Mark 4:20
‘Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop – some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.’ Mark 4:20
Jesus’ explanation and promise of the impact of the gospel on a person’s life when it brings about transformed life is full of hope. It is like a seed planted that grows up to a hundred times its own measure. Imagine one small potato growing in twelve weeks a hundred potatoes. But in real life what does such a harvest involve in an individual’s life? To discover that we need to place it in the context of the rest of biblical teaching. To do that justice is probably a very large book but here are some starters.
A new relationship with Jesus.
A fruitful Christian life is one intimately connected to the living resurrected Christ.
‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.’ 1 John 1:12 The word of God leads to repentance and trust in Christ that gives the believer spiritual new birth as a child of God. It Is a step that cannot be missed out.
Dying to sinful motivation.
To live a fruitful Christian life, it is necessary to connect one’s old passions and motivations to the cross of Christ and have them die there. ‘Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.’ John 12:24 ‘So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.’ Romans 6:11
Living a life that is an act of worship to God.
When Paul wrote in Romans 12 that we ought to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice he was talking about Christians’ whole lives being one unified act of worship in our families, at work, in our friendships, in our thought life and in all our interactions. Each part being an expression of our love for Jesus. ‘But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.’ John 4:23 ‘Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.’ Hebrews 12:28-29
Having started as the product of one seed we should be seed bearers to others.
We have heard a lot about the “R” or reproduction number in the current pandemic. Christians are called to have an R number and take the word of God to the whole world. All Christians have a role in this ministry starting with our own lifestyle and people we know. It is not something we should be anxious about as Christ has given us his peace. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” John 20:21 ‘Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples!’ Psalm 96:3 ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ Acts 1:8
Is there anything in the way of your life being fruitful?
Do you continue to, ‘hear the word, accept it and produce a crop’?
Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child