The Sower

Lord, let this message be a beacon for you. Let me be forgotten and invisible. Let them see and know you, only you. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

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The word Gospel means “good news”. It’s pretty important to understand that. The Bible is not a book that tells us what we have to do to earn salvation, it is a book that tells us what God did to earn our salvation. What he did was send Jesus. Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves and he paid for what we had done in his body on the cross. God created human beings and intended for them to be ruling creatures. We were supposed to be under God but over everything else. We were supposed to rule over creation under the guidance and authority of God’s Word and to function as conduits for all the blessings of heaven. That’s how it was supposed to be, but unfortunately, the Bible tells the story of how our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell into sin by choosing to rebel against God’s Word in order to become autonomous ruling creatures. Basically, they wanted to be gods unto themselves, deciding good and evil. From that point on, humanity has been on a downward spiral moving further and further away from God and our original design and glory. The heart of the Gospel is the Good News that Jesus has come as God in the flesh and has obeyed God perfectly and has therefore won the right to all the blessings God originally intended to give to men and women. Furthermore, through his sacrificial death on the cross, he has paid the debt that we owed to God for disobeying his commands. There is therefore no need anymore for us to hide from God. In Jesus, we can come home and we can be restored. The climax of the Gospel is the great news that he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where he now intercedes on our behalf. He gives the Holy Spirit to all his people and he slowly but surely, changes our hearts, reforms our desires and teaches us how to be the children of God we were always intended to be. For now, Jesus remains in heaven, changing the world one person at a time, but one day he will return and judge the world in righteousness. He will remove from this world all sin and all causes of sin and he will restore the cosmos to a state of peace, prosperity and flourishing and all those who have received him as their Lord and Savior will participate in his rule and enjoy his goodness forever.

The gospel is the good news that God, the loving Creator, sovereign King, and holy Judge of all, has looked upon men and women wonderfully and uniquely made in His image who have rebelled against Him, are separated from Him, and deserve death before Him, and He has sent His Son, Jesus, God in the flesh, the long-awaited King, to live a perfect and powerful life, to die a sacrificial and substitutionary death, and to rise from the grave in victory over sin, Satan, and death. The gospel is a summons from God for all people in all nations to repent and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, turning from all idols to declare allegiance to Jesus alone as King and trust in Jesus alone as Lord. All who turn from Jesus will experience everlasting, horrifying suffering in hell, while all who trust in Jesus will experience everlasting, satisfying communion with God in heaven. (Secret Church 2020, David Platt, Radical.net)

For now, Jesus remains in heaven, changing the world one person at a time, but one day he will return and judge the world in righteousness. He will remove from this world all sin and all causes of sin and he will restore the cosmos to a state of peace, prosperity and flourishing and all those who have received him as their Lord and Savior will participate in his rule and enjoy his goodness forever.

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PRAY

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EACH WEEK:

A parable is a simple story that explains a spiritual truth.

Jesus is telling these each of these stories for a purpose. We’re going to discuss this purpose.

Mark 4:1–9 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.”

Set up the context

Seed Example

Looking for Jesus in each of these.

The character of God

Exodus 34:6–7 ESV

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Compassionate

Gracious

Slow to Anger

Loyal

Love

Faithfulness

Q: What are some everyday items around the house that when used in some contexts very little occurs but when used in the right context is very effective.Share with the learners the lesson objectives.Have someone read Mark 4:1-9.

Ever have one of those times where you just have to quit because you were too far in over your head? Too overwhelmed? The ask was too great.

Question/Response

Q: Who is Jesus talking to?

A: Crowds

Q. Who is the Sower?

A: Jesus, therefore this parable is primarily about explaining some misunderstanding of Jesus' activity.

Q: What is the seed?

A: God's Word of the coming kingdom

Q: What is the sowing?

A: The proclamation of the coming kingdom through Jesus' ministry

Q: What are the four different soils?

A: path/road = unreceptive people; rocky soil = people who lose faith during times of persecution; thorny = people distracted with wealth and other things; good soil = receptive people

Q: What is the crop produced?

