The Life of Christ

• If one’s heart remains closed, that person will have a hard time understanding even the simplest of truths.

SECTION 84

Mk. 4:28-29 “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The seed is sown, but its growth depends upon the laws inherent within the seed and soil.

• Growth also depends upon the sunlight, proper soil, and showers of rain.

• When these conditions are normal, the law within the seed will develop the seed through the three stages: blade, head, and grain.

• Spiritual principles operate this same way; when we activate biblical principles, they will naturally produce their predicted fruit.

• For example: The regular practice of sharing Christ with people will reap souls into the kingdom, provided it is done in wisdom, patience, and much prayer.

A second lesson is that the kingdom of God grows mysteriously, silently, secretly, similar to a seed once it is planted.

SECTION 85

Mt. 13:25 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 “But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat and went away.”

These tares represent what is botanically known as “bearded darnel,” a poisonous ryegrass, very common in Palestine.

• Tares look exactly like wheat until the harvest time when the ear appears.

• It is formed by roots that creep underground and become intertwined with the roots of the wheat.

The tares were sown among the wheat, or according to the Greek, “in the middle of the wheat.”

• By sowing the tares in the midst of the wheat, their roots become intertwined with the root system of the wheat.

• Since they are unrecognizable until they change shape at the harvest, they must be left to grow together until then.

Of all the parables, this was the most perplexing to the disciples.

• When they were later alone with Jesus, this was the only parable they inquired about (Mt. 13:36).

• What seems so peculiar, and later became quite personal, was how could a tare grow up in the midst of the wheat and remain unrecognizable until later on?

• It may have been Judas Iscariot who requested further clarification.

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