在我做牧师服事的一个教会中，挂着四张图画。那些图画画的是种子的成长，正如我们今天的经文所说：先长苗，再吐穗，然后穗上结出饱满的子粒。这些图画提醒教会，我们都在主的面前成长着。
耶稣关于种子生长的比喻，在早期教会中被解释得很清楚。在哥林多前书3:6，使徒保罗说：“我栽种了，亚波罗浇灌了。惟有神叫他生长。”
人可以播种种子，照料它，看它生长——却不知道为何这样。尽管今天的科学家能控制一些有关植物遗传和生长的因素，但这个过程仍是神秘的，不能被强迫。
同样，我们不能强迫属灵的成长；我们不能让别人在属灵上成长。神在人心里的工作是一个奥秘。一个人可以读神的话，被教导，但神在人内心的工作和人的努力是两码事。
这个天国的比喻告诉我们，靠着神的大能，我们能够回应神，并且成长。因为我们是神所创造的，所以在祂感动我们的时候，我们能作出回应，回应神的灵。我们可以让圣灵在我们的生命中运行，好使我们在祂里面长大。
父神，我们感谢你在我们生命中的工作。主啊，求你藉着你的灵和你的话，使我们成长。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
马可福音 4:26-29
26 又说：“神的国如同人把种撒在地上，
27 黑夜睡觉，白日起来，这种就发芽渐长，那人却不晓得如何这样。
28 地生五谷是出于自然的，先发苗，后长穗，再后穗上结成饱满的子粒。
29 谷既熟了，就用镰刀去割，因为收成的时候到了。”
“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows...” — Mark 4:26-27
Four pictures hang together in a church I served as pastor. The pictures show the growth of a seed, as described in our verses today: the seed sprouts, the stalk grows, the head forms on the stalk, and eventually the full kernel develops. These pictures remind the church that we all grow in the Lord.
Jesus’ parable of the growing seed is well illustrated in the growth of the early church. In 1 Corinthians 3:6 the apostle Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
A person can plant a seed, tend it, and watch it grow—all without knowing just how that happens. Even though scientists today can manipulate some things about plant genetics and growth, the process remains mysterious and can’t be forced.
Similarly, we cannot force spiritual growth; we cannot make people grow spiritually. The way God works in the heart of an individual is mysterious. A person can read God’s Word and be taught, but God’s work in someone’s heart is independent of human effort.
This kingdom parable illustrates for us that, by God’s power, we are able to respond and grow. Because we are made by God, we are able to respond to his prompting, able to respond to God’s Spirit. We can let the Holy Spirit work in our lives so that we will grow in him.
Father God, we thank you for the way you work in our lives. Grow us, Lord, through your Spirit and Word. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
