Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Miracle Grow: How the Kingdom comes Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA June 18, 2006 Main Scripture text: Mark 4:26-34 We tend to think of a "kingdom" in geographic terms, but all that is really required is a king and subjects. The Kingdom of God came to earth in the person of Jesus. The reign and rule of God was perfectly established in His life. Today, the Kingdom advances as the Holy Spirit establishes the Kingdom in us, by motivating and empowering us to live under the Lordship of Jesus. This is not to say we don't have a part to play in the coming of the Kingdom. We certainly we do. Earlier in Mark 4, Jesus told the Parable of the Sower, in which appears he spoke about those "who hear the word and accept it." We must receive what God offers, but it is the miraculous power of God that causes the seed of the Word to grow in us. The second of these two parables makes another important point: Little is big in the hands of God. Tony Campolo tells the story of a young man with cerebral palsy whose simple seven-word testimony at a youth camp was used by God to bring many to repentance and faith. You don't have to be a Ph.D. or a theologian to be an effective witness. Just tell your story about what Jesus has done for you. Don't grow weary in your witness, even if you see results only occasionally. You may be planting the seed, or watering what someone else has planted. It is a process: first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head -- and it is all done by God. It is beyond our understanding and control. We don't "build" the Kingdom -- it comes. Like a mustard seed, it starts small and grows great. And it's all about God. Supporting texts: Philippians 2:9-10 | John 8:29 | 1 Corinthians 3:6 | 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (33 min.). (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 060618a: Miracle Grow: How the Kingdom Comes. © 2006 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us