Devotional Space for Grace | The Seed Growing Secretly | 12.21

[Jim]

THE PARABLES | The Seed Growing Secretly (Mark 4:26-29) ​

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God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows - he has no idea how it happens.

The earth does it all without his help …

Mark 4:26-27, The Message ​

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Context: This short parable regarding the sowing of the kingdom gospel is found only in the Gospel of Mark. The earlier parable of the soils described the various ways in which people were hearing and responding to the message, whereas this describes the work of the Spirit.




Meaning: Archaeologists found several jars of seeds in an Egyptian tomb which had been buried with the deceased person 3,000 years earlier. They planted them in good soil, and eventually the seeds germinated and tiny plants grew. A farmer’s part is simply to sow the seed, he has no control of the hidden germination and growth beneath the soil. He cannot force the process. The parable shows that only God’s Spirit germinates and gives salvation growth to the gospel seed sown in the heart. The Holy Spirit imperceptibly works underground to produce regeneration – imparting life, not a mere change of behaviour, in a new believer (John 3:5-8; 1 Cor 3:6-7; 1 Pet 1:23).


Application: The parable is not describing the need for improving evangelising skills, ingenious techniques or using pressure to get more members into a religious organisation. Rather, this is the imparting of the new birth by the Spirit. Our part is to receive grace ourselves and patiently display Christ in word or deed, in total reliance upon Him. The growth is gradual (Jas 5:7-8). Note “by itself” in verse 28 – the Greek autómatos - is used one other time in the NT, in Acts 12:10, when the prison gate opened by itself automatically. When the word of God is faithfully sown it will grow … there will be a harvest!

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Rely on the “Miracle Grow!” ​