SEEDS PLANTED, SEEDS FOR PLANTING

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. 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. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Mark 4:26-29

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Over the past few devotions, we have focused on Jesus’ teaching by parables, stories told by using analogies that translate to spiritual or moral instruction. In other words, parables need to be interpreted rather than understood at face value and interpretation of these unique teachings of Jesus required one to be connected to Him in a special way. Indeed, this still remains true today, the words of Jesus illuminated by the Holy Spirit since we don’t have Jesus physically with us like the disciples of the New Testament we read about in the Gospels.

Of interest, parables are found in three of the four Gospels with John being the outlier. Of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Mark has by far the fewest, eight in number with two of those only found in His account. One of those two is at the center of our devotion today, the parable of the growing seed. Look again at the words of Jesus here:

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. 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. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29

As in many of His parables, we find Jesus giving His listeners (or reader in our case) some idea as to what God’s kingdom is like. As a primer to prepare ourselves for receiving His instruction, we can begin to think about what the kingdom of God means in our own terms.

By definition, we know that a kingdom is a kingdom is a country, state, or territory ruled by a king. Given this and the kingdom of God, we know that God is the King over His kingdom. He rules and reigns over His territory.

So what is that territory?

Well, since God made the heavens and the earth and everything there, then He is the Maker and Master over all creation. He governs in authority everywhere and there is no land that is not under His power.

In other words, the kingdom of God is everywhere encompassing everything. Keep this in mind as we look at future parables speaking on this subject.

So what is it like within the kingdom of God?

In today’s parable, Jesus speaks of the beauty of the seeds that are sown and then grow to maturity for a wonderful harvest. It really is a miraculous, beautiful revelation of God’s creation power, isn’t it?

For how many of you have ever planted a seed in a pot or even a little cup or jar filled with soil when you were younger, watering the soil everyday while anxiously waiting for something to emerge from the soil’s surface. You waited eagerly to see that first sprout and what an exciting time it was when it emerged and then began to grow larger and larger with further watering and light. That plant would grow and grow and grow until it had reached a point where it was ready to fulfill its destiny and at that point it was harvested.

The growing seed had reached its full development and was ready to fulfill its purpose.

How does this apply to our own lives?

There are two things to consider.

First, I remember when my “seed” was planted inside me. I had just met my wife and I remember her telling me the Lord had to be first in everything if we were going to get married and stay together for the long haul. I was a place in my life where I had not been living for the Lord, even though church was a regular part of my upbringing. Maybe you can relate to that as you read this today.

And so, I started to go to church with my wife as we dated and also reading the Bible again. Afraid of how the Lord my receive me after being distant from Him for so long, I had some anxiety as I reentered my faith life in Jesus but just as the prodigal son discovered (a later parable we will look at), God was waiting for me to return all along, not condemning me when I came back but rather celebrating my return.

And my planted seed started to grow.  

That was 25 years ago and each day I find myself continuing to grow a little more spiritually mature every day, especially over the last 20 years or so as I have regularly taught from the scriptures in church and written devotions, publishing them online through the ministry God led me to, The Christian Walk. As each day goes by, the Lord is preparing me more and more for that time of harvest when He will bring me to be with Him forever, a time I am so looking forward to.

But until then, there’s much work to do and this comes to the second thing to consider about Jesus’ parable for today:

We are all to be seed planters.

You see, once the seed is planted within us and starts to bear spiritual fruits in our hearts and minds, we are to be using those fruits to bless others, to plant the seeds of the Lord within them just as someone had planted in us.

Think about this analogy.

Have you ever carved a pumpkin? Eaten an apple?

Did you know that you can use the seeds of each to grow new plants? You can.

In other words, a seed produces a pumpkin or apple which in turn produces seeds that can be planted elsewhere. In essence, this is what we get to do once the Lord plants His seed within us.

But here’s the thing. We plant the seed but God is the master gardener. Look at these words from John’s Gospel:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” John 15:1

Paul went on to say this while talking to the Christian church in Corinth who were debating whether he or Apollos was the greatest apostle:

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6

You see, once the seed is planted within us, we all go to work under the auspice of the God the Master Gardener, sowing and tending to seeds, helping raise them to maturity and harvest within His garden which is the kingdom of God.

That’s what the kingdom of God is like. That’s what Jesus is teaching us today.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at how the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. See you then.

Amen.                                                                                                                 
In Christ,
Mark
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