Self Growing Seed/Mustard Seed

[Swan7]

Self Growing Seed
Mark 4:26-29​

“The Kingdom of God is like this: Like a man scatters seed on the ground. And he sleeps and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows - he does not know how. By itself the soil produces a crop: first the grass, then the head of grain, then the full grain in the head (kernels). But when the crop is ripe, he sends in the sickle straight away, because the harvest has come.” - Jesus Christ

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There’s a few things that struck me right away: words like man, seed, soil, harvest. This parable reminds me of the previous one about The Sower, which can be found here --> The Sower.

In this parable about the self growing seed, we learn the man is not God, but human and more specifically Christian due to the words: “he does not know how”, meaning he doesn’t know how the seed becomes a crop. These are the secret workings of God that we do not see. God is not only at the forefront, but also behind the scenes and deep within our heart as the good soil.
Interestingly, the seed we see in this parable is of course wheat! A crop that is good in the eyes of God. With time, patience and prayer, this wheat seed grows from a sproutling to maturity in God’s Word and relationship with Him. When we have done what God intended us to do: (2 Timothy 4:6-8), being ripe, then God sends in His harvester to glorify His name, who is also in those who believe in Him. Much like when Jesus Christ was glorified by His Father when His time came, a Lamb for slaughter for His name and the world who may believe in Him: John 17:1-5 & 2 Thessalonians 1:12

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The Mustard Seed
The Audience: Crowds and Christ’s Disciples
Matthew 13:31-32
Mark 4:30-34
Luke 13:18-19​

“What is the Kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all the seeds on the ground, that a man took and sown in his field/garden. It grew and it became a tree, the largest of all garden herbs and sends out its branches for the birds of the sky are able to nest in its shade.” - Jesus Christ


When we are born again we are like infants, so small and protected by our parents and fed milk; much like how the good soil protects the seed and gets nutrients from God as the parent: John 3:3. Just like how a baby grows, so too does this mustard seed little by little, with patient prayer and *faith. Over time it becomes a great tree, the largest in the herb family, so it is with God’s Kingdom and more than we can possibly imagine.
The narrow gate is much the same, it’s such a small opening that only ourselves can get through, and nothing else: Matthew 7:13-14. Though few find the road to Salvation, Revelation speaks of a different volume or measure like that of the mustard tree in full maturity: Revelation 7:9. Many are His Saints that rest and nest in His branches.

*Our faith in God acts the same way as a mustard seed. If we have just the size of that seed, there is nothing that can be in the way of God’s Kingdom that is and yet to come, as God is always in control. Matthew 17:19-20​