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weekly sermon 6-21-09 Plant And Grow
I was looking at some scriptures this week, searching for something for fathers day, and one section interested me the most and I thought it would be great to bring this to the masses concerning our greatest Father. I know you must already be asking yourself, what does honoring our Father have to do with planting and growing, as referenced in the title. Well let us dig around and find out.
Turn with me to a parable that Jesus spoke of in Mark 4:26-29, "And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; (27)And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. (28)For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. (29)But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come."
When we read this parable what is it that we learn from it? The first thing we see is the Kingdom of God is being compaired to a man planting seed in the ground. Then we see the man should now forget about the seed he has planted by going to sleep, rising day and night, and allowing the seed to do it's own thing, never worrying about what is happening to the seed in the ground. As it states, the man does not know how the seed grows up and becomes a plant, he just knows that it does. This is also how the Kingdom of God works. Allow me to explain.
God has established His Kingdom in the hearts of man through his Son Jesus Christ. Luke 17:20-21, "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: (21)Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Jesus is telling the Pharisees that the Kingdom is not coming, as something they can see, but is already here in them. Now I know that I have kind of went off course with what we were talking about, but give me a few minutes and I will tie it all together.
Even though God has established His Kingdom in the hearts of men, He has appointed men as His co-workers in both the physical and spiritual realms. The farmer sows the seeds in the fields and then waits for them to grow. In the spiritual sphere, we speak and demonstrate the Word of God to everyone we meet and then we wait for God to cause it to grow in their lives. Luke 8:11, "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." As we can see we are all really farmers, but the seeds we sow are the words of God and we allow God to make them grow, just as the seeds grow in the ground, us not knowing how, so is the same for the Word of God. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (7)So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." As we can see in Corinthians we plant, then it is watered, but God is the one that gives the growth, or increase. When we plant a seed, we do not know how it grows, nor do we know how the Word of God works in anothers life, we are to just allow it to work.
When a seed is planted, it contains the power of life inside the seed, this is how it grows to a plant. Just as the seed contains the power of life, so does the Word of God. All we are supposed to do is spread the word and God will cause the power of life in the word to grow in the person's life.
Remember in the first passages of scripture we looked at, we seen the man plant the seed and then not worry about it again, just slept, rose, and went about his usual daily business. The same holds true when we sow the word in those around us. Do not fret or get frustrated because you do not see something happening after you have told someone about God. You do not get to look into the ground to see how the seed is growing into a plant. You never see the seed again, you only see the plant when it grows out of the ground. This same concept holds true in the spiritual realm. We are to just sow the word, give it time to grow, and allow the Holy Spirit to do it's work. When the seed you have sown has sprang to life, then and only then will you see the results of your sowing.
Since I have mentioned about seeing the results of the sowing, I want us to look at something else. We are never to sow the Word of God for the purpose of seeing the results. If we sow for this purpose, then we are being selfish to ourselves. We are wanting to boast, even if only to our selves, of what it is we have just done. The springing up of the seed into the plant, or the Word into the person's life, comes from a Greek word meaning germinate. In both cases, something was germinated, whether the seed into the plant, or the word into the person's life. If you think about it, a man made seed will never germinate and turn into a plant. This also means in the spiritual realm, no man made word will spring into an action in the person's life. This truth is shown to us in Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The Greek words used here for quick and powerful, translate to living (quick) and energizing (powerful). This tells us that the Word of God is a living word, that when planted in another's life, it germinates and grows, under the energizing of God.
Now that we have planted the seed in the ground and it has sprouted into a plant it will grow up to a full grown plant, ready for harvest. In the Word of God it stated that once we have sown the word in a person's heart, we are to allow it to grow up. The Greek words used for grow up is translated to mean lengthen. Once again this action is something that God takes care of in His time. Just as the farmer does not disturb the small plant during it's growth, neither are we to mess with the young believer, wanting them to mature faster, spiritually.
Finally all the farmer's hard work has paid off. The seed was planted, grew into a blade, then into an ear, and finally the full corn on the ear. Mark 4:28, "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." The same action MUST happen in spiritual growth also. The Word of God is planted, it grows in the person's heart, sprouts into a young believer, then finally into a full grown Christian.
Once the ear is full of corn it is time to pluck the ear of corn from the field and the exact moment. You do not want to pick the corn too early or it will not be ripe and you do not want to pick it so late that it rots, so it is picked at just the right time. The same holds true with the new Christian. You do not want to try to rush the believer or the word will not be planted in their hearts long enough to take root and too late they will not understand what was supposed to happen to them.
Just as the farmer knows the proper time to harvest the fruit he has planted, God knows the proper time to call us into action to assist the new believer with the needs necessary to benefit the body of Christ and help them in their Christian growth. Ephesians 4:16, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." We can see from this verse that it is necessary to work every part at the proper time that it may edify God in love. When it says it is edifying itself, that means, edifying the Word, which is in itself, God. John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Here it says that the word was God, showing us that edifying in itself is edifying God.
As this Sunday comes, if we want to honor our Father, then let us honor our Heavenly Father. The way to honor our true Father, is to sow His words in the hearts of man, allow it to grow, and harvest it, at His desired time, to edify the true Grace of God. We must remember we only have one Father, that is our Father in Heaven. Matthew 23:9, "And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
Do you know this Grace of God? Have you ever had the Word of God planted in your heart? Are you ready for the harvest of this word to turn you into a true believing Christian? If you have said yes to any of these questions, then all you have to do is say a simple prayer with me. Say this simple prayer with me, Dear Lord, I want you to be the Lord over my life, forgive me of my sins, and give me the gift of everlasting life. Amen.
If you have said this simple prayer, then we believe that you have received salvation. We would love to rejoice with you, so please drop us a note, in our link, to let us know and confess Jesus before man, so that we may send you a few things that we hope will help you in your new Christian walk.
With Love in Christ, Pastor Stone
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