The Garden of Saints
The Garden of Saints
What do you do to grow the kingdom of God?
There was once a farmer…
“He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’” – Mark 4:26-29
Who Grows God’s Kingdom?
We often feel responsible for growing the Kingdom of God, but are we really the ones who grow God’s Kingdom? In this parable, Jesus is telling us that while we are the ones who are to go out and spread the seed of the Gospel, we don’t do the growing.
That’s His job.
After all, it is “God’s” kingdom, not ours. We can surely spread the seed of the Gospel, but it is God who works through His Word to create faith and grow His Kingdom.
What a relief it is for us!
We don’t have to figure out which people are good soil or which are bad. We don’t even have to be conservative with the seed. Spread the Gospel all over the place! And, we aren’t the ones who must convince people to have faith. That is the work of the Spirit.
What About Once a Person Has Faith?
That’s God, too. Once someone has faith, we can’t make them grow in their faith. God does that. And that work couldn’t be in better hands. That said, we can do some things to help water and tend to people’s faith. We can continue to share the Word together. We can worship together. We can encourage, correct, and build each other up. However, in the end. It’s still God’s work to grow people’s faith.
So, feel free and unburdened!
You get the easy part. Just love people and tell them about Jesus. Then let the master gardener do His work.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving us Your Word and working through that Word to grow your kingdom. Please forgive me for the times I didn’t trust you to do your work and tried to take Kingdom growth into my own hands. Please cause Your Word to go forth throughout the world so that all may hear and believe. And, as you taught us to pray, I pray that Thy Kingdom Come.
Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
