Greetings, Friends of God,
Today, let’s explore an essential attitude we should embrace when sharing the gospel with the world:
“The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he sleeps and rises, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know.”
Mark 4:26-27
Here, we see Jesus sharing a series of parables with His disciples and other listeners. At this point, Jesus illustrates how the news about the kingdom of God spreads among people.
Jesus compares the kingdom of God to someone sowing a seed into the soil. Earlier in chapter 4, Jesus shared a similar parable, focusing on the types of soils the seed lands on. In that parable, Jesus emphasized that different kinds of soils produce varied results, determining whether the seed will grow into a fully matured tree that bears fruit.
In the parable from verse 26, the focus shifts from the types of soil to the sower. We observe the attitude of the sower as he plants the seed.
Jesus explains that the sower casts the seed on the ground and then goes to sleep. Over time, the seed sprouts and grows. Here, Jesus makes an interesting observation: the sower does not know how the seed grows.
It’s important to note Jesus’ explanation of the first parable of the sower:
“The sower sows the word.”
Mark 4:14
With this explanation, we see that the same sower returns to spread the word, which is the seed. In the second parable, we learn that the sower’s attitude is one of complete confidence. The sower trusts the process without needing to understand every detail of how the seed grows into a fruitful tree. The sower knows that his role is simply to plant the seed and allow the process to unfold.
From the earlier parable, we understand that not all seeds will bear fruit. Some seeds may not even grow into fully matured trees. However, this does not deter the sower from planting seeds.
This parallels the experience of believers sharing the gospel. As believers, we plant the word of God in people’s hearts. Like the sower, we know that not every seed will bear fruit. Nonetheless, we should share the same attitude as the sower in the parable.
This attitude means that despite knowing not all seeds will grow, we recognize that the process is not in our control. Like the sower, we do not fully understand the background processes that bring about the growth and bearing of fruit from the planted seed.
The parable tells us that the sower goes to sleep and waits for the harvest. This mirrors the believer’s attitude: faithfully sharing the gospel and trusting God to work in the hearts of the listeners.
In this parable, we see that it is the Word of God that affects change in the listener. The focus should not be on the style or the individual delivering the gospel. Instead, we should depend on the transformative power of God’s Word.
When we share the gospel, it is not about us, our eloquence, or the promises we make. Our full dependence should be on God’s power to transform the hearts of unbelievers.
In the next verses, Jesus continues to explain the growth process:
“The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
Mark 4:28-29
We see the sower returning at harvest time, reflecting the joy of witnessing God’s work in the lives of those who have heard and accepted the gospel.
Key Points to Remember When Sharing the Gospel:
- God is the one who causes growth.
- The response of the unbeliever is not dependent on our methodology or skill in sharing the gospel.
- We should always trust God to work according to His divine will.
I pray that this message reminds you that sharing the gospel is all about God. We can rest easy, knowing that our role is to preach the accurate and pure Word of God.
Blessings,
Paul
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