Power of the Seed

Intro

There is an expectation quotient.

What I mean is, there is an expected measured response for every action.

Similar to Newton’s 3rd law, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

But every action, has an expected response and result.

If I blow on a tree, I expect very little will happen.

If I blow on a dandelion a different expectation...

If I do the dishes expected result.

If I forget to do the dishes when asked...

You get the idea!

There is an expected response for planting.

It’s called growth.

Kids seed planting project.

Excited because the expectation is that a plant will soon be in the place of the seed.

God also expects growth. (it’s the expected result of a planting)

Mark 4:26-34

“Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. (under the ground) The earth produces the crops on its own. (greek automatically) First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything …”

In order to understand the kingdom of God and what God is wanting to do in and through me in this life, Jesus wants us to understand some principals of planting.

Seeds are expected to grow.

We also expect that WHAT is planted is WHAT will grow.

the seed determines the plant.

Sowing and reaping.

Easy right.

You can’t get a an apple with the seed of an onion, or an onion with the seed of an apple.

Both are great, but doesn’t work in the place of the other.

Gal 6:7-8

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”

Everything begins with a seed.

People, plants, thoughts, actions etc.

It begins with a seed.

What is put in.

We expect that what’s planted will grow.

IT MATTERS WHAT YOU’RE PLANTING.

To check what your sowing, look at what’s growing!

What is the fruit of your life?

Inspect the fruit.

What is coming out of you.

Inspect your own fruit, (not someone else’s)

Gal 5:19-23

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

Describing 2 different kinds of fruit.

Is there there honestly some pretty moldy, nasty, ugly fruit??

Angry, mean, short tempered, judgmental, self centered (no time for others), stuck in sin.

This isn’t the fruit of life. But is is the fruit of what’s been planted.

If you’re real bold, ask someone you love to inspect the fruit.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE FRUIT, CHANGE THE SEED.

5 Practices of Seed Planting.

“The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground

1. SIFT THE SEED

The farmer reaches in to grab a handful of corn seeds.

What if other seeds were mixed in, weeds, thorns etc.

He won’t just grow what he want’s, but what he plants.

It’s not just a fruit problem its a seed problem.

Too often we want things to be different in life, but only make surface, superficial level.

Try to hid the fruit. try to act differently for a season.

But we need to look deeper at, what it is that i’ve allowed be be planted in my life that is growing this fruit.

It could be seeds that others planted.

It’s time to sift.

What is it that is going into my life.

We can’t be surprised when what has went into our lives comes out.

Before God can shift, we need to let him sift.

DOES MY PRODUCE LOOK LIKE GOD’S PROMISES?

Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows

2. SOW THEN REAP

A Farmer has faith has he plants.

Believing that what is put in, will produce.

he knows what he can intentionally do and the rest is god.

We can’t reap without sowing.

What are we intentionally putting into our lives?

Without intentionality, weeds grow.

Rhythms, Habits, People.

Rhythms.

How you spend your time and energy.

do you have healthy, god honoring rhythms of life?

Habits.

What you consistently do.

People.

Who it is that

Start planting with Godly rhythms, habits and people.

is God and your love ones just getting left overs or your best?

Are you practicing giving God first, rest

If not an overwhelmed, overextended grow fruit of worried, anxious, fearful, disconnected life.

What are your Godly habits?

What are you doing everyday to plant godly seeds into your life?

is there time alone with God? Time in his word, moments in worship?

You are a product of what you consistently do.

Who is in your circle?

They are helping plant. (influence)

It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants

3. SMALL SEEDS = BIG YEILDS

It may not feel like what your’e doing today matters, but it does.

Don’t despise the small and consistent.

This works on both sides.

The big mac every day that we don’t notice does anything in the moments, day by day, night by night is increasing...

That word or show, or seeming small compromise.

healthy does the same.

The small things,

attending today, reading the word.

God is growing. He grows. it’s him.

What may feel small isn’t.

but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens

4. PATIENT IN THE PROCESS

Back to the kid seed in a cup project.

Staring at it, Everyday going to the window seal…

It can feel like nothing is happening. Even discouraging.

This isn’t working!

Gal 6:9

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

There is a process to the planting.

and what God is growing in us isn’t always on our timetable.

Don’t get impatient with what God is doing in your life.

Wait on the right harvest, not just a harvest.

Too often we can get impatient and want to help God out.

We overestimate what will happen in the short term and underestimate what God will do in the long term.

Keep planting. Keep going.

Do the next right thing.

The Next thing that honors God.

The next thing that serves others.

And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.

5. HARVEST IS COMING

It’s matters what my life is producing.

It matters the fruit I bear.

the harvest of what my life produces is coming.

Your life is headed in the direction of producing more and more to be like Jesus, or more and more to be less like Jesus.

What will your harvest look like is the seed doesn't change?

CONCLUSION

The expectation is that planted things grow.

What is growing in your life?

What does the fruit show?

Wrong fruit? Let’s change the seed.

Hosea 10:12

“Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of (my) love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.”