Mustard Seed

[Mar 4:31-32 NIV] 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.

In all the parables about seeds Jesus took the time to explain them in plain language to his disciples, so we think it is important to play close attention to these parables. I don’t know about you, but I think when Jesus repeats himself and teaches a lesson a second time in plain language I am going to listen closely.

Spiritually Naked

[Gen 2:25 KJV] 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. 

In Gen 2:25 we have a quick glimpse into the original condition of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had no shame between them in their relationship, despite being completely naked. The idea of being naked suggest that we have nothing to hide from our mates.

Above the Teacher

Matthew 10:24 - "The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 

This statement by Jesus tells us that our goal as teachers is to make sure we point everyone to Jesus, and not just to limit their development to our level. You know some may think this means every student should only worry about being like their teacher or that as a teacher I need to create replicas of myself … and that should be enough, ….not even close right?

Good and Bad Seed

[Mat 13:27 NIV] 27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 

We see this even today when unbelievers question the existence of a God because of the evil that exist in the world. They think that the world should be free sin and evil because if God exist and is a loving God, he would wipe out all that evil. So they refuse to believe that God exist.

Joining with Christ

[1Co 6:15-16 NIV] 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 

As Christians, we should not think the act of sex is limited to our own personal privacy. Rather, it also affects the Holy Spirit that lives in us. The Apostle Paul is suggesting physical intimacy is also a spiritual experience.

Seed on Good Soil

[Luk 8:15 NIV] 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. 

The parable of the seed along the path comes to a close with Jesus explaining that the word of God will produce a crop, it will multiply and produce a crop in its proper time. The problem with many people is that they don’t give enough thought and effort into producing a crop.

Deep Love

1 Peter 4:8 - "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 

We’re going to take this scripture and apply it to how we should handle the flaws and imperfections in our mates. I think many times we believe that loving our mates is about fixing all their flaws and solving all their problems, but deeply loving is about accepting your mate as a broken vessel.

Seed on Rocky Soil

[Luk 8:13 NIV] 13 and it says this: Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 

Now this term fall away is not a good one, in Strong’s concordance the definition ranges from either meaning to make oneself distance from something or in a christian sense to be faithless … none of the definitions are good, but I think we can all remember someone that has fallen away from the faith.