Sowing the Seed

1. Sowing the Seed Mark 4:26-29

2. The Parables of Mark 4 • Parable of the Soils (Mark 4:1-25) • Parable of the Seed (Mark 4:26-29) 26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. 28 “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” • Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-34)

3. Three Ways to Witness • Sharing a Word of Truth • Briefly imparting a single truth about God • A casual, brief witness – Frank Noble “Have you heard the good news today?” • May take less than 30 seconds • Sharing a Word of Testimony • The difference Christ has made in your life • Emphasis should be on WHY you came to Christ • May take 5 minutes or more – Paul – Acts 26:1-23 • Sharing the Plan of Salvation • From Scripture - how to come to know Christ personally – “Roman Road” • May use a tract or a drawing of the bridge illustration • Usually takes 10-15 minutes

4. The Parable of the Seed • Parable of the soils comes just before and appears in • Mark 4:1ff • Matthew 13:1ff • Luke 8:4ff • On either side of the parable of the seed, there are parables about sowing: • “Soils” = role of the one receiving the Word • The Parable of the Soils is a critical parable • Jesus says that if you do not understand this parable of the soils, you will not understand any of them • “Mustard Seed” = you can trust the seed to bear fruit

5. The Parable of the Seed • What we can do and what we cannot do! • We can sow • That is our part • We can not cause the seed to bring forth life • That is God’s work • We can reap – but only when the crop permits! • That is the person’s part

6. The Parable of the Seed • What we can know and what we cannot know • We can know that there is life in the Word of God • It is living and powerful! • It is incorruptible seed which lives and abides forever! • We cannot know exactly how this works! • But we can see the result of its work

7. The Parable of the Seed • What we should expect and what we should not expect • We should expect to see fruit • This allows us to work believing, expecting to see fruit • fisherman vs. farmers • We should expect to see the seed ripen • Zechariah 4:10 – Do not despise the day of small things • We should not expect a full harvest from every seed • The soil has a part in the harvest, too • The soil is the heart of the person receiving the seed • Most of the problems with a harvest are with the soil!

8. The Simple Procedure vv. 26-27 • The steps for the harvest • The man scatters the seed • Then the seed springs up and grows • Then the earth brings forth fruit • And then the harvest is brought in

9. Planting the Seed - v. 26 • “casts” = scatters – aorist tense verb • At one time he did it – the one act that the man did • The 1st step toward a harvest • Feed your soul first, but then sow the Word! • Where do you scatter the seed? • Matthew 13:38 “The field is the world!”

10. The Attitude of Faith - v. 27 • Having sown the seed, the man rests! • Present tense verb – He continually rests! • Jesus says this is the way it is in the Kingdom of God (v. 26) • He goes to bed, then he gets up the next day, then he goes to bed, then he gets up • That routine goes on and on and on! • Meanwhile, the seed is sprouting and growing • Present tense verbs, too • The seed keeps on sprouting up and growing, sprouting up and growing!

11. The Attitude of Faith - v. 27 • “He himself” is minor emphasis in Greek • He himself doesn’t even know it! • “How” - not there in Greek • All the translations say - How this happens, the man does not know • This is true, but not what the passage says! • The man did not even know about it! • The man sowed the seed, then went to bed and got up the next day and had forgotten it after he threw the seed! • After you sow the seed • You go home, and with an attitude of faith, you go to bed • You rise the next day, and you forget about what you have done!

12. The Secret Providence - v. 28a • The mystery of eternal life! • All “by itself” the seed sprouts and grows! • The key to the passage • “by itself” = αυτοματη= ‘automate’ • Major emphasis in the Greek text! • God is shouting this at us! • “The earth brings for fruit automatically” • This is exactly what Jesus said!

13. The Harvest Is Brought In - v.29 • 1st the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear • Faith is beginning to grow in the person! • Then, when the crop permits • aorist tense verb – occurs at one point in time • When the crop permits, immediately Jesus puts forth the sickle because the harvest has come • How do I know that it is Jesus? • Revelation 14:14-16 • Matthew 13:37 • The growth of the Word of God in a person’s heart is automatic after the seed is cast!

