Springs Of Life Bible Church - Seed Growing Secretly

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		Seed Growing Secretly

THE KINGDOM PARABLES OF JESUS
Seed Growing Secretly
Mark 4:26-29

INTRODUCTION
The parable of the seed growing secretly is the only parable in Mark’s Gospel that is not found in any other gospel (it is exclusive to Mark).

Mark is not known for discourses; instead, it is a narrative where Jesus is portrayed as a man on a mission.

Mark is not interested in expanding the number of parables.

THE PARABLE ITSELF
Because the parable of the Seed Growing Secretly lacks many details, it is not complicated to understand.

The farmer tills the earth, plants the seed, fertilizes and weeds, but the actual miraculous growth from seed to grain is up to God.

God’s part is the creation of the soil, the seed, the water, the sunshine and the miraculous process of the seed becoming a full head of wheat. The farmer must prepare the soil, sow the seed, fertilize, weed and wait for God to cause the increase so that he can harvest the fields and provide for his family.

The farmer must leave the sprouting, the growing, the pollinating, and the maturing to God. The weather, of course, is totally in God’s sovereign control, and the farmer must trust Him completely.

The farmer is only a worker who, at the proper time, sows and reaps. God holds the secret of life. God is in sovereign control of all things, even the growing of wheat.

INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE

The manifestation of God’s kingdom follows the faithful ministry of God’s Word. The one leads to the other, and nothing happens without the invisible working power of God.

The lesson of the parable is that victory is sure; the harvest is approaching and will arrive at the very moment decided in God’s eternal plan. Then God’s kingdom will be revealed in all its glory and splendor.

In the parable, the farmer is only the means God uses to accomplish His end. He sows the seed and day by day does the necessary work—he goes about his business. He is confident that the harvest will eventually come.

Likewise, believers proclaiming the gospel of God’s grace are the means God uses to accomplish His end of bringing sinners to faith in His Son Jesus Christ. They too must stand aside while God performs the unseen work of bringing dead sinners to life and to repentance and faith in His Son until the harvest is complete.

As we are faithful ministers of God’s word, we will see the results in due time. Therefore, we should not become discouraged when we do not see immediate results.

This parable teaches sowers of God’s Word to be patient. It reminds us that our responsibility is to sow the seed, and God’s responsibility is to bring forth the harvest when and where He pleases.

Just as the wheat comes to maturity at the right time, so the fruit of the believer’s labors will eventually appear at God’s time. Thus believers should take courage and continue their work in proclaiming the gospel to all who will listen, leaving the results up to God.

The farmer is a type of believer; the seed is a type of the Word, the gospel; scattering seed on the ground is a type of the believer spreading the gospel to a lost and dying world.

The effectiveness of the Word is dependant upon the unseen work of God as He attends the word with power and conviction, raising dead sinners to life and bringing them to faith in His Son.

The believer’s responsibility is to spread the word. If God is pleased to bring forth fruit, the believer harvests the souls that God has saved and begins the process of teaching them and assimilating them into the church.

In the meantime, believers need to be faithful in proclaiming the gospel and be patient for God to do His mysterious work of regeneration.