Tag Archives: Fruit

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The Parable of the Seed Caster

Do you ever find yourself sharing a kernel of truth with someone and it seems to go in one ear and out the other? Do you ever feel like no one is listening to or learning from your efforts in teaching the Word of God? Jesus gives us The Parable Of the Seed Caster to teach us how we should be sharing His Gospel.

(Mar 4:26) And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

As Christians, we are to sow seeds of Gods truth into the ground, without trying to determine what type of ground it is, as explained in the Parable of the Sower of the Seed. Only God knows who is fertile ground and who is not, and it is God that causes this seed to grow or not.

(Mar 4:27) And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

This sleep isn’t the slumber of those who are spiritually blind–this is the sleep of rest. Once the sower plants the seed, he should leave it alone and not push the point. However, if the person wants to hear more, we can water the seed to quench its thirst. If not, then God will send the rain if that seed is to grow, and it will be in God’s time, because God sets the seasons.

(Mar 4:28) For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

God grows these seeds a little at a time. If we plant a crop and water it some, and sit and watch several times a day, those seeds can seem to take forever to grow. And if you didn’t know any better, you would say that nothing is happening. But we know and have faith that God will allow them to grow and that there is a lot going on before we can even see it sprout above ground. We never question if the process works because we know it and we can see the results all over the earth. We have faith that our seeds will grow too. We should have the same faith when we plant seeds of truth.

(Mar 4:29) But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

All the seeds of a crop grow at slightly different rates, but when harvest time comes around, they all suddenly blossoming and producing fruit and week can see the fruits of the labor. It is just the same in the Kingdom of God–every seed will grow at a different rate, but when harvest time comes, all of those within whom God grew the seeds will be ready to roll and will have their part in the very end as Jesus is about to return.

Have faith and let God grow the seeds.

Topic Discussions

The Parable of the Householder and His Vineyard

Have you ever wondered about God’s plan? Or do you wonder why He exhibits His wrath on those who refuse to revere Him, and instead decide they want to do what feels good to them and disregard and disrespect His message? This parable put forth by Jesus gives us a little taste of His point of view and what will happen in His response.

Jesus gives us this parable that was addressed to the Pharisees who questioned His authority to do the great things that He was doing:

(Mat 21:33) Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

This householder is none other than the Father Himself. He created and established this vineyard, which represents the world in which we live in this flesh age. He put a hedge around this vineyard, which is a border that prevents us from leaving it. Everything we know is inside this vineyard. Everything outside this hedge or fence is not of the physical world. The grapes themselves represent those who live in this world, and the husbandmen are those who are supposed to tend to the grapes and make sure that they are taken care of and grown properly so that there is a bountiful harvest when the time comes. Once the grapes are harvested, they are put in the winepress to make wine. This winepress is reserved for the return of Jesus at the end of this flesh period.

(Rev 14:15) And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
(Rev 14:16) And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
(Rev 14:17) And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
(Rev 14:18) And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
(Rev 14:19) And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
(Rev 14:20) And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

God the Father also placed a watchtower in this vineyard. The watchmen, those appointed by God to oversee the world and warn the world of what is to come, are placed on top of this watchtower. These are God’s elect who are here to guide the world in the right direction by sharing the truth of God. Many of these elect, or watchmen, are given the role of prophets of God, among other roles.

This vineyard was leased out by God to priests, husbandmen, for them to take care of it, for better or for worse. Notice that these priests are leasing this vineyard and are not servants hired by the householder. They were not chosen or appointed, but chose to take the role, but are held responsible for the crop none-the-less, because the vineyard is still owned by the Householder, and they will be held responsible for the results. After the Householder set up this vineyard, and leased it out to caretakers, He left the vineyard and went outside the hedge that was placed around it, outside this physical world and left them in charge.

(Mat 21:34) And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

As time went on, the vineyard matured and grew closer to harvest time. So the householder sent his personal servants to the vineyard to collect the grapes that were already matured and ready to be picked. A vineyard in the northern hemisphere is generally harvested between late August and early October. September is the main space of time that the harvest occurs. So these servants are sent to collect those early grapes. These early grapes are those who are more spiritually mature and ready to hear a deeper message from God. So God sends these servants, His prophets, to give them His message and help them come closer to Him.

