On January 28, 2009 an ice storm hit Northeastern Arkansas with up to 3" of ice. As the day turned into night the ice had built up on the tree's and power lines that was a beautiful sight to behold, but then as the weight began to take it's toll on the tree's, the only sound in the dark was breaking and cracking of branches. Before morning would hit again over 350,000 people in Northeastern Arkansas would be without power that lasted for weeks. I thought as I was driving down the roads all covered in ice with branches and falling tree's everywhere, "was this God's way of pruning the tree's this winter". If so, what was he getting ready to do? Eventually, the lights came back on and life got back to normal. However, the evidence of the ice storm would remain until the spring that brought new growth. This storm was brought back to my remembrance tonight while thinking on a thought for a study God has laid on my heart. It started earlier this past week while reading the Bible on a couple of different parables Jesus taught. One about the Sower and the other about Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. How or can these ties together? Yes, spiritually they can.
Jesus' way of teaching his followers were in parables that are found in the Synoptic Gospels; this means the first three of the New Testament Gospels. The book of John writes the parables a little different from the first three books as John's interpretation was more focused on understanding Jesus' teaching narratives to his disciples. Even his disciples asked Jesus why he would speak to the crowds in parables in Matthew 13:10. Jesus told them as his disciples they know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest of the people it was given in parables due to the condition of the unbelieving crowds and their rejection of him. He would tell earthly stories that had hidden spiritual truth. People who really hear and believe the truth receive the mysteries of God whether taught plainly or in parables. He was also fulfilling the prophesy of Isiaih 6:9-10.
9 He said, "Go and tell this people: "Be ever hearing, but never understanding: be ever seeing, but never perceiving. 10 'Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."
Matthew tells us in chapter 13 that Jesus went out and sat by the seaside and a great multitude gathered around him so that he entered into a ship and sat while everyone else stayed on the shore. He began to teach them the Parable of the Sower.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him him.
I found that if we continue to read in Matthew 13:25 that while men are sleeping the enemy came and sowed tares among the mustard seed and went his way. The Sower's servant was told by his master to let the tares grow among the mustard seed. Even though the mustard seed is the smallest of herbs, it would become the greatest of all herbs and would grow to become a tree. This is important to my study later.
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
John tells us in chapter 15 of Jesus telling a parable about a vine and branches. From the beginning of time God has told his people to be fruitful and multiply. This still remains today spiritually as we the body of Christ represent his branches. If we abide in him being the vine then we will grow and bear spiritual fruit ourselves. 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
A gardener understands the process of pruning. For me, I love rose bushes especially after their first blooms in the spring. However, I wanted the same effect in the fall and in order for the rose bush to bloom as it first did, I would have to trim away branches that were either dead, unhealthy, or growing in different direction that would take away from the main bush itself. It's not that I didn't love my rose bush, but it was necessary to ensure a beautiful regrowth towards the fall. Right after I would prune my rose bush it would look small and bare, but I knew that new growth would soon come and would once again get to enjoy more beautiful roses in abundance. Some of the branches cut away can be re-root to sprout growth in another area of its own. How much more does our Master Gardener feel about us as John taught us through Jesus' Parable of the Vine.
Spiritually speaking, we being the branches of Christ are pruned to rejuvenate and encourage fruitful growth. This process for the branches itself hurts and may make you feel bare and uncomfortable. Being purged cleanses us through God's word and through God's perfect love we can develop spiritual maturity in wisdom and truth as we abide in Him. During this time of pruning, it often helps us to see areas of sin in our hearts that can be harmful in our walk with God so we can lay aside those weights. If you find yourself in this season of your life just trust that God sees beyond our bareness and is anticipating the new growth that is to come. Remember it is just a season and this too shall pass. Your own your way to becoming something beautiful in the sight of the Lord. God Bless.
Next Study: Process of the Harvest
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