From Seed to Cedar
by Brett Jacobsen
This small article is an excerpt from the author's book Heaven's Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.
There is a spiritual principle in operation throughout every aspect of the Kingdom of God, from the personal to the corporate, from the least to the greatest; it is the ‘seed to cedar’ principle. We have previously observed how “the kingdom of God, [is] as if a man should cast seed into the ground; […] and the seed should spring and grow up” (Mark 4:26-27). This principle not only applies to personal lives, but also to the overall Kingdom of God as it is outworked in history. Yes, the early church presented a fairly thorough demonstration of the kingdom, and many moves of God since that time have restored certain spiritual elements, possibly in a more broad and potent application. However, the end of the ages will surely manifest the fuller exhibition; the proverbial cedar compared with the earlier seed. Jesus said:
The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matt 13:31-32)
It is imperative we remember that the seed of the kingdom is “the least of all seeds”: the kingdom has humble beginnings. Because of this truth, many missed, and still miss, the true kingdom as they expect some great pomp and fanfare, only to be disappointed in their ignorant assumption. Many people in Jesus’ physical time on earth were expecting a Messiah that would establish an immediate grandiose earthly kingdom by flexing His political, religious and military muscles towards the oppressing Romans… they all but disregarded the carpenter’s son.
Just as Jesus sowed the proverbial mustard seed of an underground spiritual kingdom, we can expect to see, and be, the fully matured tree “that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” Truly, the Kingdom of God in the end season of planet earth will be “the greatest among herbs”.
Jesus Himself spoke of the wonderful example of power that He modelled on earth saying, “he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [meizon – larger, more] works than these shall he do; because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). Certainly, the early church got the ball rolling, in that they saw more widespread and extensive fruit than Jesus did personally. But it is upon us the latter church, by His grace of course, to walk in this promise to the utmost. We should make the early church’s efforts seem minuscule in comparison to what God does through us as we yield to Him. It is not hopeful-delusion or self-important arrogance that would cause us to believe such a thing; on the contrary, it is embraced humility which makes way for the King of Kings to do His thing.
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Thank you.
June 23rd, 2007 at 7:03 am
Bretto,
I couldn’t agree more!
I know admonitions to the body of Christ, to rise to her calling to “work the works of God,” in our day, can tend to create depression, guilt, and confusion, as to why we so often fail to do this, but while Jesus didn’t rub the disciples’ noses in their failure to do so, nor have you, yet He did challenge them to a walk of faith that manifested the substance of the Kingdom.
These things are for His bride to walk in. The fact that we often do not, is not evidence that we can’t, or that He has pulled back this calling, but simply that we don’t.
Too often we are found looking for excuses for our not manifesting the power of God more, but better that we return to the early disciples cry of “Why Lord…why aren’t we doing it like You?
As it was in them, so surely it is in us…there are internal things that are in the way. They are things that can and must be removed by His Spirit, and then only will the power of His Kingdom become evident in our lives. If we are willing to come to Him and seek His answers for our lack of power then we can expect Him to lead us back to the same cross He led them to.
We’d all too often rather run off to some healing campaign, and watch some mighty preacher do the stuff, than ourselves be willing to be crucified to those things within us that hinder His flow of life.
Away with the formulas, away with pumped up emotions, away with systems approaches, and back to hiddenness in Christ, buried in the depth of His work within us, until the root goes down and shoot springs up. Then, and only then will it be all about Jesus, and not “my ministry, my power, and my kingdom.”
Thanks for the admonition…received without condemnation!