A: RighteousnessExplain that most Jews would be familiar with hearing a metaphor of a farmer used to describe God's activity with Israel. Read Isaiah 55:10-11. Also see how this metaphor was used by early Christian writers: James 1:21; Colossians 1:5-6; 1 Peter 1:23

7. What is the major message of this parable?

8. How does this fit in with the gospel?

10. What does this say about the character of God?

9. What was the alternate choice?

11. How does this apply to you?

Objectives:

By the end of this lesson the learner will be able to:

1. Identify the elements of the setting and the metaphors of the parable that are significant to interpret.

2. Identify some interpretations that are not conveyed by the parable.

3. Identify the major message of the parable

4. Observe that the parable is retold in different ways in the Synoptics.

Introduction: (about 5-10 minutes)

Lead the class in a prayer that will include thanking God for the power of his word to produce fruits of righteousness in our lives

Learning Experiences: (about 20-25 minutes)

Part I: Identifying the metaphors that should be interpreted

Part ll: Identifying interpretations not conveyed by the parable

Q. What points have you heard made by using this parable that you believe were not being conveyed by it? (Allow 3-4 adults to share)Here are some examples: Some people are either born with the ability to receive the word while are others are not Only _ of those people who hear the word will respond The word of God received by a person of genuine faith produces miraculous growth The word of God should be spread gently

Part III: Identifying the major message of the parable

The ministry of Jesus should not be considered ineffective simply because it is not accepted by some; rather its power is demonstrated in the lives of those who do receive it.Those who are not citizens of the kingdom did not receive the word either because of (1) Satanic involvement in the lives of some, (2) unwillingness to pay the cost in suffering or (3) distraction with material gains.Citizens of the kingdom have the word of God deeply planted into their internal spirit and produce righteousness in their lives.

Part lV: Observing how a parable is retold differently by each

Gospel

Draw the learners' attention to the differences between the parable of the Sower in the Synoptics. (Distribute handout 2 and put up overhead 2 "The Parable of the Sower in the Synoptic Gospels")

Q: What things strike you as different in Matthew and Luke's retelling of the same parable?

A: (1) In Mark and Luke the comparison is between people and terrain while in Matthew it is between a person and a seed, and (2) Matthew emphasizes that the second type of person receives the word with joy before falling away. Application: (about 5-10 minutes)Ask the learners to identify other examples of how people react to the presentation of God's powerful word. See if they can identify other kinds of reactions that tell us more about them as people than it does about the effectiveness of God's word.Ask the learners, "Based on this parable, what do you think Jesus would want you to remember as you evangelize others."

Overhead 1

Lesson Objectives

Parable of the Sower in the Synoptic Gospels

Mark 4:13-20 Matthew 13:18-23 Luke 8:11-15

#1 Comparison

Some people are like terrain along a path where seeds are stolen by birds; they are robbed of the word by Satan One type of person is like a seed sown along a path, stolen by a bird; that one does not understand the word and is a victim of the evil one. Some persons are like terrain along a path where seeds are stolen by birds; they are robbed of the word by the devil.

#2 Comparison

Some people are like plants on rocky ground that lack roots; they fall away during tribulation or persecution. Another type of person is like a seed sown on rocky ground; that one hears the word, receives it with joy, but falls away due to tribulation or persecution. Some person are like plants on a rock that lack roots; they fall away during testing.

#3 Comparison

Some people are like a field with thorns in it; they are lovers of the world, and cares, delights, and desires choke the word, and it is unfruitful. Another type of person is like seed sown in thorns; that one hears the word, but cares and delights choke it, and it is unfruitful. Some people are like a seed sown in good soil; they hear and hold fast the word and bear fruit.

#4 Comparison

Some people are like the good soil; they hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit. Another type of person is like a seed sown in good soil; that one hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit. Some people are like a seed sown in good soil; they hear and hold fast the word and bear fruit.

Lesson Wrap-up

Let them know the title of next week's lesson: The Prodigal Son

Assignment: (about 2 minutes)

Reflect upon the time you believed in God's word in your life. Next week, be prepared to share some examples of "fruit" that has been produced in your life since then.