THE HARVEST IS ALWAYS MORE THAN THE SEED SOWN

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

APRIL 08, 2023

TOPIC: THE HARVEST IS ALWAYS MORE THAN THE SEED SOWN

BY T. O. BANSO

“God—the one who made all things and for whose glory all things exist—wanted many people to be his children and share his glory. So he did what he needed to do. He made perfect the one who leads those people to salvation. He made Jesus a perfect Savior through his suffering” (Hebrews 2:10 Easy-to-Read Version).

One of the lessons of Easter is that the harvest is always more than the seed sown. God demonstrated this by giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the world. John 3:16 says God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God gave His only Son to die for the whole world and, through that, several human beings could be saved and become His children.

If Jesus had not died, we wouldn’t have the large number of Christians, the children of God, we have all over the world today. Those coming to God every day through Jesus Christ would not be able to come. 2 Corinthians 5:19a says that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.

We are children of God today, in large numbers, as the harvest of the seed that God sowed when He gave His Son to die for us so that we can become His adopted children. Those who believe in Jesus Christ have become members of the family of God because of the gift of His only Son to the world.

Hebrews 2:10 says, “It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (New King James Version). Note the phrase “in bringing many sons to glory.” That’s possible through the death of Christ.

The Easy-to-Read Version helps us to understand better what Hebrews 2:10 says: “God—the one who made all things and for whose glory all things exist—wanted many people to be his children and share his glory. So he did what he needed to do. He made perfect the one who leads those people to salvation. He made Jesus a perfect Savior through his suffering” (Hebrews 2:10 Easy-to-Read Version).

Because God wanted many people to become His children and share His glory, He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer on the cross and die for our salvation. We are now children of God; we and Jesus Christ have the same Father. This is how Hebrews 2:11-12 puts it: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,  saying: ‘I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You’” (New King James Version). Jesus is not ashamed to call Christians His brothers and sisters because God became our Father when we accepted Him (Jesus) as our Lord and Saviour.

God is bringing many sons to glory through the sacrificial death of Jesus. We are children of God because of God’s gift of His only Son. 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (New King James Version).

Christians are children of God and Jesus is the firstborn of God. “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29 New Living Translation).  

Jesus said in John 12:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain’” (New King James Version). In other words, “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” (New International Version). Jesus was talking about His death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, which He referred to in verse 23 as being glorified.

By the statement that unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone but if it dies, it produces much grain, Jesus meant that His death would lead to the increase of the kingdom of God, as many people shall come into the kingdom through Him. By His death, Jesus became the Saviour of the world. God sowed the seed of His only Son and has reaped a harvest of multitudes. One seed sown has produced many seeds. The harvest is always more than the seed sown.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Paul attributes this statement to Jesus in Acts 20:35b: “And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (New King James Version). 2 Corinthians 9:10 says, “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (New King James Version). Note the phrase “multiply the seed you have sown.” Only the seed that is sown can be multiplied, not the seed that is eaten! Multiplication is greater than addition. Your harvest will be greater or more than the seed you have sown because God will multiply it.

It is a great blessing to receive a gift from someone but it is more blessed to give. There is the joy and blessing of giving that only the giver enjoys even though the receiver is happy and blessed. It is more blessed to give than to receive and those who understand this principle give cheerfully. But in addition to the joy of giving, the harvest is always more than the seed. Proverbs 11:25 says the generous soul will be made rich and he who waters will also be watered himself.

Similarly, Proverbs 22:9 says he who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.  Also, Proverbs 11:24 says, there is one who scatters, yet increases more and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty.

As a child of God, He has given you the responsibility to bring others into His family. He has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). This is the assignment of winning souls. Jesus said His followers should go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). He said whoever believed and was baptized would be saved but whoever did not believe would be condemned. Jesus also said in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (New King James Version). Be a soul winner.

God’s generosity, which is seen in giving His Son to save humanity, is also seen in His gift of other things for our enjoyment on earth. James 1:17 says every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Consider the gift of life, good health, air, water, and other gifts of nature. God makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Barnabas and Paul, talking about God, told the people of Lystra, “Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17 New King James Version).

Be a giver. It is more blessed to give. David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed” (Psalm 37:25-26 New King James Version). It’s better to be a giver than a beggar.

Also, the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (New King James Version).

Thank God for the gift of Jesus for the salvation of many. Are you telling others about the love of God in sending His Son to save the world? Are you a giver? Are you using the resources God has given you to bless others? Paul told the Corinthians, “But just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:7 New International Version). Excel in giving. As you do, God will make you rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion (2 Corinthians 9:11a)

Give to God and His causes on earth. Mary anointed the feet or head of Jesus with her very costly oil of spikenard or very costly fragrant oil (John 12:3; Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3). Another woman, who was a sinner, anointed the feet of Jesus with an alabaster flask of fragrant oil (Luke 7:37-38). The colt Jesus rode on His triumphal entry to Jerusalem was given to Him by the owners to use (Luke 19:29-35). The master of the house with a large upper room, furnished and prepared, gave it to Jesus for Him and His disciples to eat the Passover there (Mark 14:13-16; Luke 22:8-13).

Joseph Arimathea gave his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock for the burial of Jesus and he and Nicodemus buried Him (Matthew 27:59-60; Luke 23:53; Mark 15:46; John 19:38-40). Be a giver. Give to God’s causes on earth. Give to the poor. “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given” (Proverbs 19:17 New King James Version).

Jesus told His disciples, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8 New King James Version). In other words, the ministry should not be turned into a money-making venture; miracles are not for sale. This doesn’t forbid financial support for the minister. But ministry should be at no charge. Freely you have received, freely give, and God will reward you. The harvest is always more than the seed sown.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself.  I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ to the world and for adopting us into Your family. Holy Spirit, help me to be faithful in inviting others into the family of God. Also, help me to give bountifully and not be stingy or give sparingly. I shall be a giver and not a beggar in Jesus’ name. I shall sow my seed and not eat it.

(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org