Lesson 9

THE POWER OF THE SEED

Scriptures to Study
 Proverbs 11:24
 Mark 4:26-29
 Mark 10:17-30
 Luke 6:38
 Galatians 6:6-10

Central Truth
When we give to God’s work, we can expect a blessing in return.

The Spoken Word

“Give, and it shall be given unto you.” Luke 6:38

To the Teachers
The principle of seedtime and harvest was established by God when He created the
earth. It is introduced in Genesis 1:29, “Behold I have given you every herb bearing
seed…” The literal rendering from Hebrew is “every herb seedling seed.” God revealed to
Adam that the key to his increase and dominion on the earth was in sowing seed. God
again emphasized this principle after the flood. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and
harvest…shall not ceased” (Genesis 8:22).

Our Lord Jesus used this principle to explain what He would accomplish by His
death and burial. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but
if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24)

The principle of sowing and reaping works in every realm of life. Like a farmer who
plants seed, we should expect to receive a harvest when we give into God’s kingdom.

Did Jesus go to the cross simply to die? No! He endured the cross because He
fully expected to reap a harvest of souls! (Hebrews 12:2)

Did Abraham offer Isaac, believing that he would forever lose his son? No! He fully
expected that God would resurrect Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).

If our Bible examples gave to God, expecting a harvest, should we expect anything
less? The sooner children learn the vital principle that one cannot out give God, the richer
and better their lives will be. Because we must always give before we receive, this
eliminates the possibility of tainting our motives. Giving keeps us from becoming
covetous.
 ILLUSTRATED SERMON
The Power of the Seed
Scriptures to Study:
Proverbs 11:24 . Mark 4:26-29; 10:17-30 . Luke 6:38 . Galatians 6:6-10

Objects Needed:
A small cup, soil, a kernel of corn, an ear of corn, six pieces of fruit for the children
to eat, another six pieces of fruit with their seeds, paper towels

How to Prepare:
Keep these objects on hand at the front of the class with paper towels nearby.

Message:
I. God created all living things with the ability to reproduce.

A. When God made the animals, He gave them the power to recreate
themselves.
1. Because of this, it is possible for the numbers of animals to
grow to great proportions.
2. The animals were created by God to reproduce after their
kind.

B. God gave this same power to human beings.

C. God created the plant kingdom to reproduce itself as well.

1. What if the fruit that God made could not reproduce itself?
(Bring out the fruit samples. Have one child come forward for
each piece of fruit and have a contest to see who can eat his
fruit first.)
2. Without the ability to reproduce, the fruit that God created in the
Garden of Eden would have disappeared soon after creation.

D. By giving mankind the ability to reproduce people, plants and

animals, God show us that He wants us to have a full supply of
the things we need.

II. Every living thing in the earth reproduces itself with seeds.

A. God told Adam that all living things increase by planting seeds
(Genesis 1:29).
1. If we want to grow an apple tree, we must plant an apple
seed.
(Hold up an apple and an apple seed.)
 2. If we want to grow an orange, we must have an orange seed.
(Hold up an orange and an orange seed. Continue in this vein
with as many kinds of fruit for which you have seeds.)

B. The seed has a genetic code inside to recreate the plant it came
from.
1. Apple seeds cannot produce orange trees.
2. Orange seeds cannot produce apple trees.
(You may wish to make these points by asking questions, using
the seeds to illustrate the point.)

C. Though the see may remain unplanted for years, it does not lose
it power.
1. Wheat seeds from ancient Egyptian tombs have been known
to produce wheat after 3,000 years.
2. The seed is under orders from God to do the work it was
created to do.

III. The seed must be planted to bring forth increase.

A. The seed will not grow until it is placed in soil.

B. When a seed is sown, it disappears from view.

1. We must plant our seeds if we want them to grow.
2. If a seed is removed from its soil again and again, it loses its
power.
(Use the cup of soil and a seed to demonstrate the importance
of leaving the seed in the ground to do its work.)

IV. The seed will multiply itself many hundreds of times if it is

allowed to grow.

A. When the seed brings forth its fruit, there are many more seeds
in the fruit.
(Use the kernel and the ear of corn to demonstrate this lesson.)

B. The seedtime and harvest principle is based on increase, not just

replacement. (Does a farmer plant seed only to get back the
same amount that he planted?)

C. Everyone who sows seed should expect to receive a crop.

(When a farmer plants a seed, does he forget about it, leaving his
field never expecting to receive a crop?)
V. We should obey Jesus when He tells us to give.

A. Jesus told the rich young ruler to give away all his possessions
(Mark 10:17-21).
1. This young man loved money and things more than he loved
God.
2. He knew in his heart that something was missing from his life.
3. He asked Jesus to help him.

B. Jesus loved the young man.

1. He did not want the young man to be poor.
2. He wanted the young man to trust in God and not in his
money.

C. The young man did not listen to Jesus and walked away.
1. He did not understand that Jesus was trying to make him
richer.
2. If the young man had given his money as Jesus instructed, it
would have been like planting money seeds.
3. The young man would have received untold good things in
this life and even greater treasures in heaven
(Mark 10:29-30).

D. Can a farmer plant seeds and not get a crop?

(Hold up seeds and fruit again.)
1. Storms and drought may destroy earthly crops.
2. We must remember that when we give to God’s kingdom,
there is protection over our sowing and reaping.