unless a seed dies

Central African Republic

"…unless a kernel"…unless a kernel of wheat falls to the of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains ground and dies, it remains

a single seed.”a single seed.”

Boali…

Matthew 13 - Parable of the SowerParable of the Wheat and the WeedsParable of the Mustard SeedParable of the YeastParable of the Hidden TreasureParable of the Pearl MerchantParable of the Fishing Net

Principle #1God’s Kingdom will surprise you!

It’s wider than you think! (mustard seed)It’s more effective than you think! (yeast)It’s a great investment! (hidden treasure and

the pearl)It’s not as hypocritical as you think! (net of

fish)

wider

more effective

greater investment

less hypocritical

The church in ChinaAfter the missionaries left in 1949…

“Fifty years of oppression and persecution has seen this Church grow from around one million believers in 1949 to 70 - 80 million today.”

Video

Principle #2: Matt 13:3-8,18-23 You are soil.

Path – “hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it”

Rocky places – “hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.”

Thorns – “hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.”

Good Soil – “hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

God’s Kingdom will grow from receptive, reproducing

hearts

Principle #3: Matthew 13:24-30You are seedJohn 12:23 ff

“Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

A difficult theological question…

“Is it wrong for a church to pay the ransom for their

pastor if he is kidnapped?”

James GribbleJames Gribble1883-19231883-1923

Gribble’s DreamGribble’s Dream

Oh God,

Oh God,

deliver me

deliver me

and I’ll serve you

and I’ll serve you

19041904

!!

““Oh God, purge me, and send me Oh God, purge me, and send me and put me always into the very thickest and put me always into the very thickest

of the fight!”of the fight!”

““I saw pass before me then a panorama of the I saw pass before me then a panorama of the tribes of West Central Africa, and I heard a voice tribes of West Central Africa, and I heard a voice speaking, ‘Thou shalt be instrumental in carrying speaking, ‘Thou shalt be instrumental in carrying

the gospel to these.’”the gospel to these.’”

Gribble’s DreamGribble’s Dream 19101910

““I long to go to the darkest and most I long to go to the darkest and most densely populated region, to a place densely populated region, to a place where not only has the gospel never where not only has the gospel never

been preached, but where no one been preached, but where no one else plans to preach it!” else plans to preach it!”

““I tell you the truth, unless a kernelI tell you the truth, unless a kernel of of wheat falls to the ground and dies, itwheat falls to the ground and dies, itremains a single seed.”remains a single seed.”

The man who loves his life will lose it, The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this while the man who hates his life in this

world will keep it for eternal life.”world will keep it for eternal life.”

But if it dies, it produces many seeds.But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

God’s Kingdom will grow from receptive, reproducing

people who will become planted seed!

The Kingdom of God…It’s doing better than you think!

You are soil!You are seed!