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“Lesson 03 - The Germination of the Seed”
Lesson Three
The Germination of the Seed
Matthew 13:1-23
Mark 4:13-20
Luke 8:11-15
Last week we watched a video featuring Joe Jack Dement. As he introduced the seed he talked about germination. The illustration on the next page comes from TutorVista.com. It shows the germination process and life cycle of a typical plant. Let’s compare this process to what occurs when the seed of the Kingdom is planted into a human life.
The Story:
Matthew 13: 3
3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;
An Explanation
Mark 4:14
14The sower sows the word.
An Explanation
Luke 8:11
11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
GERMINATION
Factors Affecting Germination Process of Seeds
Temperature: Extremely low or cold temperature is not favorable for seed germination. They prefer higher temperatures. The germination rate of seed is directly proportional to the rise in temperature.
Moisture or water: Dry seeds do not germinate. Water is an essential factor to trigger off the process of seed germination.
Soil: During growth, seeds require mineral elements for further growth which is obtained from the soil.
Light: For seed germination light is not essential in the early stages of germination but plays a main role in the later stages of the life cycle of plants.
Viability of the seeds: After the seeds are formed, they remain viable up to certain period which may vary from plant to plant or seed to seed. Many sees die or incapable of supporting growth after a certain period of time.
Dormancy period: Many seeds do not germinate abruptly after they are produced. Certain seeds undergo a resting time through which they stay dormant and germinate when conditions are favorable.
Thinness or thickness of seed coat: Different seeds have varying degrees of thickness to enable the seeds to remain feasible. Seeds with a thin seed coat tend to germinate faster than those with thicker seed coats
The Kingdom is actively being planted and grown for the harvest. Jesus is personally pushing along its growth through His disciples who act as local sowers wherever they may be. He started this with His earthly ministry and continues it from heaven to this day through his Word. His goal is to spread His Kingdom across the entire earth.
The seed has within it the potential to grow an entire harvest out of just one seed. There is enormous genetic complexity within a seed: by simply putting it in the soil and adding the right elements, it naturally grows into a new plant, multiplying itself enormously. Think of Mr. Dement holding up the wheat plant with twelve tillers coming out of one seed. Each tiller will bear heads of wheat, and those heads have within them the potential to grow more and more wheat, all following the law of exponential return.
The word of God found in the Bible has the same compact potential. Christ has grown His entire Church from this single book that carries His message of the Kingdom in it. Everything necessary for limitless growth is found within those pages. And as the history of the church clearly demonstrates,
it has grown from Jerusalem, to Samaria, to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
The seed and the soil were made for each other. There is a perfect balance and unity in their relationship. So too, the word of God and man were made for each other. The primary purpose of the word of God is to create new life in the hearts of men, women and children everywhere. It was designed to change people dramatically, to take the elements of their personalities and bear more fruit for the Kingdom.
There is an important sense of time passing in the parable. Most of us living in the modern world have little contact with agricultural society. As a result, it is easy to overlook this aspect of the story. But time plays a key role in the
world of the farmer since plants do not grow in a day. Rather, many months pass from the time the seed goes into the ground to the time of the harvest.
Questions:
- For a seed to germinate it takes an increase in temperature. How might this compare practically in the recipient of the seed of the gospel?
- Water triggers the germination process. How did Paul define this process in 1 Cor. 3: 5-8?
- As the seed germinates it begins to move toward light for the process of photosynthesis to begin? Compare John 1: 1-12 and explain the attraction of light spiritually.
- Time in the form of dormancy and viability are factors in the germination of seed. Does the same hold true in a spiritual sense? Why or why not?
- Thickness of the seed coat have an effect on the speed of germination. How might this compare in life as seeds fall into the heart of a potential recipient?
- What is the potential of a single seed?
THOUGHT QUESTION:
Share the attraction to the Kingdom that occurred when you began your germination process. Who planted? Who watered? What would you share with a seeker to begin that process.
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