The Mystery of How it all Grows

INTRODUCTION: Turn to Mark 4:26
“We aren’t PHYSICAL PEOPLE having a SPIRITUAL experience. We are SPIRITUAL people having a PHYSICAL experience!”

This is our true nature – we are people of the Spirit of God.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

Given that we are members of God’s Kingdom – we need to know how to live as members of God’s Kingdom.

What are the SECRETS of the Kingdom of God?

Last week – in the Parable of the Seed and Soils – we discovered that:
KS 1: The Seed of God’s Word – Christ – can turn any life into a fruitful life!

And today – we are going to see this:
KS 2: The Seed of God’s Word – Christ – grows on it’s own!

“He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn--first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29

Now – let’s go through these words of Jesus – line by line – and gather the gold! But – again, like last week, we need a spirit of revelation to come upon us that we might move past the OBVIOUS and experience the secrets of the Kingdom.

PRAYER FOR REVELATION

“He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.” V. 26

1. GOD’S KINGDOM INCLUDES HUMAN INVOLVEMENT.

We get to scatter the seed. In fact, this is our responsibility and privilege.

How do we scatter the seed of Christ?

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”” John 13:35
ß Love each other.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
ß Care for the weak.
ß Live as members of God’s Kingdom

That’s it. Now look at verse 27 and the first part of 28:
“Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn…” v. 27-28a

2. God’s Kingdom Grows on its Own.

I love this verse – ‘whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows…’ What Christ is saying is simple: “Yes, God uses us for His purposes. And our role is to scatter seeds. But – we can’t make ANYTHING GROW! No matter what we do – there is one thing we cannot do: Create LIFE where there is no life!”

That’s God’s job. God is the giver of life.

“Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.” Genesis 1:11

“For as the soil makes the young plant come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” Isaiah 61:11

God’s seed – the Word of Christ – scattered, is able to produce a harvest on it’s own.

God is Sovereign. God is able to create life where there is no life. He, and He alone, produces harvest.

What does this mean? It means stop the senseless worry. It means stop trying to force things to happen. It means to REST. Yes, while there is daylight, scatter seed. But then go home and go to bed. Rest in the promises of God. Experience peace. Let the peace of God enable you to put your head on the pillow and enjoy rest.

Can you imagine a farmer – who gets up in the middle of the night to inspect his seeds. What would happen, if in his fear and insecurity, he went out into the field at 3Am and dug up the seeds to see if they were growing? He’d kill the seed.

God says to us very clearly today: Scatter the seed and then rest in Him.

Do you see where verse 27 says: “though he doesn’t know how…” The power of the Gospel is a mystery. In one moment there is no faith, no life – and in the next moment, faith erupts and life begins. It’s a mystery. The Gospel has a power that we cannot understand or fully explain. All I know is – when a person chooses faith – life erupts! And that is a “God-thing”.

Now – I want us to look at verse 27 & 28:
“Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn--first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.” V. 27-28

3. God’s Kingdom Work Happens in Stages.
I see five stages to God’s work in our life:
Stage 1: “Sprout” – A New life in Christ!
Stage 2: “Grows” – A Reestablished life in Christ!
Stage 3: “Stalk” – A Life of Freedom in Christ!
Stage 4: “Ear” – A Maturing Life in Christ!
Stage 5: “Full Grain” – A Full and Complete Life in Christ!

Stage 1: “Sprout” – A New life in Christ!
This is the moment of conversion and conception. When a human sperm fertilizes a human egg, life is formed. With all the potential for a fully developed human being! Where there was not life, suddenly, in an instant, life exists.

When a person receives Christ by faith, something powerful happens. We are ‘born from above’ – we become a new creation – we are adopted into the family of God – we are given an inheritance that cannot be taken away!

And just like the woman rarely knows she is pregnant at the moment of conception, very few new believer’s have a clue what just happened – all they know is that they decided to believe.

It’s important to note that a ‘sprout’ is very vulnerable. Too much sunlight can burn the sprout. Too much water can drown them, not enough water can kill them. A New Christian is vulnerable. But – and here’s the good news: God is able to protect us through this stage!

Now, as the work of Christ begins to develop the new believer, they move to the next stage:
Stage 2: “Grows” – A Reestablished life in Christ!
The little sprout begins to grow and get established. They aren’t nearly as vulnerable as they were before. They can take a little heat, they can take a bit of drought. They are tougher.

For the believer, as we grow, we get reestablished in Christ! We begin to build our lives on Him, and we turn away from false foundations. We move off the beach and onto the rock. Our lives become stable and more secure in Christ!

And as we continue to grow…
Stage 3: “Stalk” – A Life of Freedom in Christ!
Our lives stretch out and grow upward. We aren’t held back by the immature things that we used to cling to. We get free of bondage. Instead, we see that a life in Christ leads to true freedom. I don’t need the things that I used to think were indispensable. My life is being built in Christ!

And then, something amazing happens:
Stage 4: “Ear” – A Maturing Life in Christ!
As I become established and free in Christ, something begins to grow on me – it’s different than the stalk. My life spreads out and I begin to impact others positively. I’m able – in Christ – to touch people in ways that I never was able to do before. In fact, where before I thought that life was all about me, I’m coming to see that my life can help others in their journey.

And then, He produces…
Stage 5: “Full Grain” – A Full and Complete Life in Christ!
This is the will of God – He wants you to experience FULLNESS in Him! He wants your life to become an accurate reflection of who He is. And that means that your life will produce good fruit. You will lack no good thing – and in fact – you will be used by Him to change the world!

Now – look at verse 29:
“As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” V. 29

4. GOD’S KINGDOM INCLUDES HUMAN INVOLVEMENT.

Point #4 is the same as Point #1 – God uses us to scatter seed. And then, when He has produced the life and growth that results in fruit, He uses us to go out into the field and bring in the Harvest.
How cool is that?

Do you know when harvest happens? At just the right time. Which is why we need to be keenly aware of what God is doing!

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25, NIV.

Jesus sends out 72 people to go before him to the villages and towns of Israel and He says:
“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Luke 10:2

Three things I want you to get from this:
1. There are plenty of people ready to be harvested into God’s Kingdom.
2. There is a lack of harvesters.

Why is there a lack of harvesters? Because we aren’t walking in step with the Spirit of God. We are oblivious to what God is doing around us.

And 3. Pray for harvesters.
Jesus says: Pray that God will raise up people who are in touch with Him and His activity, that the harvest might be brought in.

The Seed of God’s Word – Christ – grows on it’s own!

Here’s the word from the Lord: “You plant the seed. Love people. Invest in people. Demonstrate in your life the love of Christ! And then – go to bed! Rest! Sleep! Be confident! Do not worry. Do not fret. Do not ‘make things happen.’ I am God. I am the giver of life. My seed grows on it’s own. I will bring about my will. I will cause the growth – at just the right time. And when it happens, I’ll let you bring in the harvest that I’ve created.”