One of my kids’ favorite places to go on vacation is Disney World, particularly Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is truly a Kingdom of Fun and Adventure! It is a place in which we can let our minds relax and enjoy the entertainment of the Kingdom. But it is a Kingdom that goes away once you step outside of it. You are only a part of the Kingdom when you are in it during operating hours. It is also a kingdom that you must pay a good amount of money to be able to enter, and once you enter, the enticement of spending more money is all around you. Disney World and the Magic Kingdom only bring about a temporary time of enjoyment and fun. The Kingdom we are going to examine today in our scripture passage is eternal, and it is one for which the price has been paid by the blood of Christ. It is also a Kingdom that spreads and grows as we share the Love of Christ with others, and they accept the gospel of Jesus. So, as we dive into this passage, we are going to look at two thoughts. First, the Kingdom grows by the work and grace of God. Secondly, the gospel planted in healthy soil grows and has a massive impact on those around us.
The Seed Growing
This parable speaks of the importance of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty. Jesus begins the parable by saying, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.” In the process of taking the gospel and spreading it, you and I have the responsibility of sharing Christ with all those that we encounter. We are the Sower, and the seed is the gospel. Just as we saw in the parable of the Sower, we are to distribute the gospel liberally, which means we are not examining the hearts of the hearers, but we are simply casting out the seed. The Sower is responsible for sowing, and the soil is responsible for receiving. Both the Sower and the Soil are responsible for what we do with the seed. As Sowers, we can only sow the seed, and the Soil can only receive it. Neither can make the seed grow, nor is it responsible for it. We are just responsible for the actions of sowing or receiving.
The second part of the parable speaks of the unknown of the growing. Jesus says this about the growing, “He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.” As humanity lives, God is the one who makes the seed grow. Once the gospel has been sown, it is God who does the work of producing a changed life. It is the Lord who brings the soil to life and allows the seed to take root within it. It is the Lord who produces a plant from the roots. And once the harvest is ready, the Lord takes the produce of the harvest and brings it to a place of completion.
The beauty of this parable is that you and I, as believers, are only responsible for sowing the seed, and the Lord is the one who produces the harvest. Once we throw the seed, we just watch what the Lord will do!
The Mustard Seed
In the second parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed. Which is extremely small! Matter of fact, it is so small that seeds can get lost in the crevice of your hand. What is amazing is that this tiny seed produces a bush that birds can land and rest upon!
What speaks to my heart in this parable is that we do not need massive production to see people saved. All we need to do is share the tiny details of the gospel, and God will do the work! The prophet Isaiah says this about the spreading of the Word: “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11). A simple state of Trust in the Lord, can be the small seed that needed to plant for God to water and grow it. A simple testimony of God is doing in our lives, can be taken and produce fruit from the Lord. All we have to do is be responsible with sharing the Love of Christ and the gospel, and let the Lord produce the increase from that.
Conclusion:
This is a simple conclusion for us. Spread the seed and watch God do the work! We are responsible for enticing people to follow Christ or even convincing them to do so. We are responsible for sowing the Seed. Our faithfulness to the gospel is part of the plan and majesty of the Kingdom growing. And the beauty of the Kingdom of God is that it is eternal, and the joy that comes with it is everlasting. It is also paid for by the blood of Christ. We simply receive the seed of the Kingdom and respond with a Yes, Lord and in that we will enjoy the Kingdom for eternity. So, sow seed and watch God do mighty work as He produces the harvest!
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