Lesson 8 The Parable of the Growing Seed

Lesson 8: The Parable of the Growing Seed

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “The kingdom of heaven…” – The kingdom, and specifically the growth of the kingdom, is the focus of this parable. – The idea of the kingdom of God has its root in the Old Testament. • God was King over His people in the OT (cf. Judg. 8: 23; 1 Sam. 8: 7; Psa. 103: 19). • Through the prophets, God promised He would establish a kingdom and reaffirm His kingly reign (Dan. 2: 44; Isa. 9: 6 -7; Jer. 30: 9). • John the Baptist came preparing for the kingdom.

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “The kingdom of heaven…” – The kingdom, and specifically the growth of the kingdom, is the focus of this parable. – The idea of the kingdom of God has its root in the Old Testament. – Jesus came preaching the kingdom is at hand (Mark 1: 15). – The kingdom was established in Acts 2. – The kingdom was a present reality in the first century (cf. Col. 1: 13; Heb. 12: 28).

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “The kingdom of heaven is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground” – This parable is about how the kingdom grows. – The kingdom cannot and will not grow separate from the seed (i. e. , the Word of God, Lk. 8: 11).

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “And [the sower] should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how” – The growth of the kingdom IS FROM GOD. – The seed is sown & then left to work its power. – Natural or acquired talents of the sower will not substitute for the power that is in the seed/word. God has placed life in the seed (cf. John 6: 63); it “germinates” when sown in good soil. – When sown, the seed works regardless of the awareness or lack of it on the part of the sower.

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “And [the sower] should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how” – The growth of the kingdom IS FROM GOD. – No one can explain how things grow. Man does not understand how a seed has life within it, or how it germinates and grows in good soil. – Man certainly has responsibilities—prepare the soil, fertilize it, weed it, plant the seed, etc. – But this parable emphasizes that man cannot make the seed grow. Only God can do that!

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “…sleep…rise…sprout and grow…the blade…the head…the full grain in the head” – The growth of the kingdom IS GRADUAL. – The kingdom, a convert or a mature Christian did not and do not spring up in a moment. – One cannot rush the growth of the seed. – While one can detect the result of growth, the process of growth is imperceptible. It is gradual! • A scientist is not made in a day. A language is not learned overnight. Even more true of divine things.

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “…sleep…rise…sprout and grow…the blade…the head…the full grain in the head” – The growth of the kingdom IS GRADUAL. – Conversion to Christ is a gradual process. • The seed must be planted. • The seed must be watered. • The seed must be given time to germinate. • The conversion process cannot be rushed. • Someone else may see the harvest of the seed you sow. You may see the harvest of the seed someone else sowed. Important: No room for boasting on our part! Only God gets the credit!

Mark 4: 26 -29 The Parable of the Growing Seed: The Narrative • “…sleep…rise…sprout and grow…the blade…the head…the full grain in the head” – The growth of the kingdom IS GRADUAL. – Conversion to Christ is a gradual process. – God can! God knows! • “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55: 11). – Thus, we must sow and water continually. And, we must be patient! (cf. 2 Tim. 4: 2)