A Tale of Two Seeds

 

 

A Tale of Two Seeds  (A true story by Laurie Moulton)

Around about the time that God was creating the all the plants and trees of the earth, he created two perfect seeds. One, was a grape seed, and the other, was a wheat seed (grain).

The grape seed grew into a twisty, leafy, vine, with many branches, and the wheat seed grew into a tall, golden, stalk, swaying gracefully in the wind. The two lived harmoniously for several seasons, yielding more perfect grape seeds and wheat seeds each year, and these seeds also growing and yielding the same.

God then gave humankind the ability to harvest the grapes and wheat. The grapes were turned into the most tastiest and perfect wine, and the wheat was ground into the fluffiest flour, which was then baked into the most delicious and perfect bread.

This perfect bread and wine were served at the most special of occasions: weddings, family gatherings, when welcoming new guests, etc. It became so prized that it was considered a luxury to have these things. The two joining together in a most divine meal — two becoming one, like a great marriage or the forming of a new life.
In the Egypt, when the Israelites were enslaved, they were unable to routinely partake of these precious foods.

 

On the night of the Passover, they were told by God to take the blood of a perfect, unblemished lamb and mark their doorways so the angel of death would pass by their homes. This blood of salvation was the same deep red color as the wine of those perfect grapes. The remainder, or body, of the lamb was then eaten, it’s white, fluffy wool, the same color of that most delicious bread. When the Israelites were finally free of Egypt, but now wandering in the barren desert, they cried out to God in hunger. What was God’s response?

Manna. Manna everywhere and enough to feed everyone—perfect bread from heaven.
Throughout the following centuries, humanity endured many uprisings, abuses of power, worshipping of false gods and idols, extravagant and selfish lifestyles with no regard for others or God Himself. The children of God were continuously persecuted.

God, laying witness to all of this, came to earth in the form of a most perfect, unblemished human via a humble, faithful peasant girl. The two, giving and carrying life in her womb to become one, like the perfect grape and wheat. Coursing through the veins of this most beautiful human, was blood as red as that most perfect wine, and his flesh as graceful and strong as that most perfect wheat that was turned into bread. His name was, is, and will forever be, Jesus. Like that perfect grape, he became the vine, and his followers, the branches.

Jesus brought the love of God to all. It didn’t matter whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor. This was the beginning and the basis of the New Covenant. Love one another, including your enemies, and through this love, learn to honor and respect each other, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and learn how to forgive, for in forgiveness lies the freedom of the soul and spirit. Do this all in the name of Jesus, for no one reaches the Father, except through him.

For this simple, yet beautiful and prudent teaching to all and for doing the works of God through the Son of God, Jesus and his followers were persecuted and shunned. Jesus already knew the ultimate outcome that was yet to come.

 

On the night before that fateful day, Jesus was in Jerusalem, celebrating the feast of Passover with his disciples (as the Passover feast was to be remembered and celebrated every year since the very first Passover in Egypt, to commemorate the Israelites’ freedom—this was a commandment from God, during the feast of the first Passover). This Passover feast is more commonly known as the Last Supper.

 

During this festival dinner, there was a plate of that same, perfect, unleavened bread and a cup of that same, perfect, delicious wine. Jesus, again, already knowing what was to come, took a piece of bread and broke it, and said, “Take, eat, for this is my body, which has been broken for you. Whenever you eat of it, do so in remembrance of me.” Next, he took the cup of wine and held it up and said, “take, drink, for this is my blood of the New Covenant, shed for you, for the forgiveness of sin.” Again, the perfect marriage of two becoming one for the ultimate salvation of all.

 

The following morning, Jesus was tried by the Romans, and crucified on the cross. While awaiting death to come, Jesus looked out across the crowd that had gathered, then he looked to God, and said, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”

 

Even in his final moments, Jesus, in the most unselfish of acts, took others before himself. With that most perfect blood flowing from the wounds in his hands and feet, and that most perfect flesh, pierced with the nails of crucifixion, he breathed his last and died. Died for the salvation and freedom of all.

So, when you take of your next communion bread and wine (or grape juice), remember, always remember the meaning behind it. Jesus was, is, and always will be the marriage and the planting of those two perfect seeds in us.

 

It is our God-given duty and right to go forth and bloom into the divine fruit of that vine and strength of that single grain with Him and in Him, and through Him, loving and forgiving others, as we ourselves, are loved and forgiven and saved by Him.

 

Let us never forget. Do this in the remembrance of Him.