A Great Harvest from One Seed

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit….31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. John 12:20-24, 31-33

Like many immigrants, my family planted a vegetable garden this year. We had 12 buckets full of tomato plants, each of them six feet tall!

No one would have expected such a harvest if they had looked at the seeds our plants came from—tomato seeds are tiny, and you could easily fit all the seeds needed for our garden into half a teaspoon. But God brings great harvests from tiny beginnings.

Jesus knew this very well. When he saw the little group of Greeks coming to meet him, his mind went straight to the cross. Why? Because he knew that he himself was the Seed that would fall into the earth and die in order to bring about the greatest harvest ever—billions and billions of God’s people, forgiven and saved and given life through Jesus our Lord. His death and resurrection would bring life to all of us, no matter what language we speak or what country we were born in.

You are part of Jesus’ harvest. And the Holy Spirit is using you to bring others from around the world into that harvest too.

Lord Jesus, you loved us enough to die and rise for us. Use me to bring others to you in faith. Amen.

By Dr. Kari Vo