Jesus' Parable of the Growing Seed
Posted: Sunday, August 19, 2007
by Richard Miller
Mark 4:26-29 (New International Version) 26 He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."
Mark 4:26-27 (New International Version) “A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how."
The man in the parable spreads the seeds of the Kingdom of God by simply obeying and sharing from the Word of God recorded in the Holy Bible. How the seeds will manifest themselves in the lives of those hearing the message is not the man’s concern. The Triune God will cultivate the seed when the timing is right. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an excuse for careless spreading of the message of salvation through Jesus. We are still responsible for how we share and for making sure what we share is founded in the truth of the Holy Scriptures. But what it does make clear is that we are not capable of making the message take root and grow. We can only plant and even that only at God’s calling. The Holy Spirit is who will water the seed, nurture the seed and call it to life in Christ Jesus.
Mark 4:28 (New International Version) “All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head."
We must in all things acknowledge Christ as the center. We have a tendency to try to take credit for the work somehow judging success in our own worldly view. The apostle Paul warns us about thinking too much of ourselves in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 12:3 (New International Version) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
There is nothing we can do to cause the seeds of the Kingdom of God to grow. We can only plant the seed through our obedience to His will. God cultivates and enriches the soil to produce His fruit. We do not know when the seeds of our obedience will fall on fertile ground. The timing is the Lords and we must only obey.
The Trinity of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit will reap the harvest when it is time. Only God knows the hearts of men. Only God knows what seed will take hold and which will not. We must not become judge and attempt to determine who is ready to receive and who is not. We must spread the seeds of salvation through Jesus Christ to all men, women and children. We are called to share in love that which was freely given to us. Jesus Christ is the complete example of love and we must echo that love in our words, our actions and our entire life. Jesus Christ will cause the seeds to spring forth, take root and create the harvest of souls that only Our Lord can nourish. To God belongs the glory.
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