Matthew 13: 1-23

The Parable of the Sower

Jesus often used parables to communicate important information to those that were willing to listen. One of these was the Parable of the Sower.

As a group, review v 3-10. 

1. Why would Jesus use this illustration from human life to share His Message? 

-If you were a farmer in that time, would you have felt sympathetic to the loss of crop that the farmer in the parable experienced?

-Do you think that the farmer was careless in how he scattered his seed? Or, would you have thought the farmer to be wise in that he was scattering his seed in all possible soils to obtain the most possible yields?

2. Review vs 10 and 11

Jesus' disciples wonder aloud why Jesus spoke to the people in parables.

-Why did He? Would it not have been easier to just say what was on His mind?

-Why was the knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven given to only a few? Does this seem fair?

3. Review vs 13-14

-How does one see without seeing? Or, hear without understanding?

-Is this something that people do on purpose? Does it happen over time?

-Do you know people that suffer from this problem? Are you one of them?

4. Review v 15

-How does a person's heart become calloused? Is this a life-long problem? Will their hearts ever be receptive to the Message that they are struggling to see or understand?

-Would you know if you have a calloused heart? 

Review Jesus' interpretation of the Parable of the Sower in verses 18-23

1. Who is the farmer? What is the seed? 

2. The seed that falls along the path and is eaten by the birds is comparable to a person that hears the Message, doesn't understand it, and the evil one snatches away what was sown.

-What does this look like? Does this happen often?

-If this person is someone in your life, what should our responsibility be in this scenario?

3. The seed that fell on rocky places did not have a secure root and the plants were scorched by the sun. Jesus compared this seed to a person that hears the Message with much joy in the beginning, but because there is no root, trouble or persecution in his life leads them away.

-Do you know someone like this? 

-Do you recall the joy that they had when they first heard the Message and accepted Christ in their life? 

-In their enthusiasm, did they think that troubles would cease because of their new relationship with Christ? Were they surprised that they were persecuted because of their new relation with Christ?

-Is there anyway to determine if the Message hasn't taken root?

-What should our responsibility be in this scenario?

4. Some seed fell among thorns and these thorns choked the plants. Jesus compared this to the one that heard the Message, but worries of this life and the things of this world made him unfruitful.

-Do you know someone like this?

-Was this an immediate loss or did the "thorns" choke the person over time?

-What should our responsibility be in this scenario?

5. Finally, Jesus noted that some seed fell on good soil and created a bountiful crop. He compared this to a person that hears the Message and understands it.

-What is the "good soil" of this parable? Is there anyway to create a lot of it? 

-Why didn't the sower put all of the seed in "good soil?"

-How do we know if the person that has received the Message has seen it and understood it?

-What should our responsibility be in this scenario?

Teacher: Troy Nesbitt

Matthew 13: 1-23