Howard Sands (c) 2010
What’s in a Seed?
Great Oaks from Little Acorns Grow.
Discover how this principle has, is, and will, apply in your life.
Life is In Stages
Seeds
Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:29
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
The right kind of seed – every seed produces
The seed of the Holy Spirit was planted in you – keep that seed only growing
Leviticus 19:19
" 'Keep my decrees. " 'Do not mate different kinds of animals. " 'Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. " 'Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Deuteronomy 22:9
Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.
Planting - theres a death to self
John 12:24
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Underground growth, - the seasons –winter necessary
Genesis 8:22
"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
Shooting – there’s extreme joy with new birth – natural and spiritual -
Mark 4:27
Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
Isaiah 61:11
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Seedling
Young tree – beauty and strength in a growing young tree = this is just the early phase not its destiny.
It is still has a valid ministry – provides shade and beauty,
Birds still rest on it and make nests in it
Leaves still exchange carbon di oxide for oxygen to give life
Binds the ground together with its roots so rains don‘t destroy & degrade the land
But this is not its destiny.
Hosea 14:5-6
I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon
Must survive the Weather/ elements – storms of life
Young trees are supple – know how to take the battering winds
Tall mature tree
Matthew 13:32
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
Luke 13:19
It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."
1 Corinthians 3:6
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
Cut down
Isaiah 6:13
And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land."
1 Kings 5:6
"So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians."
To the saw mill to be cut to lengths
1 Kings 5:18
The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram and the men of Gebal cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.
Endure the pain – stay securely anchored in Him
Hebrews 6:19-20
19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
2 Timothy 2:3
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Stored in the timber yard
1 Chronicles 22:14
"I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.
Sold to the builder
Cut shaved shaped nailed
2 Kings 22:6
the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple.
House – a great house – a palace – a temple – a city
This is the destiny of the seed
2 Chronicles 2:3
Solomon sent this message to Hiram king of Tyre: "Send me cedar logs as you did for my father David when you sent him cedar to build a palace to live in.
Hebrews 11:10
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God
You’ve been working towards it
Don't lose heart in the winter.
Don't stop growing through the storms of life.
Don't give up when you're cut down.
Don't say I can't when you're being cut and shaped.
Don't think your time will never come when you seem to be forgotten when you're lying in the timber yard,
because everything you do is determining
how your palace will work out.