Since the kingdom of God is unlike any other kingdom on earth, what can it be compared to? Jesus spoke 12 parables ( a simple story that is used to illustrate moral or spiritual lessons) relating to the Kingdom, to reveal to us 'the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God'. (Matthew 13:10-11, Luke 8:10)
PARABLE OF THE GROWING SEED.
"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) Speaking about the growth of the kingdom, Jesus compared it to the growth of a seed, because just like a seed, the Word of God has the vitality and vigour to sprout and grow by itself, once scattered in the hearts of men. "The seed is the word of God." ( Luke 8:11) The man who scatters the seed of the Word of God in the hearts of men, is a servant of the kingdom. He only recalls scattering the seed but "as he was scattering, some fell along the path ... some fell on the rock ... other seed fell among thorns ... still other fell on good soil." ( Vs 5-8) The next thing he sees is that some seeds have begun to grow 'night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up', meaning, it's beyond his scope of control and understanding! This is mystery of the kingdom of God; how the word of God is taking root in the hearts of more and more people and how many are being added to the kingdom of God, day after day. The world may call it "coerced conversions" but what coerced these genuine ones to believe, is the power of God and not the words of men. ( 1 Corinthians 2:4-5) Therefore, Paul wrote: 'The gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.' ( 1 Thessalonians 1:5) Therefore blame the conversions on the Word of God, because once sown in hearts of men, the seed begins its "covert" (secret) operations! It sends its roots down and shoots up and before long, he or she becomes a 'planting of the Lord'. ( Isaiah 61:3) All we got to do as servants of the kingdom, is to scatter the seed of the Word of God! And without us labouring, the seed begins to germinate by itself and to our surprise, men will begin to believe and confess the faith they once refuted and disbelieved. Our human role in converting a person is insignificant, because beyond planting and watering the seeds, we have nothing to do with its growth. 'So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow.' ( 1 Corinthians 3:7) God is the one who makes the soil produce grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. We are all in different stages of this process. The farmer doesn't wait for every single grain to ripe but puts the sickle when the harvest time comes. Some will be found with a kernel in the head while others will be found to be just chaff with no kernel in the head of the stalk. "His winnowing fork is in his hand and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:12) Are we blank heads or unfilled kernels? It's time we 'produce fruit ( of the Spirit ) in keeping with repentance' ( Matthew 3:8) before the harvest comes. And most importantly, don't forget to scatter the seed of the Word of God today. Amen.
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