Will the Church Keep Growing? What Jesus Taught in the Seed, Mustard Seed, and Vineyard Worker Parables

By Al Felder

Jesus told several “kingdom” parables to help His people understand what the kingdom is like—how it grows, how it works, and what kind of spirit must exist inside it. Every time Jesus says, “The kingdom is like…,” He is also teaching how things function among God’s people and what will ultimately take place (Mark 4:26–29; Mark 4:30–32; Matthew 20:1–16).

These three parables answer questions many Christians still wrestle with:

• Will the church endure and keep producing fruit?

• Why does the kingdom grow in ways we can’t always see?

• Why does God’s kingdom operate so differently than the world?

  
  

1) What Does the Seed Growing “By Itself” Teach About the Kingdom? (Mark 4:26–29)

Jesus said the kingdom is like a man who casts seed into the ground, then sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed springs up—“he knoweth not how” (Mark 4:26–27). Growth happens in stages: blade, then ear, then full corn in the ear (Mark 4:28). Then comes the harvest (Mark 4:29).

This parable teaches something deeply encouraging: once God’s kingdom work is set in motion, it will come to fruition. The farmer doesn’t create life in the seed. He doesn’t control the hidden process of growth. His task is to plant, then trust the cycle God designed (Mark 4:26–29).

What this means for the church

• Our job is to plant the Word. The seed represents the Word that produces life and fruit (Luke 8:11; Romans 10:17).

• God gives the increase. Growth may feel slow or invisible, but the harvest will reveal the results (1 Corinthians 3:6–7).

• Fruit will appear in the end. Changed lives, strengthened Christians, good works, and new souls brought to Christ—these are the visible harvest that emerges with time (John 15:5; Colossians 1:5–6).

This parable is a cure for anxiety and discouragement. Christians sometimes grow impatient, as if the church’s future depends on our ability to “force” growth. Jesus says the opposite: do faithful planting, and trust the Lord of the harvest (Mark 4:26–29; Galatians 6:9).

2) What Does the Mustard Seed Teach About the Church’s Influence? (Mark 4:30–32)

Jesus said the kingdom is like a mustard seed—tiny when sown, but it grows into something large enough that birds can lodge under its branches (Mark 4:30–32). The emphasis is not merely size; it is proportional impact—something that begins small but becomes a place of shelter.

What this means for the church

The church may look small compared to the institutions of the world—governments, universities, massive media platforms, and cultural trends. Yet the kingdom has an influence the world cannot match because it brings salvation, truth, and refuge.

The early spread of the gospel illustrates the point. What began with a crucified King and a small band of disciples quickly spread, and the church multiplied as the gospel was preached (Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4; Acts 17:6).

The “birds” lodging can picture the lost finding shelter in Christ, or the Gentiles finding rest in the gospel—something they never found in paganism or Judaism’s national structure (Acts 10:34–35; Ephesians 2:12–13).

So the mustard seed parable reminds us:

• Do not despise small beginnings. God often starts small and grows something strong (Zechariah 4:10).

• The kingdom provides shelter. Christ is a refuge for sinners who come to Him in faith and obedience (Matthew 11:28–30; Colossians 1:13).

• The church will not be stopped. If God began it, God will preserve it until the harvest (Matthew 16:18).

  
  

3) Why Does the Kingdom Operate Differently Than the World? (Matthew 20:1–16)

In the parable of the vineyard workers, a householder hires laborers at different times throughout the day—early morning, third hour, sixth, ninth, and even the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:1–7). At the end of the day, he pays them all the same wage (Matthew 20:8–10). The early workers grumble because they worked longer and expect more (Matthew 20:11–12).

But the landowner answers: “Friend, I do thee no wrong… didst not thou agree with me for a penny?” (Matthew 20:13). Then he reveals the key point: his equal payment is not injustice—it is generosity: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” (Matthew 20:15). Jesus concludes: “So the last shall be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16).

What this means for the church

This parable teaches two kingdom realities:

1) Being in the kingdom is a matter of grace

No one earns salvation as wages. God “hires” by kindness, not because anyone deserves the privilege. The gospel invitation itself is grace (Ephesians 2:8–10). Entrance into the kingdom is made possible by Christ’s blood, not human merit (Ephesians 1:7; Titus 3:5).

2) The kingdom order is not worldly order

The early workers think like the world: I worked longer, therefore I deserve more. That reasoning may fit many earthly systems, but it is not the governing principle in the kingdom.

In the kingdom:

• The reward is not based on boasting (Ephesians 2:9).

• God exalts the humble, not the self-promoter (James 4:6).

• Greatness is defined by service (Matthew 20:26–28).

• The first can become last if their heart is proud, and the last can be lifted up by God’s mercy (Luke 18:9–14).

This parable warns against envy and self-righteousness in the church. It also encourages those who come late in life, those who feel weak, and those who believe they have “little” to offer: God’s grace is real, and His goodness is not limited by the world’s scoring system (Matthew 20:15–16).

The Summary: Two Final Kingdom Truths

When we bring these parables together, two final truths stand out.

The church will continue until the harvest

The seed will grow, and the harvest will come (Mark 4:29). Nothing can stop God’s plan. The church’s future is not fragile because the Lord Himself sustains His kingdom (Matthew 16:18; Hebrews 12:28).

The church runs on grace, not worldly fairness

The world often operates on a strict principle of justice and “deserving.” The kingdom operates on grace—God’s grace toward us and our grace toward one another (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:12–13).

When a congregation forgets grace, it begins to think like the world: comparisons, rankings, bitterness, jealousy, and pride. But when grace rules, the church becomes what it was designed to be: a refuge, a family, and a growing field that keeps producing fruit.

Are You Ready to Enter the Kingdom?

Jesus’ kingdom parables were given so people could understand the gospel clearly. If you are not a member of Christ’s church, the New Testament shows the response: believe in Christ, repent of sin, confess Him, and be baptized for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9–10). The Lord adds the saved to His people (Acts 2:47).

Reflection Questions

1. Do I trust the “seed-and-harvest” cycle of God’s work, or do I become impatient and discouraged when growth seems slow (Mark 4:26–29; Galatians 6:9)?

2. Have I despised “small beginnings,” or do I believe God can grow something powerful from what looks insignificant (Mark 4:30–32; Matthew 16:18)?

3. Do I measure faithfulness by worldly comparison, or by grateful service under God’s grace (Matthew 20:11–16; Ephesians 2:8–10)?

4. Do I ever struggle with envy toward other Christians because of their role, recognition, or blessings (Matthew 20:15; James 4:6)?

5. What is one concrete way I can “plant seed” this week—teaching the Word, encouraging a believer, or serving someone in Christ’s name (Romans 10:17; 1 Corinthians 3:6–7)?