BY JURGEN SCHULZ
It has been said, “If you don’t follow the news, you are uninformed. If you follow it, you are misinformed.” In a confusing world of misinformation and fake news, the parables of Matthew 13 unlock the true meaning of this age. They help us see the real issues at play and offer heaven’s perspective on what is happening on planet Earth.
The first parable tells of a farmer who goes through his field lavishly tossing handfuls of seed in every direction. Some seeds land on the road, some on rocky ground, and some among thorns. “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:8) In only one place does the seed germinate and grow, and there, a remarkable harvest takes place.
So what is happening in our world?
1. A worldwide agricultural project is underway.
The King has chosen this planet to do some farming. His kingdom comes not as an invading army but as a tiny seed. He scatters supernatural seeds into the hearts of men and women everywhere.
Each human heart is like a barren piece of land. Without this divine seed, nothing but rocks and thorns exists. If the seed comes in, however, new life and beauty spring forth. The seed unleashes God’s redemptive power in human lives.
God’s work in history centers on the seed.
2. An aggressive sabotage operation is underway.
After the King scatters the life-giving seed, strong opposition comes into play. The parable draws attention to the forces that obstruct the seed, or faith: hard spots that exclude it, birds that devour it, stones that hinder it, thorns that choke it, and the sun that scorches it.
An enemy does all he can to stop the heaven-sent seed from taking hold because it poses the only threat to his kingdom. Nothing else can set people free; therefore, the enemy opposes the seed. He hardens people’s hearts through sin. He confuses them with false narratives and poisons their minds with lies. He fills their lives with rocks and thorns so the seed can’t get in.
These efforts are not only farming; they are also warfare—a battle raging over men’s and women’s hearts.
3. A remarkable harvest is underway.
In biblical times, a farmer’s average yield would have been less than tenfold. A return of thirty- or sixtyfold would have ranked as a bumper crop. And a hundredfold harvest? Astonishing. Despite opposition, God’s seed keeps getting into human hearts. All over the world, the seed takes root, and new life springs forth.
We are often told that we live in a post-Christian age. That may be true as a cultural phenomenon. Christianity has indeed ceased to be the core idea at the heart of Western civilization. But more Christians live in the world today than at any other time in history.
On a global scale, Christianity is booming. China and many parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America are experiencing explosive growth. A remarkable spiritual harvest is taking place.
The seed of the Gospel is unstoppable. It will not be thwarted. The gates of hell may do what they can, but the seed continues to bear fruit all over the world. Ultimately, the earth will be filled with God’s glory as the waters cover the sea. History will end with the seed’s final triumph. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.
So let’s keep scattering the seed. Let’s keep telling people about a God who loves them and a Christ who died for them. This seed is powerful, and when it is sown, there is no telling how God will work. n
Jurgen Schulz serves in Bolivia.
Originally published in Missions magazine, September/October 2024. For more content, sign up for a free subscription (US and Canada) to Missions at CMML.us/magazine/subscribe.
