Growing in Christ

And he [Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29 ESV).

The people of Jesus’ day were primarily agricultural. They knew the principles of planting, growth, and harvest. Their lives depended on it. Our reading today draws attention to the planting cycle. The picture I’ve included today show the growth of a seed, as described in our verses today: the seed sprouts, the stalk grows, the tree forms, and eventually the full fruit develops. These pictures ought to be a reminder that we all grow in the Lord.

 

Jesus’ parable of the growing seed is well illustrated in the growth of the early church. The apostle Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6). It is amazing to me that even though a person can plant a seed, tend it, and watch it grow, all without knowing just how that happens. Even though scientists today can manipulate some things about plant genetics and growth, the process ­remains mysterious and can’t be forced. We do it and simply know it will work as we follow the necessary rules of the species.

 

Similarly, we cannot force spiritual growth; we cannot make people grow spiritually. The way God works in the heart of an individual is mysterious. A person can read God’s Word and be taught, but God’s work in someone’s heart is independent of human effort.

This kingdom parable illustrates for us that, by God’s power, we are able to respond and grow. Because we are made by God, we are able to respond to his prompting, able to respond to God’s Spirit. We can let the Holy Spirit work in our lives so that we will grow in him.

 

It also shows us that we should grow, ultimately producing fruit of some kind. The kind of fruit will always be positive and kingdom oriented, though it may not look the same. This is due to the gifts that each believer is given by the Holy Spirit. The interesting thing is not whether we are to be producing fruit, but what we are to be producing. And, while not everyone will have as much appreciation of our “fruit” as others, all is vital to the health of the community of faith. Paul said, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). Go ahead and grow!