Mark 4:26-29

I grew up on a small farm. In our back yard we had a small orchard, and a big garden. As a little boy I would help my parents and grandparents to work in the garden. We would plant many different plants and vegetables and then of course we would water them, weed them and at the end, which was the most exciting part we’d harvest them. I was always fascinated how a small seed can grow into big fruit bearing plant. I know that many of you have vegetable gardens and even if you don’t you have some kind of idea about planting and growing. So it shouldn’t be difficult for us understand today’s parable of Jesus.

Jesus grew up in a farming community and many of his stories and parables reflect on these kinds of experiences. He used farming examples because people could relate to them and because they explained in very simple but accurate ways how the kingdom of God works. And that was the ultimate goal of Jesus. To let people know about God’s plan for them. To help them experience his power, his love and compassion, to enable them to become a part of his family, where they can grow and bear fruits.

And so Jesus starts his parable with words: “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground”. Now I just planted couple of tomatoes and peppers last week in my very modest garden. Of course I didn’t take the tomato seeds and didn’t scattered them all around. I went to the store and bought already grown plants and planted those. But some of you might remember, and I cherish this memory from my childhood, watching my neighbor who was planting wheat and his garden was too small for a tractor to come in and so he had this cloth sack tied in the front over his shoulder and he would take a handful of seed and just throw it into the soil. The seed was literally scattered on the ground, that’s how it was done back in the day, and that’s what Jesus talks about. (pause)

Every time I’m up here preaching, I’m imagining doing this. (motion with the hand) I’m scattering the seed of God’s word. And you are the soil. Every time we gather for a Bible study, and talk about God, we’re doing this. We’re throwing the seeds. Every time we meet with our youth, whether it’s event, retreat or a confirmation class, we’re planting the seeds. And don’t get me wrong, pastors don’t have the ultimate privilege to plant the seeds, you all do. We’re all the planters as well as the soil. And so every time we gather in the name of Christ, we’re becoming an important part of his kingdom. We scatter the seeds of God’s word and we receive them.

Now do you know what stuck in my mind from that memory about my neighbor planting his field? I was thinking, how does he know, that the seed falls into the right place, and bear fruit? If you think about it, farming is a risky business, for the answer is that he didn’t know. He knew that once the seed is scattered it’s out of his hands. But at the same time he knew that he has to plant thoroughly. He had to make sure that the seed that is planted is good and healthy, and he had to prepare the soil.

How does this translate into our everyday lives? When we scatter the seeds, what kind of seeds are they? Are they the seeds of God’s word, his love, forgiveness and compassion? Are they the seeds of patience, and self discipline? Remember we said, every time we interact with people we have the opportunity to plant and scatter.

Jesus says: Once the seed was scattered the farmer would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow. The earth produces of itself. Not the farmer, but the earth produces of itself. Not us, but the good and bountiful God produces of himself, until the great day of harvest. This is a very important picture. And those who garden can really understand, once the seed is in, we can’t make it grow faster or bear more fruit.

What we can do, is to water and weed and take care of the soil. Some researchers claim that even talking to the plants helps them grow. In other words, once we planted we can continue to take care of them. And every good farmer and gardener will do so, hoping and believing in the best and bountiful harvest.

Do we care daily for that seed that was planted? Do we water it and nourish it so it can grow? We gather here in Church on Sunday morning, to praise God, to hear his word, to receive communion, we come so that the seeds can be planted. But then for the other six days of the week, we continue to nurture these seeds, with prayer, with daily devotion, with acts of love, with repentance and acceptance of God’s forgiveness. As we do these things the seeds grow, not because of our effort, but because of God’s blessings.

Now this is a tricky part. On one hand we hear, the farmer goes to bed not worrying about the seed for it is the earth itself that produces the grain. On the other hand we hear and common sense tells us that it’s important to take care and nurture the seed so it can grow and bear fruit. So what do we make out of this? Apostle Paul talks about this very same problem in his letter to Corinthians. He says: “I planted the seed, Apollos (his coworker) watered it, but God made it grow.”

Jesus and Paul use this picture to help us to realize that certain things, as planting and watering are in our hands, but the growth is in God’s hands only. It should not be of our worry, or concern. Sometimes we want to be completely in charge. We want to see immediate results and we want to harvest right away the fruits that are often not ripe.

But Jesus, tells us today, don’t worry about certain things, for they are in God’s hands and they happen in God’s time. The earth produces of itself, first stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, the harvest has come. And harvest is a joyful time of celebration. Harvest is a promise of God’s work in our lives coming into completion, coming into a good and happy ending. And that’s completely in God’s hands, thank God.

For we have a generous God, who loves us, cares for us, and will do anything in the world so that the little seeds that were planted into our hearts will grow and bring bountiful harvest. Even though he’d have to sacrifice his only son. That’s the power of God’s love. It is in his son Jesus Christ that we have the promise of bountiful harvest, the promise of kingdom of heaven. Let us always take comfort and courage in this promise, as we scatter the seeds, as we water them and as watch them grow and bear fruit.

Amen