MEDITATIONS FROM THE PARABLES OF JESUS

THE SEED AND ITS GROWTH

Read Mark 4:26-29

This parable of Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a man who sows his seed and waits until the seed of itself springs up and grows, maturing until the harvest. Then the farmer puts in the sickle for the harvest. The farmer can only sow good seed, cultivate the crops, and wait for the fruit to mature. He himself cannot make the seed grow and produce fruit.

The kingdom of God is like this in that all we as Christians can do is sow the pure Word of God. We cannot make it grow or produce fruit. The power to create spiritual life and produce fruit lies in God's Word and not in us as the sowers. It is our task to sow the Word of God; but the results must be left up to the Holy Ghost, who brings people to saving faith in Jesus Christ and also sanctifies them through God's Word. We cannot see how faith is created in the heart, nor should we expect to harvest immediately after the seed is sown. Our Lord has given us the simple task of sowing the good seed of God's Word. The rest is up to Him!

Let us then diligently sow the Word! By means of God's Law, the Holy Ghost will convict men of their sins and show them their guilt before the Almighty God. By means of the Gospel, He will comfort them with the assurance that their sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus Christ's holy life and innocent sufferings and death in their stead. If we only sow the Word, we need not worry about the results. They remain in God's hands, and He has promised that His Word will not return unto Him void (cf. Isaiah 55:10-11). Let us sow the Word and await the harvest!

On what has now been sown Thy blessing, Lord, bestow; the pow'r is Thine alone to make it spring and grow. Do Thou in grace the harvest raise, and Thou alone shalt have the praise. Amen. (TLH, Hymn #46, Verse 1)

Meditations from the Parables of Jesus Index