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PLANTS OF THE BIBLE
3. The Wheat – Death “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 |
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| We have looked at the lily and noted how it resembles Jesus in his humiliation in this world. Now we must consider a solemn aspect of the lowliness of Christ. Paul describes what happened: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). In our text Jesus speaks of his death and compares it to the sowing of a grain of wheat. Wheat is really a type of grass. Wild forms of wheat have been cultivated for thousands of years and more recently they have been bred to make larger grains which are more easily separated from the ‘chaff’ in threshing. After that the grain is milled to remove the husks so that flour can be made. China, India and the U.S.A. grow the most wheat. The occasion when Jesus is speaking is Passover time in Jerusalem. Thousands are thronging the city, including Gentiles who have gathered to worship. These people have a desire which they make known to Philip, one of the disciples: “Sir, we would see Jesus” (v.21). Philip tells Andrew and together they go to the Lord and explain that there are people who want to meet Him. The reply Jesus gives is like one of his parables. He uses a figure understood everywhere to teach a lesson of value to everyone. The growing of wheat or something similar like maize or rice is very common. Wheat produces flour to make bread, a very important food. Firstly we see that the death of Christ was essential. The soil may be ploughed but unless seed is sown there can be no harvest. So the life of Christ was ’sown’ to save the church. Apart from the Saviour’s death there could be no salvation for sinners. We are saved by Christ’s obedience to God’s law in our place. Jesus lay down His sinless life in sacrificial death to make atonement for sin. God could not both save his people and spare His only begotten Son from the cross. So lovingly he “delivered him up for us all” (Rom.8:32). The Bible foretold this. When Jesus met with the eleven in Jerusalem after his resurrection he said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke 24:46). From the same Scriptures Paul reasoned with the Jews at Thessalonica that Christ “must needs have suffered” (Acts 17:3). If we are to get to heaven, it will be because we see that Jesus died in our place. Secondly we see that the death of Christ was powerful. Something amazing takes place when a seed is sown in the ground. Care is taken to prepare the soil. Weeds and stones are removed. The seed is buried out of sight. We may imagine it decaying and perishing. But after winter, the season of death, comes spring, the season of life. Suddenly and wonderfully there is a ‘resurrection’ from the dead as green shoots are seen everywhere! After summer, the season of growth, there is autumn, the season of harvest. Then all the preparation and effort is rewarded. The crop appears and is gathered in. Without his atoning death Jesus would “abide alone”; there would be no sinners with him in glory! Such is the power of Christ’s death that many are brought to salvation who were never perhaps thought likely to be saved. You may have sown seed on some occasion and neglected to mark the plot of ground where you placed it. You may even have forgotten about it entirely. To your surprise, after some months living shoots have appeared above the earth where you did not expect them! The gospel of Christ, preached in the world, has saved its Manassehs, its Legions and its Sauls. Finally we see that the death of Christ was fruitful. One grain of wheat sown in the ground may produce a hundred at the harvest. In the same way Calvary was a triumph. It secured the salvation of the church. Now to many Christ’s suffering and dying seem to be a failure. Isaiah described how many people think of the Saviour: “we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa.53:4). Yet though at times a “little flock” in this world God’s redeemed will one day be seen as “a great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” standing before the throne in heaven (Rev.7:9). They are there because they have “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (v.14). Before he illustrated his death Jesus said, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified” (v.23). His death was the lowest point of his humiliation but it was the highest point of his obedience to the will of his Father. Jesus was to go from the cross of shame to the throne of glory as his reward. From there he now gathers, rules and defends his church. Soon he shall come again for his own. Have you seen that as a sinner the cross of Christ meets all your need? We have life only by his death. Remember, dear friend, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who will oversee the great harvest at the end of the world: “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt.3:12). Seek him now as your Saviour! |
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