Old Cucumber Seed
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pproximately fifty years ago a small company came to my
hometown to purchase cucumbers. They announced that the following year they
would purchase cucumbers from all who would grow them from the seed that they
would furnish. The pickling factory that they represented wanted all their
cucumbers to be the same variety; therefore this company provided the same kind
of seed for all who would participate.
My
parents obtained some of these seed and placed the ones that they had left over
in the freezer. Several years ago, my mother gave me some of these seed, and
they were stored in my freezer for a long time. Finally, I decided to plant
these fifty-year-old seed. In only a few days, new plants came out of the
ground to grow and make the same kind of cucumbers produced fifty years ago.
Surely this is one of nature’s finest miracles!
When
Jesus illustrated in His teaching the powerful word of God, He used seed. In
the parable of the Sower, He explained, “The seed is the word of God” (Luke
8:11). The sower
who went forth to sow seed represented the one who sowed the word of God into
hearts. Seed then, have the true characteristics to illustrate the word of God.
Therefore, those of us who teach the word of God are sowing seed for God—seed
that are capable of producing a hundredfold (Matthew 13:8).
In
this article, you are invited to consider some of the characteristics of seed
that must have motivated Jesus to compare such to the word of God.
When I placed the fifty-year-old
seed in my hand, I was not sure that they still had life. They had the
appearance of seed, but the only way that I could know for sure was to plant
them in the soil.
There are those today who look at the Bible and decide that it is dead seed! Since it is many centuries old, they conclude that it must be dead. However, they are very wrong. If they would only give it a chance by planting it into their hearts, they would be able to see that it is indeed alive.
The
inspired writer declared, “For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The word of God is dead
to millions because they keep it closed to their hearts.
Remember, the cucumber
seed, did not show their life and begin to grow until they were planted in the
soil. However, the life was still present and capable of growing and producing
fruit.
When
we are asked to teach others, we are being asked to sow seed for the Lord. The
hearts of those we teach represent the soil. It is true that there are
different kinds of hearts, but if we will faithfully sow the pure seed of the
word, it will fall into some good and honest hearts. In the years to come, the
word that we planted will continue to grow and bear fruit. We must never be
guilty of sowing an impure mixture, because this will always produce a harvest
that displeases God.
Please
don’t ever sell short the life that is in God’s powerful seed. Just faithfully
sow His seed, and a bumper crop will be produced.
When
I planted the fifty-year-old cucumber seed, and as they began to grow, there
was no doubt in my mind as to what they would produce. Not only did these seed
bare cucumbers, but they were the same kind that was originally grown. The
vines had the same kind of runners, leaves, blooms, and bore the exact kind of
fruit.
Neither
has the passing of centuries changed the fruit of God’s word. It is just as
much the seed of the kingdom today as it was when originally planted in the
first century. The pure gospel is still the “power of God to salvation”
(Romans 1:16). It is the same truth that sanctifies and makes disciples who are
called Christians (John 17:17; Matthew 28:19; Acts 11:26).
The
only change that has been made has come from man perverting and changing the
pure seed of God’s word. However, those who have made such changes must face
the anathema of God (Galatians 1:8,9).
What
then should be the goal of every Christian? To plant ONLY the pure seed of the
word! Again, this is the only way to produce a harvest that pleases God. We should allow the
pure seed of the word to bear fruit in the hearts and lives of the ones we
teach. For there is nothing so alive and powerful and capable of producing the
same fruit that has always pleased God.
Day
by day, the dark green vines grew from the fifty-year-old cucumber seed. Then
the vines became covered with bright yellow blooms, and some of these blooms
had tiny cucumbers under them. As the sunshine and rain made their appearance,
these tiny ones became tasty fruit to be used for pickling and salads. Who can
deny that the life contained in these seed brought a blessing.
This
is a picture of the seed of God’s word! The word is planted in receptive hearts
and faith is produced that leads to complete obedience to the gospel. The fruit
borne is that of a Christian, exactly like the Christians of the first century.
There is nothing in the world that can be substituted for the pure word. Those
who spend their time teaching and following traditions and human creeds will
never grow the fruit of Christians. Only those who abide in the doctrine of
Christ have God (2 John 9).
If
we could learn to have the same respect for God’s pure seed, the word of God,
as we do for cucumber seed, there would always be a harvest of Christians.
Just
remember, the passing of centuries has not changed the seed of the kingdom
which is the word of God. —BBBristow