For many of us, Christmas feels rushed. We pack the day with people, parties, and gifts. No wonder the holiday wears us out!
Of course, all these activities don’t happen by themselves. The right gifts, a good dinner, catching up with relatives–all these need planning. A lot of work goes into a single day!
So also with the first Christmas. After Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, she and Joseph had to wait at least nine months for the birth of the Messiah.
When the time came, the first Christmas was both supernatural and normal. Impossible for a virgin to give birth, but the course of the pregnancy and delivery were ordinary.
And following the birth of Jesus, it took about 30 years before He launched His ministry of the Kingdom of God.
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” – Luke 2:52
“Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.” – Luke 3:23a
This slow but steady process reminds me of the growth of seeds. We expect their development to be gradual; it takes time for them to sprout and mature.
Seeds illustrate spiritual life.
Jesus
The Bible treats Jesus as a seed.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” – Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)
Right after the first humans fell into sin, God announced to the tempter a prophecy of a Savior. Identified only as “her Seed,” this One, through suffering, would damage the enemy of humanity. The cross of Calvary fulfilled God’s promise.
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” – 1 John 3:8b
To save us, Jesus became one of us. As a Jew, He was a descendent of Abraham, but in a special sense.
“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.” – Galatians 3:16
Jesus was the ultimate offspring of the patriarch Abraham. He vindicated Abraham’s faith in God and created for us the opportunity to encounter and trust the Lord.
The Word
The Word of God, centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is also seed.
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.” – Luke 8:11
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” – 1 Corinthians 3:6
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” – 1 Peter 1:23
Jesus and the apostles shared the message of salvation to all who would listen. Like all seeds, the growth of Scripture in human hearts can take time. But when it takes root, it sprouts and produces a beautiful harvest!
Disciples
Finally, disciples of Jesus Christ are seeds.
“The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one.” – Matthew 13:38
“Those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” – Romans 9:8 (NKJV)
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – Galatians 3:29
As God counted Jesus as the special seed of Abraham the believer, so He treats us who likewise trust in Him. The Gospel gives us the life of Christ in seed form. It starts small but grows over time. More and more each day, God nurtures our growth so that we take on the image and likeness of His Son.
Application
We’re called to respond to God’s work in our hearts. The spiritual growth God cultivates in us requires our response. What are we to do?
“My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” – Galatians 4:19
One thing we can do to help ourselves is get grounded in the gospel. Paul worried about the Galatians who were abandoning grace for self-reliance. That doesn’t work in the spiritual life! Comparing himself to a mother, Paul had started the church in Galatia. And given their spiritual turmoil, he felt he might have to birth them a second time!
God wants us to establish ourselves on the foundation of the gospel. From there, we can pursue the maturity He has for us.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” – Ephesians 4:15-16
We strive for maturity by helping each other grow. Christians don’t flourish in isolation; we need one another as we all depend on Christ.
“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” – 1 John 3:9
In the end, we will discover power and victory over sin only by the life of Jesus operating within us. The seed of Christ, planted in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, is pure. As we cooperate with that life, we will find ourselves overcoming the issues that used to dominate us. Christ’s triumph is now ours.
Spiritual life takes time. Seeds don’t sprout overnight. If you’ve heard the Gospel but haven’t dedicated yourself to Jesus, now’s the time to do so. You will find new life in Christ.
And if you’ve trusted in the Lord for salvation, be patient with yourself as you develop His life within. Explore the riches He’s given you and take part in every opportunity the Spirit offers you. Remember, you’re a seed. And you’re growing!
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