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The growth of our spiritual life (Mk 4:26-34)

These two parables continue to describe the mystery of the kingdom of God (v26 & 30). Interestingly enough, together with the parable of the sower, all three parables use the seed of the farm that sows on the earth. They share the common point of watching how the seed grows. The difference is: the parable of the sower speaks of the possibilities of the outcome of the plant; the parable of the grain speaks of the process of the growth; the parable of the mustard seed speaks of the effect of the growth.

(the parable of the grain) (v26-29)

The second parable (v26-28) narrows down to the seed that truly grows and bears fruit. The main focus is on how the seed grows. However, no one knows how it grows. Like a plant or a child, you can see during a period of time that the stem of a plant grows longer and longer and a child grows to become taller and heavier. Our spiritual lives will grow naturally in a gradual process like a grain: “first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear”. (v28b). You can tell by the appearance that a plant or a child has grown. But you don’t know how that happens. It is just an amazing thing concerning life! By the same token, our spiritual life keeps growing unnoticeably. (v27)

How do you know that our spiritual life has grown? By the fruit that it brings forth. (v28a) When people see that our lives keep changing and our behavior becomes more mature like Christ, that is the proof of the growth of our lives. What makes our life grow? The parable of the sower tells us that the seed must be sown in “good soil”, meaning that we must have a good spiritual foundation. God’s word is our spiritual food—“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4). The Holy Spirit is our Bible teacher—“the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.” (John 14:26)

The parable also describes the kingdom of God as a whole. It refers to the expansion of the kingdom of God. As the gospel continues to spread, the children of God keep joining the kingdom until one day—“the harvest is come” (v29b). That is “when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle.” (v29a). The Lord will gather his children from the ends of the earth to eternity. (c.f. “the parable of the wheat and the tares” (麥子和稗子的比喻), Matt 13:24-30)

(the parable of the mustard seed) (v30-32)

The third parable focuses on the effect or result of the growth. Our spiritual life begins like a new-born baby (“babes in Christ” I Cor 3:1; “a babe” Heb 5:13; “newborn babes” I Pet 2:2). As we continue to grow in the good soil, our spiritual lives will become like a very fruitful tree that can serve as a shelter and a resting place for the birds.

This parable also likens the kingdom of God as a whole (v30), referring to the expansion of the kingdom of God. It indicates that the gospel will be preached all over the world and bring forth God’s children from different races.