Planting Seed

Mark 4:26–29 CSB

26 “The kingdom of God is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain on the head. 29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

We Sow, God Grows

It is important to not be discouraged in sharing the gospel - God is responsible for bringing the seed to marurity.

Be encouraged - the harvest WILL come.

Matthew 13:24–30 CSB

24 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. 26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ 28 “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he told them. “ ‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him. 29 “ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”

Matthew 13:36–43 CSB

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

- This parable varies from the previous one - here Jesus is the One who sows instead of “a man” - the emphasis is on the two types of seed sown and by whom.

God only sows good seed.

The devil is at work in the field too.

The devil is the great imitator - a tare resembles wheat especially in the early stages of growth and even the end result is close.

The devil works in secret (at night).

The enemy’s intent was to destroy the good seed.

God’s grace and mercy allow both seeds to grow.

Removing the bad seed would destroy the good seed (remember the flood).

This speaks to the question of evil in the world.

There are only two options in the final harvest.

You are either a child of God or you are not… there is no middle option.

A child of God will enter the kingdom of God but a child of the enemy will be cast into the fire (notice it doesn’t say they are destroyed in the furnace).