Read Mark 4:26-29 and 1 Corinthians 3:6
1.The planting of the seed.
2.The growing and maturing of the seed into corn.
3.The reaping and harvest of that corn!!
1 Corinthians 3:6- “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God makes it grow.”
CONTEXT: In Mark 4, Jesus presents 3 parables about the Kingdom of God that involve seeds!! The first in Mark 4:3-20 is the parable of the sower and refers to the seed as the word of God and talks about the different heart responses to the word of God!!
The third parable is mentioned in Mark 4:30-32 and likens the spread of the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed which even though it starts off as the smallest seed, grows into the largest of trees that provides shelter, food, protection and comfort for all who nest in it! What started off as very small (Just Jesus and His twelve disciples initially in Jerusalem) would grow/spread throughout the whole world to become the biggest Kingdom of all, impacting all the earth!! (Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19)
But today, we will focus on the second parable.
Read Mark 4:26-29
MEANING OF MARK 4:26-29
Context: This parable seems to focus on the process of the word of God/good news of Jesus (and therefore Kingdom of God) being spread and the stages of growth as it miraculously bears fruit and grows in a person (by God) unto maturity until the harvest!!
1.THE PLANTING OF THE SEED:
vs 26- the seed according to the previous parable in Mark 4:14 could represent the word of God and therefore the spreading of the Kingdom of God as the gospel is shared!!
vs 27- reminds us that even though we help scatter the seed, just as the farmer does not know how the seed sprouts and grows, it is GOD WHO MIRACULOUSLY MAKES THAT SEED GROW (1 Corinthians 3:6)!! Let us therefore not become discouraged when we share the gospel and it looks like there are no immediate results, because our job is to just plant the seed of the gospel by God's grace, but it is Jesus, by The Holy Spirit who will miraculously stir them to saving faith and maturity!! We don't need to convince them into the kingdom of God. Once we share the gospel, let God do His work!!
WE DO NOT KNOW HOW GOD DOES THIS!! Praise you Jesus! You work in the unseen and do the miraculous!!
vs 27- the seed sprouting and growing also reminds us that the gospel will bear fruit all over the world!! (Colossians 1:6)
2.THE GROWTH AND MATURITY OF THE SEED INTO CORN:
vs 28- shows us that MATURITY AND GROWTH TAKES TIME! First the stalk is produced, then the ear, then the full grain! (James 5:7-8 just like the farmer must be patient for the crops, likewise we must be patient)
In this parable, we could be both, the man who scatters the seed (1 Corinthians 3:6), and the seed that is bearing fruit and maturing until the harvest (Matthew 13:30)!
This parable also shows us there is a time to scatter seed, a time for the seed to grow and bear fruit (MATURE), and then a time for it to be harvested!!
But remember, the seed that is planted, doesn't stay a seed, it becomes corn!! Likewise the seed of the gospel that is planted in us cannot remain a seed, but MUST GROW IN US to become corn. We must grow to bear fruit in our faith!! We Cannot remain stagnant, WE MUST MATURE IN OUR FAITH IN JESUS! (Hebrews 5:12-14, 1 Peter 2:2-3)
3.THE REAPING AND HARVEST OF THE CORN:
In vs 29, Jesus reminds us that a time is coming when there will be a harvest of the grain!! Matthew 13:29-30, 40-43 puts it this way, in that when Jesus comes again in the harvest, He will separate the wheat from the weeds and burn the weeds in the fire in judgement, while gathering the wheat into His barn for eternal life!! THE HARVEST IS COMING!
So the question is:
Q1. ARE YOU SCATTERING THE SEED OF THE WORD? How faithful have you been in evangelising to others about the good news of our wonderful Jesus, knowing that it is Jesus who supernaturally stirs the heart to salvation?
Q2. ARE YOU MATURING IN YOUR FAITH IN JESUS AND BEARING FRUIT FOR HIM? We cannot stay as milk-drinking infants in our faith, but must move on to solid food as we grow in our faith in Jesus!!
Remember that only the seeds that have become corn will be harvested and kept!! If it remains a seed, or does not fully grow, it will be thrown out. Likewise, it is only those who bear fruit (the evidence of truly being saved by Jesus- Eg. Mark 4:20- seed that fell on good soil) that will be with Jesus when He comes in the harvest!!
THE HARVEST IS COMING! WILL YOU BE READY?
God bless!
Comentarios