072317 #4 What are the Ministering Gospel’s Kingdom Parables? Mark 4:1-34

Bridging to

Is there a connection between the 4 groups of & 4 soils of Mark 4?

’s listeners: Sinister Pharisees; embarrassed family; needy crowd; committed disciples

2. Jesus' family is embarrassed.

3. Crowds are thrill-seeking.

’s soils: path; rocky; thorny; and good

4. Disciples leave all to follow Him.

The parable of the sower -

The parable of the sower -

Mark 4:1–20 ESV

1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ” 13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

Parable of the Sower

Matt 13:1–9

Mark 4:3–9

Luke 8:5–8

Why does Jesus emphasize listening? , , . Plus ,,,.

Who is the sower? (Jesus)

What is his seed? (The word or message that Jesus had been giving: "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news." [1:15])

What aspect of planting does this parable highlight?

THE PATH

How are the Pharisees the Path? The birds is Satan who steals.

What is the result? (no germination, no life).

The birds is Satan who steals. What is the result? (no germination, no life).

Is losing attention when God’s Word is read dangerous?

How about falling asleep?

What practical suggestions are there to prevent this from happening?

THE ROCKY SOIL

How are the embarrassed family the Rocky soil?

What happens when the scorching sun’s trouble and persecution comes to their short-lived good intentions?

What practical suggestions are there to prevent brief joy, shallow planting, and the absence of roots?

THE THORNY SOIL

How is the crowd the thorny soil (worries, wealth, desires)?

2. Rocky – sun scorches (trouble, persecution), brief joy, shallow, no root, good but short-lived intentions.

How can we prevent our selves from being a crowd that is alive but fruitless?

Why is riding the fence dangerous it a commitment do God?

THE GOOD SOIL

Why does Jesus list 3 yields?

In your own words, a FRUITFUL YIELD would be _________________?

UNDERSTANDING

LISTENING: Are you regressing to poorer soil or moving forward to a better yield?

PATH: Are you receptive and alert when God’s word is presented?

ROCKY: Do you only joyfully grow in good times?

f you've accepted the message, your soil was receptive at your conversion. How about now?

Are you getting better or worse at rightly dividing the word?

Is it producing fruit in your life or is there a snag in the growth process?

What soil are you tempted to revert back to?

ROCKY: Do you only joyfully grow in good times?

THORNY: Do you let worldly concerns chock your soul or do you reason through and overcome?

Do you let Satan keep you from soaking in God's Word?Do you only experience joy and growth in good times?Do you let worldly things seduce your heart?

APPLICATION

Are you just hearing (growth halted) or doing (producing fruit)?

Hearing/listen (11 times in ESV) that perceives/understands () results in turning/accepting & bearing fruit ().

Are you getting better or worse at rightly dividing the word?

4. Good – fruitful.

Is it producing fruit in your life or is there a snag in the growth process?

What soil are you tempted to revert back to?

What are your rocks and thorns? What should you ask Jesus to do with them? How can you get rid of them?

The parable of the lamp -

Mark 4:21–25 ESV

21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Who or what is the lamp?

What aspect of planting does this parable highlight?

Is Jesus spoon feeding the truth or is he teaching us to stick around, meditate, and dig for the truth?

What is the purpose of the lamp?

What is the connection between the lamp and hearing?

What are the different ways in which we can listen?

Explain exponential growth in hearing?

The parable of the seed -

Mark 4:26–29 ESV

26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

What part of the mystery of growth most fascinates you? (time, sprouting, growing)

While the 1st 2 parables shows the condition of our heart, the next 2 show the power of God.

What aspect of planting does this parable highlight?

LESSON

What is the powerful lesson relating to His Word? (Like the hidden germination of a seed, God's Word has power which works on the heart and gives it life.)

When last did God’s word speak to you to change, convince, convict or exhort?

APPLICATION

How does this parable encourage us when we seem not to be growing? (Hint: remember cold heart Pharisees or his family)

Why is spreading the seed more important than our traditions?

Why should we relax after we have spread the seed ()?

How are you different than when the seed first got into your heart?

What is his goal (Mark 4:29)?

The parable of the mustard seed -

What does this parable teach us about planting?

How does this illustrate the current expansion of His Kingdom?

What power or resources did Jesus have when He came to this world (Hint: )?

He came as the suffering servant but He reigns as what the majestic King

APPLICATION

What thorns or rocks do you need to get rid of to scatter Jesus’ mysterious seed?

Into who heart will you plant the seed?