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When the grain is fully formed, he reaps - harvest time!
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"How can we picture God's kingdom? What kind of story can we use?
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It's like a pine nut. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go,
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yet once it is planted it grows into a huge pine tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it."
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With many stories like these, he presented his message to them, fitting the stories to their experience and maturity.
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He was never without a story when he spoke. When he was alone with his disciples, he went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots.
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Late that day he said to them, "Let's go across to the other side."
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They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along.
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A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it.
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And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, "Teacher, is it nothing to you that we're going down?"
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Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass.