Seeds In Your Hand Series

SEEDS IN YOUR HAND

By: Dr. Kenneth Gerada

Church Planting Sunday

December 11, 2011

Preparation: The pastor must prepare a seed (preferably a small seed that grows into a huge tree like kapok or doldol, inyam, mustard etc.)

Introduction:

Good morning to all of you! Can you see what’s in my hand (obviously, the people would hardly see it because of the smallness of the seed)? This is a seed, a small _________seed (you mention what kind of seed it is). As you can see, this seed is very small but once this tiny seed is planted, it can grow into a LARGE tree (you can gesture the word large by stretching both your hands from up to side).

The Bible says that the kingdom of God is like a tiny seed. It is very small. But once it is planted it grows to become a large tree. Matthew 13: 31-32 reads:

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to a tiny mustard seed. It is small but it grows into a large tree. The main thought of the parable talks about the nature of the kingdom of God. In this parable, Jesus taught that the kingdom of God, although it started very small, will one day become very big. We know that Jesus started with a few disciples, and through the years despite oppositions and persecutions, Christianity has grown into a worldwide movement. Like a mustard seed, the kingdom of God started small but grew into something really big.

Illustration: Amazon

Do you know that the mighty Amazon River started from a mere trickle of ice on the Andes Mountain? However, as this small body of water moves down the mountain, hundreds of other tributaries pour water into it so that it swells into a mighty river. So great is the power of this river that it pumps fresh water 100 miles from the shore to the Atlantic Ocean.

Friends, we may not realize it but as children of God, we belong to a powerful kingdom. This kingdom may look insignificant in our society. People may oppose and persecute those who belong to this kingdom. But this kingdom will reign. This kingdom will endure. For the kingdom of heaven is an unshakeable enduring eternal kingdom of God.

The GOSPEL of the Kingdom was also likened to a seed that was sown on different grounds. In Matthew 13: 1 – 9

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

There are three major implications we can observe in this passage. First, it implies the importance of planting or scattering of the seeds. Jesus said ““A farmer went out to sow his seed.” Like all other seeds, Jesus emphasized the important act of planting or scattering of the seeds before it can grow and bear fruit. A seed in a storage bin will never grow. Seeds must be planted. This means that Christians must go out and share the gospel with other people. This is our responsibility.