(Mat 21:35) And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

These earlier servants are the earlier prophets who warned of the coming doom that would be seen if God’s children didn’t return to Him. They warned that His kingdom would go into captivity if they didn’t make a correction. Many of these grapes were matured and ready to hear the message and be gathered by the servants of the householder. But the priests had been tending to the vineyard and not doing it justice, so many of the grapes weren’t ready and those people didn’t listen. The priests didn’t like this, and instead they totally disregarded God’s prophets and continued leading God’s children astray, and did what they wanted, which basically amounts to idolatry. They put their own desires between them and God.

(Mat 21:36) Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

Then, because the householder never heard back from his servants, he sent more. So, God sent further prophets to try to guide His children back to Him. They warned that if they didn’t return to Him, there would be consequences. They were again there to gather those who were matured and ready back to God. Of course, the priests didn’t like this idea this time either. They wanted to be the big dogs and run the vineyard their own way and reap the reward. They didn’t want anyone else to receive the credit or the benefits. So they also completely disregarded these servants of God and continued leading His children astray.

(Mat 21:37) But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

Because he also didn’t hear back from the second group of servants, what did he do?

These householders had absolutely no respect for the householder’s servants. So if they should have respect for anyone, it should be his own son. They should revere his son just as they revere him right. After all, his son is his closest kin and representative. If they don’t respect his son, who will they respect? They certainly wouldn’t have reverence for him if they don’t even revere his son. So God sent His Son, this is His representative to man. Whatever way we treat His Son, Jesus Christ, is how we are also treating His Father, our Father, because Jesus is God. For all intents and purposes, the son was the householder. Jesus is the form God takes to present Himself in a form we are able to comprehend. We could never even comprehend our Father in Heaven.

So this son of the householder should have been treated just as they would treat the householder himself. Right?

(Mat 21:38) But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

But, instead, they treated the son even worse. They understood how they should have treated the householder’s son, but they decided to choose to serve their own personal gain. The husbandmen knew that this son would inherit the entire vineyard, but they didn’t want to have to give it up to him eventually.

(Mat 21:39) And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

They figured they could kill the son and take over the control of the vineyard themselves. So they killed God’s Son, His representative on earth. They killed God in the flesh. That should have been the end of it…or so they thought.

(Mat 21:40) When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

When harvest time comes, then the householder returns to see how the vineyard turned out. What do you think the householder will do to those men who were supposed to take care of his vineyard and respect his servants and his own son?

(Mat 21:41) They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

These husbandmen who were so disobedient aren’t going to have a fun time once the householder returns on the Lord’s Day. This flesh world is going to pass away in fervent heat. All that offends will be destroyed and we will enter into a period called the Millennium, a thousand year period in which Christ will rule on earth firsthand.

(2Pe 3:10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

He will return with a rod of iron and will not be meek as most would expect Him to be. If you accept Christ and submit to Him and listen to His words, and remain faithful to him until He returns as a good servant, then you will be put in charge of this next vineyard crop in the Millennium. If not, then, well just use your imagination.

Hopefully, He will give you a chance to be part of that vineyard crop to become spiritually mature and part of the good final harvest, at the end of the Millennium.

These who He puts in charge of His vineyard in the Millennium are those who He knows will bear good fruit because they have already proven themselves.

(Mat 21:42) Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

This Stone the builders rejected, the Son, is the very Stone that the Kingdom of God is built upon. The cornerstone is a stone that is put in the foundation of a building for its strength. It is a symbol of strength in the building’s foundation, and often, in ancient times, it was even anointed, just as Christ is anointed, and so are His servants. Christ is the most marvelous anointed one. There is no one above Him.

(Mat 21:43) Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Jesus is getting to the point of this message to these Pharisees He’s talking to. He is telling them they will soon lose the priesthood and it will be given to those who are worthy. This not only applies to those Pharisees, but anyone who considers himself a priest of God, but leads God’s children astray. Do you know any of these? Beware of them.

(Mat 21:44) And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Ultimately if these do not correct their ways, they will be destroyed in the second death of the Lake of Fire at the end of the Millennium.

(Rev 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

(Mat 21:45) And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

The Pharisees knew exactly who Jesus was talking about. It was them, and they hated Him for it. They hated the Son of the Householder. This is the very thing that He just warned them of.

(Mat 21:46) But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

They knew that they could not kill the Son right now though, because so many that were around did, in fact, revere Him.
Though they knew He was talking of them, they still didn’t get the bigger picture, or even heed His warning.

Will you heed His warning and be a faithful servant?