Devo Week 26

Jesus, the Seed -- That Changes the World

Small is significant in the Kingdom of God. Each star is called by name. Even the hairs of our head are numbered. Jesus used seeds and other gardening metaphors regularly in His teachings. Small is the normal size of a seed. So, don’t downplay the small.

Key Concept: Do not despise small beginnings (Zech. 4:10)

Perhaps the Gospel is best presented as a seed and not a transplant. That seed is simply the life of Jesus. That is, the Gospel and the Good News are simply Jesus! The seed is not methods or strategies, but Jesus Himself.

Jesus is the foundation upon which our spiritual life is to be built. (I Cor. 3:11) Further, our complete structure is to be built in His image. (I Cor. 3:10) The apostle Paul summarized his work as presenting people 'mature in Christ.' (Col. 1:28) Jesus' life, not our strategies, changes nations. When we sow the seed of Jesus among a people, we are at our best.

While the modern world says bigger is better, do not overlook the small. In reflecting upon the Gospels many of the encounters of Jesus were with individuals and/or small groups of people. In time even one relationship can impact many. Sure, there were large meetings, but that was not where Jesus spent most of His time.

This contrast was presented to me while working among the Akeu, a small people group of less than 20,000 total. One missionary chided me, saying his organization only worked with large people groups of at least 100,000. I reminded him of Jesus leaving the 99 to find the one sheep. An encounter with one woman and a drink of water caused a movement in Samaria towards Jesus. (John 4:39) Encountering Jesus is the foundation of movements.

Key Word Definition: metaphor (noun)

-- a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

-- a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially something abstract.

Excerpt from Devotional 26 with highlighted word:

"Evidently God is a gardener, and the first job He gave to mankind was gardening. So, we can never get far from this reality. All cultures and nations can identify with this role. Universally, God’s Kingdom and His ways can be understood through the metaphor of the seed."

Scripture: Mark 4:3-13

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?”