That Incorruptible Seed
By Elder John Mabry, II
Seeds are essential building blocks for farmers. Farmers need seeds to replenish their crops so they can sell their produce in the marketplace, and they use the excess to feed their livestock. Just as farmers need natural seed, the believer needs spiritual seed, which is the Word of God. During His earthly ministry, Jesus often taught about the Word of God, and He explained it like this:
So is the kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and group up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade; then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. (Mark 4:24-26, KJV)
In essence, He said that the kingdom of God operates on the seed principle: seed that is planted in fertile ground will grow and produce. God’s Word is like a seed – when spoken, it produces whatever He desires. We do not know how this amazing miracle takes place; we go to bed at night and sleep, get up the next morning, and go about our daily chores. This process is repeated day after day until one day we notice a change has taken place. In the farmer’s case, the seed has germinated and a blade begins to push its way through the earth. In the life of a believer, he notices that his situation has changed, seemingly overnight, little by little; something miraculous has taken place. It is a great mystery hidden in the mind of God through wisdom but revealed through this seed principle.
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was the greatest mystery the world has ever known, so much so that the Bible says:
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (I Corinthians 2:6-8, KJV)
Jesus was that seed . . . that incorruptible seed that went into the earth to bear fruit:
“Verily, verily I say unto you, ‘Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). Jesus is the Word of God…that incorruptible seed that was planted in the earth and has brought forth much fruit. This is the seed principle in action. This seed is incorruptible; and after 2,000 years, it continues to bear fruit.
As we observe the church’s most holy celebration, we can take comfort in knowing that we are a part of that branch that was ordained before the foundation of the world to bring forth much fruit. Each one of us is connected to the branch that sprang up from that incorruptible seed.