Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Why do we come here? Why bother with this blog? I think the answer might be in today’s verse.
This passage, in the context of John’s gospel, is about Jesus. Like a seed, Jesus has to die before he can bear fruit for heaven. Without redemption for sins, His creation stands condemned. Both He and the Father are righteous and just. They would have to be honest with themselves and find that the whole thing has to be chucked into the garbage bin.
By dying on the cross in the manner He does, Jesus makes it possible to redeem His creation. He now has the power to say to each of us, “Your sins are paid for. You are mine.” In this way, he redeems His creation so it can be salvaged from the trash.
During his ministry, Jesus used seeds as an illustration to explain several heavenly concepts. One of those concepts was the work he was doing on earth (1). He also uses the metaphor for seeds to explain the Kingdom of Heaven (2) and the concept of Faith itself (3). In Mark 4: 28 – 29 Jesus uses the seed illustration to explain that it is not the gardener who makes things grow, but God. Finally, we get to today’s verse where Jesus uses the seed allegory to explain his reason for dying on the cross. He also alludes to our own need to die to this world.
So why bother with this blog?
If we carry Jesus’ use of the seed metaphor out a little farther, we can apply it to these verses we study. Each one represents a little seed. Our minds are like soil. If we plant one seed at a time, that seed will take root and grow.
There are larger seeds, of course. The message of the Gospel is straightforward: Look to Jesus for salvation! (John 3: 14-15) Yet having looked to Jesus it is not enough to only glance at Him. We need more, and we need to keep our eyes on Him. Taking in His word, one seed at a time, is a way of doing that.
(1) The Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13: 3 – 23, Mark 4, 3 – 9, Luke 8: 4 – 8
The Parable of the Sower, Explained: Mark 4: 10 – 20, Luke 8: 9 – 15
The Parable of Bags of Gold: Matthew 25: 24 – 27
(2) The Parable of the Mustard Seed: Matthew 13: 31-32, Mark 4: 30 – 32, Luke 13: 18 – 19
(3) Faith as a Mustard Seed: Matthew 17: 20
Let’s Discuss: Does this kind of on-line discussion about the Word have value? Do you find that the seeds planted here actually grows?
I think this website can encourage brothers to be in the Word daily. I also think it challenges to think about the Word in a way we haven’t before.
Thinking is hard to measure or quantify.
Robster,
Thinking, real thinking, is one of the greatest challenges I know. Anyone who is willing to engage in thinking about God’s Word has my appreciation and my admiration.
I agree Robster. There are a lot of distractions in the world and everyone is busy and it is easy to let the most important thing – our relationship with our Savior, take a back seat. We then become disconnected for a day, then a day turns into a week, a month, etc. This blog is a seed planted that we can reflect on through the day that hopefully will continue to grow and bear fruit. We need to take such opportunities to stay connected to the heart of the Father.
Thank you, Rich. I appreciate your faithfulness and your insights!
I agree with you both! For me it is an opportunity to daily grow in God’s word with other Christians. In a world of business and distraction the close knit communities of faith can seem like a distant ideal. I am greatly blessed by the opportunity to be a part of a daily bible study with my brothers in Christ.
My favorite tree is the Coastal Redwood. It is majestic, beautiful, and interesting. The trees have a level of unity and support for the others of their kind that is rare in trees. They rarely stand alone in a forest, but instead cluster together – supporting one another with a root system that intertwines between all the individuals. The individual trees will even merge together to become one larger tree or several interconnected trees. The largest merged tree I found in hiking around included 11 large trees that merged into one stump. The whole is far greater than the sum of the parts. For me this has always been an illustration of the unity and support I desire to see in the church. We are all indwelt by the Holy Spirit and we are all to support/encourage/exhort one another – growing together as one body.
Nathan,
Your Costal Redwood imagery is beautiful! I guess I would add that if our “roots” are in God’s Word, we can never truly be “stumped!” 🙂
What this site brings to mind is Proverbs 27:17 which speaks about as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another.
Nice to be the beneficiary of real thinking taking place here, don’t often comment but we use this as part of a nightly devotion so there are eyes-on even if words aren’t.
Another this is that after you thought that your seeds of th had word were done. They are still sprouting up in others later on.