedy is available as a free app and includes the New Testament, Psalms and
Genesis.

Materials in Australia: Simon and Maani Harrison have a Facebook group in Australia and have
the following Come and Reason resources available in Australia:

• CIBTS
• God is Love Children’s book
• The Heavenly Sanctuary for the Modern World
• The Final Message of Mercy
• The Remedy NT
• The Remedy of the Lord in Song
• First set of tracts

You can email Simon at [email protected]

Materials in South Africa: Jacques van den Heever has materials available in

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South Africa you can email him at [email protected]

Unmasking the Beasts of Revelation 13 & 17 Now Available in South Africa!

The Final Message of Mercy to the World—The Three Angels, magazine.

You can read a digital version online at our website. Here is a link to the flip version
https://comeandreason.com/files/flipbooks/3Angels/

Member’s Section: This is FREE but will require a sign in and will contain member’s only content:
• Live Q&A section
• A Discussion Forum is now available to members.
• The Remedy Audio
• Could It Be This Simple? Audio are both available in the members section to stream or
download and listen.
• New Music Brad & Donna Horne, online members in Australia, created an album that they
have graciously donated to our ministry to share with those who love this message.
• Member locator for those who choose to post their information to other members.

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