Mark 4:26-29. The Seed is the Word. It is sown in our hearts. What does the Seed/Word produce? It produces Faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word". When the Word is sown in our hearts (if it is the good ground from the previous parable), Faith will sprout and grow and we don't know how because it yields by itself. Faith doesn't grow because we memorize scripture and "chant" it over and over. Our "works" doesn't make Faith grow. God's Word produces Faith by itself. We don't know how.
Subsequently when Faith has grown to maturity can it be harvested? Yes, because it is now useful for all kinds of things. Useful how? What does Faith do when it is mature and useful? It changes the world around us and moves mountains. Just as Jesus did in His ministry. Faith heals, raises the dead and provides for any need (i.e. feeding the 5000). Imagine the whole community of God's children around the world (the Kingdom) each with their maximum of mature Faith. What would happen? It would be "on earth as it is in Heaven". But not everyone grows the maximum Faith by our choice. Some 30, some 60 and some 100 fold. Or could the maximum for each of us just be different according to our various abilities and gifts?
Instead of interpreting this verse as being something about proselytizing unbelievers as much as we can, what if Jesus is telling us to focus on being the good ground that the Word can produce in? What if we have been doing it all wrong?
But rather what if we are supposed to be that good ground and let the Word grow inside of us this kind of Faith . . . and THEN we will have the kind of fruit/branches (remember the mustard seed producing an herb so tall that birds can find shade in the branches) that will feed, heal and provide for everyone else. Regardless of the amount of Faith produced in us, wouldn't we be more useful as "Jesus with skin" if we were mature in our Faith?
How would we know when it's mature? That's easy. We can see the results. We can see the blade, then the head, and then the full grain in the head. When we are consistently moving mountains - wha la - it's time! We need to start harvesting our Faith - feeding the world, healing the world, changing the world - literally.
Subsequently when Faith has grown to maturity can it be harvested? Yes, because it is now useful for all kinds of things. Useful how? What does Faith do when it is mature and useful? It changes the world around us and moves mountains. Just as Jesus did in His ministry. Faith heals, raises the dead and provides for any need (i.e. feeding the 5000). Imagine the whole community of God's children around the world (the Kingdom) each with their maximum of mature Faith. What would happen? It would be "on earth as it is in Heaven". But not everyone grows the maximum Faith by our choice. Some 30, some 60 and some 100 fold. Or could the maximum for each of us just be different according to our various abilities and gifts? Instead of interpreting this verse as being something about proselytizing unbelievers as much as we can, what if Jesus is telling us to focus on being the good ground that the Word can produce in? What if we have been doing it all wrong?
But rather what if we are supposed to be that good ground and let the Word grow inside of us this kind of Faith . . . and THEN we will have the kind of fruit/branches (remember the mustard seed producing an herb so tall that birds can find shade in the branches) that will feed, heal and provide for everyone else. Regardless of the amount of Faith produced in us, wouldn't we be more useful as "Jesus with skin" if we were mature in our Faith?
How would we know when it's mature? That's easy. We can see the results. We can see the blade, then the head, and then the full grain in the head. When we are consistently moving mountains - wha la - it's time! We need to start harvesting our Faith - feeding the world, healing the world, changing the world - literally.
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