14. Look at the Harvest! • Everybody likes to be around when the harvest comes in (invitation time) • Spiritual people like it • Carnal people like it • It looks like success! • But not too many people get excited about sowing seed! • It is not very exciting work • There will not be any harvest if the seed are not sown! • The problem today - not enough seed are being sown!

15. Look at the Harvest! • When the seed is sown, the growth is automatic! • What do you want to spend the rest of your life doing? • “Brother Daniel, how can we sow seeds?”

16. Seed Sowing • Isaiah 55:11 • So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it • David Gomez – Brazil missionary • Dutch Schwartz – Midland, Michigan • Joe Bining – Chicago immigrant – 1920’s • Bob Bining – saved Wheaton College Bible Camp • “Do you remember that day at the pool?” • Ernie Davis – Amsterdam train station

17. Seed Sowing • It was a sunny spring day when the word of God fluttered out a bus window and landed at Ma Xingling's feet. As he looked up at the crowded bus, the 32‑year‑old Chinese factory worker caught sight of a blond woman releasing Christian pamphlets into the air. Ma never saw her again, but the woman's airborne message stayed with him. • Today, five months after he first read the booklet, Ma leads a dozen underground worshippers near Changsha, capital of central Hunan province. “Christianity fills my heart,” he says of his illegal religious activity. “It makes the problems of today's society much more tolerable.” Time September 11, 2000

18. Seed Sowing • 1950 - Peter Culver – youth leader Dr. Francis Dixon Pastor, Lansdowne Baptist Church Bournemouth, England

19. The Man from George Street • 1950 - Peter Culver – youth leader • "During the Second World War in 1945 I was stationed in Sydney, Australia and one day as I was walking down George Street a middle-aged man walked up to me and said, "Excuse me sir, could I just ask you one question. Please don't be offended, but if you were to die tonight where would you spend eternity? Would it be in heaven or would it be in hell? For the Bible says it is going to be one place or the other. Good-bye and God bless you.'

20. The Man from George Street • 1950 - Peter Culver – youth leader • 1953 – Norwell – personal testimony • "During the Second World War in 1945 I was in the Royal Navy and one day as I was walking down George Street in Sydney when a middle-aged man walked up to me and said, "Excuse me sir, could I just ask you one question. Please don't be offended, but if you were to die tonight where would you spend eternity? Would it be in heaven or would it be in hell? For the Bible says it is going to be one place or the other. Good-bye and God bless you.'

21. The Man from George Street • 1950 - Peter Culver – youth leader • 1953 – Norwell – personal testimony • Adelaide – Murray Wilkes • Perth – Deacon in Freemantle Baptist Church

22. The Man from George Street • 1950 - Peter Culver – youth leader • 1953 – Norwell – personal testimony • Adelaide – Murray Wilkes • Perth – Deacon in Freemantle Baptist Church • Lansdowne Baptist – Young lady • WWII , Wrens, Sydney, George St. • 1957 - India – Woman with group of missionaries • Jamaica – Missionary conference • Missionary couple • Keswick Meeting – Elderly pastor • Georgia – Navy Chaplain

23. The Man from George Street • Next trip to Australia - Sydney! • Friend: Alex McGilchrist • “Do you know a little man who shares the gospel on George Street?” • “Sure, that’s Mr. Jenner.” Frank Jenner

24. The Man from George Street • Shared the gospel with 10 people every day for 28 years! • 10 x 365 x 28 = 102,200 • What did Mr. Jenner do every night? • He went home, went to bed, and the next morning he got up again! Frank Jenner

25. Matthew 10:32-33 32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

26. The Man from George Street • Mr. Jenner’s life is a wonderful testimony of how God can use those who remain faithful to Him • Those who knew Frank Jenner testify that • His nature was generous and warm • He quickly inspired trust in others • His life was marked by persistence in prayer • Frank Jenner got to the heart of the issue: • He directly challenged lost people about their standing before God!

27. Seed Sowers • Once you sow the seed of the Word of God, the harvest comes forth automatically! • How do you want to spend the rest of your life?